Product category:
CAM and software for sheetmetal, punching, profiling, EDM, etc
News Release from: Radan Computational | Subject: Radan CAD/CAM systems
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 02 December 2003
CADCAM choice turns CATIA into CNC
efficiently
A cooker manufacturer based its CAD/CAM choice on software's acceptance of CATIA designs in DXF to produce accurate CNC programs, which speeded up production processes significantly.
AGA-Rayburn is a company with a long pedigree; not just for producing its traditionally-styled AGA cookers, but for a wide range of top quality stoves, heaters, cookware, kettles and other kitchen utensils Many of its lines feature castings produced at its owned foundry in Coalbrookdale
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 9 May 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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But alongside these are the hundreds of pressed components that are also manufactured in-house at the company's Ketley site, near Telford.
The company's adoption of Radan CAD/CAM systems underlines its on-going drive to produce designs faster, better and more cost-effectively than before, in order to maintain its competitive position.
AGA-Rayburn purchased its first seat of Radpunch CNC programming software shortly after the installation of a Trumpf punch press in the mid 1990s.
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Back then, the company was using a UNIX-based CATIA design system and could immediately see the benefits of providing a CAM bridge to its new CNC machine.
"A number of options were investigated," says Senior Product Develop Engineer, Martin Johnson.
"But we finally selected Radan because of its compatibility with CATIA and our IBM MAAPICS manufacturing system.
The ability to accept CATIA designs in DXF format and then produce accurate CNC programs speeded up our production processes significantly.
It also laid the foundations for future CAD/CAM investments as we acquired two more Trumpf machines, a Nisshinbo Map-630 punch press and Messer Griesheim CNC laser cutter over the next few years." Detailed Review - a detailed review of all the company's design-to-manufacturing systems in 1998 pointed AGA-Rayburn towards the benefits of migrating to a PC-based solution.
"We felt that our existing UNIX-based installation was expensive to run and no longer integrated well with other shop floor systems," continues Mr Johnson.
"We evaluated several solutions, including CATIA V5 and Pro-Engineer, alongside the latest offering from Radan.
"In many ways Radan was the obvious choice.
It not only gave significant cost advantages, but could easily handle our large volume of legacy drawings, as well as provide the functionality we required from a purpose-developed sheet metal package.
Furthermore, familiarity with the earlier UNIX-based version ensured that we could phase in the introduction of an updated system without disruption." Today all AGA-Rayburn products are designed using Radan.
However, its value in supporting the company's product development cycle is typified by the Six-Four series cooker - the first model to be designed and programmed completely on the new system.
With pressed components accounting for more than 50% of this and other cookers' 900 or so parts, Radan's sheet metal functionality is understandably important to the company.
One of its most impressive features is the ability to produce accurate flat blank developments at the touch of a button.
It not only delivers major time savings, but also enhances product quality by improving component fit and reducing the need for subsequent modifications.
AGA-Rayburn engineers can also easily import suppliers' 3D product models, such as gas burners or other fittings, in IGES or other industry-standard formats and incorporate them immediately in their designs, checking fits and clearances as they go.
In effect, the Radan system allows virtual prototyping of the product - not only enabling problems to be identified and resolved early in the project, but also bringing further cost and time saving benefits.
Downstream - further downstream, the Radan CAM software proves just as effective at determining and programming high-yield nesting routines for the CNC production machines.
"For most jobs we use a series of proven nests," explains Press Shop Production Engineer, Dave Collins.
"Thanks to the Radnest module's ability to fit smaller components automatically within cutouts in larger parts, we typically achieve better than 80% sheet utilisation.
However, if production requirements demand it, we can easily get the system to re-nest kits of parts in minutes - either for the same machine or for a different punch press." The Radan system's capabilities also include linking to AGA-Rayburn's PC-based quality systems.
"By allowing us to import CMM data from physical parts, we can even reverse engineer components if required," adds Martin Johnson.
Further system benefits have also emerged, which were not immediately apparent at the system justification stage.
Improved visualisation of products in 3D, for example, enables AGA-Rayburn to undertake market research and feasibility studies without the need for physical prototypes.
Screen images can be easily captured and imported into other documents, reports and presentations.
In addition, the Radan software will instantly generate isometric or exploded component views, which can be used in operator manuals and service documentation.
So, what are the company's plans for the future? According to Martin Johnson, migration to the latest Radan 03 release will take place during the next six months, and is expected to bring further benefits in terms of enhanced 3D functionality and the databasing of drawings for improved product revision control.
"Overall, our Radan CAD/CAM system has proved to be extremely user-friendly, yet highly capable," adds Martin Johnson. Request a free brochure from Radan Computational ...
"It is typical of the cutting edge technology we employ at AGA-Rayburn to underpin the success of what may initially seem to be very traditional product ranges.".
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