Saturday, November 11, 2006

Three men and a dream a CNC machining center helps this North Carolina-based small shop branch out.

When a trio of North Carolinians started supplying conference tables to an office furniture manufacturer in the mid 90's, they were determined to keep things simple at their new company.

"We didn't want employees. We didn't want equipment," remembers Randy Woolard, 48, founder and corporate secretary for Thomasville-based Con-Tab Inc. A manufacturer's rep for furniture industry suppliers, Woolard started Con-Tab (short for "conference tables") in 1994. He was joined in 1995 by Rick Motsinger, another furniture-industry suppliers' rep, and Jim Brewer, an employee of Con-Tab's lone customer.

Komo Machine, Inc. Opens up the Small to Medium Size CNC Router Market via an Exclusive Partnership with Omnitech

Komo Machine, Inc. announces it is now providing a new line of CNC routers for the small to medium size CNC router market. Komo has secured an agreement with Omnitech Inc. of Charlotte, North Carolina to distribute the Selexx series of machines. The Selexx series is the first series of CNC router machines that meets the exacting specification standards of current Komo machines which includes superior componentry, industrial quality standards and machining flexibility. Under Komo's product umbrella, these machines will raise the level of quality and capability available to this market segment with Komo's industry-leading CimTech software and the company's industry-recognized service and support for $70,000 to $85,000. Komo will continue to manufacture its Mach series of machines here in the U.S. to service its dominated market of medium to large size customers. This is the first in a series of company and product expansions that Komo will be announcing this quarter.

"Our distributors and customers in the small to medium market segment have been clamoring for a solution from Komo," says Tom Azzarelli, president and CEO for Komo Machine, Inc. "We are bringing to this market--a market previously limited in their choices of routers--a machine that meets Komo's quality standards and we're coupling it with the elite levels of service support and software that this industry has come to expect from Komo."

The availability of the Selexx series means that Komo can immediately begin to distribute these machines. The Selexx machines are a series of machines designed to Omnitech specifications incorporating industrial-level quality components combined with multiple machine options, flexibility and superior millwork capabilities.

The addition of the Selexx series allows Komo to better service the small to medium size customer that the company was until now unable to serve. In business for 37 years, Komo is noted domestically and internationally for manufacturing, distributing and servicing machines in the $120,000 to $350,000 range with their highly-regarded Komo Mach series. Komo will continue to manufacture and expand this flagship series.

Friday, November 10, 2006

Heartland Fabrication & Machine Installs New Komo High-Speed CNC Router

Heartland Fabrication & Machine, Inc., Lee's Summit, Missouri, has recently installed a new Komo High-speed VR 1205TT CNC Router.

"This new CNC router, first in the U.S. in a job shop, enables us to diversify our offerings and serve new customers in a wide variety of industries," stated Mike Hudson, owner.

"A lot of companies that currently own a CNC router are industry specific and don't promote the machine due to the competitive edge they get when quoting parts."

Hudson plans to promote this machine to reach multiple industries.

The Komo features: twin spindles (24,000 rpm); dual pallets-, a 6' x 12' work surface, 3,000-ipm cut rate, .00005" repeatability and automated chip removal. It can handle aluminum, plastics, wood, cultured marble and many manmade materials.

The company will be releasing 3-D sculptured products under the name of No Limitations at a new location in Kingsville, Missouri. No Limitations will be working with many local companies to enhance their product line.

"We continually strive to stay current with the latest technologies to improve our efficiencies and service," commented Hudson as he noted the company's ongoing investment in software and training.

Heartland Fabrication and Machine, a CNC machine and fabrication shop also offers CNC turning (including y-axis) and milling, drilling, tapping, welding (MIG & TIG), CNC sawing, tube bending and light punching.

Other services such as painting, heat treating, powder coating, plating and robotic welding are also available through a wide range of suppliers.

Heartland Fabrication and Machine serves a wide range of industries in mid-America including: elevator/lift equipment; architectural/ornamental; construction; communications; trucking; railroad; agriculture; lawn and garden; food processing and custom motorcycle components.

The company is a family affair with Mike's wife, Kristi, his mother, Joann Hatch and his Father-in-law, Larry Jones, all involved in the company's operations.

Tishler Industries Installs New Haas CNC Router

The company, which fabricates medium to heavy welded plate products, purchased the new router to improve the company's efficiency.

"The new router will help shorten our lead times, allow us to have more control over our schedules and help improve product quality," stated Doug Schneider, manufacturing engineer. "One of the main factors in choosing the Haas model was the local service available here in St. Louis."

The Haas GR 510 features: a high-torque 5,000-rpm spindle; a 20-tool changer; a rigid tapping fixture; a thread mill for larger holes and a 5' x 10' table. It is currently set to operate with a vise, chuck or an open table setup. Work can be done in any of these configurations without having to change the machine's setup.

"This new equipment is another example of Tishler's ongoing efforts to improve our processes," noted Brian Payne, general manager.

Tishler Industries, founded in 1990, started out making tanks and containers for the utilities industries. Today, it handles all phases of projects involving metal plate tanks and containers including design, engineering, prototyping, fabricating and finishing.

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Automate and simplify CNC programming Systems and Software

ProCAM II enhancements include the Solids Machining option featuring advances in knowledge-based machining technology, including automatic feature recognition (AFR), interactive feature recognition (IFR) and automatic operations generation. ProCAM II is a stand-alone CAD/CAM product with new functionality. The company has taken the best features of the old and added the newest technologies and the capability to quickly integrate technological advances. In addition to Solids Machining, both user control over tool path and the Tech Database capabilities have been greatly expanded. Many new tools and other usability enhancements have been added at every level within this release.

CAMWorks tools -- known collectively as Machining Intelligence for Automation -- automate and simplify the process of CNC programming. Now ProCAM II has the power of CAMWorks, bringing the user one step closer to point-and-click machining. While ProCAM II is totally rewritten, existing users will find that alongside the new strengths in automation and tool path control, their existing ProCAM capabilities are unchanged.

Version II now includes an enhanced user interface and many new cutting strategies. The easy-to-use Windows interface gets a modernized look and feel with such features as moveable and dockable toolbars, customizable desktop configurations and a new Windows Explorer-style work area for easy part information management. ProCAM II uses the optimized OpenGLgraphics standard, which provides rapid, high resolution display of complex images. New machining enhancements include direct solids cutting, high speed machining, tapered tool support for two-and three-axis machining, rough drill pocketing, improved surface roughing, rough rest machining and more.

Personal CNC router

Stepper and driver package increases positioning and cutting speeds of small, personal CNC routers to that of much larger machines. End User: ShopBot Tools Inc., Durham, N.C. Founded: 1996 Employees: 30 Engineering activity: ShopBotbuilds personal CNC routers, called Personal Robotic Tools (PRTs), for individual woodworkers in small shops or at production-line stations in bigger facilities. Design goals: * Increase positioning speeds from 200 to 300-ipm range to 1,500 to 2,000 ipm. * Increase cutting speeds to 500 to 600 ipm, as available .

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Apdaptive control for CNC machines OMAT, booth D-4309 Control Units and Electronic Hardware

The company will be displaying its OEM versions of adaptive control systems integrated into DMG (Deckel Maho Gildemeister) machines and Siemens CNCs. Features include automatic real-time feed rate optimization, tool breakage protection through real-time feed adjustment, spindle-drive protection and automatic feed adjustment for tool-wear compensation. In addition, the system provides tool-wear monitoring by displaying the extent of tool wear as a percentage. Tool-breakage detection, tool-overload detection, graphic monitoring of cutting dynamics and tool performance statistics are other features.

CNC needs CNC support computer numerical control machines

Outdated secondary-operation machines were strangling the productivity of a Chicago-area screw machine shop's impressive battery of CNC screw machines. Now, CNC drilling and tapping machines and turning centers are providing secondary machining efficiency that has raised the firm's performance to a level few competitors can match.

When you drive past the building, with its concave front and narrow, close-set, floor-to-ceiling windows, you would guess an insurance firm, or an engineering or architectural firm, or perhaps an association office. In fact, the distinctive exterior pictured in Figure 1 houses the operations of General Automation, Inc., one of the most impressive screw machine shops in the country.

General Automation specializes in, among other things, Swiss screw machine parts, that is, workpieces with high length-to-diameter ratios. The firm produces them on numerous Swiss-type cam automatic screw machines, arranged like spokes on large wheels, bar feeds toward the center. (The arrangement makes the most efficient use of floor space and makes it easier for the operators to load the machines and tend their operation.)

Although cam-operated screw machines have been around for generations, they remain a very competitive method for producing workpieces in large quantities. They can produce workpieces in less time (a shorter cycle) than by most other methods.

But cam automatics are inefficient when the job involves making a few prototypes, or a small quantity of workpieces, or when machined part dimensions must be accurate to one or two ten-thousandths of an inch. Such jobs are best handled on CNC screw machines.

Advantages Of CNC

Screw machine shops are aware of the advantages of CNC screw machines; many have one or two in order to remain competitive on prototype work, short run jobs, and jobs where fast turnaround and/or high quality are critical. However, few shops are in a position to invest in enough CNC screw machines to comprise a separate department.

General Automation is one of the few. The firm operates some 63 Nomura CNC Swiss-type screw machines--the largest concentration of such machines in the U.S. The CNC Swiss-type screw machine offers a number of advantages over the older cam automatic screw machine. As its name implies, the cam automatic's cutting tool movements are controlled by a set of cams specially made for the workpiece being produced.

The CNC screw machine needs no cams. Tool movements are automatically determined by data from the dimensions of the part, fed into the machine's CNC unit. The workpiece can be programmed on the CNC right at the machine. Or, as is more often the case, the program can be prepared on a programming system located off the shop floor, and loaded in the machine's control when required. The control's "memory" is capable of storing dozens of workpiece programs; preparing the CNC screw machine to produce a different workpiece simply involves calling up the program for the next job, minimizing machine downtime between jobs.

Because CNC machine tools handle job change-overs much faster than manual or automatic machines, they are usually thought of as "short-run machines." By contrast, cam automatics, which are noted for their very rapid cycle times, are considered "production machines," ideal for producing large quantities of workpieces over long periods of time.

However, General Automation's CNC screw machines are faster than its cam automatics, so the company benefits not only from fast, easy machine setups, but from fast workpiece cycle times as well. According to General Automation president Max Starr, the CNC Swiss-type machines are frequently the most economical choice for complex workpieces, regardless of the length of the run.

Other advantages of the CNC screw machines are their greater accuracy and piece-to-piece consistency. Both are important to today's product manufacturers who demand parts machined to finer dimensional tolerances--and that those parts be within tight statistical process control parameters.

Another big advantage of the CNC screw machines--important to any job shop concerned about controlling costs--is that operator responsibilities are reduced to monitoring the machines and keeping their bar feeds filled. This enables General Automation to use less skilled operators at lower hourly rates.

A Weak Link

General Automation's CNC screw machines, added to the firm's other single- and multispindle automatic screw machines, give it a primary turning capability that few, if any, shops can match. But they called attention to a serious shortcoming in another part of General Automation's operation.

The firm's machining requirements typically include milling, drilling, tapping and other hole-making operations, in addition to secondary turning. The secondary turning requirements were met by a number of precision, small-part, turning centers, most equipped with automatic part-loading devices to permit untended operation over long intervals. But hole-making operations (drilling, tapping, and so on) were performed on older manual or automatic machines that were dragging down production times on jobs and compromising dimensional accuracies initially provided by the CNC screw machines.

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Tecumseh sets its course a very different kind of CNC software paves the way for creating an integrated manufacturing environment

"A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step."

This ancient Chinese proverb is good to keep in mind when thinking about how a factory begins to move toward a plant-wide electronic production monitoring system. The vision of the future destination may be luminous and compelling, but turning this vision into reality is no hop, skip and a jump. It has to be taken earnestly and carefully, step by step.

In the end, plant managers will be able to access the system and get instant, up-to-the-moment reports summarizing the OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) rating of the whole plant, separate production lines or even individual machine tools. Analysis of the collected data used to calculate this rating will pinpoint where problems or opportunities for improvement appear.

Here is an example of what is to come when a production monitoring system is in place: Managers are alerted to a report showing that a certain machine in one of the machining lines needed an average of 3 minutes cycle time during the last shift when it should have been closer to 2 minutes at programmed feed rates and spindle speeds. Reviewing the log of events that occurred during this shift shows that a grinding wheel was not cutting as aggressively as intended and had to be replaced at 50 percent of its expected life as a result of excessive wear. A recent change in wheel grade is recorded in notes entered by the manufacturing engineer. At the start of the next shift, a message to the cell operator gives instructions to install a harder grade wheel. Cycle times monitored during the day show a return to the required output. Problem solved.

This vision is not new. It's been talked about and dreamed about for years. In fact, the software and hardware to make it happen not only exist, but they also have a proven track record. What is becoming clear is that making the transition to this future state will be neither quick nor effortless. The first steps are the toughest, but that is where the journey begins, as the proverb reminds us.

Tecumseh Products' compressor plant near Tupelo, Mississippi, has taken those first steps, and the benefits are already clear and substantial. The plant has installed software-only CNCs on several "bottleneck" machine tools and is running key portions of a bidirectional production monitoring system that integrates the CNCs with the plant's existing computer network and ERP software. Plant management is taking the results of these initial installations as proof that these steps are definitely moving in the right direction.

Under Pressure

Although Tecumseh Products is best known for its small engines found on leading brands of lawn mowers, snow blowers and similar products, the company is a major producer of compressor motors for refrigerators and air conditioners. Consumers are not likely to be aware that the reason these products run so quietly and efficiently is the unseen presence of a Tecumseh-built compressor inside, yet the reliable performance they enjoy is dependent on the quality of those compressors. Because many of the major brands of refrigerators and air conditioners have moved production offshore, Tecumseh has had to redouble its efforts to maintain profitable operation of its compressor plants in the face of the cost pressures brought on by the severe contraction in U.S.-based appliance manufacturing.

In Tupelo, Tecumseh operates three main machining lines that feed an assembly line on which the various compressor models are built in a mix that is determined by a schedule of firm customer orders. This plant houses about 100 active metalcutting machine tools. A shop control system that relies on manual data entry allows managers to monitor production, but the information is at least 1 day old by the time it is available for analysis and response. The system tells managers basic information about labor input, machine output and scrap rates. This gives them a somewhat sketchy picture of where the bottlenecks are and when part shortages may affect the assembly line. It is adequate to tell them how to react but rarely helps them anticipate and avoid shortages that hamper the assembly line. It can't tell them what is happening inside each machine to reveal the causes of bottlenecks.

"What we have in place is now the framework for a much more capable production control and communications system," says Joe Kulovitz, a manufacturing engineering manager.

The system will eventually supplant the existing one and provide a much more detailed picture of machine performance in real time. The new system has two main elements, both from Manufacturing Data Systems, Inc. (MDSI) in Ann Arbor, Michigan. One is OpenCNC, an open-architecture machine control that replaces OEM-installed CNCs. The other is MaximumFactory, a suite of software modules that collect and analyze real-time data generated at machine control units. This software suite is tailored for the ability of OpenCNC to extract data, but the software can also be interfaced (although less conveniently) with proprietary legacy CNCs.

CNC editor added to CAM software products Systems and Software

With the release of SurfCAM 2002 Plus, all SurfCAM CAM products will include the latest release of the Predator CNC editor software. This software develops CNC verification and turnkey DNC software and shopfloor networking solutions.

The software is a member of a suite of applications. The SurfCAM Verify Toolpath Simulation and Machine Tool Simulation software packages are also Predator products. Because of this new common platform, users can now share common data and components, such as creating machine templates that can be shared with the machine tool simulation and G-code verification software.

Other enhancements to the new editor include global feeds and speeds adjustments, online help and wizard based dialogs, the ability to insert and edit comments, blockskips, sequence number and time. Backplotting enhancements include full editing while backplotting, automatic calculation of cycle time, simulated tool motion and increased viewing options. Backplotting now supports advanced cycles for turning centers, sub programs, subroutines, macro calls, pattern cycles, scaling, rotation, variables and expressions, and much more.

Monday, November 06, 2006

CNC Controller suits thermal metal cutting machines

Featuring 15 in. touch screen with IntelliTouch Surface Wave technology, 6-axis Voyager III is based on 2.4 GHz Intel processor using Hypertherm Automation CNC Software v6.0. Machine interface converts SERCOS fiber optic communication to analog interface for motion commands and I/O. It offers choice of enclosure-mounted analog interface, SERCOS communication ring, or remote-mounted SERCOS-to-analog conversion card. Unit expands to 12 axes of motion and over 1,000 I/O signals.

Hanover, NH, USA- Hypertherm, Inc. continues its leadership in PC-based CNC controls for thermal metal cutting machines with the introduction of the Voyager III controller. Voyager III from Hypertherm Automation will replace all earlier versions of Voyager products and offers users increased performance and enhanced flexibility.

The new six-axes Voyager III features a 15-inch touch screen display and 2.4Ghz Intel processor utilizing Hypertherm Automation CNC Software Version 6.0. The screen incorporates patented IntelliTouch Surface Wave technology for drift-free touch accuracy and screen clarity.

"Making people and machines more productive through process automation" is the mission of Hypertherm Automation. They have become the world leader in PC-based CNC controls for thermal cutting machines. Hypertherm also produces CNC controllers under the brand names MicroEDGE, EDGE II and Mariner.

Voyager III comes standard with a unique machine interface that converts SERCOS (Serial Real Time Communication) fiber optic communication to a traditional analog interface for motion commands and input/output (I/O). This SERCOS/Analog technology allows increased system flexibility by offering three different styles of machine interface: a traditional enclosure-mounted analog, a standard SERCOS communication ring and a remote-mounted SERCOS-to-analog conversion card. The SERCOS machine interface was first offered by Hypertherm with the Mariner CNC controller and allows expansion of up to 12 axes of motion and over 1000 I/O signals. SERCOS is available on all Hypertherm CNC hardware.

Since 1968, Hypertherm has been the industry leader in plasma arc cutting equipment and service. Now, with its entry into the laser-plate cutting market, Hypertherm expands its technology leadership commitment. By continually delivering breakthrough advances in metal-cutting productivity and precision - first in plasma, now also in laser-Hypertherm reaffirms and extends its position as the world's leading supplier of advanced high temperature metal cutting technology. Hypertherm serves a wide range of industrial metal cutting needs from its headquarters in Hanover, New Hampshire, with subsidiaries, sales offices and partner representation worldwide.

Hypertherm, Hypertherm Automation, Voyager, MicroEDGE, EDGE II and Mariner are trademarks of Hypertherm, Inc. and may be registered in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Software Module facilitates high speed machining

Expanding 3D milling functionality, SolidCAM2007 R11 includes high-speed machining module for molds, tools, dies, and complex 3D parts. Module offers machining and linking strategies for generating optimum roughing and finishing CNC high-speed tool paths. Program smoothes paths of both cutting moves and retracts wherever possible to keep continuous machine tool motion. All machining passes operations support point reduction and arc fitting for gouge-free tool path.

Powerful and market-proven HSM Module fully integrated in SolidWorks

August 29, 2006 - SolidCAM, the Gold-certified Integrated CAM-Engine for SolidWorks, today announced that it will present SolidCAM2007 R11 to American and European audiences at the IMTS (Chicago/USA) and AMB (Stuttgart/Germany) tradeshows. With this release, SolidCAM is further expanding its 3D Milling functionality by providing a very powerful and market-proven high-speed machining module (HSM) for molds, tools and dies, and complex 3D Parts. The HSM module offers unique machining and linking strategies for generating optimum roughing and finishing CNC high-speed toolpaths. With demands for ever-shorter lead and production times, lower costs and improved quality, High Speed Machining (HSM) is a must in today's machine shops.

SolidCAM's HSM Module smooths the paths of both cutting moves and retracts wherever possible to keep a more continuous machine tool motion - an essential requirement for maintaining higher feedrates and eliminating dwelling. Retracts to high Z levels are kept to a minimum; angled where possible, smoothed by arcs, retracts do not go any higher than necessary - thus minimizing aircutting and reducing machining time. All machining passes operations support enhanced point reduction and arc fitting. The result is an efficient, high quality and gouge-free tool path. This translates to increased surface quality, less wear on your cutters, and a longer life for your machine tools.

Rest machining can be calculated even in areas where the final cutter is smaller than the curvature of the part. A succession of rest finishing toolpaths from a series of successively smaller cutters can be easily created, even on very large jobs. All operations feature tool holder collision checking and work with tapered tools.

According to SolidCAM's managing director, Dr. Emil Somekh, the new HSM module expands the 3D machining capabilities of SolidCAM, allowing users to generate complex NC programs for different types of High-Speed cutting machines. "Efficient machine utilization and excellent surface quality will be the benefits for our users. Being fully integrated into the SolidWorks platform, we can now offer a complete CAD/CAM solution for the Mold, Tool and Die market and other high-end applications." The new SolidCAM2007 R11 will be available to SolidCAM customers at the end of the third quarter.

About SolidCAM

Founded 1984 by its Managing director Dr. Emil Somekh, SolidCAM provides manufacturing customers with a full suite of CAM software modules for 2.5D and 3D Milling, Multi-sided Indexial 4/5 axes Milling, Simultaneous 5 axes Milling, Turning, Turn-Mill up to 5-axes and WireEDM. SolidCAM has the Certified Gold-product status from SolidWorks and provides seamless, single-window integration and full associativity to the SolidWorks design model including parts, assemblies and configurations. SolidCAM has today more than 10,000 seats installed in industry and education. SolidCAM is sold by a worldwide reseller network in 40 countries. SolidCAM has been on a very rapid growth path since it implemented the SolidWorks integration strategy. In the CIMdata NC Software Market Assessment Report, CIMdata named SolidCAM as the worldwide fastest growing CAM vendor in 2003, 2004 and 2005 with revenue growth rates of +39.4 percent, +51.1 percent and +40%.