May 2009 - Low Resolution - PAWPRINT PUBLISHING

FLOORING
Creative
compass
iBILD is a specialist in the field of
3D laser digitising services for
one-off pieces and small production
runs.
Creating high definition scans
of 3D reliefs and rotary models,
such as cabriole legs and ceramic
maquettes, the company also
modifies existing designs for customers
using ArtCAM’s sculpting
tools, generates toolpaths and
provides other ArtCAM users with
its manufacturing services. With a
diverse product port folio, the
company caters for a variety of industries
such as jewellery, highend
architectural woodworking
and the automotive industry.
One of iBild’s latest commissions
was to create a challenging
and weighty 72” diameter brass
floor inlay for Christopher Newport
University in Newport News,
VA, USA. Using the DXF file provided
by the customer, iBILD was
able to quickly and easily import
the design directly into ArtCAM.
Due to the size of the piece, the
first task was to divide the design
into two equal halves within Art-
CAM, taking into account the position
of the lettering and image.
Once happy with the design,
iBild was able to create the machining
toolpaths within the software.
Using ArtCAM’s Area Clear ance tool,
iBild calculated the toolpath to cut
away the bulk mass of unwanted
material followed by ArtCAM’s rest
machining with consecutively
smaller tools, allowing the finer details
of the design to be machined.
ArtCAM’s flexibility meant that
inside/outside entry points for cutting
could be selected, as well as
creating angled ramps into the material
to minimise the shock to the
cutter and spindle. According to
Brady Watson, owner of iBild, these
capabilities show why ArtCAM was
“the right software for the job”.
Once the toolpaths were calculated,
the file was exported to the
Shopbot machine in order to
begin cutting. To create the design,
iBild started with a sheet of brass
weighing approximately 640 lb
and measuring 72” x 36” and 0.500”
thick. To support the weight of the
material on the Shopbot machine,
a hydraulic lift table and some
structural steel tubing were used
to bolster the bed of the CNC.
Having never previously
worked with naval brass, iBild encountered
difficulty one foot into
cutting with the 2-flute HSS end
mill and turned to using a 4-flute
titanium-coated end mill.
The unique sounds of machining
brass required getting accustomed
to, as they are completely
different to other metals such as
aluminium, making ear and eye
protection ever more vital.
Brady remembers how “I really
had to observe each cut and make
sure that everything was going OK,
at every turn of the bit and every
step-down. The amount of force required
to cut this alloy of brass
meant that there was a high chance
that I could push the tool too hard
or too fast and lose position.”
At several thousand dollars per
sheet, Brady chose to be cautious
whilst machining.
After machining the letters, the
brass was then pre-heated to 100
°F and the letters over-filled with
resin. The resin had to cure on its
own and then post-cured at 150 °F
for five hours to reach maximum
hardness and durability before it
was then sanded flat and painted
with seven coats of polyurethane.
Brady believes that “it was the
superior toolpath control that Pro
& Insignia offers that helped me to
get the job done right without worrying
if it would turn out or not. I
have been using ArtCAM for several
years and the majority of my
work has been in the area of 3D. I
have tried many software packages
and if I had to choose one that
could help me make just about
anything on a three-axis machine,
it would be Pro — hands down!”
Brady continued to say, “This
was a challenging project, but all
in all, a real pleasure to do. To see
the looks on people’s faces when
the crates were popped open was
the real reward for me..”
Delcam Plc
Tel 0121 683 1000
Email 2009@artcam.com
www.artcam.com
Panel, Wood & Solid Surface May 2009 Page 17