Software & Digital Solutions

Aggressive MMR achieved via Makino, Mastercam and Helical Solutions. Watch Cutting Tool Engineering's video coverage, featuring original footage and context from the related product, process, event, or shop-floor demonstration.

How does ERP turn an overweight, inefficient manufacturing business into a lean, fit, and supercharged manufacturing machine?

PBF is the most mature additive manufacturing technology for industrial production and represents 86 percent of the worldwide machine install base. PBF is used to build 3D parts by heating successive layers of powder, typically at the micron-level, and generally produces parts that require finishing with conventional CNC machine tools to achieve a high-quality surface finish.

Production Manager seamlessly integrates with Hypertherm's EDGE Connect CNC, to automatically capture machine data without the need for operator intervention. In addition, it displays real-time production data so team members across an organization can track the status of job orders, the production schedule, and pending inventory requirements.

Designed to highlight data usage and encourage time-saving workflow methods using clear-cut charts and graphs, the new StateMonitor V1.4.0 now offers even more benefits. One of the many new features often requested and now available in StateMonitor V1.4.0 is the ability to monitor tools within a connected machine. This now allows users to collect current tool usage data and avoid unnecessary costs due to premature tool replacement. The new software also now can view countdowns for any programs running.

The MMS Insights module provides CNC companies with numerous highlights and suggestions on how to improve their production processes based on data gathered from the automation system, including all the integrated machinery and data systems. MMS overviews the whole production and comes up with suggestions such as adding or removing certain tools or fixtures based on usage rates or updating NC-program runtimes for more precise order scheduling.

For shop managers considering "lights out machining," Bob Warfield of CNCCookbook.com offers a host of tips to help ensure your success.

For end users and integrators, WebLytics not only eliminates manual data collection -- it provides actionable insights into how well a collaborative application is performing, offering live device diagnostics, alerts and preventive maintenance measures to keep costly robot cell downtime to a minimum.

NUM's basic RTCP function, invoked by ISO code G151, offers a number of user-specified variants. The function can be activated with an inclined coordinate system or after a positioning move. In either case, the CNC system automatically calculates the mechanical offset to ensure that the tool center point is always in touch with the defined workpiece surface while the rotary axes are moving. The RTCP function can also be activated by the actual positions of the rotary axes.

Open Mind Technologies AG, a developer of CAD/CAM software solutions, teamed up with Haimer to perform 5-axis machining of a panther out of aluminum.

Mastercam is the most widely used CAM for the 27th year in a row.

Inspire's sleek, streamlined interface offers the fastest means to access its new measurement, analysis, and reporting features for greater quality productivity. More software highlights include a new delete noise function to rapidly delete outlier data in point clouds, the addition of measurement triggers, and more data import and export options. The software also introduces the ability to create cross-sections of a point cloud without the need for a CAD model. Inspire's learning curve is decidedly short for new and existing users with novice to expert skill levels. Hexagon offers a broad range of training materials from online videos and tutorials culminating in nearly four hours of user training resources.