Software

Integrated into the Rafinex solution, the ModuleWorks software generates highly automated, collision-free toolpaths for PBF. The workflow enables users to quickly program resilient, high-performance parts for production where expert knowledge of the manufacturing process is not required. The pre-defined parameters assist engineers in optimising the workpiece geometry for the PBF process to generate a toolpath and NC code that automatically minimises material waste.

Version 3.40 of the edge products includes a number of new features that greatly facilitate integration with standard Docker IT solutions. With version 3.40 of its edge products, Softing Industrial continues its commitment to improving connectivity at the interface of OT and IT and facilitating the use of standard IT management and monitoring solutions.

Flow 5.0 includes checks and messages that identify possible errors before a build even starts, reducing the likelihood of customers experiencing failures in their builds. In doing so, engineers can be confident that a part will print successfully before the process begins. Flow also now includes labeling for objects.

As it is automated, reconstruction by Dual.Material CT is highly repeatable from component to component and does not require advanced knowledge of scanning techniques when inspecting assemblies comprising two materials of different densities. QC productivity is raised by enabling better visualization and more accurate definition of defects (on the surface or inside a component) in a fraction of the time taken by traditional CT image reconstruction. The high-speed scanning, and the fact that no manual data editing is required thanks to the new software and automated part handling, enables fast and automated quality control of dual material assemblies in a production environment, consistent with the requirements of Quality 4.0.

The TraceBoss software interfaces with most portable surface roughness gages via a USB connection. One click in TraceBoss configures the gage, initiates a measurement, and presents the results and graphics full screen and in high resolution. The software display is optimized for the highest visibility in shop environments.

While the previous FormControl version (without the “X”) was based on a scenario in which a machine operator works at a machine with the laptop and processes the measurements at the same time, the trend today is moving toward automating such processes, meaning this 1:1 relationship is now fairly rare. Genuine automation of workpiece measurement also opens up completely new areas of application. That is why the goal with FormControl X was to enable real measurement automation on the basis of a modern client-server architecture – this means moving away from pure logging and towards process integration and automation with the help of the measurement data collected by the software.

MERLIC 5.2 is a logical continuation of the approach taken since MERLIC 5, namely to provide customers with the latest deep learning features that are also easy to use. Global Context Anomaly Detection is now being added to the proven deep learning functions Anomaly Detection and Classification (from MERLIC 5) and Deep OCR (from MERLIC 5.1).

D:PLOY demonstrates how the entire application, including any leading cobot or light industrial robot arm along with tooling, sensors, and other devices, is accessed and managed from D:PLOY’s dashboard. Users simply define the robot’s workspace with minimal inputs on points within the workspace, and enter attributes of the workpiece. D:PLOY automatically generates all the program logic, signal exchange, event handling, path planning, and real-time monitoring for the full application.

MERLIC 5.1 includes a new tool for optical character recognition that is based on HALCON’s Deep OCR technology. Compared to other algorithms, this holistic deep-learning-based approach can localize characters much more robustly, regardless of their orientation, font type, polarity, and it requires significantly less parameter tuning. Recognition performance is further increased by the automatic grouping of characters. This allows the identification of whole words and thus reduces the chance of misinterpretation of similar-looking characters. This new tool does not require the Deep Learning Add-On and is therefore already included in the entry level package MERLIC 5.1 S.