CAD/CAM software for ultraprecision machining

You may have heard of ultraprecision machining (UPM), also known as diamond turning. Its primary application is machining optical-grade surfaces for injection molds, which are used to make contact lenses, LEDs for TVs and head-up displays in fighter aircraft and luxury cars.

UPM can produce complex shapes with submicron tolerances and surface finishes best measured in nanometers, provided the machine is given a commensurately accurate toolpath. That’s where Aachen, Germany-based ModuleWorks GmbH comes in.

Simulation of a grinding process on a UPM machine. Image courtesy of ModuleWorks.

ModuleWorks team members recently worked on a research project with optics and metrology equipment manufacturer Zeiss International, based in Oberkochen, Germany. The team members were tasked with developing CAD/CAM software that’s optimized for UPM. Features include spiral toolpath and zigzag calculations for 2D and 3D optics, advanced nonuniform rational basis spline (NURBS) capabilities, multiple-surface and lens support, and the generation of toolpaths needed to support the “fast tool” and “slow slide servo” technologies employed on these machines.