REDUCING THE GUESSWORK

MACHINING SOFTWARE ON VIDEO
Videos demonstrate much faster calculation times, combination drill/mill functionality, and more.
Delcam plc (Birmingham, UK) created a special section of its Delcam.TV online TV channel, covering enhancements in the 2010 version of its FeatureCAM feature-based machining software that include videos highlighting all the important new features in the latest release, including demonstrations of the much faster calculation times and the novel combination drill/mill functionality. The latest customer testimonials can also be viewed. The new area can be seen at www.delcam.tv/featurecam2010.

The main development in the 2010 version to make FeatureCAM even quicker is support for multi-threading when generating 3D toolpaths. This allows calculations to be spread across multiple cores in dual- or quad-core computers. Average time savings are around 25 percent on a dual-core PC. The combined drilling and milling functionality allows more efficient hole creation on machines fitted with automatic tool changing. It generates roughing and finishing toolpaths to produce any holes for which the appropriate drill is not loaded, using the existing tooling within the machine?s crib.

The new option is much faster than having to change the tooling available to match the set of hole sizes in each job, especially for companies manufacturing prototypes or short-run components. It will allow complex parts to be produced more easily in cases where the range of hole sizes is larger than the number of positions in the crib. In addition, the number of different tools that need to be stocked can be reduced and it will be much simpler to move jobs between different machine tools.

Companies that do not have automatic tool changing on their machines can also benefit. In some cases, it will be possible to use a combination of drilling and milling with a single cutter to generate all the holes in the part. This could then allow the complete sequence to be run without the machine needing to be manned and without interruptions to change the tooling. www.delcam.com

REMOVE THE MISSING LINK BETWEEN DETAILING AND FABRICATION
CNC software takes clean-up, guesswork out of producing accurate DSTV files used by steel fabrication machines.
StrucSoft Solutions (Montreal, Quebec) launched its Component Management Software (CMS v5.0), a 2D/3D graphical application for creating, viewing, editing and managing DSTV-CNC files commonly used by structural steel fabrication machines such as Peddinghaus, Ocean Machines, Controlled Automation, Burlington Automation and Ficep.

CMS automatically cleans up DSTV file inconsistencies, helping fabricators and steel detailing firms reduce labor costs, increase throughput, and meet compressed project schedules. CMS is available as a standalone or plug-in for Autodesk Inventor, Solidworks, and MBS.

The Problem of DSTV
DSTV is a widely-used public Numerical Control (NC) file format specifically for communicating design information with CNC machines used for structural steel component fabrication, including beam lines, drill lines, coping machines, single lines, plate-cutting tables, and plasma machines. Although DSTV is a well established format, there are variations in DSTV interpretations. Steel detailing software programs all produce slightly different variations of the DSTV NC file, and CNC machine vendors also have different interpretations of how the DSTV file should be written and organized. Therefore, either the fabricator or steel detailing firm must spend time cleaning up the DSTV files so that the CNC machines can read them properly.

CMS is a graphical application that makes it easy to immediately spot and fix DSTV file inconsistencies. For shops using 3D modeling programs that do not create DSTV files, such as Autodesk Inventor, Solidworks, and MBS, CMS will generate accurate DSTV files directly from these programs. CMS can also be used as a standalone tool, allowing users to define the steel part directly in CMS and produce the required DSTV file, as well as a DXF drawing file, which the detailer can then dimension and print. ?CMS fills the missing link between steel detailing and fabrication,? commented Spencer Murray, VP Operations at StrucSoft Solutions. ?For large shops, it can save considerable time and labor by eliminating file inconsistencies. For smaller shops, the recent introduction of inexpensive CNC equipment, combined with the ability to create DSTV files with CMS, affords them an opportunity to compete for jobs without a huge investment.?

StrucSoft Solutions develops markets and supports Revit-based structural design and manufacturing software solutions for the BIM environment. Founded in 2008, the privately-held company began as a spin-off of StrucSoft Inc., a veteran value-added developer of plant and structural software solutions for 15 years. The company is headquartered in Montreal. www.strucsoftsolutions.com

NEXT STEPS IN SHAPE MORPHING
Users can direct-edit shape morph, improve sectioning of unhealed imported parts, and build a "light- weight" morph that can be quickly edited and tweaked.

VX Corporation (Melbourne, FL), a pioneering developer of integrated CAD/CAM solutions, released VX 2009 v14.2, which is available for download from support.vx.com. This release not only contains many enhancements in drafting, modeling and 2-5 axis CAM, but there is a significant performance enhancement to the direct edit shape morph technology and improved sectioning of unhealed imported parts.

As a step to increase performance, customers can now build a "light- weight" morph feature that can be edited and tweaked more rapidly. This enhancement is especially important to customers that use shape morphing for non-stylistic applications, like bending and unbending parts, model repair, back draft correction and applying over bend.

VX has always been able to produce section views of unhealed imported parts for quoting and inspection, but this latest enhancement rounds out the tool kit by now supporting bent sections of open shapes. "These latest enhancements are two examples of our responsiveness to our customer needs." said Bob Fischer, vice president sales and marketing. "We are continually striving to provide customer-driven updates to our software."

Customers running earlier versions of VX 2009 can download and install this update from support.vx.com. Customers running older versions of VX (VX 2008 V13.xx and earlier) can purchase an update to V14 from the VX web store or from their local reseller. www.vx.com

SOFTWARE FOR LASER CUTTING, PUNCHING APPLICATIONS
Offline programming software increases productivity and flexibility of laser cutting and turret press punching in sheet metal fabrication.
LVD Strippit (Akron, NY) released CADMAN®-L 3D and CADMAN®-P 3D version 28, offline programming software for LVD laser cutting systems and CNC turret punch presses. The software release provides enhanced functions for laser cutting and punching applications, including an up to 50 percent speed improvement on multi module applications.

CADMAN® is an integrated, PC-based CAD/CAM system that operates on a Windows® platform. It provides a seamless offline programming environment enabling users to combine fabricating design and programming functions into a single package. CADMAN?s automatic CAM functions simplify programming and increase the productivity and flexibility of the sheet metal fabrication process.

The latest CADMAN release provides new punching and laser cutting modules within a new, easy-to-use interface with enhanced graphical visualization techniques to offer improved and expanded functionality, including advanced auto-nesting capabilities, import/export nesting; multiple machining functions on a single part; ?job explorer? and full compatibility with Microsoft Vista.

LVD?s new ?job explorer? feature optimizes LVD?s ?project tree? principle of storing processing data related to the piece part by allowing the simplified organization of ?job? data. Structured organization, searching and moving of part related data within the technology database is all made easy by ?job explorer?.
CADMAN-L 3D incorporates fully automatic, semi-automatic or manual nesting and optimizes cutting and machine parameters to maximize sheet utilization for laser cutting systems.

This software module permits the user to configure lead-ins/lead-outs and allows for cutting path optimization, common line cutting and high-speed communications and networking, thus maximizing machine productivity. New key features of this software module include automatic advanced application of processing technology, enhanced ?processing database? integration between machine and offline software and improved machining order.

The CADMAN-P 3D module for turret punch presses provides automatic tool selection and turret configuration, including the identification of optimum tool stations and turret loading. This software module provides full support for all standard and advanced punching functions, including Auto-Index stations, Multi-Tools, standard and special punches. New CADMAN-P 3D functions include support of a greater range of ?Wheel?, scribing and tapping tools; improved and optimized machining order by tool; improved and optimized management of part evacuations (drop door or robot gripper), and improved micro-joint programming.

Both CADMAN-L 3D and CADMAN-P 3D offer a powerful, customizable database management system for storage of parts and sheet layouts, which provides an easy to use tool for the organization and classification of production jobs, inventory tracking and material requirements. Comprehensive reporting capability is available for part manufacturing, material and machine utilization. www.lvdgroup.com