Taking CAM performance to the max

Open Mind Technologies will be giving a UK exhibition premiere to the latest version of its hyperMILL CAM software at MACH 2016.

Version 2016.2 will introduce a raft of innovative new CAM strategies designed to improve roughing, finishing and drilling performance. One of the core highlights of the new suite will be the 'Maxx Machining' performance package.

The package offers three modules that help companies optimise potential in roughing, finishing and drilling applications. The first module is fast roughing which includes numerous cycles for milling trochoidal toolpaths to promote fast and reliable HPC machining.

With a dynamic feed rate adjustment that performs according to actual cutting conditions, customers can achieve milling cycles with high feed rates at all times. This results in optimal milling paths with maximum material removal and the shortest possible production times. High-speed roughing of both prismatic and curved component faces is supported.

Incorporating new algorithms, this feature ensures that a constant chip volume is always removed by each tooth of the milling tool which delivers high utilisation rates without exposing the tool to undue stresses, resulting in roughing speeds that are 20 to 70% higher than before. Open Mind has made this fast roughing method available for all types of machining from 2D to 5-axis simultaneous.

The finishing module of the Maxx package has been introduced for the optimum application of tool characteristics in combination with CAM strategies. This module includes pre-finishing and finishing of planes and freeform surfaces with various barrel cutters. Significant time savings can be achieved with a simultaneous improvement in surface quality. These benefits are accomplished with CAM strategies that use the special shape of the tools to best advantage.

The finish depends on the stepover distance and tool radius. The quality of a workpiece surface decreases as the line increment increases and improves as the tool diameter gets larger. Therefore to shorten the machining time by increasing the infeed rate, for example 5mm instead of 0.5mm, the tool radius has to be increased several times over to obtain a high surface quality at the same time.

As the tool diameter cannot be increased at will, barrel cutters only work with a section of the desired tool diameter – a circle segment. Larger stepover distances can be realised due to its bigger radius, while achieving high quality surface finish. The hyperMILL Maxx machining finishing module tackles fast, high quality machining work with general, tangential and tapered barrel cutters.

With ‘Tangent Plane Machining’, Open Mind has developed a special CAM innovation for plane machining. Time savings of up to 90% are claimed when using conical barrel cutters. Path distances of 6mm and 8mm are possible with the large radii of the cutters which results in optimal surfaces and longer tool life. Tangent Plane Machining is equally well suited for straightforward and hard to reach planer faces. Toolpaths are generated automatically and checked for collisions.

Another new performance strategy fresh from its world premiere at EMO is the ‘5-axis helical drilling’ cycle. To be introduced in the UK at MACH, this cycle enables holes to be machined easily and efficiently.

The cycle involves helical milling with a forward lead angle; a tilt angle to the side is then used as part of collision avoidance process. The advantages are that only one tool is needed for different drill diameters. Pre-drilling is not necessary and the strategy is well suited for materials that are hard to cut. The process features safe chip removal and reduces stress on the tool. Practical tests have shown that, with ‘5-axis helical drilling’, the machining time can be reduced by 20 to 25% compared to conventional drilling.

OPEN MIND www.openmind-tech.com
Hall 5, Stand 5965