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CGTech, developer of the CNC verification, simulation and optimization software, VERICUT, has announced that its latest release, Version 8.2, includes a new module for NC program optimization: Force Turning.
“CGTech has a strong commitment towards helping customers improve their competitive stance through NC toolpath and process optimization. With today’s highly competitive market, machine shops need to produce parts faster than ever before. VERICUT Force makes the most effective NC program for the given material, cutting tools used, and machining conditions. The result is significant time savings, improved cutting tool and machine life,” says VERICUT Product Manager Gene Granata.
Force is a physics-based NC program optimization module that analyzes and optimizes cutting conditions to achieve ideal chip thicknesses, while managing the cutting forces and spindle power required. VERICUT 8.2 adds Force Turning to optimize lathe turning, and mill-turn operations, when combined with Force Milling. Force Turning makes it easy for anyone to create NC programs for optimal cutting of inside/outside diameters, shoulders, as well as in corners and tight spaces, without the worry of encountering excessive cutting forces or high spindle power demands.
Force provides NC programmers with detailed information about the cutting process that they never had before. NC programmers quickly and easily identify problems and unsafe cutting conditions lurking in their NC programs. With a single click, users can review problem-causing cuts, which if left uncorrected, could cause chatter, break the tool, damage the part or machine. Force optimization automatically corrects these issues, such as excessive cutting forces, metal-removal rates, power, torque, and tool deflection while simultaneously correcting underutilized cutting conditions by raising them to optimal performance levels.
Related Glossary Terms
- chatter
chatter
Condition of vibration involving the machine, workpiece and cutting tool. Once this condition arises, it is often self-sustaining until the problem is corrected. Chatter can be identified when lines or grooves appear at regular intervals in the workpiece. These lines or grooves are caused by the teeth of the cutter as they vibrate in and out of the workpiece and their spacing depends on the frequency of vibration.
- computer numerical control ( CNC)
computer numerical control ( CNC)
Microprocessor-based controller dedicated to a machine tool that permits the creation or modification of parts. Programmed numerical control activates the machine’s servos and spindle drives and controls the various machining operations. See DNC, direct numerical control; NC, numerical control.
- gang cutting ( milling)
gang cutting ( milling)
Machining with several cutters mounted on a single arbor, generally for simultaneous cutting.
- lathe
lathe
Turning machine capable of sawing, milling, grinding, gear-cutting, drilling, reaming, boring, threading, facing, chamfering, grooving, knurling, spinning, parting, necking, taper-cutting, and cam- and eccentric-cutting, as well as step- and straight-turning. Comes in a variety of forms, ranging from manual to semiautomatic to fully automatic, with major types being engine lathes, turning and contouring lathes, turret lathes and numerical-control lathes. The engine lathe consists of a headstock and spindle, tailstock, bed, carriage (complete with apron) and cross slides. Features include gear- (speed) and feed-selector levers, toolpost, compound rest, lead screw and reversing lead screw, threading dial and rapid-traverse lever. Special lathe types include through-the-spindle, camshaft and crankshaft, brake drum and rotor, spinning and gun-barrel machines. Toolroom and bench lathes are used for precision work; the former for tool-and-die work and similar tasks, the latter for small workpieces (instruments, watches), normally without a power feed. Models are typically designated according to their “swing,” or the largest-diameter workpiece that can be rotated; bed length, or the distance between centers; and horsepower generated. See turning machine.
- lathe turning
lathe turning
Machining operation in which a workpiece is rotated, while a cutting tool removes material, either externally or internally.
- metalcutting ( material cutting)
metalcutting ( material cutting)
Any machining process used to part metal or other material or give a workpiece a new configuration. Conventionally applies to machining operations in which a cutting tool mechanically removes material in the form of chips; applies to any process in which metal or material is removed to create new shapes. See metalforming.
- milling
milling
Machining operation in which metal or other material is removed by applying power to a rotating cutter. In vertical milling, the cutting tool is mounted vertically on the spindle. In horizontal milling, the cutting tool is mounted horizontally, either directly on the spindle or on an arbor. Horizontal milling is further broken down into conventional milling, where the cutter rotates opposite the direction of feed, or “up” into the workpiece; and climb milling, where the cutter rotates in the direction of feed, or “down” into the workpiece. Milling operations include plane or surface milling, endmilling, facemilling, angle milling, form milling and profiling.
- numerical control ( NC)
numerical control ( NC)
Any controlled equipment that allows an operator to program its movement by entering a series of coded numbers and symbols. See CNC, computer numerical control; DNC, direct numerical control.
- toolpath( cutter path)
toolpath( cutter path)
2-D or 3-D path generated by program code or a CAM system and followed by tool when machining a part.
- turning
turning
Workpiece is held in a chuck, mounted on a face plate or secured between centers and rotated while a cutting tool, normally a single-point tool, is fed into it along its periphery or across its end or face. Takes the form of straight turning (cutting along the periphery of the workpiece); taper turning (creating a taper); step turning (turning different-size diameters on the same work); chamfering (beveling an edge or shoulder); facing (cutting on an end); turning threads (usually external but can be internal); roughing (high-volume metal removal); and finishing (final light cuts). Performed on lathes, turning centers, chucking machines, automatic screw machines and similar machines.
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