Product category:
Software, off-line programming, CAM, for metal cutting machine tools
News Release from: Sprut Technology | Subject: SprutCAM 3D Expert off-line programming software
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 13 December 2004
Simple, effective 3D CAM gains tool
contracts
Toolmaker invested the latest 3D off-line programming software and is now able to produce very complex 3D surface profiles and fulfil higher value contracts.
Toolmaker Andy Brain has two CNC vertical bed mills, one manual and one CNC lathe with a variety of other machines set around a small ex-blacksmiths forge on a lonely farm near Ross-on-Wye, UK Working with a local design and development house, he produces a wide range of special-purpose equipment such as assembly fixtures, test rigs and leak test machines
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 3 Aug 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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Now however, following his decision to invest GBP 3,250 in the latest version of SprutCAM 3D Expert off-line programming software, he has moved A and P Engineering into a higher level of toolmaking capability - one that can produce very complex 3D surface profiles and fulfil higher value contracts.
To set up his business in 1995, he stared with two manual machines and in 1999 bought his first ProtoTRAK DPM bed mill.
Since then Brain has dedicated his business to buying the best he can afford in terms of machine vices, measuring equipment and tooling.
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Topping up these purchases with a high level of toolmaking skill and a key determination to produce a job to perfection, A and P Engineering has subsequently followed success with success.
For example, some 90 per cent of completed contracts end up in blue chip companies and Tier 1 and 2 suppliers to the automotive sector, for which the purchase of SprutCAM Version 4 from Sprut Technology (UK) of Taunton played a major part in winning the most complicated job he had ever tackled.
Andy Brain describes the alignment and assembly fixturing for roof rails on an estate car as looking fairly simple at first glance, but this high value job would never have seen the light of day from his workshop had it not been for the 3D surface contouring capability of SprutCAM.
To which he adds: "You must remember, I work alone and can spend hours trying to solve a problem.
Hours just fly by when you are on the computer.
SprutCAM is dedicated to the small subcontractor, machinist and toolmaker, and once you use it you can see why it is so successful because it is really easy to follow.
The help and support is excellent which further boosts your confidence, and I reckon I have recouped my investment in producing just one of these alignment and assembly fixtures." Far from being a lonely existence with just his dog for company in the workshop - Andy Brain maintains a machine never asks for a pay rise, or goes sick and never answers back - his contact with the local design and development house keeps him sane, he says, and very active in the automotive and its related sector.
This is substantiated by A and P Engineering having its equipment installed in the likes of BMW, Rover, Saab and Volvo as well as in the oil and gas, mobile phone, bicycle and CD industries.
He has even produced a special fixture worth more than GBP 5,000 for Ferrari's F1 race car to balance a multi-port valve for the hydraulic circuitry.
His decision to buy SprutCAM was not an easy one, now having two ProtoTRAK DPM bed mills to operate with simple on-machine programming.
He has used a 2D CADCAM system for producing sintering press tools for ceramic hobs, but comments: "The system had its limitations, and from experience, one thing that I was very concerned about when thinking of buying a 3D system is that working on my own with nobody to bounce ideas off when I have a problem means hours can be spent going around in circles.
Time is valuable!" Indeed, this very factor was the deal clincher for Sprut Technology (UK).
Brain contacted Sprut's managing director Dave Pearson the same time as a few other leading CAM vendors following his chance to bid for the roof rail contract.
He admits there was not a lot to choose between features and benefits for what he wanted to do, "but when it came to price and support there was a yawning gap!" he insists.
He follows on to explain: "The larger companies were living off the options listing, which sent the purchase price through the roof.
With SprutCAM Version 4, everything I needed was already in the package and when it came to help Dave Pearson is the man.
I have even spoken to him at home on a Sunday evening when working to a deadline!" To produce the alignment and assembly fixture for the roof rails which were in left and right hand formats, the main datum bases involved milling blocks of alloy die steel which took some 20 hours each.
"The datum blocks were expensive," Brain maintains, "and I could not afford to make any errors.
Here SprutCAM gave me a high degree of confidence because I could very easily simulate the toolpaths." He follows on to describe: "Two particular elements in SprutCAM provided a massive saving.
For instance, optimising the feed rates at 500mm/min saved me something like 18 hours on one fixture alone, and the automatic initiation of rapid feed to the workpiece between passes saved two hours on each datum block." Brain has such confidence in what he has programmed and the tooling he is using that he sets the ProtoTRAK bed mill running and goes away to do other jobs or even goes home.
It is not uncommon to see him driving to the workshop at 3 am when he knows the job will be finished and to start the next one.
Elements of SprutCAM such as feature recognition and its ability to analyse 3D surfaces significantly helped Brain program the various fixture elements and incorporate the complex roof profile of the car.
Editing was very quick and simple at every stage in the programming sequence.
Features such as waterline constant Z-level, plane and drive roughing with area clearance made his task easier, and the 3D curve milling was especially put to good use.
The automatic collision protection element also proved critical due to the length of tools he was using, and the ability to simultaneously view the machined model with the original - giving a visual representation of the residual material - considerably quickened the programming cycle.
As Brain reflects on what he is now achieving, he feels most other CAM products with 3D capability would probably do the job.
But in his position he was able to work through the programming cycle with relative ease and front line help was available whenever he needed it.
Also, just one part of a job has paid for A and P Engineering to use SprutCAM and move into the next level of toolmaking expertise.
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