CAD/CAM Software

Sam Roberts has more than two decades of experience in programming and manual and CNC skills, but still remembers the day in 1999 when he was introduced to Mastercam CAD/CAM software (CNC Software Inc., Tolland, Connecticut). As a machinist proficient in G-code, Roberts was impressed with the software.

Utilizing the NVision 3D HandHeld laser scanner, a Texas job shop was able to produce highly precise, custom roof racks.

Contract programming houses are an excellent resource for shops with overloaded programming departments, a troublesome project, or are venturing into five-axis territory for the first time. Ron Branch, vice-president of 5th Axis CG Inc. shared valuable insights about machining optimization with Gene Granata, Vericut product manager at CGTech.

When it comes to designing, CAD software has its place, but purchasing and maintaining multiple CAD licenses can be expensive. Kisters offers a solution for supplying CAD to multiple users.

Verisurf 2020 is the latest release of the popular measurement software for automated quality inspection and reporting, 3D scanning and reverse engineering, tool building and assembly guidance. Enhancements in the 2020 release include an array of reverse engineering tools with new Quick Surface modeling option, expanded device support to keep up with emerging measurement and data capture technologies, added productivity features, based on ongoing customer feedback, and many features designed to support efficient measurement workflows.

Submarine propellers traditionally take a long time to produce. They are large and have tight tolerances. A Starrag machining center was selecting to produce the 24' propellers.

For automation products such as machine tools, a digital twin is a virtual model that uses simulation, real-time data acquisition/analysis and machine learning techniques to allow full evaluation of a machine's dynamic performance before constructing a physical prototype. The same technology can also be employed for customer presentations, virtual commissioning and operator training purposes – and all well before the actual machine itself has even been built.

Companies can use the new platform to construct a centralized system that allows them to easily select, combine and integrate modularized functions and usage. This ability will save companies handling 3D engineering data significant time and costs in their model-based and digitalization efforts, and improve supply-chain integration and productivity.n

Chicago Jet Group retrofitting a Dassault Falcons plane turned to a leading metrology provider for help in recreating a replica of a cockpit panel to ensure it would fit snugly in the cockpit..

Elysium has developed technology to complement any missing information in point-cloud data with InfiPoints' advanced processing capabilities—such as feature extraction of pipes and planar surfaces and automatic registration. This functionality allows users to accurately combine and perform registration between UAV/MMS-scanned point clouds and point-cloud data captured from tripod 3D laser scanners. The results are that the scope of efficient modeling using InfiPoints has broadened significantly from past standards.n

JOC (PA) now fully automates CAD import, whereby a folder can be monitored for a CSV file containing details of DXF files to process, material, thickness, quantity required and machine to nest for. An existing system such as CAD, MES or MRP could generate a CSV file that would be immediately imported, tooled for multiple machines, nested, with NC code being available within minutes and all completely without any user intervention.

5-axis milling post processors that will unleash the highest productivity on SINUMERIK-controlled machine tools. These new post processors were developed utilizing the technical expertise of Siemens CNC engineers.