Machinery World - September 2016

CADCAM & CONTROLS
hyperMILL ® WITH GREATER PERFORMANCE AND EASE OF USE
OPEN MIND Technologies, one of the leading
manufacturers of CAD/CAM solutions now
introduces hyperMILL® 2016.2 with a host of
enhancements in 2D, 3D, 5-axis and HPC
machining that will boost performance and ease
of use. Highlights of the new version include 5-
axis tangent machining from the hyperMILL®
MAXX Machining HPC package and also the 5-
axis optimised rest material roughing module
that ensures extremely short calculation and
processing times. In addition, hyperCAD®-S
the CAD for CAM system has also been
significantly improved.
The hyperMILL® MAXX Machining HPC
package has been expanded to incorporate 5-
axis tangent machining of any arbitrary faces
with conical barrel cutters. Delivering results
with speed, the use of conical barrel cutters
enable performance increases of up to 90
percent compared to conventional production
methods. This special feature of the OPEN
MIND enhancement is the application of barrel
cutting tools that have radii of up to 1000mm on
the side of the tool. This unique tool feature
allows the tool to conduct greater step-over
distances that reduce tool paths whilst
improving the theoretical roughness. The result
is extremely fast production times with
optimum surface quality. In addition to this
module, the hyperMILL® MAXX Machining
package includes powerful solutions for
roughing and drilling.
New strategies for 5-axis machining can
speed up production and save tool life and
machine service life. The conical interpolation
results with the "Fast movement optimised" tool
positions on conical way around the pole. So
simultaneous 5-axis movement is generated
with less acceleration of machine axes.
The 5-axis Optimized Rest Roughing creates
high-speed cutting (HSC) optimised tool paths
for the rest machining from a previous
roughing operation. The definition of the tilt
angles for the B- and C-axes are very simple.
The user can choose whether to automatically
create the tilt angle in the '3D mode' within a
specified angular range or generate it from the
normal planes. All connecting paths between
the tilt angles are optimised and fully checked
for collisions. This indexed machining strategy
offers many advantages. Firstly, shorter tools
improve stability and performance. In
particular, deep cavities and hard-to-reach
areas can be processed economically with this
cycle.
OPEN MIND has given hyperMILL® 2016.2
numerous enhancements for 3D operations.
One new feature is the 3D plane level
machining. Toolpaths for finishing levels can be
quickly and easily generated. Three new
functions are available for 3D optimised rest
material roughing: the 'avoid areas' option can
exclude specific areas from processing, the
'undercut optimisation' feature avoids
unnecessary redundant movements in undercut
areas when performing multi-axis machining
on stock; and the 'plane level detection' is used
when plane level needs to be machined using a
different step-down, an intermediate step is
added automatically.
In hyperCAD®-S, plane curves or texts can
now be created without distorting the geometry
angle on a cylindrical surface or rotational faces.
The direction, scaling and mirroring can also be
modified.
With the function 'Compare and merge'
users can compare revisions of CAD models
and select the geometry elements to insert them
into an existing document. All not-modified
geometries remain in hyperMILL®. So, only the
updated fields have to be reprogrammed. For
the user, the work will be accelerated
considerably.
Tel: 01869 290003 Mob: 07867 971519
Email: adrian.smith@openmind-tech.com
Web: www.openmind-tech.com
CT PRODUCTION RE-SELECTS 123 INSIGHT AFTER SELECTED
SYSTEM FAILS, REAPING BENEFITS
CT Production Ltd, based in Poole, Dorset
provide electronic manufacturing services.
Originally founded in 1982, current MD Mario
Morilla took over the company in 2015 after the
previous owner retired. The company relied on
an MRP package that had limited capabilities,
as Mario explained; "Although we had
reasonable control of our stock there was no
serial number tracking capability and we
couldn't take data out of the system and
manipulate it. We were also looking to enter the
aerospace and military markets, so CRM was an
important factor to assist with managing
ISO9001, SC21 and AS9100 accreditations."
They decided to research the market and
looked at several systems that offered a
combined MRP/CRM solution. The short term
aim was to improve traceability of products and
communications, with the long term target of
integrating third party data such as test results
and spectrum analysis into the system so that
QA documentation can be quickly compiled at
the point of shipping.
Several staff attended two of 123 Insight's
Evaluation Workshops in March and May of
2011. Said Mario; "We came away incredibly
positive. However, others, including the then
MD, that attended the second workshop did not
share that view. In the end it was a 3/2 vote for
another system."
It had taken two years to reach a decision on
a solution and they started implementing the
other system in June 2013, however after
purchase it quickly became apparent that it
would not meet their needs.
Four months after selection the company
decided to halt the implementation. Staff
immediately attended 123insight's six days of
no-obligation training on the understanding
that if the system didn't work for them they
could walk away with nothing to pay.
After the training was completed the
decision was made to immediately select
123insight and move ahead with a staged
implementation. Said Mario; "We decided to
start off with sales orders, works orders,
delivery notes and invoices. There were a
couple of additional minor functions that we
needed for purchasing, so we spoke to
123insight and agreed a timeframe for
development."
CT Production used 123insight's Data
Import Toolkit to transfer the data from their
old system. During the implementation process
a dummy system was set up while the
additional functionality was being written. This
allowed them to get accustomed to the
software.
After going live the company immediately
saw several benefits. Paper saw a drastic
reduction, as documents such as invoices were
now emailed as PDFs or viewed on screen when
needed. Jason Raby, Engineering Manager
noted; "Paper used to go missing all the time,
but that just doesn't happen anymore." A
'tracker' document used to follow jobs around
production, but the information that this
provided is now viewed on screen.
CT Production selected 123insight based on
the combination of its MRP capabilities and the
integrated CRM+ option. Together they provide
traceability not only for manufactured products
but also for processes and communications
within the business. This has allowed staff
instant visibility to information thus spending
less time chasing data around the facility.
Given their previous experience CT
Production were initially concerned as to the
level of support they could expect, but Mario
was very satisfied with it; "Support has been
really good. With 123insight if we haven't got
an answer straight away it's not long before
someone else calls back with it."
Concluded Mario; "Although we initially
selected the wrong system it was a no-brainer to
re-select 123insight. The investment we made
was paid back pretty quickly and it leads to
ongoing savings. We're always getting more out
of the system which is constant payback. In fact,
we've won customers because of some of the
functions that 123insight has, such as
traceability and the linking of test information
to orders."
Tel: 01489 860851
Email: info@123insight.com
Web: www.123insight.com
24 Machinery World, September 2016