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Product category: Software, off-line programming, CAM, for metal cutting machine tools
News Release from: Renishaw | Subject: Productivity+ software suite - probing
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial Team on 14 August 2006

Software makes machine tool probing
easier to use

Software makes it easy to use machine tool probing for process control, closed-loop machining, and part inspection, enabling 'click-and-capture' offline programming and probing simulation.

Renishaw's Productivity+ software suite provides a simplified approach to closed-loop machining, higher process efficiency, automated machining operations, and faster, leaner part throughout The software allows probing routines to be programmed and simulated offline on CAD/CAM systems in the same manner, by the same people and at the same time as toolpath generation

It enables set-up, in-process inspection, first-off part verification, final part inspection, tool setting and tool breakage detection to all be programmed offline, then integrated into metal cutting cycles for a high degree of process automation.

Productivity+ is available both as a plug-in to GibbsCAM software and as a stand-alone package named Active Editor Pro.

The software allows machine tool users to apply probing measurement feedback and process control logic without specialized programming or probing knowledge.

Productivity+ and Active Editor Pro support the entire spectrum of machine tool probe users and allow development of powerful probing routines for both contact probes and non-contact laser probes.

A graphical user interface (GUI) enables importing of CAD models for probe cycle generation.

Prismatic features can be selected from a CAD model with single click and capture to define the program, while a drag-and-drop interface uses the measured data to update machine parameters.

Intuitive menus in the probing software remove the need for knowledge of probing macro commands, which vary by machine controller and are a time-consuming way to produce routines.

* Full process control - programs work through machine controls, enabling full process control and closed-loop machining by means of in-process measurements and automatic compensations and corrections.

When an abnormality is identified, the Productivity+ program on the controller performs a series of logic checks to identify the problem and update the machining program for correction.

Integrating metal cutting and probing allows programmed actions to be taken by the machine tool based on data collected, giving confidence for lights-out unattended operation.

The software is an all-in-one independent solution for creating probing cycles remotely from the machine tool.

Advanced software allows point-and-click automatic programming of surface normals, saving huge amounts of time and reducing manual input errors.

The instructions required to control the probe are automatically inserted in the same post-processed files as the toolpath.

Besides new program generation, existing programs can be re-processed to include probing.

The machining programs can be read and probing routines added at the desired points in the program, removing the need for cutting and pasting into text editors or on-machine editing.

Features can also be selected directly from an imported CAD model, making the generation of probing cycles even easier.

For users without an existing CAD system, Renishaw also offers Active Editor software that allows the design of probing cycles using dialog-based feature selection.

The software provides feedback throughout to ensure that the program is right the first time.

Once programs are completed, they may be fully simulated to identify errors and detect potential crashes.

The software protects against stylus and probe collisions by flagging a warning if any move will violate the part being inspected.

Once simulation delivers a clean routine, programs can be post processed for a wide variety of control systems.

Users can program and prove-out even complex probing operations, eliminating costly accidents that can arise with macro programming.

Productivity+/Active Editor Pro operates with the popular Parasolid format.

Postprocessors are available for Fanuc-type, Heidenhain, Siemens and latest Mori Seiki controllers.

* New developments - new version 1.03 enhances capabilities with XY coordinate rotation and 4th axis levelling.

Coordinate rotation in XY plane - if a part is not aligned to the machine's axes, this new functionality (controller dependent) will compensate for the error and feed the new data back into the CNC control to ensure co-ordinates are correct.

Users will see a reduction in part set-up times or fixturing costs.

4th axis levelling - Version 1.03 allows users to locate parts on a 4th axis fixture and use the probe to automatically find its position.

The software automatically updates the work coordinate, removing the need to accurately locate the fixture on the 4th axis.

No manual intervention is necessary, reducing set-up time and the possibility of error.

In addition to these key enhancements, users of the Productivity+ GibbsCAM plug-in software will benefit from additional new options: Simplified surface normal generation - this brand new point-and-click feature available with the GibbsCAM plug-in package will automatically program surface normals, saving huge amounts of time and reducing manual input errors.

As the name suggests, users simply 'point-and-click' on the surface of a part and probing coordinates will be entered automatically into the probing cycle.

Compatibility with TMS (Tombstone Management System) - the Productivity+ GibbsCAM plug-in is fully compatible with the new Tombstone Management System option from Gibbs and Associates.

This system significantly accelerates the development of programs for tombstone machining, making multi-part programs simple and efficient to use.

* Process and part verification - Productivity+/Active Editor Pro software can be used with high-accuracy Renishaw spindle probes to collect data for in-process quality checks without having to calibrate probes in all the intended vectors.

This reduces the number of points required to measure each part, giving significant cycle time improvements.

On-machine monitoring at stages of the machining process allows errors to be detected earlier and corrected more quickly at lower cost.

Similarly, the extent of any damage - such as from a tool breakage - can be assessed accurately and a decision made immediately to determine whether the part can still be completed within tolerance or must be scrapped.

The ability to check that the part is within specification at various stages will save time, reduce the amount of scrap and increase confidence that time is not being wasted working on components that are already too far out of tolerance.

Using probes to perform final inspection, while the part is still fixtured, eliminates the added costs and time for CMM and other post-process inspection, enabling 'done in one' processing for faster part throughput.

* Renishaw at IMTS 2006, Chicago, USA, September 6-13, Booth D-4511. Request a free brochure from Renishaw ...

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