CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
October 2004
Company News
Delcam to Show Electrode Design and 5-axis Machining at Agie-Charmilles Event
Delcam will demonstrate its latest developments in automated electrode design with its PS-Electrode software and five-axis machining with its PowerMILL CAM system at an Agie-Charmilles Open House to be held at the company's new Coventry premises from 19th to 21st October.
PS-Electrode allows electrodes to be generated more quickly, so enabling the overall toolmaking process to be completed more efficiently. Users can quickly and easily define the region where the electrode will be needed, create the shape needed to produce the required feature in the tool, extend these surfaces to provide clearance from the main surface of the tool, and blend them into the shape needed to fix the electrode into its holder. Close integration with Delcam's PowerSHAPE CAD program gives the user full control over the design process at any point where he is unhappy with the result of the automatic operation.
Once the electrode design has been completed, set-up sheets for both its manufacture and its use can be produced automatically to a standard or a user-defined template. The finished design can then be exported to PowerMILL for machining. In addition, programming instructions that can be supplied directly to the Agievision control system, so eliminating time-consuming and potentially error-prone manual programming.
The major benefit of five-axis machining with PowerMILL is the ability to machine complex shapes in a single set-up. This gives greater machining productivity compared to performing the job in a series of set ups, as well as reducing the time and cost of preparing fixtures. Furthermore, with multiple set-ups, there is always a possibility of incorrect alignment each time the part is moved.
Another important advantage of five-axis machining is that it enables shorter cutting tools to be used since the head can be lowered towards the job and the cutter oriented towards the surface. As a result, higher cutting speeds can be achieved without putting excessive load on the cutter, so increasing tool life and reducing breakages.
The use of shorter cutters also reduces the vibration of the tool that can result when machining deep cores or cavities with three-axis machines. This allows a higher quality surface finish to be obtained, so reducing, or even eliminating, the need for time-consuming hand finishing.
Five-axis machining with PowerMILL also gives the ability to machine extremely complex parts from solid that would otherwise have to be cast. For prototypes and very small runs, this approach can be both quicker and cheaper. It can give lead times of one or two weeks, instead of two months or more that would be needed for castings.
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