CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive

9 September 2008

Events News

Sescoi Partner in Japanese Advanced 5-Axis Machining Seminar

60 delegates from several Japanese companies such as Ahresty Die Mold Kumamoto Corporation, Kyushu Ikegami Mold Engineering Co. Ltd. and Hitachi Metals Ltd, attended a collaborative seminar at the Yamazaki Mazak Kyushu Technology Center in Japan, on 8th August 2008.

The purpose of the seminar was to demonstrate the productivity benefits which can be gained by combining some of the latest advances in 5-axis machining technology from MST Corporation, Hitachi Tool Engineering Ltd and Sescoi.

The session was introduced by tool holder manufacturer, the MST Corporation. MST has developed Deta-1, a new concept in slim line, shrink-fit tool holders, capable of accuracies within 5 microns, overcoming many of the difficulties associated with holder collisions, excessive tool length and the inherent weakness of side lock arbours in 5-axis machining.

Hitachi Tool Engineering demonstrated its new Epoch cutters, which utilize a PVD nano technology coating to achieve low friction and hence low cutting forces, longer tool life and better chip evacuation, reducing machining times by half.

Sescoi showed delegates how its WorkNC CAM/CAD software could program parts in 3+2 axis and 5-axis, highlighting the benefits of 5-axis machining, such as the ability to cut more of the part in one setting, achieve improvements in accuracy, and the capability of using shorter and more rigid cutters which will raise the quality of the part. The company was also able to demonstrate how its Auto 5 module could automatically change 3-axis toolpaths into 5-axis, greatly simplifying and speeding up 5-axis programming while ensuring that machine limitations are considered and tool and holder collisions avoided.

To emphasize the benefits of 5-axis machining, Sescoi provided two sets of NC code for the same part. The first was 3-axis and was machined on a Mazak VERTICAL CENTER NEXUS 410A-II, while the second was 5-axis and was machined on a Mazak VARIAXIS 500-5X II. The machining demonstrations enabled the delegates to see how the machining center, CAM software, cutting tools and tool holders can be combined to produce major productivity improvements for 5-axis applications.

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