Integrated CAD/CAM benefits die & mould industry

August 11, 2014 12:33 pm

Integrated CAD/CAM software that combines CAD, CAM, electrode design and CMM programming capabilities in one system can save your time and efforts in many ways
 There are, broadly, two types of integrated CAD/CAM systems: One is CAD-centric, which is designed for people or companies that have standardised on a particular CAD system, and want the benefits of compatibility and associativity that integrated CAM can bring, and second is CAM-centric, which is designed for NC programmers who need CAD functions to do their work more efficiently.
The difference in centricity is a qualitative thing, and comes largely from the focus of the vendors who create the software, and the workflow in which the software is used.
Benefits and processing It is found that integrated CAD/CAM offers many benefits as it eliminates extra and costly data translation, automates many manufacturing authoring processes, uses integrated validation tools throughout the process and keeps the data organised.
“Integrated CAD/CAM provides more flexibility to the user to make programming without any data conversion loss,” points out Nitish Shukla, Business Manager, Cad Macro Design & Solutions Pvt. Ltd. “Manufacturing process becomes simpler, easily transferring to the CAM personnel. It avoids double time work, as well as knowledge transferring.”
It is a fact that a majority of tool rooms are in the small and medium sector which are run by passionate people. Often, these tool rooms employ specialists who do most of the tool design and manufacturing. Such specialists require an integrated CAD/CAM software that will not only allow them to make necessary changes to the input CAD model, but will also help them generate toolpaths for a given tool, die or mould. Figure 1 shows a typical (traditional) process, split-up in stages to manufacture a plastic injection mould.
Noticeably, the process is longer and takes many different applications and resources, until the job is finally done. This will result in a longer time-to-market as well as increase in overall cost. With an integrated CAD/CAM system, a new process can be defined as shown in figure 2.
It is apparent, from the figure 2, that one integrated team with one CAD/CAM system now ensures better communication; less data transfer, less chance of error as a more reliable process, less re-work, less management. It also means that there is no need for 2D drawings to be created separately for design communication to the shop floor. It also allows simulation of tool operation based on input mould configuration parameters.
In addition to this, the integrated CAD/CAM software has built-in intelligence and is also a knowledge based software. This allows the software to use components from standard catalogues like Hasco, DME, DMS, Kishin, Futaba etc., while understanding how mould components fit together – so the system suggests appropriate sizes. Features, such as holes, pockets, bosses and other prismatic features are recognised automatically in CAM software and appropriate strategies are applied for NC machining.
“Integrated CAD/CAM software helps in design, machining and inspection of electrodes, supporting a wide range of EDM equipment. The system provides the CAD element of the overall solution, in particular, the option to merge fragmented faces into a single, continuous surface and so produce cleaner, simple electrode geometry,” says Vineet Seth, Managing Director, Delcam Software (India) Pvt. Ltd. “This simplification makes subsequent operations, such as adding draft to complex regions of the model, much easier and also improves the operation of many of the direct modelling tools in the software.”
Automatic scripts for leading machine tools like Exeron and JDMA EPX, AgieCharmilles (Agievision and CT Millennium controls), Makino EDM, Mitsubishi Electric, ONA EDM, OPS-Ingersoll, Sodick and Zimmer & Kreim can be generated, thereby limiting manual intervention to a minimum. Scripts are the EDM equivalent of CAM programmes for machine tools.  They provide an automated process for the programming of the machine, instead of users having to program manually from a set-up sheet.
The automated process is much easier and quicker, especially when a number of electrodes are being used on the same component.  Furthermore, the direct link removes the human error that could always be possible with manual programming. It is now possible to update the script files based on information gathered during the inspection of the electrode. The new script file can then provide accurate process information to the EDM machine, avoiding the need for manual updates.
“Since modelling, mould/tool design, CNC milling and electrode making are important parts of the die and mould segment, integrated CAD/CAM tools help them by making the above processes interlinked and efficient,” adds Mr Seth.

Advertising

Your future advertising space? Our media data