It allows additional power to be gained from the NX CAM system from subsidiary company, Siemens PLM Software, when it is used in conjunction with a Deckel Maho or Gildemeister machine equipped with a Sinumeric 840D CNC.
The tie-up is the first to be implemented to such a comprehensive extent between Siemens and a machine tool manufacturer. Core software from the 840D control of a DMG machine is now supported inside the NX CAM package as a virtual NC kernel (VNCK). It gives NX knowledge as to the best use of the CNC system's cycles, taking into account DMG machine-specific compatibility features.
The built-in post-processor can therefore extract all the benefits of advanced functionality within this latest Siemens control, such as advanced surfacing and look ahead for high speed cutting.
Another advantage of embedding the VNCK in the CAM system is better simulation of axis movements in DMG Virtual Machine software, based on data from post-processing rather than using internal tool path data prior to posting. G-code driven, virtual trial cutting more faithfully represents the real axis motions on the customer's machine.
Only then is the program ready to be transferred to the CNC running the cutting cycle on the DMG machine. The result is more efficient production of error free parts in shorter cycle times to higher accuracy and with better surface finish. On machine probing routines can be incorporated into the programs.
The forum for the announcement was a symposium in Pfronten presented by Siemens' head of competence centre, aerospace, Dirk Rabenek. He reported that the benefits of tight digital integration as well as consistency and associativity of data throughout manufacture are particularly important in the aerospace sector. To make his point, he noted that a mid-sized jet contains over four million components and hundreds of design changes are made every day that have implications throughout the global supply chain.
DMG
www.gildemeister.com
