Gibbs and Associates, the team behind GibbsCAM, the precision engineering software for CNC machine tools, has been praised by a leading tester and accredited for its standards.

Their flagship software package, GibbsCAM 2009, was tested by Autodesk and was granted its Inventor 2010 status under the Autodesk Inventor Certified Applications Program.

Autodesk tested the technology to the highest levels of robustness, interoperability with its own software and quality.

GibbsCAM 2009 is flexible enough to be used with a range of CNC machine tools, with anything from two axis lathes to five axis machines and Swiss turning tools.

Commenting on its product, the company continued: “GibbsCAM’s industry leading ease-of-use allows users to quickly take advantage of its powerful capabilities - from minimizing the time it takes to learn use of the software, to making manufacturing engineering tasks and production machining extremely intuitive and efficient.”

GibbsCAM operates from its base in California and provides solutions to a range of worldwide companies including Mitsubishi, Siemens, Daewoo and Servo.

http://www.machinetooldirect.co.uk/machine-tool-news/GibbsCAM-granted-Inventor-2010-status-2009-2-24.asp

Ball screw drives or linear motors? Or a four-axis versus a five-axis machine tool? Those are the kinds of questions that are motivating machine tool buyers to depend on their machine tool vendors as system integrators, says Ron Quaile, vice president, proposal engineering and marketing with MAG Powertrain, a supplier of metal-cutting solutions for the automotive industry.

With today’s fast emerging technologies the answers to such questions carry significant cost and performance implications. For example, by specifying five-axis, fewer machine tools may be required. And although linear motors have been predicted to overtake ball screw drives, will linear motors prove effective in your application? Will they have the necessary power? Quaile emphasizes that changes in buying practices make it more important than ever that the answers come from the most qualified sources. The reason: Machine tool purchases have evolved into more typically being system investments, not purchases of individual machines. Quaile offers the following scenarios as true examples of the growing commitment significance of the machine tool builders as systems integrator:

Scenario 1
“Customer had a new part that could be economically machined on a transfer machine. After reviewing which features were subject to product changes as the product matured or was put into different vehicles, a cost-effective solution was devised that utilizes transfer machines for features not subject to change and CNC machines for other features. That allowed the customer to phase in the CNC machines to suit the market volume ramp, drastically reduce the cost and time to introduce part variation and feature changes.”

Scenario 2
“Customer had a new part that was traditionally machined on a transfer machine. After studying the part and specialized tooling, prototype tools and fixtures were developed for low- volume production of specialized operations such as cylinder boring and crank boring operations on a CNC machine. This allowed the customer to significantly reduce investment costs and produce the prototype/test parts on the actual production machine.” Scenario 3
“Customer wanted to produce a variety of different parts and eliminate time and quality problems associated with machine changeover and the need to run large batches of parts on an older transfer line. Engineers replaced the older transfer line system with a flexible machining cell using CNC machines and a pallet transport system that allows batch of one production without any changeover or machine downtime.” Scenario 4
“Customer wanted to machine compacted graphite iron components but didn’t have the specialized machining know-how required. Engineers developed the cutting tools and prototype fixtures required to make the part while concurrently working with product designers to simplify difficult-to-machine part features. The end result was a highly flexible CNC system with automatic gantry load, batch of one capability and an absolute minimum number of specialized machines.”

http://www.industryweek.com/articles/how_to_partner_with_machine_tool_builders_18439.aspx?SectionID=4

Over 100 new tooling accessories with improved performance, high-speed CNC specifications and importantly, super competitive prices, range from arbors and centres to collets and holders.

WDS is meeting the changing demands of the machine tool market by introducing over 100 new tooling accessories with improved performance, high-speed CNC specifications and importantly, super competitive prices.

The comprehensive new range includes a wide offering of products from, arbors and centres to collets and holders that are all available on next day delivery.

The new range of machine tool accessories is the most comprehensive offering from a standard parts supplier to date.

It covers over 100 new product lines that include a wide variety of arbors, centres, knurling tools, collets, adapters, chucks and tool holders as well as selection of utility items that range from spacers, adapters to spanners and nuts.

Peter Heselton, Marketing Manager of WDS says the company’s new focus is the result of the changing market for machine tool accessories.

“The standardisation of machine tooling, advances in manufacturing technology and increased demand for the products has created a market that is ideally suited to, and easily satisfied by WDS’s multi-channel, fast delivery approach to product supply”.

‘We have long sold standard parts at highly competitive prices through our extensive paper, CD and on-line catalogues.

We now feel that modern machine tool accessories have reached a similar market position in that they are virtually treated as industrial consumable products.

We have therefore compiled a comprehensive new range of accessories with the introduction of tools to the very latest specifications for the most up-to-date high speed CNC machines at seriously competitive prices and at the same time, reduced the cost of our established products by as much as 80%’.

The existing ranges of tool holders and tooling accessories, including those conforming to DIN 2080 standards have been maintained, but have been significantly reduced in price.

Tool ranges with CNC specifications such as those that meet BT-MAS 403, DIN-C9871/A and VDI standards have been expanded, with many new products lines introduced, all of which have also been subjected to the highly competitive pricing policy.

Along with changing specifications, it has become more common for machine industries to purchase many more accessories to fit multi axis machines and stock for CNC magazines that can hold over 80 tool heads.

WDS has recognised the resulting pressures on costs and used its own manufacturing facilities, high-tech distribution networks and bulk purchasing power to become an extremely price competitive force in the market.

As well as gaining advantages in terms of unit cost, customers using WDS for their machine tool accessories are also set to benefit from the WDS service.

For example, time taken in sourcing can be reduced by referring to WDS expert sales staff who are always on hand to aid specification.

Companies already using WDS can also save on administration costs such as invoicing through consolidating their supplier base.

All tools and components featured in the catalogue are available on next day delivery.

http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/wds/wds116.html

Rising orders has prompted APT Leicester to increase its capacity for close tolerance turned components through the purchase of a latest generation Star SR-20R II sliding head CNC lathe.

A bulging order book has prompted APT Leicester, UK, to increase its production capacity for close tolerance turned components through the purchase of a latest generation Star SR-20R II sliding head CNC lathe.

The new machine builds on APT’s existing complement of Star and Miyano high precision machine tools, by providing increased manufacturing flexibility, faster change-overs and reduced cycle times.

It is ideal for components produced from 3mm to 20mm diameter stock in a wide variety of materials - including aluminium, brass, steel, plastics, stainless and high temperature alloys.

Like all other APT production machines, the new Star CNC lathe is equipped with automatic bar feed equipment and is capable of unattended, ‘lights out’ operation.

“This is our fourth investment in state-of-the-art production machinery during the past 18 months,” said APT’s managing director, David Bailey.

“It reflects ongoing demand for the type of intricate, close tolerance components we specialise in.

With independently-operated front and rear tools and a fully independent sub spindle, versatility is one of the key features of the new machine.

This is backed by high production throughput and extreme accuracy, making the SR-20R II a perfect choice for us.” Bailey continued: “The new Star lathe will produce even complex parts in a single cycle, to aerospace quality standards if called for.

It complements existing manufacturing resources and bolsters our ability to offer one of the most comprehensive and cost-effective services for precision turned components in the UK today.” * About APT Leicester - established in Groby, Leicester, for more than 50 years, APT Leicester is a leading supplier of precision turned components from 1mm to 42mm diameter, in materials ranging from aluminium, brass and steel, to plastics, stainless and high temperature alloys.

The company’s products are backed by certification to internationally recognised ISO quality standards and include components used in industries as diverse as lock making, aerospace, dentistry, confectionery production, reprographics, home entertainment, hydraulic and pneumatic equipment manufacture.

http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/ape/ape105.html

Fareham-based Searle Manufacturing, a producer of heat-exchange products, has invested in two further Baykal press brakes with two-axis CNC backstop from Press and Shear Machinery.

This time they are equipped with an additional computer-controlled axis on the backstop that speeds set-up between batches, resulting in less machine idle time and higher output.

The latest models, both of 1500kN (150 tonf) capacity with a three-metre bending length, have synchronised control of the hydraulic cylinders, Y1 and Y2, plus a programmable X-axis (backgauge depth), R-axis (backgauge height) and Z-axis (sideways movement of backgauge fingers).

They also have automatic beam crowing, which compensates for machine deflection when processing long material.

All axes are controlled by the Delem DA66W CNC system.

In practice, the additional CNC Z-axis means that the operator no longer has to walk around to the back of the machine to physically move the position of two hinged backgauge fingers along the bending line.

They normally need to be adjusted to suit the size of material prior to each new production run.

With batch quantities at Searle frequently as short as five-, 10- and 20-off, and rarely more than 100-off, mainly from 1mm to 1.5mm gauge galvanised steel but also from stainless steel and aluminium up to 3mm thick, savings on machine set-up time are considerable.

Modifications to its standard APHS 3108×150 machine include the fitting of lockable front support arms, as the free moving type makes it difficult for one operator to present larger sheet to the tooling without the arms moving along the rail.

Another change to the standard specification was to provide a radius on the ends of the backstops, which also helps when handling large material and facilitates the production of tapered bends.

All programs for the Baykal press brakes at Fareham are written on the shop floor from drawings, rather than being downloaded from Searle’s CAD/CAM system.

This is because the majority of components require only simple folds and in any case, the varied throughput of standard products would tie up the CAD/CAM resource, which is devoted to more complex work and custom-built products.

http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/pri/pri153.html

ICADsales.com and Progesoft North America have released ProgeCAM, CNC machining software linked to ProgeCAD Professional, providing a seamless ‘art to part’ manufacturing life cycle.

ICADsales.com is offering a free evaluation download of ProgeCAM 2008, developed by CADDIT, running in combination with ProgeCAD 2008 Professional, available without registration on the website.

ProgeCAM includes both ProgeCAD Professional, the ‘AutoCAD-like’ CAD software, and Partmaster CNC, powerful programming software for CNC mills, lathes or wire EDM machining.

ProgeCAM offers machinists one integrated, low-cost CAD CAM software bundle.

Customers can choose from two different levels of machining, ProgeCAM Basic or ProgeCAM Professional.

ProgeCAM Basic is an affordable 2D design, milling and backplotting system for small-to- medium shops and hobbyists.

Suitable for table routers, gantry woodworking, table-top milling and maintenance work, machines include milling and drilling machines, engraving machines, routers, and laser and plasma cutters.

ProgeCAM Professional is capable of multi-axis milling, 3D back-plotting, DNC communications, lathe turning, and wire EDM.

CNC and DNC tools are suitable for woodworking shops, metal and laser cutting for domestic and industrial products, furniture manufacturing, OEM aftermarket automotive products, building maintenance and supply, electrical fittings, custom jig, test and fixture development and other manufacturing.

Both versions are linked from within the ProgeCAD Professional window, allowing the user to seamlessly prepare and transfer your drawing geometry from ProgeCAD into Partmaster for machining setup.

ProgeCAM eases the transition from designing your part in ProgeCAD to programming your machine for production.

It offers a low-cost design and manufacturing system for every level of machinist, from the occasional hobby builder to the largest manufacturing plant.

http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/icl/icl104.html

The Sheahans started Platinum Precision Machining in March 2007, fulfilling a longtime dream. The Aurora-based business, which employs two others, provides machining services to customers in a variety of industries. The couple have given up vacations and dining out and still haven’t drawn a paycheck.

Would we have started this business two years before this recession hit had we known what was coming? We like to think so. We had talked about starting our own CNC (computer numerical control) machine shop for nearly a decade and, after 18 years in the industry, were tired of working for other people. Our business strategy is simple — provide excellent product while maintaining a small-company feel.

the work hasn’t declined. At present, manufacturing in Colorado appears strong. Whether that is short term or not remains to be seen. Being a job shop, we don’t have any long-term contracts in place that will guarantee we will have work a month from now.

“From an administrative perspective, everything is tight. We’re still a new business to our creditors. Financing was limited before the economy took a turn. With the credit markets tightening, it’s uncertain at best. We used to find comfort knowing that we had our investments as a last resort. But, with the market as it is, we don’t know when that will again be an option.

“Our strategy is to not let worries over what might happen divert our attention from our original plan. We’ll focus our sales efforts on emerging trends in the industry, such as companies that are developing ‘green technology,’ the revamped automotive industry, aerospace, medical and nanotechnology. If we can change with the times and stay open to new industries and new ideas, we’ll be stronger when the economy rebounds.”

http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_11702878

Online feature shows how CNC technology follows mass-market computing trends, so advances in general-purpose computing engines make more capable controllers available for CNC systems. Link to full story.

That general-purpose-computing needs drive microprocessor trends is a fact of life. Simple semiconductor-fabrication economics makes mass-marketable designs very inexpensive, while making designs aimed at smaller market segments, such as CNC, cost prohibitive. The good news is that rapid development of advanced computer chips for consumer products provides CNC machine developers with a steady supply of high-performing control processors at relatively low prices. The bad news is that sometimes there is a disconnect between what CNC machine technology needs and what general-purpose computing provides.

Serial or parallel processing? Serial or parallel processing? Control Engineering explains more.
Click here for a wider view of this image and the CNC microprocessor topic.

“Microprocessor advances translate into more CNC machine capability,” a newly published online feature article (www.controleng.com/article/CA6634377.html) by Control Engineering, explores how semiconductor device advances affect CNC controller trends. In the article, he looks at how semiconductor trends, including multicore processors, system on chip technology, Flash memory, and reduced power dissipation, dovetail with CNC controller needs.

“Overall, positives outweigh negatives,” says C.G.Masi for Contrl Engineering. “Following the path of semiconductor device advances provides CNC controllers with capabilities only dreamed of before. Where CNC needs do not align well with consumer electronics trends, OEMs developing new CNC products have to find work-arounds to make the available parts do CNC jobs adequately.”

An example is in the area of non-volatile solid-state disks (SSDs). Mobile consumer devices have a short life span, so limitations on how many times a Flash memory cell can be rewritten are not a problem there. For CNC, however, limited write-erase cycles is a major problem. In CNC applications, system developers want to keep a real-time record of the entire machine’s current state as a safety feature in case of unexpected system shutdown, such as during a power failure. That means updating the SSD data in real time, which can rapidly exhaust Flash memory cells.

http://www.controleng.com/article/CA6637444.html?industryid=48517

The latest version of Delcam’s PartMaker CAM software for CNC machines features some “major highlights”, according to the firm.

It says the program can help precision engineering firms increase their productivity in a cost-effective way.

Among the new features are an updated user interface, improved capabilities to allow programming directly on to solid models and the ability to automatically generate HTML-based set-up sheets.

The new CNC machining software, Version 9.2, is a “major release in the development of the product”, comments PartMaker division president Hanan Fishman.

Current users of the program say they can reduce CNC machine setup time by up to 50 per cent, the firm claims.

Delcam operates worldwide and has its development headquarters in Birmingham, where real-world testing of software takes place on CNC machines before being released.

Its software range encompasses a variety of CAD/CAM solutions aimed at optimising the use of CNC machining centres.

http://www.machinetooldirect.co.uk/machine-tool-news/Delcam-CAM-software-revamped-for-CNC-machining-200.asp

The road development industry is set to benefit from a new class of milling machine developed by Volvo, it is claimed.

According to acppubs.com, the Volvo MT2000 and Volvo MW500 will be introduced, each with its own benefits and capabilities.

“The MT2000 is a four-track, front-load, half-lane milling machine powered by a 610 horsepower Tier 3 Cummins engine,” the website states, adding that it can run both 2,000 millimetre and 2,185 millimetre-wide drums.

By selecting the lower speed, the website claims users can experience a higher level of torque for deep-cut applications.

The MW500, on the other hand, is a utility-class milling machine, which cuts at a standard width of 500 millimetres, acppubs.com says.

Its compact size makes it ideal for intricate work, the website concludes.

http://www.machinetooldirect.co.uk/machine-tool-news/Volvo-introduces-new-CNC-milling-machines-2009-2-6.asp