CAD CAM Information

Application of CAD CAM Technology in Dentistry

2010-07-27T13:20:00.001-07:00

The latest innovations in technology made almost all things possible in this world. Technology has affected our society and everything that surrounds it in many ways. It helped develop a more advanced economy and has allowed progress in all aspects of modernization. Almost everybody appreciates all the improvements in technology. There a lot of difficulties that can easily be resolved by technology and nothing is too small for modern technology to influence.

At present, almost everything is possible with the latest innovations in dentistry. Huge advances have been made in the field of computer aided dental technology in Albuquerque area and many parts of the world. Presently, CAD/CAM technology is used by many dental specialists and dental lab technicians to help them fabricate precise shapes and sizes for dental restorations which includes inlays, onlays, crowns, and bridges. CAD/CAM stands for computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing. A computer aided design program in effect inputs pertinent information and instructions into a specialized machine which then produces an output according to those specifications.

The CAD/CAM technology technique has been used by the modern day dentistry to manufacture vast range of dental products. In general, the equipment relies strictly on a ceramic material that creates seamless and flawless products that perfectly fits a patient's mouth.

The CAD/CAM technology in a dental clinic allows the dentist to take appropriate images and measurements and design the item to be manufactured in a short period of time.After that, the patient can immediately check if it perfectly fits her without being required to wear a temporary crown for several days while they wait for the new one to be manufactured.

The Advantages of CAD/CAM Technology

* If the CAD/CAM equipment is readily available in the dental office, your Albuquerque implant dentist does not need to create a molded impression of your teeth.
* A temporary restoration or a return visit to the dental office for a permanent restoration is no longer required. If the equipment for CAD/CAM technology is available in a dental laboratory rather than the dental office, then it is necessary to have a two-visit restoration session.
* The introduction of CAD/CAM technology enables the technician to mill high strength materials that provide advantages of strength and aesthetics.
* The porcelain ceramic materials at present work very well in the milling chamber. This will provide strength, durability, and high aesthetic value.

The Cost of CAD/CAM Technology

The cost of having a restoration fabricated with CAD/CAM technology depends on several factors. These include the following:

* The type of restoration.
* The choice of material for the tooth replica.
* The focus of the dentist.
* The cosmetic requirements.
* The location of the dental specialist.
* The type of dental insurance you have.

The CAD/CAM restoration materials may be more costly as compared with the traditional dental materials. The dentist who chose to use the latest technology in her dental clinic must make a significant investment in the equipment and this investment may drive the cost of the procedure to go up. However, the use of CAD/CAM technology doesn't automatically mean that the procedure's price will rise. In line with this, it is very important to talk your dental specialist to discuss all the matters important to you regarding this matter.

If a patient is interested to undergo an immediate restorative treatment and if they are looking for a more natural appearance of dental crown, inlay, onlay, veneer, or bridge, then they may choose to explore the exciting latest technology behind CAD/CAM dental technology.

Youralbuquerquedentist.com will provide the best dental service that will fulfill your dream of having a perfect set of teeth you've always dreamed of. Your Albuquerque implant dentist will be more than willing to provide you with the important information you should know regarding the latest innovations in cosmetic dentistry.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lea_Lebrilla

Can We Hook Up a Human Brain and Spatial Reasoning to a Computer CAD CAM Program

2010-07-27T13:19:00.000-07:00

You know what I need; I need a way to hook my brain up to a CAD CAM design computer, because like many designers, I see things in my head, and we all need to get these concepts onto either a piece of paper by drawing them, or better yet, we need to be able to get them onto a computer, and into some design software so we can manipulate them from there. I have no doubt that in the future we will indeed have such tools.

After all, I am writing this article using voice activated software, they call it speech recognition, and whereas, I will have to spend two or three minutes re-reading this article and slightly editing the minor mistakes, I can tell you that it is about 98 to 99% accurate, and it speeds up my time by three to five-fold. In other words most all the work is already done, think of this incredible time savings and efficiency. The productivity increase is truly astounding.

Now then, since it takes a lot longer to draw a picture, probably because they say a picture is worth 1000 words, I just imagine that many people who have inventions, innovations, and new designs never get them onto paper because they don't have time, or they're not very good at drawing or sketching. It takes a long time and practice to become a good artist, and people that have high spatial reasoning ability, obviously, probably do have the least some sketching skills. Nevertheless you can't be 100% the best at everything you do.

In my estimation, this is the last era of fine literature. Literature using words and symbols seems to be a very slow way to distribute information and ideas. It seems it would be much better to put out thoughts, ideas, and concepts using multimedia. The challenge is that most multimedia software today is hard to manipulate, and you have to practice and practice to become good with any particular software suite.

Posing for a quick video is not so difficult, but it does take time. And obviously it is getting easier to use because more and more people are uploading YouTube videos, which have graphics, and animation. But what we really need is something you can hook up to the computer, a device which is attached to your brain, perhaps a helmet or cap, which allows you to take the image you are thinking about and put it onto the computer, then manipulate the rendering into full motion. That's what I need now.

If you'd like to discuss some of the theories on how to hook a human brain up to a CAD CAM for designing purposes, I'd love to have a dialogue with you.

Lance Winslow is the Founder of the Online Think Tank, a diverse group of achievers, experts, innovators, entrepreneurs, thinkers, futurists, academics, dreamers, leaders, and general all around brilliant minds. Lance Winslow hopes you've enjoyed today's discussion and topic. http://www.WorldThinkTank.net. Have an important subject to discuss, contact Lance Winslow.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow

CAD/CAM Makes a Difference in Today’s Jewelry Industry

2009-10-23T03:50:00.000-07:00

While the 8os and 9os saw the introduction and use of computerization in the administration of the jewelry industry, in this decade the use of CAD/CAM is perfecting design and prototyping by its speed, accuracy and flexibility.

"The use of CAD/CAM for jewelry has moved beyond the 'forward
thinking' jewelers into mainstream, as this digitalization process has
increased quality and versatility to the point that jewelers who are
not using CAD/CAM in their design process are simply not competitive
in today's marketplace," said Charles Berman, managing director of jewelry designs by Bermark Design Ltd in Thailand.

The tremendous escalation in the price of gold, platinum and silver, coupled with tough and competitive business environment, has increased the need to control every detail of jewelry design. This is only possible using CAD/CAMM. Moreover, its digital format allows designs to be emailed, output, corrected, re-output, in any location around the globe.

CAD/CAM does not hamper the design process; rather, it enables and enhances design as it combines human creativity with better tools, resulting in superior products. It ensures the highest professional standards as it provides symmetry, consistency and quality as is expected in our high-value products, which are often passed on as heirlooms.

CAD Engineering

2008-08-22T02:55:00.002-07:00

CAD engineering is widely used to design and develop products to be used by end consumers or intermediate goods used in other products. CAD is used extensively in engineering process, right from the product conceptualization stage spanning across most stages of the manufacturing process.

CAD is used in almost all engineering based industries like architecture, automotive, consumer, electronic, electrical, machinery, ship building, aerospace, aircraft and construction, to mention only a few. Architects use CAD to design buildings while using the software package to enable drawings and designs. CAD enables civil engineers and architects in a variety of ways like aiding them in architectural, electrical, structural, and interior designs, to mention only a few.

Engineering industries, especially mechanical engineering based companies, use CAD in a variety of ways. Right from creating engineering drawings to 3D modeling, CAD is used in most of the manufacturing process. 3D modeling and pro-engineering packages allow engineering companies to design products or components for machinery, taking care of even the minutest of details. The entire process saves time and money and ensures precision and accuracy. With increasing sophistication in many industries, the design concepts done using CAD are directly fed into the manufacturing process using Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) systems. Electrical and electronic engineering industries use CAD for things like PCB designs and wiring layout designs. CAD is also used to design the overall layout of a manufacturing unit.

It wouldn't be far fetched if one were to say that CAD has revolutionized the entire engineering process. CAD engineering enables quicker product turn around times, as a result of which we see more and more new products hitting the market everyday. CAD engineering is responsible for the advent of robotics into the manufacturing sector, with more and more engineering processes being automated for increased accuracy and production.

CAD provides detailed information on CAD, CAD School, CAD Software, CAD Drawings and more. CAD is affiliated with Digital Architectural Rendering.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Gluckman

CAD Software Comparisons

2008-08-22T02:55:00.001-07:00

There are more than 30 varieties of CAD software available in the market, which are sourced from different software developers. Apart from these, customers also have the option of downloading freeware and shareware available easily on the Internet. Customers who want to buy CAD software should conduct a comparative study analysis to select the most suitable software among available options.

CAD software can be compared using different product criterion such as cost of the software, developer's profile, after sales technical support and future upgrades. This can be done by using an excel spreadsheet or other software. Product analysis software is also available in the form of freeware, which can be used to compare and select the most cost effective CAD software.

CAD software systems are also compared based on features such as two dimensional (2D) or three dimensional (3D), CAD or CAD+CAM, operating system compatibility ( windows, UNIX, Solaris, and SunOS), microprocessor requirements ( Pentium, Celeron), hard disk space & RAM memory requirements, and supported formats(IGES, DXF, STL, SLA, Gerber, HPGL, CadKey & APT, CATIA CL, Excellon, Gerber).

Customer reviews can also be used to compare different CAD software. Reviews are written by CAD software users who describe their experiences about different brands manufactured by different software development companies. A number of websites are completely dedicated to provide information about CAD software reviews, which can be used to gather information on the benefits and drawbacks of different software programs.

After comparing, different brands of CAD software are rated on a scale of one to five, which is commonly known as star ratings. A rating of four and above indicates that the software is good and can be purchased. Software systems that are rated below three usually do not have advanced features and may have inherent defects. Customers who do not have in-depth knowledge about software systems should opt for CAD software that is rated in the range of four to five.

CAD Software provides detailed information on CAD Software, AutoCAD Software, Free CAD Software, CAD/CAM Software and more. CAD Software is affiliated with Manufacturing Business Software.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Josh_Riverside

CAD CAM Software

2008-08-22T02:55:00.000-07:00

Manufacturing processes across industries has undergone a sea change thanks to the advent of sophisticated technologies like Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM). CAM is a system which uses computer technology to assist in the manufacturing of products.

Using CAM industries have become highly automated. Modern day concepts like robotics being used in manufacturing process owe their origin to CAM. CAM enables a high degree of precision to be achieved, which is humanly impossible.

Certain sophisticated CAM systems can keep track of even the materials and automate the entire ordering process, apart from aiding such tasks as tool replacement. CAM is generally linked to CAD systems. The integrated system usually takes the computer generated design and feeds it into the manufacturing process. The entire system works under a multiple computer controlled environment, with specific computers being assigned for specific jobs for instance, like milling or drilling.

The use of CAD CAM also enables the production of custom designed products to suit particular client requirements. CAD CAM technology is the most preferred process for manufacturing customized products, because it is a relatively cheaper process and less time consuming process rather than doing the same manually.

CAD CAM software has literally changed the way tasks are done in factories, with increasing numbers of robotic arms and machines being used in factories. These machines are usually assigned to do repetitive tasks, which require a high degree of precision. A good CAD CAM system results in decreasing production costs and over heads for a manufacturing unit. It is also a cost-cutting tool, which ultimately results in increased profits to a factory. CAD CAM software is extensively used in a wide variety of manufacturing industries. They touch every facet of our lives, without us being aware of it, most of the times. Such is their impact that newer product designs and production processes keep springing up every day.

CAD provides detailed information on CAD, CAD School, CAD Software, CAD Drawings and more. CAD is affiliated with Digital Architectural Rendering.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Gluckman

GiveMePower and TDS Begin Shipping New Windows Mobile 2003 Field Solutions

2008-02-15T03:47:00.000-08:00

CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment 2003

CALGARY, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 20, 2003

CAD, GIS & GPS Bundled On World's Toughest

Handheld PC For Rugged Outdoor Use

GiveMePower Corporation (OTCBB:GMPW)(OTCBB:GMPWE), a developer and marketer of desktop, mobile and wireless software solutions for the $17.5 billion CAD/CAM software industry, today announced that it and Tripod Data Systems(TM) (TDS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trimble (NASDAQ:TRMB), have begun shipping bundled hardware and software solutions that combine GiveMePower's PowerCAD(R) mobile CAD solutions with TDS's Solo(TM) line of GIS (Geographic Information System) software on the TDS Recon(TM) rugged handheld computer running Microsoft's new Windows Mobile(TM) 2003 operating system. Starting at $1,579, three new Recon/PowerCAD bundles are designed to serve a wide range of customers who require the ability to remotely manage AutoCAD(R)-compatible drawings and ESRI-compatible maps in harsh outdoor environments. The ability to connect GPS receivers (not included) extends the system's capabilities to allow real-time location and Global Positioning System navigation. Primary uses include land surveying, civil engineering and construction, facilities and asset management, law enforcement and military applications.

GiveMePower will be exhibiting the new Recon/PowerCAD solutions in Intel(R) Corporation's booth (839) at CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment in Las Vegas Oct 21-23, 2003. For more information, visit the joint TDS-GiveMePower information and ordering site at www.givemepower.com/tds. About GiveMePower Corporation

GiveMePower develops markets and supports affordable, high-performance desktop and mobile/wireless software solutions for the $17.5-billion CAD/CAM software market. An Intel(R) PCA Developer Network member, Microsoft Mobile Solutions and Windows Embedded Partner, and an IBM Business Partner, GiveMePower is the first company to offer full-featured 2 and 3-dimensional, AutoCAD(R)-compatible design and digital blueprint processing for desktop and laptop PCs, as well as the latest Windows CE(R) and Windows CE. NET(R) equipped Pocket PC's, Pocket PC cell phones, tablet PC's, handheld PC's and industry specific devices utilizing Microsoft's latest Windows(R) operating systems. For more information, visit www.givemepower.com.

All trademarks property of their respective owners. (C)2003 GiveMePower Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

With the exception of historical information, the matters discussed in this press release are "forward looking" statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. The actual future results of the Company could differ from those statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, the continued demand for the Company's products and services, worldwide economic conditions, changes in governmental regulations and policies, the emergence of competitive products and services, unforeseen technical issues and those risk factors contained in the Company's filings with the SEC

RDI delivers first SPARC-based portable workstation to incorporate a 12-inch, high-resolution display

2008-02-15T03:46:00.000-08:00

CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 5, 1996--RDI Computer Corp. Wednesday announced that its highly regarded PowerLite 110 portable workstation is now available with a 12.1-inch diagonal, 1024 x 768 active matrix display -- the first such display delivered with a SPARC-based portable.

Called the PowerLite ExtraView, the newest portable workstation from RDI expands the screen area by 28 percent over 10.4-inch displays and 65 percent over 9.4-inch displays. The larger, sharper display is ideally suited for geographic information systems (GIS), computer- aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM), software demonstration and similar applications.The 12.1-inch 1024 x 768 display offers 4,096 colors and 16 gray scales. A 12.1-inch, 800 x 600 active matrix display is also available for those applications requiring a large image size as well as high color definition. This display supports 262,144 colors and 64 gray scales for superb contrast and shading.

The new 12.1-inch ExtraView LCD panels offer increased brightness, reduced reflectiveness and lower power requirements than smaller displays.

RDI is offering the PowerLite ExtraView at the same price as its PowerLite 110 with a 10.4-inch display. Complete specifications, features and other information is available on RDI's home page, located at http://www.rdi.com.

``With the 12.1-inch ExtraView, we can now support emerging applications that require a larger display, SPARC performance and true portability,'' said UC Moon, president, RDI. ``Our pricing enables users to receive all these features at the same price point as the 10.4-inch PowerLite, while opening even lower price points for the entry level PowerLite.''
Powered by the 110 MHz microSPARC II processor, the PowerLite 110 is one of the most technically advanced and feature-rich portable workstations available.

Incorporating up to three 1.2 Gigabyte (GB) 2.5-inch hard disk drives for an internal disk capacity of 3.6 GB, memory capacity up to 128 Megabytes (MB), TGX graphics acceleration, fax/modem card, full-size keyboard, floppy drive or PCMCIA, the PowerLite 110 weighs only 7.5 lbs. and fits in a standard briefcase or portable computer carrying case.

The PowerLite is plug compatible with Sun Microsystems' SPARCstation 5, offering Ethernet, serial ports, keyboard, external monitor output and even SBus support with the PowerLite Peripheral Expansion Unit (PXU).

The PowerLite 110 is available with either SunSoft's Solaris 2.5 or Solaris 1.1.2 operating systems, unmodified to ensure 100% binary compatibility. RDI's mobile computing software environment, Virtual Workgroup Architecture (VWA(tm)), allows easy, automatic administration of connections to Sun and UNIX networks.

The PowerLite ExtraView is available starting at $12,995. The list price for a PowerLite ExtraView with a 1024x768 LCD is $17,995. The list price for the PowerLite 110 with 10.4" display is now $9,995, reduced from $12,995. For information about upgrading existing systems, customers should contact their sales representative or RDI. Deliveries begin in June and new orders will be shipped 45 days ARO.

RDI Computer designs, develops, manufactures and distributes a diverse line of portable Sun SPARC-based workstations called PowerLite. RDI's PowerLite products provide the power of full desktop workstation functionality and the flexibility of mobile computing. The company's products are sold worldwide through local, national and international VAR, distributor and reseller channels.

With headquarters in Carlsbad, RDI has sales offices throughout North America and Europe. For sales information, the company can be reached at 619/929-0992 or 800/RDI-LITE, or e-mail: info@rdi.com. The company's Web site is http://www.rdi.com. -0-

NOTE TO EDITORS: ExtraView is a trademark and PowerLite is a registered trademark of RDI Computer Corp. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Texas Instruments - Brief Article

2008-02-14T03:14:00.000-08:00

TI's major restructuring has been completed, while the company is continuing a minor cost containment program. The restructuring has brought about a new focus on differentiated products, from CASE and CAD/CAM to its microprocessor business.The company has moved aggressively to increase semiconductor license revenues. Between 1986 and 1990, quarterly license revenue averaged $35 million. Over the last year, license revenue has averaged over $64 million. Semiconductor revenues is derived primarily from Japan (38%) and the U.S. (28%), with smaller contributions from Europe (19%) and Asia (15%). The semiconductor business unit has made several investments with new (for TI) partners: Acer, KobiSteel, and HP, Canon and the Singapore government.The information technology group's minicomputer business is a "major weakness." The group is investing heavily in CAD/CAM products.

Parametric Technology Corporation Announces Immediate Availability of Pro/ENGINEER Solutions Release 20; Highlights Include New User Interface, New Sk

2008-02-14T03:13:00.000-08:00

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 28, 1998--Parametric Technology Corporation (NASDAQ:PMTC), one of the world's leading providers of software solutions for mechanical product development and enterprise information management, today announced the immediate availability of the production release of Pro/ENGINEER Solutions Release 20. The latest release of PTC's flagship product development software includes a new user interface, a new sketching environment, and the new 3D Notes communication tool, as well as a series of improvements to assembly design functionality, drawing creation, and graphics performance. "Parametric Technology continues to lead the mechanical CAD/CAM/CAE software industry with our Pro/ENGINEER Solutions," said C. Richard Harrison, president and chief operating officer at Parametric Technology. "Release 20 includes significant enhancements to user productivity that -- in addition to our recent pricing changes -- continue to make Pro/ENGINEER more accessible to the new and casual user. In addition, the intuitive new user interface and other enhancements of Release 20 will help to increase the efficiency of experienced Pro/ENGINEER users."

The New User Interface

In an effort to advance user productivity, Pro/ENGINEER Release 20 includes a new top-level user interface that is easier to learn and more efficient to use, allowing users to more effectively harness the software's power. The new look and feel of the user interface includes a menu bar that consolidates all top-level commands into a familiar industry interface, a customizable tool bar, and consolidated dialog boxes. The number of menu picks for commonly used commands has been reduced by approximately 50 percent. "Pro/ENGINEER now boasts a modern user interface which combines the best that the Windows-style guide can offer with the best of its cascading menu scheme," noted industry consultant Charles Clarke in a recent issue of CADCAM Magazine. "The package features menu bars and customizable one-pick tool bars, and because it borrows from Windows, it is instantly familiar to any desktop application user. Experienced Pro/ENGINEER users will find application access easier through dialog boxes, familiar keyboard shortcuts, and single-click access to common and user-definable commands."

Intent Manager

Adding emphasis to the user productivity theme, an innovative new sketcher, called Intent Manager, allows engineers to quickly "sketch and stretch" their ideas without interrupting the creative process. The Intent Manager makes intelligent assumptions and provides immediate visible feedback to the user during sketching. The sketches are always fully and automatically dimensioned, without any user intervention. This ensures the accurate capture of the product's design intent, through an easily modifiable sketch.

3D Notes

In addition to user productivity, Release 20 enhances design management capabilities with a new communication tool called 3D Notes. This tool allows users to easily display important product information within the context of the 3D model. The introduction of 3D Notes offers countless applications by harnessing Web communication capabilities within the modeling environment.

"This production-proven release of Pro/ENGINEER Solutions links power with grace," added PTC's Harrison. "With Release 20, Pro/ENGINEER has achieved a new level of ease of use for one of the industry's most popular product development software packages."

Representatives from Parametric Technology will be demonstrating Pro/ENGINEER Solutions Release 20 in Booth 301 at the Autofact trade show in Detroit from September 29 through October 1, 1998. In addition, a brief guided tour of Release 20, including the new interface and selected other enhancements, is available at http://www.ptc.com/products/demos.

About the Company

Parametric Technology Corporation develops, markets, and supports a comprehensive suite of integrated product development and information management solutions. The Company's Pro/ENGINEER Solutions provide the software tools to automate the mechanical development of a product from its conceptual design through production. The Company's enterprise information management solutions include the Web-centric, Java-based information management technology of Windchill(tm), including Windchill Information Modeler, Windchill Foundation, Enterprise Document Manager, and Enterprise Configuration Manager. All software solutions are supported and complemented by the strength and experience of the Company's professional services organization (PSO), which provides training, consulting, and support to customers around the globe.

Except for the historical information contained herein, matters discussed in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in reports filed by PTC with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the company's most recent reports on Form 10-K and 10-Q.

Taking My Two and a Half Year Old Daughter Fishing, or Should I Say Rock Throwing?

2008-02-04T02:33:00.000-08:00

Have any of you had the pleasure of taking your 2 1/2 year old daughter fishing for the first time? Well actually, it was a rock throwing trip more than a fishing trip, but it showed me what love is. Who knew that a little girl throwing rocks into a flowing river would have anything to do with love?

I find it so ironic that I used to think I knew what love was. That was before Cameron came into this world though. Since she's been around, things have changed. Hell, I was married for 7 years and didn't have a clue what love was about. I of course would have told you that I did. And I truly believed that I did as well. It's not that I was consciously lying to everyone around me. Not at all. I really, really, really thought I knew. But then I found myself standing next to a flowing river with my daughter, on her first river fishing trip. I was tossing a worm around trying to fool a trout, and after watching me for about 5 minutes, Cameron had seen enough of this "fishing" thing. It was time for rock throwing to begin. And she threw rocks for the better part of 2 hours, while dad spent the time drowning a worm. I was so engulfed in being with her, talking to her, showing her the few trout that I did mange to catch, that I suddenly realized: This is what love is.

Not caring that someone was throwing rocks into the water in the place where I'm trying to catch a fish, is love. At least in my weird, messed up perception of the world. There's no doubt about it. There was a time that a little kid throwing rocks into the water where I was fishing would have sent me into a tirade. But not this time. I was as happy as she was, and I suppose that's what it's all about. Although if that kid weren't my daughter, I'm not sure the realization would have been the same.

Not to mention the fact that anytime I say, "Cam, do you want to go fishing?" now, she starts jumping up and down screaming, "Yes, Yes, Yes". For a guy who has a fairly serious fishing addiction, this little jewel of information may be better than discovering what love is. She will happily go fishing, or I should say rock throwing anytime that I feel like it. That has to be one of the best things to ever happen to me. Well, to be truthful, Cam is the best thing that ever happened to me.

Trevor Kugler - Co-founder of JRWfishing.com Trevor has more than 20 years of fishing experience, and raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country....Montana.

Forex Signals Review

2008-02-04T02:27:00.000-08:00

Forex Signals, known familiarly as FXOS, issues bulletins once or twice a day, depending on market conditions. Each Forex Signal contains just three numbers for each of the major currency pairs: exact entry, stop-loss, and take-profit. It does not contain charts, graphs, editorial or anything else. The information provided and its presentation are the most basic of the basic. There is no guesswork and no strategy decisions to make.

The maximum number of currency pairs for which a subscriber can receive Forex recommendations is six: EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, USD/CHF, USD/CAD, and AUD/USD. These six pairs (one pair is one signal) are automatically generated for all but their top-of-the-line product, for which you can select the pairs. This has some significance because of Forex Signal’s unique fee structure, a type of pay-per-signal pricing.

With Forex Signals, there are no yearly or monthly fees. Instead, the subscriber deposits a sum of money, starting at $100 USD, which is converted into credits (1 credit=$.05 USD). Each currency pair is assigned a number of credits ranging from 0.5 for USD/CAD to 4 credits for EUR/USD. These credits are deducted from your total deposit. So, if you received a EUR/USD signal once a day for ten days, you would have 40 credits deducted from your deposit.

You can add money and change receipt specifications at any time. You determine how you want to receive the signals (e-mail or text message), which days you receive the signal, and for how long. Thus, you customize the subscription terms of the service.

To begin, FXOS offers three products, the Mini, the Standard, and the Pro. Each product requires a minimal set-up fee: $17.95, $34.95, and $87.95 respectively. The difference between the three is the amount of flexibility and level of participation in a credit-back program.

As you might expect, the Mini package has the least flexibility. It does not allow you to choose currency pairs and has no credit program. The Standard does not permit you to choose pairs either, but it does offer credit allowances. Both the Standard and Pro give you free credits on your initial deposit, 5% or up to $50 for the Standard, and 15% or up to $150 for the Pro. They also will credit back your signal cost if the advice does not yield a profit. That should give subscribers some level of confidence in the company’s predictions.

The sign-up process is quick and easy. FXOS accepts online payments through PayPal, bank transfers and Western Union wire transfers.

Forex Signals is simple service. If you want to know how the advisors arrive at their advice, or you want to get more information about the current conditions in the FOREX market, you won’t find it here. Forex Signals does offer beginners a solid FOREX glossary and does an admirable job of describing their products and answering any questions you might have.

Naturopathic Medicine Schools Integrate Various Healing Methods

2008-02-01T02:46:00.000-08:00

The promotion of good health, rather than the curing of disease, is a growing concern of a more health-conscious public today. Naturopathic medicine plays an important role in the general health of the population, and naturopathic medicine schools are receiving greater recognition now than ever before.

The practice of naturopathy takes into consideration the influence of nutrition and exercise on a patient's physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing, while the main focus of traditional Western medicine has been to discover what has gone “wrong” with or how to “fix” a diseased body.

Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) are those medical and health care practices and therapies not considered to be part of conventional medicine. However, these practices and therapies have evolved due to understanding gained through well-designed scientific studies and research, adoption of therapies by conventional medicine, and changing approaches to traditional health care. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is found in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and is the government agency working for greater recognition of alternative and complementary healthcare treatments and practices in the U.S. through research and dissemination.

Complementary and alternative medicines are not parallel entities. Complementary medicine is often combined with traditional medical therapies to promote total health. Alternative medicine, on the other hand, replaces conventional medicine with complete and independent alternative medical systems of theory and practice developed long before conventional medicine. Alternative medicines include homeopathic medicine, Chinese medicine, naturopathy, Ayurveda, mind-body medicine, manipulation (chiropractic, massage), energy therapies (placing of hands), bioelectromagnetic-based therapies (use of electrical current), and others.

Today, hospitals and physicians are more often practicing the integration of complementary and alternative medicine into conventional Western medicine. Hospitals and health maintenance organizations are recognizing the many benefits of CAM therapies, insurance companies are covering some CAM therapies, and integrative medicine centers are forming close ties with medical schools and teaching hospitals.

Managing a CAD Outsourcing Project

2008-02-01T02:45:00.000-08:00

We must first emphasize that here we are talking about outsourcing CAD projects, which is significantly easier than outsourcing software development or IT services (earlier articles of mine have explained why).

This article also assumes that selection of the CAD providers has been completed with due diligence (the methods are described in an earlier article).

As I mentioned in those prior articles, one of the most important ingredients for successful outsourcing is management of the ongoing project by you, the client. To quote from those articles (here 'outsourcer' means 'provider'):

"This may sound obvious, but probably the biggest stumbling block to offshore outsourcing is that after all the contracts have been signed, companies abdicate responsibility for projects to the provider..."

--- Deepak Khandelwal, McKinsey, Worldwide

TASKS IN OUTSOURCING MANAGEMENT:

(1) You have to assume moral responsibility for the project.

A very senior executive should be made the champion of the CAD project. S/he will need technical and administrative people to help with the project, and these people should be informed of their induction explicitly. Let's call this group of people "the task force".

(2) The task force should define the objectives of the proposed CAD outsourcing.

Subjects to address:

* Which input documents will you be giving the provider? (Consider rough, dimensioned sketches, specifications and photographs of included objects, written instructions on what you want in the output, libraries of CAD symbols, design rules for elements not in the libraries of CAD symbols, drawings or sketches showing how the objects in the target area interface with the immediate environment, sample output documents).

* Which CAD platform do you want the work done on?

* Which output documents to you expect?

* What is the weekly project schedule?

* At what interval do you want the provider to send you the work in progress?

* What is the procedure for acceptance of the product?

* What is your payment schedule?

* What is the payment method? (Check, credit card, wire transfer?)

(3) The task force should put the above documents into a contract.

The contract should also contain non-disclosure clauses. The provider should sign and return the contract.

(4) Put robust communication mechanisms in place.

* Email is fine provided mailbox capacities are large. Without a doubt the provider should have a broadband connection, and if your CAD files are large and frequent, so should you.

* Instant messenger programs are good for discussion sessions.

* For frequent large volume transfers, one of you should have an ftp server.

* If voice communication is required, try Skype (free).

* Both you and the provider should have access to a scanner for digitizing sketches.

* You must also have each other's postal address and telephone numbers.

(5) Have a procedure in place for conflict resolution.

(6) As far as possible, do not let go of existing staff because you are outsourcing.

Identify unfulfilled skill needs in your organization when you first think of outsourcing. Explain to the relevant staff that you plan to outsource and that you will train them in those skills. If nevertheless some want to leave, they are responsible for their departure and not you.

(7) Be ready with support services and materials for your providers.

* For instance, you might have to send the provider files that are in a format for which they do not have the opening application. You should have the software and staff to convert the document into a format compatible with the provider's application.

* At the beginning of the exercise, the provider will typically have many technical questions. The task force should include staff whose time is specifically reserved for providing the answers.

* Be readily available to help as much as you can. This builds confidence in the provider's mind as well as a relationship between you and the provider.

(8) Develop a partner relationship with the provider.

* You should be partners in achieving the overall goal... this could be cost reduction, process improvement, more time for your core business, expertise, flexibility and so on.

* Discuss this goal with the provider, ask for their views and treat them like a department of your company.

* More research facts: In the first year, the important issues are the contract, performance measurements and relationships (in that order); by the third year, it's performance measurements, relationships, the contract.

(9) Budget for the outsourcing exercise.

Use this valuable observation to help you plan:

" ... end users engaged in outsourcing indicate that, on average, users spend from 5 to 12 percent of the total contract value on managing the relationship"

--- The Yankee Group (in a recent study)

CONCLUSION

* What we've just described represents the latest thinking on managing a CAD outsourcing project.

* The ideas are state-of-the-art and custom-made for today's world.

* We hope you use them and that thereby your business experiences a significant increase in efficiency, earnings and competitiveness.

Tips To Chiropractic Consultation

2008-01-31T04:10:00.000-08:00

Most people are wary about complementary and alternative medicine or CAM because of the flak it received from medical organizations. However, all is well now between the two camps and even medical doctors now prescribe CAM for therapy. The most popular CAM providers at present are chiropractors, chiropractic practitioners, and chiropractic clinics. They are also the most prescribed CAM treatment providers. Not surprising because the treatment chiropractors, chiropractic practitioners, and chiropractic clinics provide are not based on wooly assumptions. The treatments are based on basic and rather medical principles.

The work of chiropractors, chiropractic practitioners, and chiropractic clinics are based upon a fundamental principle. It states that a body has self-healing properties based on spine alignment and nerve flow. Simply put, diseases and pain are caused by interruption in the nerve flow due to misalignment of the spine or "subluxation." A body can heal itself when the spine's alignment is corrected. These corrections are very different from traditional medical procedures and can be very disconcerting if you don't know what to expect. Though these CAM providers are trained and certified individuals, it won't hurt to have a clue before you visit.

Initial consultations usually involve interviews about your medical history and experiences with treatment procedures. Chiropractors, chiropractic practitioners, and chiropractic therapists will take the time to brief you about the different services they provide. They will also explain the principles behind the treatment. This is your chance to ask questions and clarify your doubts about the treatment. As professionals, chiropractors will not perform any treatment, unless you are absolutely sure about going through the procedure. If all goes well, your chiropractor will require you to undergo a full physical examination. Expect basic tests like X-rays and spine examination. Your chiropractor will base his treatment plan on your exam results.

When you finally go for treatment, do not be surprised to see another chiropractor. Sometimes, treatments may require professional assistance. Chiropractors, chiropractic practitioners, or chiropractic therapists may perform an adjustment or two. Dubbed as manipulation treatment, this involves manual therapy. Through applying pressure and massage techniques in your spine, the chiropractors, chiropractic practitioners, and chiropractic therapists will correct your spine. This may include the application of sudden but controlled force to joints and bones. Call their attention if you feel pain, only minor discomfort should be felt during the treatment procedure. Treatments are usually broken in several sessions. You may have to undergo a series of treatments to fully get the benefits of chiropractic treatment.

Architectural Metalwork - Seven Benefits of Using 3-D Solid Modelling CAD for Design and Production

2008-01-31T04:08:00.000-08:00

Here is a list of seven major benefits of using 3d parametric solid modelling CAD in the design and production of custom architectural metalwork projects.

1. Your designs can be created in 3d instead of using the traditional 2d CAD method. It's easier to understand the design in 3d rather than struggling to visualise how multiple elevations in a 2d drawing will look in reality. This will be especially true for less technically minded members of your team.

2. Once you have got a 3d engineering model, all of the working drawings for the many manufacturing and assembly processes involved in your project can be generated.

3. You can create computer generated photographic quality stills of proposed designs or 3d animations of your product from your models for use in architectural project bids. You can use these visuals to communicate the product to clients, sales and marketing, engineering and installation team members.

4. There can be numerous design revisions in architectural metalwork but utilising the flexibility of parametric solid modelling you can easily revise the designs as specifications change. If any part of the design changes then you can have your model automatically update. Unlike traditional 2d CAD any dependant changes to one part may spread throughout the design. Also all of the associated 2d engineering drawings reflect those changes.

5. Because of the way that solid modelling software treats each component of a design as a virtual part, you can assemble the parts into different configurations making it easy to build from stock components.

6. It's possible to virtually combine of all the parts of your 3d model into a final assembly. You can make variations of the main product design. With the virtual assembly you can simulate the mechanical and physical properties of your real product reducing the need to make physical prototypes.

7. The model can be used in the manufacture of the final parts or pattern work. You can generate step code off your 3d model to control CNC milling or routing machines for the machining of components or pattern work. Rapid prototypes can be made using 3D printers.

CNC And CAD Software - How Do I Choose The Right Cad Program For Me?

2008-01-30T02:16:00.000-08:00

There are multiple CAD programs available for design. Generally people become familiar with one and stick with it. As far as selecting the right one, my advice is this. Most software companies have a free trial. Thirty-day trials are common. Take advantage of these trial periods and test the software out. Then at the end, decide if you want to try another software or stick with your best one. I would advise you try out at least three different packages.

The one you select will probably have to do with you liking the interface or finding it intuitive. Keep in mind it may work for you now. A simple to use and understand interface probably has some limitations for your designs. The very best programs are complex with many tools that give you the most control. I have found that I start with a simple program and outgrow it. At some point I move up to the next level of software. This usually means a higher price as well.

Types of CAD

There are different types of CAD out there. These are the ones I deal with from time to time. 2D CAD, 2.5D CAD, and 3D CAD. Here are some quick explanations of each type.

2D CAD

2D CAD is generally on the low end of CAD software packages. 2D CAD is most often vector based. The design consists on the X and Y-axis only. The designs are made up of lines, circles, ovals, slots, curves, etc. There is no “depth” to the design. Only the outline of the part is visible, to put it in a different way.

2.5D CAD

All of the same descriptions above apply, but the design is prismatic. By that I mean it has the depth of the material. There are Z levels, but they are on singular planes.

3D CAD

3D CAD is on the high end of CAD software packages. 3D CAD can be solid based, wire frame based or nurbs based. The design consists on the X, Y and Z-axis. The designs are made up of lines, circles, ovals, slots, curves, etc, but can also include Spheres, Pyramids, Torrids, Cubes, etc. There is depth to the design. The design can be rotated around 360 degrees. The design is an accurate description of what the part would look like if produced in the real world.

Definition of Computer Aided Design (CAD) Software

2008-01-30T02:11:00.000-08:00

CAD is computer aided design. CAD is used for designing objects such as architectural designs, mechanical designs, and electrical designs. When you use this type of software tool you’ll be able to get results that are perfect each time and that look very professional. Most software packages will come with a multitude of graphics that are already built into the system. All you need to do is choose what you want and add them to the design that you’re working with. You don’t need to be an artist to use a CAD tool. The features that are built into this type of software will do all the aligning for you. You’ll be able to have all the design power that you need when you use CAD software.

Most CAD software programs will also come with many templates that you can use, as well as the symbols that you need to create designs that are readable and 100% useable. Besides using the CAD tool to create designs for your architectural or mechanical business you can use it to create floor plans to design your new home, landscaping designs for your garden, circuit diagrams for your electrical needs, and block diagrams.

There are many CAD software packages that you can choose from. The best thing is to know exactly what you want from the software so that you’re not disappointed with your purchase. CAD software doesn’t come without a high price and most times will be un-returnable once you’ve opened it and installed it on your computer. If you’re unsure about what CAD software package to buy you may be able to try a free download that many software manufacturers will offer to try and get your attention. This will allow you, for a short period of time, to work with the CAD software to be sure it’s what you want and does what you want it to do.

Tips To Chiropractic Consultation

2008-01-29T05:42:00.002-08:00

Architectural Metalwork - Seven Benefits of Using 3-D Solid Modelling CAD for Design and Production

2008-01-29T05:42:00.001-08:00

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)

2008-01-05T02:16:00.000-08:00

Complementary and Alternative Medicine s (CAM, in short) is a topic of common discussion these days. They say practices and products used or intended to be used for treating a patient that are not a part of the "standard care" are termed as complementary medicine or alternative medicine. Even in the USA where this discussion is very much to the fore, the list of practices and products that are considered complementary and alternative medicine is continually going through a change.

Some experts argue that use of term complementary medicine or alternative medicine is erroneous. They say there is no alternative medicine and as believers in science and evidence, we should talk of medicine that is adequately tested and proven to be safe and effective and medicine that has not been adequately tested and proven to be safe and effective. Whether the therapeutic technique is eastern or western is irrelevant; our focus should be on the patient and his disease or ailment. Practices and products that are presently CAM but are subsequently proven to be safe and effective get adopted in the conventional health care and are not considered complementary and alternative medicine anymore.

It is interesting to find that while the medical profession may not be happy about "non-standard" practices and products - CAM - the patients seem to be turning to complementary and alternative medicine in increasing numbers, as some surveys indicate. A survey in USA in 2002 found that 36% of Americans used alternative therapy such as yoga, meditation, herbal treatments in the past 12 months. In 1998, a BBC telephone survey in UK found about 20% adults used alternative medicine in the past 12 months. It was found that use of alternative medicine had increased by 30% from 1990 to 1997. These figures do not include use of prayers as alternative or complementary medicine as practiced by many people.

In USA it is found that the number of colleges offering courses in alternative medicine is increasing. Naturopathy and osteopathy also are finding wider acceptance in medical colleges and universities. They seem to adopt a balanced view that they neither reject conventional medicine nor adopt the alternative practices blindly.

It is obvious that medical products and practices that do not fall under the term "standard care" do have a significant influence on the society. It is a measure of recognition of this fact that in 1998, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) was established as the Federal Government's lead agency for scientific research on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

We shall look into some of these issues regarding complementary and alternative medicine and try to understand what these various systems of treatment involve.

S. Phadke is a retired professional. He enjoys writing and has been writing articles on a variety of subjects such as Energy Conservation, Home Based Industries , Online Data Storage, Internet marketing, etc.

Types of Manufacturing Software

2008-01-05T02:15:00.000-08:00

Currently, a large variety of software is available to the manufacturing industry. The software helps the industry to improve a multitude of manufacturing as well as organizational functions.

Firstly, software has been developed to control and monitor machines used in manufacture of products. Each type of machinery works in a different way and therefore requires a specifically designed software program.

Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) is software used to generate the codes to give instruction to CNC machines to enable them to form shapes designed in a computer-aided (CAD) system. This helps the modern manufacturing plants to meet their high volume high accuracy production requirements.This also simplifies the job of the person who is watching over the machines and makes it significantly less strainous.

The second important function of a software programs is to facilitate better control on financial and personnel management. The software for this purpose is usually applicable to all types of industries and institutions. Nevertheless, minor changes may be necessary to tailor the general software for a particular industry or institution.

Thirdly software programs are able to streamline and improve management functions within the manufacturing industry. Because computers control the machines, time and motion studies of various manufacturing operations, and stages can be more easily undertaken. It is possible to stay up-dated and effectively control the status of critical items, such as raw materials, inventory and order status, goods in-process status, finished goods inventory, and delivery status. Planning and scheduling software enables the industry to monitor manufacturing activity, through time and action calendars that track key milestone events and create alerts. Activities such as packing and labeling can be controlled, by getting real time status on exact quantity of pieces packed for different orders, per quantity, per color, and per size, to reduce possible back charges.

CAD CAM Software

2007-12-20T01:54:00.000-08:00

CAD CAM - What Is It?

2007-12-20T01:53:00.000-08:00

The words CAD CAM are tossed around quite a bit in manufacturing circles, but what is it really? When we say CAD/CAM, do we really know what we are talking about? In my experience many of us do not. A simple definition is a good place to start. Computer-Aided-Design, and Computer-Aided-Manufacturing.

Look around you, whether you are at home, or in the office. Almost everything you see around you was probably designed on a computer. With the exception of buildings that were made before the 1970’s and any antique furniture you may have around you at home, a very high percentage of the things we use everyday were designed using CAD.

Automotive and Aerospace Design were responsible for the development of early CAD systems in the 1960’s and 1970’s. They were very expensive systems that cost over $ 100,000.00 per station. With the development of the PC, all that has changed, and CAD systems can be procured roughly anywhere from $ 500.00 to $ 5,000.00.

Even with costly additional options, it is rare for a single CAD seat to cost more than $ 20,000.00, unless it is being used for some very high-end specialized function. The development of CAD CAM software has paralleled the rise of personal computers, which made this type software affordable for the average manufacturer.

So what about CAM ? I guess you could say that there really is no CAM without CAD. Without an electronic design, no CAM system can function. Sometimes design is done within a CAM system, but without electronic information, CAM is limited. I know many machinists say they program CNC machine tools at the control without a CAD system, but chances are that the blueprint they work from was made using a CAD system.

There are probably 100 people who know what CAD is for every 2 who know what CAM is. In the same way there really is no CAM without CAD, there is also no CAM without CNC machinery. A CNC machine is simply a computerized machine that depends on a series of commands or programmed instructions that include position information to accomplish a particular task. This is usually, but not always, some kind of cutting motion, using a particular type of cutting tool.

Technically, this program code format is designated as RS-474, but most people refer to it as G and M Code. Since FANUC is the most popular type of CNC control, often CNC code is referred to as “FANUC compatible”, which means standard G and M code.

CNC machines are not limited to the typical CNC Milling and CNC Turning machines that have been used for nearly 50 years in machine shops across the country, they come in all shapes and sizes. Grinders, turret punches, lasers, plasmas, water jets, wire edms, shears, brakes, coordinate measuring machines, embroidery machines, welders, routers, jig bores, and robots used for most any job imaginable, are just a few of the hundreds of types of CNC machines used in manufacturing today.

I am reminded of a quote from Gotfried von Leibniz, a 17th century mathematician, who once said: “It is unworthy of excellent men to lose hours like slaves in the labor of calculation, which could be safely relegated to anyone else if machines were used. He also strongly advocated the use of a binary system of numbers which is the foundation of modern computer numerical calculation.

CNC manufacturing technology is the inevitable result of the application of computer technology to manufacturing. It has allowed manufacturing to progress beyond the dependence on “excellent men” to produce parts manually.

CAD CAM and CNC technology has produced manufactured parts and assembled products at speeds and accuracies that could only be dreamed of a generation ago. The complexity of modern manufactured parts was simply impossible to achieve in previous generations. Although the same level of skill is required in these industries, as in earlier days, the limitations and inherent inefficiencies of manual methods have largely been overcome.

Online occurrences

2007-07-25T04:29:00.000-07:00

Online occurrences. CNC Software (Tolland, Connecticut) has rebuilt its Web site. The new site offers information about the newly released Mastercam X CAD/CAM software and provides a more streamlined layout for finding information, according to the company. Also new is a section of the site dedicated to instructors and students.
Seco-Carboloy (Detroit, Michigan) has also launched a new Web site. Process videos, as well as an online PDF version of the company's Machining Navigator catalog system, are featured on the site. In addition to the complete tool selection and application library, the Navigator contains detailed technical information for milling, turning, drilling and threading applications. A full schedule of events is also included.

Creating models and tool paths for CNC machining

2007-07-25T04:27:00.000-07:00

With BobArt Pro-X from BobCAD-CAM, users can convert pictures or CAD drawings into 2D toolpath or embossed models for machining within Version 20 2D and 3D CAD/CAM software. The release is intended to assist manufacturers, including mold makers, in creating the appropriate model and tool path for CNC machining, from imported or designed images and CAD geometry.

Users can automatically convert a color, grayscale or black and white picture into a full relief model, says the company. The appropriate toolpath strategy can then be created on the fly. Added mirroring options are useful for creating negative relief models. In addition to this capability, users can form raster to vector operations to create 2D profile tool paths for carving or profile milling directly from pictures.

CAD/CAM Software facilitates staircase design/production

2007-07-04T03:26:00.000-07:00

Comprised of staircad and staircam modules, alphastair v6 provides everything needed for staircase design, costing, and manufacture. Both modules utilize GUI that lets users add or delete toolbars and tailor screen layouts to preference. They also share integrated database with single point data entry. Along with built-in checking routines for regulatory compliance, software features 3D CAD drawings, materials lists, and ability to produce ready-to-sign quotations. Incorporating a wealth of new features for faster and simpler operation, the modular CAD/CAM system, comprising staircad and staircam, provides everything needed to enable staircases to be designed, costed and manufactured quickly and effectively.

Both alphastair V6 modules feature a completely revised Graphical User Interface (GUI), which enables operators to rapidly add or delete toolbars, as well as tailor screen layouts to their individual requirements. Staircad and staircam also share a fully integrated database with single point data entry, and the system's new graphically based menus allow all relevant information to be specified and updated simply and accurately.
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In-built checking routines within alphastair ensure that all designs conform to latest Building Regulations in the UK and can be adapted for other countries. In addition, staircad automatically provides fully detailed 3D CAD drawings and materials lists, along with accurate costings and ready-to-sign quotations printed on company branded stationery, if required.

Revisions to the product design, material specification, overhead and margin can all be accommodated instantly by the software, with costings and quotations recalculated at the click of a mouse button.

Close integration between staircad and staircam provides automatic generation of CNC machine code directly from the system's common database, using either pre-configured or user specified tools, speeds and feeds. Staircam also supports manual nesting of components on the machine tool bed, for maximum raw material and enhanced tool utilisation. Similarly, the system will provide board assembly lists and glue-up schedules on demand, for optimum manufacturing efficiency.

Direct linking of alphastair V6 with alphacim and alphacim lite business management systems enables sales order processing, the calculation of cutting lists and invoicing all to be automated. It also provides information for built-in bar coding and part labelling, as well as a comprehensive variety of management reports to further streamline the operation of order-based joinery manufacturing companies.

Like other alphacam CAD/CAM software releases, alphastair V6 will be available world-wide in all major languages. It will also be backed by local customer helpdesks, advanced on-site or remote system support, comprehensive product training programmes and the company's networking, installation and IT consultancy services.

About alphacam

Alphacam, along with radan, jobshop and cabinet vision, are principal brands of Planit Holdings plc. The organisation's product range encompasses design to manufacturing applications and Enterprise Resource Planning software solutions for companies operating throughout the metal, woodworking, stone and sheet metal manufacturing sector. In addition, Planit International offers leading retail design software. The group is a multi-million pound global business, with operations in Europe, the Americas, Taiwan and Japan, as well as a network of approved distributors and dealers throughout North and South America, Asia, the Middle East, South Africa and the Pacific Rim

Enhanced CAD/CAM Software—PartMaker Software/IMCS Inc., booth 5441

2007-07-04T03:25:00.000-07:00

Intended for use with CNC mills, lathes, wire EDM, turn-mill centers and Swiss-type lathes, PartMaker version 7.8 features a range of expanded functionalities, including enhancements to the Surface Machining Wizard (SMW) module, 3D simulation and the introduction of a production milling module. The latter of the three modules is designed to provide improved simulation capabilities for multi-axis milling attachments, including fourth-axis and fifth-axis rotary tables and tombstone fixtures. For cylindrical parts, chucks can be created and simulated as well.Calculation of surfacing tool paths using SMW is faster in this latest version when compared to previous releases, says PartMaker Software/IMCS Inc. In addition, new surfacing capabilities have been incorporated to support four-axis milling for setups that support continuous rotary milling on a CNC mill, turn-mill or Swiss-type lathe.

The value of BCL to the CAD/CAM user - Emphasis: Numerical Control and CAM - Binary Cutter Location; Computer Aided Design/Manufacturing

2007-06-19T02:00:00.000-07:00

A neutral interface language for numerical control programs is a boon on the shop floor, but it also has substantial benefits to users--and vendors--of CAD/CAM systems.

Postprocessing has often been considered a necessary evil, an unpleasant fact of life for everyone involved with numerical control (NC) programming. Postprocessors are the software programs that "customize" a file of tool path data and related machine instructions for a particular machine tool. Once an NC program has been postprocessed, it can be used to produce parts on the designated machine.

The same program may or may not be usable at other machine tools unless the machines are identical--same configuration, same control unit, same home position, same clearance planes, and so on. This is rarely the case for most shops since they are likely to have a variety of equipment from a variety of machine tool builders and computer numerical control (CNC) unit suppliers.

It is likely that a company will purchase machines and/or control units over a period of time. In many cases, these machines are intended to perform similar tasks. They may even be identical. However, identical machines may be equipped with a variety of controls, each requiring its own postprocessor. The greater the number of postprocessors a shop must have, the greater the magnitude of associated problems.

The Challenge

Most programming departments must have several postprocessors to properly prepare an NC program for whichever machine tool will be producing the workpieces. The programming departments at larger shops may have fifty or sixty different postprocessors to support a hundred NC machine tools. A small job shop may have a unique postprocessor for every one of its machines.

For suppliers of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems with NC programming capability, postprocessing represents a tremendous challenge. Gerber Systems Technology, for example, has over 1300 systems installed at over 600 shops and plants around the world. To meet the needs of these customers, Gerber has developed a library of more than 500 postprocessors. Gerber considers the availability of reliable and efficient postprocessors an essential part of its commitment to computer-aided manufacturing and one of its key strengths in the marketplace.

However, maintaining and enlarging this library is costly. It diverts resources, complicates customer service, and slows product development.

This proliferation of postprocessors results from a lack of standardization that creates problems both on the shop floor and in NC programming. The trend to computer-integrated manufacturing, which is driven by the pressures of global competition, will only intensify the difficulties created by this lack of standardization.

It would be irresponsible for CAD/CAM vendors, machine tool builders, CNC suppliers, and machine tool consumers not to pursue a solution.

The BCL Concept

BCL was designed to help avoid the delays and inflexibility that can result when production of a workpiece is moved from one machine to another. This situation can occur because of equipment failures, scheduling requirements, or a need to increase production by using several machines simultaneously. BCL is short for Binary Cutter Location, which comes from the title of EIA standard 494, "32 Bit Binary CL Exchange (BCL) Input Format For Numerically Controlled Machines."

The BCL concept is simple. It shifts the postprocessor function from the NC programming system to the machine tool control unit. Whereas a postprocessor usually resides in the computer along with the NC processor and is specially written for a particular machine/control unit combination, BCL replaces this conventional postprocessor with a "converter" that generates a standard RS-494 format.

The fundamental principle guiding this standard is that data used as input to the machine tool remains oriented to the part coordinate system, not to the coordinate system of the machine tool. Use of the BCL format requires that the control unit itself be equipped to perform all machine-geometry dependent functions, which may have been previously performed by a postprocessor.

The BCL converter is a part-oriented postprocessing program, which converts the contents of a CLFILE (what the NC processor normally feeds to the postprocessor) to the BCL format file. The BCL format as specified by RS-494 represents NC machining input data as a series of records that are groups of 32-bit binary integer words.

The primary functions of the BCL converter are to retrieve CLDATA records, select the relevant portions of the data, convert the floating point data to 32-bit integer data, format data into records and produce a BCL program file. It performs no machine-dependent functions such as orienting data to the origin of the machine's coordinate system or computing tool length values.

The BCL format was originally developed for use with the APT (Automatically Programmed Tools) NC processor. It is designed to utilize the integer codes defined for major and minor words from the ANSIX3.37 specified CLDATA (X3.37 is the national standard that governs the APT processor language). All of the postprocessor commands are represented as integer codes.

Milling Software supports tapered tools for all toolpaths

2007-06-19T00:59:00.003-07:00

Windows[R]-based CAD/CAM software, Mastercam X Mill includes Surface Finish Pencil Toolpath, which divides part into logical machining segments, then automatically finishes and cleans up part in single toolpath. Machine Definition stores knowledge of user's machine and control while only allowing user to perform functions that are applicable to that machine. Backplot function offers visual simulation of toolpath before actual code is created.

CADCAM solution for mold makers

2007-06-19T00:59:00.001-07:00

New from Missler Software is TopSolid' Mold 2006, an integrated CAD module designed to meet the needs of mold makers and tool and die specialists. The program enables calculation of the shrinkage factor; analysis of undercuts; calculation of the parting line and surface of the joint; automatic creation and definition of the core block and cavity; implementation of the standard carcass; systems of injection and ejection; and analysis of the cooling system.

Specific mold drafts--inject and eject views, specific dimensions and so on--are accessible within the software. Among the principal improvements are a preliminary design mode, parting line enhancements, one-click kinematics, core and cavity block importation, and improvements to all cooling system elements.

MCAD Design Collaboration: tools and tips for connecting design teams

2007-06-18T23:01:00.001-07:00

Design collaboration is one area of MCAD technology where the dreams and wishes of designers are actually coming to fruition. Designers have traditionally had a hard enough time collaborating with a partner in the next cubicle, let alone working with a sales rep across town or supplier across the Atlantic.

This month, I'll share with you a few exciting design collaboration solutions that can make your design cycle a little easier. I look at an online solution, CoCreate's OneSpace.net; a third-party solution, ImpactXoft IX SPeeD V5 Suite; and an integrated solution, Solid Edge Insight. Each option brings new and exciting pieces of the design collaboration puzzle together to the benefit of hardworking designers like you.

A special thank you to these developers for taking the time to share information about their design collaboration solutions. Without their innovative minds, the dreams of the past would simply be forgotten.

a lightweight tool for online project collaboration among members of product development teams. It combines familiar concepts such as organized projects, secure messaging, presence awareness, and real-time online meetings. OneSpace.net provides a rapidly deployable solution that enables design teams to share ideas and resolve problems across the Web no matter where they are located (figure 1).

What's next for NX? - WIP, EDS improves Unigraphics NX CAD/CAM/CAE software package

2007-06-18T23:00:00.000-07:00

In its on-going development program, EDS has upped the capabilities of its Unigraphics NX CAD/CAM/CAE software package (see: "Unigraphics NX: What It May Mean To You" for a comprehensive look at the first version

One of the goals of the new package is to facilitate the use of already-existing digital information for new programs. That is, explains Doug Pierce, marketing director for NX, there is information that exists within organizations, so by being able to leverage it, there is a means to increase development speed, reduce development costs, and increase the quality of the development itselfotal Product Engineering, which means starting from the styling functionality of Imageware all the way through improved machining strategies for CAM

* Systems-Based Modeling, which allows the ability to handle multiple arrangements of assemblies and subassemblies through a template approach

* Integrated Digital Simulation, which includes simulation and analysis tools, whereby users can be assured that the components or assemblies being designed will have the necessary performance characteristics

* Knowledge-Driven Automation, which permits users to set parameters based on such things as manufacturing capabilities so that what's designed can actually be produced within those capabilitie

CAD/CAM Software facilitates engraving and routing

2007-06-07T04:04:00.000-07:00

With tools for 2D drawing, 3D modeling, and machining, ArtCAM Pro 8 facilitates design and manufacture of artistic shapes. Contrast slide bar control for 2D bitmap helps create clear view of vectors being drawn. Taper Relief command enables user to pick point on model and taper it down by defined percentage, while Mirror and Merge command aids in creation of symmetrical models. Machining tool allows user to view areas cut by individual toolpaths in different colors. The latest version of Delcam's ArtCAM Pro engraving and routing software incorporates a range of enhancements in 2D drawing, 3D modelling and machining to make the design and manufacturing of artistic shapes both easier and more flexible. With these improvements, ArtCAM 8 is certain to consolidate the software's position as the leading system for the engraving, signmaking and woodworking industries.

Unlike conventional CADCAM systems, which tend to require knowledge of engineering and mathematical principles, ArtCAM is a more artistic application, which makes extensive use of colour in developing designs. This approach makes it very easy to produce sophisticated designs, even for people that are not usually strong in technical subjects. It enables people with creative flair, such as artists, designers and engravers, to increase their productivity and raise quality by using computerised manufacturing techniques, alongside their traditional skills.

One new option that will improve ease of sketching is a contrast slide bar control for the 2D bitmap view. This can be used to fade out the 2D view so giving a clearer view of the vectors being drawn. It will be especially useful when creating vectors from poor quality original artwork. In addition, greater zoom capabilities have been added for users doing especially fine work

Of particular interest to companies that produce larger items, such as furniture manufacturers, will be the changes to ArtCAM's nesting. Rather than nesting onto multiple layers, ArtCAM creates separate sheets within the model to hold the nested items. This approach provides a clearer way of handling data as well as being more efficient when moving to machining. Sheets can be displayed individually or in a group with the active sheet highlighted.

Two new commands have been added to give extra modelling options - Taper Relief, and Mirror and Merge Relief. The first gives the ability to pick a point on an ArtCAM model and taper it down by a defined percentage, either over a certain distance, between two vectors, or radially from the centre to the edge of a vector. This will be useful when introducing perspective into scenes and will also allow easier merging of two reliefs whose combined heights would be too great for the design. The Mirror and Merge command will make it quicker and easier to create symmetrical models.

Other improvements include a larger sculpting tool to give greater control and coverage and the ability to "undo" edits to the model. This allows mistakes to be corrected even once you have carried out a number of subsequent changes to the ArtCAM relief. It also makes it easier to experiment with new ideas, without risking the loss of work already completed on the design.

Machining

The main change to the machining in ArtCAM 8 is the ability to view the areas cut by individual toolpaths in different colours. This shows clearly where each toolpath will machine and so makes it easier to identify areas that would be left un-machined and would require a smaller tool or different strategy.

The second significant change is in toolpath ordering. It has been made simpler to change the order in which toolpaths are applied and so easier to ensure the most efficient sequence can be developed.

Promoting CAD/CAM interoperability

2007-06-06T05:57:00.001-07:00

Offered by Pathtrace Systems, Inc., the latest release of EdgeCAM supports SolidWorks 2006, 3 D mechanical design software from SolidWorks Corp.

SolidWorks 2006 features a range of capabilities to allow design engineers to analyze and validate designs as they work. More than 200 enhancements are included. According to the company, the software is designed to ease the transition from 2D to 3D design as well.

A SolidWorks certified CAM product, EdgeCAM allows users to manufacture their SolidWorks designs. For more information from Pathtrace Systems, Inc., call (866) 433-4322 or enter MMS Direct code 967PK

Free source edition for CAD/CAM applications

2007-06-06T05:56:00.001-07:00

Building Block Software, Inc. has released a free source edition of its CAD/CAM Developer's Kit product line, a series of C-function libraries for developing CAD, CAM and CNC applications. These libraries provide the mathematical "building blocks" necessary for toolpath, boundary off-set, area boolean and other calculations.

The source code can be used with any operating system with a C compiler, including Windows, Linux and Apple OS X and all forms of Unix. The kit functions may also be called in Windows from C# through a DLL interface.

CAD/CAM Software features networked databases

2007-06-06T05:55:00.000-07:00

Networked FeatureCAM[R] 2006 lets users share databases with tooling, feeds, and speed information between networked computers. It features capabilities for full machine simulation; multi-turret, multi-spindle synchronized turning; and 3Dconnexion motion controller support. Supplied with thousands of defined tools, software lets users select groups of tools and define any number of tool cribs. Feed and speed tables, also included, may be modified and extended. Salt Lake City, UT - September 2, 2005 - FeatureCAM Version 2006 is officially released with major enhancements including full machine simulation, multi-turret / multi-spindle synchronized turning and support for motion controllers from 3Dconnexion. An additional enhancement is networked databases.

Networked FeatureCAM 2006 allows customers to share tooling and feeds and speeds databases between networked computers. FeatureCAM products come standard with thousands of defined tools. Users can select groups of tools and define any number of tool cribs to reflect the tooling in their specific shop. If a tool is not found in the provided database, users can create a new tool, including tools with custom shapes. Feed and speed tables are also included and are easy to modify or extend. With FeatureCAM, default attributes, such as tooling and feeds/speeds, can be saved with each part file. Now, with FeatureCAM's networked databases, these part attributes can be effortlessly shared with networked computers.

CAD/CAM software for wire EDM

2007-06-02T03:32:00.000-07:00

Camtek says its PEPS SolidCut CAD/CAM software for wire EDM uses technology that determines optimal cutting conditions based on the precision and surface finish required for a part. Preferred cutting schemes can be saved and re-applied. The software projects 3D shapes onto cutting planes, and it can do rough and skim cuts of multiple punches or dies. It features cylindrical and constant taper with land height; variable taper; four-axis ruled surface; photo-realistic solid simulation with part sectioning; and knowledge-based cutting schemes for number of cuts and offsets.

With variable land heights for extrusion dies and clipping tools, the software has reverse cutting with offsets and multiple tagging options with auto tag removal. Options are available for ISO, conic and square corner types. The software also has involute gear design for ISO and AGMA, including tooth modifications. Other features include formed turning tool design with modifications for top, front and side angles; automatic wire cut and thread between apertures; no-core pocket destruction of round and irregular shapes; and the ability to work with solid or wireframe geometry.

For more information from Camtek North America, Inc., call 877-737-7322 or search MMS Online.

CAD/CAM software useful for small cutting tools

2007-06-02T03:31:00.000-07:00

Graphic Products says its recently released CAD/CAM software, cam-tool V3 Version 3.3, can be used for high speed machining, hard milling and micro machining of medical components or molds for medical components. The company also offers cam-tool MX version 1.3, which has the same qualities of the V3 version but allows 3 + 2 machining and five-axis control for applications that require long-reach tools or machining undercuts.

According to the company, toolpath inaccuracies or disruptions can damage or break small cutters with diameters ranging from 0.003" to 0.008". To alleviate this problem, the software creates tool paths by cutting sections directly through the surface data and offsetting the curves by the radius of the tool plus stock allowance. For unattended machining, an "in process" stock model controls the retract level of the the tool path and checks for shank and toolholder interferences. To minimize tool damage, a remachining program puts extra passes in corners with excess stock without requiring operator intervention.

For more information from Graphic Products North America, call 519-737-6009 or search MMS Online.

Inspection software with portable CMM

2007-04-21T05:07:00.001-07:00

A portable CMM and Delcam's PowerINSPECT inspection software allowed Townley Engineering and Manufacturing Co from Candler, Florida, to turn a quality problem into a competitive advantage.

A portable coordinate measuring machine from CimCore and Delcam's PowerINSPECT inspection software allowed Townley Engineering and Manufacturing Co from Candler, Florida, to turn a problem with quality and service life into a competitive advantage for the company. Townley is a manufacturer of replacement bearing assemblies for 'matrix' pumps used in mining. The shock and vibration from chunks of rock in the pumped mixture makes for a harsh environment for pump bearings.

The company began to encounter unexpected wear in its UBD Matrix line of pump assembly bearings in 2002.

'By 2004, bearings for as many as one pump in five suffered a failure,' remembered Townley's quality assurance Manager, Howard Record.

'Some failed after just one month's service.' Careful dimensional measurement with the CimCore arm and PowerINSPECT quickly pinpointed the causes as being problems with concentricity, perpendicularity and bore diameters of the bearing housings supplied by a contract machining company.

The supplier's management quickly found that these inaccuracies were the result of an out-of-calibration horizontal machining centre used to machine housing bores and were soon able to resolve them.

Mr Record found PowerINSPECT so easy to run that he and Inspector Russell Hill had the system working on the first day they used it.

They traced the bearing housing problems with what they learned in a day and a half of demonstrations by Bob Neshta of SunCoast Precision, the local CimCore and Delcam distributor.

'We over-nighted the first inspection results and our new dimensions to the machine shops,' Mr Record said, 'and got better housings from them almost immediately.' As a result, the system 'paid for itself very fast - in two weeks,' Mr Record said, based on the warranty cost of replacing a failed bearing assembly.

The portability of the arm lets Townley employees bring the entire inspection system right to the bearing housing, or any other large workpiece.

After machining, the cast iron housings weigh about 1,000 pounds.

'Because of the size and weight of the housings, the simplicity of setting up and repositioning the arm pays big dividends,' Mr Record said.

Townley's suppliers of machined components now check dimensions on all their parts before they are shipped, but Townley takes no chances.

'To give us the confidence to warranty our products to our mining customers, we inspect the housings and we inspect the final assembly,' Mr Record said.

'With the CimCore arm and PowerINSPECT, we give our customers the best product in the industry,' Mr Record concluded.

Put a spring in your step

2007-04-21T05:06:00.002-07:00

Knaresborough based public relations and marketing specialists Allott and Associates is offering to launch a marketing spring offensive for companies in the packaging industry.

In a one-off promotion, the forward-thinking agency is making available its proven experience and know-how in the packaging sector for a free marketing review to a number of companies within the industry. The audit takes approximately two hours during which time an assessment will be made as to the effectiveness of a company's marketing and what steps if any can be taken to improve it. Businesses who accept Allott and Associates' innovative offer would then be in an ideal position, if they wished, to call upon the agency's full range of services, which include marketing consultancy, public relations, literature design, movie making and web design.

New business development manager John Abel said: 'This is an excellent opportunity for companies to identify their weaknesses in the market place with no obligation'.

'We employ a friendly, pragmatic approach to all projects, which is just one of the numerous reasons why clients remain with Allott and Associates for many years.'

Appliance based solutions in network security

2007-04-21T05:06:00.001-07:00

A million units of its appliance based solutions in network security, email security, secure remote access and data backup and recovery markets have been shipped by Sonicwall.

Sonicwall has celebrated the shipment of one million units of its appliance based solutions in network security, email security, secure remote access and data backup and recovery markets. These solutions are helping tens of millions of users worldwide protect their data from Internet-delivered threats. Sonicwall products, services and software are distributed through its international network of approximately 10,000 channel partners.

'Our company strategy is predicated on the success of our channel partners, without whom we would not be celebrating this achievement,' said Matthew Medeiros, president and chief executive officer at Sonicwall.

'Sonicwall recognised early on that, to serve the unmet security needs of small and mid-tier businesses, a dedicated channel strategy was required.

This dedication to our channel partners remains a core company strategy today, affecting every area of our operation.

Reaching an installed base of one million units demonstrates the vitality of our strategy, for the channel and end-users, of creating purpose-built products that are simple to install, use and manage.

'Sonicwall has supported our business by helping us to solve complex IT problems with easily managed, effective security and dynamic network services,' said Steven Schmurr, network engineer and consultant at Activant Solutions , a Sonicwall Gold Medallion partner.

'Our customers are not IT specialists, so they look to us for guidance on their network needs, and we recommend Sonicwall as their security solution.

To date, Activant has installed over 7,000 Sonicwall units for customers throughout the US.' Sonicwall's network security, email security and content management appliances are all designed to 'phone home' with data on emerging Internet threats.

These devices form a global sensing network, delivering unique information to the company's threat prevention databases and supporting Sonicwall's ongoing improvement of its defences against the malware environment.

'The Sonicwall dynamic security environment enhances our capabilities as our user base grows,' added Medeiros.

'The more we ship, the more we strengthen the defences our solutions deliver, and the more we demonstrate the real benefit of dynamically updated network protection in today's business environment.' Sonicwall is a leader in delivering high-performance, easily managed dynamic security solutions for businesses of all sizes, including an innovative set of wireless offerings such as its Secure Distributed Wireless solution, winner of the 2007 SC Magazine award.

Over the past three years, Sonicwall has diversified its solutions beyond its firewall VPN family, adding SSL-VPN remote access, data backup and recovery and email security to its product portfolio.

Sonicwall devices can be managed from a single location using Sonicwall Global Management System software, which enables streamlined management of distributed security networks for IT administrators and managed services providers.

Today, GMS is used worldwide to manage networks of thousands of Sonicwall units.

Charles Kolodgy, senior analyst at IDC who is credited with the creation of the UTM category, commented, 'Sonicwall took an early lead in delivering comprehensive gateway threat prevention technology to businesses of all sizes, and the company is now recognised as a global force in UTM.

The potential of Sonicwall's value innovation approach - making technologies, previously restricted to enterprise, available to a broader market - has been demonstrated over and over again, not least by the company's achievement of an installed base of one million units.'

Module allows UGNX data to be imported

2007-04-21T05:05:00.000-07:00

Theorem Solutions has introduced a new OEMulti-CAD' module which enables UGNX data to be imported directly into users' current CATIA V5 sessions, streamlining the sharing and use of non-CATIA data.

World leading CAD/CAM product data exchange specialist, Theorem Solutions has introduced a new OEMulti-CAD' module which enables UGNX data to be imported directly into users' current CATIA V5 sessions. Streamlining the sharing and use of non-CATIA data within design, manufacturing, design-in-context and visualisation environments, the new module replicates the ability of CATIA's OEinsert existing component' command to bring CATParts and CATproducts into the current CATIA V5 space and work with them. Using Theorem's new OEMulti-CAD' module, CATIA V5 users can simply OEinsert' UGNX data into the current workspace without the need to undertake an external CAD translation.

The process is simply a OEmenu pick', followed by the selection of the required part or assembly from a normal file system OEtree'.

Items inserted into CATIA V5 in this way maintain links to the original data, ensuring that any subsequent modifications to the UGNX part or assembly will be automatically updated in the CATIA V5 session.

Commenting on the new development, Theorem's General Manager Keith Jeacock said: The OEinsert UGNX' capability is available for immediate delivery and will be extended to allow further key CAD formats to be brought directly into CATIA V5 within weeks rather than months.

Very soon we will be providing users with the ability to OEinsert Pro/E' and/or OEinsert I-DEAS' data simply by using a standard CATIA V5 pull down menu.

The new module raises interoperability for CATIA V5 users to new levels and, judging by the levels of interest we have already seen, our OEMulti-CAD' series looks set to become one of Theorem's most successful product offerings to date.

Joinery CAD/CAM system on show

2007-04-21T05:04:00.000-07:00

The centrepiece of the Alphacam's presentation at Ligma 2007 will be Alphacam V7, the most recent release of its advanced CAD/CAM software for joinery applications.Leading off-line programming specialist Alphacam will be highlighting its latest CAD/CAM technology on Stand E36 in Hall 26 at the forthcoming Ligna 2007 International Timber and Woodworking Show to be held in Hannover, 14-18 May. The centrepiece of the company's presentation will be Alphacam V7, the most recent release of its advanced CAD/CAM software for joinery applications. Alphacam V7 includes enhancements to the system's geometry creation, feature recognition and machining style capabilities.

Other dedicated software modules ensure the fast and accurate manufacture of doors, windows, cabinets and panels, making Alphacam V7 the benchmark CAD/CAM system for joinery applications ranging from 2D fascia doors to complex 5-axis furniture parts.

Included in the Alphacam range is a new Alphacam Part Modeller option.

The easy to use 3D solid modeller enables constraint driven and parametric designs to be created in an ideal 3D format for furniture design and other wood applications.

Its integration with Alphacam V7 provides new and existing customers with a wealth of new functionality and design opportunities.

V7 builds on the strengths of earlier releases.

It also provides direct links to Cabinet Vision the leading design system for kitchen, bedroom and office cabinet furniture.

Visitors to Ligna will see how Cabinet Vision provides photorealistic 3D representations of finished products or even complete room sets - and then automatically converts them to NC code for hundreds of nested parts on hundreds of sheets, if required.

Cabinet Vision integrates Alphacam within its SolidCAM software to provide the most advanced NBM (nested based manufacturing) system on the market today, along with post-processors to support virtually any CNC routing machine.

Components with complex designs can be transferred quickly and seamlessly from Cabinet Vision to Alphacam for intricate detailing operations to be carried out, such as the engraving of logos, motifs or graphical designs.

Also on show on Alphacam's stand will be its US-developed Jobsite Companion, a software tool specifically designed to run on hand held PDA devices.

This novel application enables cabinetmakers to input room and cabinet dimensions on site, take notes, mark electrical outlets, attach digital photographs and subsequently download this information directly into their Cabinet Vision design to manufacturing system.

CAM helps die shop speed up deliveries

2007-04-14T03:30:00.000-07:00

Changing its CAM system enabled a mould and die shop to reduce delivery times of parts by as much as two days when machining cores and cavities, as the toolpaths were ready for machining.

CAM helps die shop speed up deliveries Changing its cam system enabled a mould and die shop to reduce delivery times of parts by as much as two days when machining cores and cavities, as the toolpaths were ready for machining. Since becoming established in 1993, Korean company Daeil Mold Co has been awarded a number of prizes for exporting of goods, including an award from the Korean Prime Minister. Daeil Mold produces mold tools mainly for the home appliance, small gear and automotive parts sectors, producing parts for clients including Samsung, LG Electronics, Halla climate control Corp (HCC) and Schefenacker.

In 2001 Daeil Mold decided to adopt a Total quality control philiosophy throughout their organisation, which included reviewing the cam software that they used.

The initial introduction of DEPOCAM to the Mold Tool Department enabled Daeil Mold to combine the cam programming Department with the CNC Machining Department.

This change reduced delivery times of parts by as much as two days when machining cores and cavities, as the toolpaths were ready to be machined, avoiding the modifications that had to be made after they were received from the Programming Department.

Following the success of the DEPOCAM software, its use was extended to the Electrode Machining Department.

By again combining the CAM Programming Department with the CNC Machining Department, operators could then be utilised in other areas such as for the modeling of electrodes, reducing the delivery times by yet another day, as well as the cost of labour.

Byung Jin Kim, CAM and NC manager at Daeil Mold Co explained: 'Before we used DEPOCAM, our NC Operator would wait until the CAM program finished processing, but they can now start on the next manufacturing process as soon as the 3D model data is ready.' He continued: 'It is also very easy to make changes when repairing mold tools, as the NC Operator can find the problem directly without waiting on an additional department.' Kim added: 'We were using PowerMill software a few years ago in the CAM room, but it was not easy for the NC Operator to learn.

We decided to purchase DEPOCAM because it is very suitable for the NC Operator to learn and extremely easy to use.' He concluded: 'We currently use two seats of DEPOCAM software, but we have plans to set-up each NC operator with their own seat,' concluded Kim.

Press tool change system designed and made

2007-04-14T03:28:00.000-07:00

An opportunity to design and manufacture a quick tool (press tool) change system for a leading automotive supplier was given to Premitec, who delivered a 4-minute change system.

PREMiTEC, the UK agent for Hedin Lagan of Sweden was given the opportunity to design and manufacture a quick tool (press tool) change system for a leading automotive supplier, based in the Potteries. The company was relocating from two different sites and required a system to cope with presses of varying bed heights and widths. The system needed to maximise the efficiency of the presses and maintain high production.

Their solution was to incorporate a quick die change system from Hedin Lagan.

Hedin Lagan provided the engineers with a flexible, easy to use, semi-automated concept which is employed on each press, and allows them to complete their die changes in four minutes.

Before the new system was installed, die changes took up to 30 min to complete.

The die carts feature the Hedin Lagan (Patented) Die Mover units, which are capable of handling the dies of 10,000kg.

(Die Movers are in fact able to transport tools of up to 60,000kg.) To enhance quality the automotive supplier needed to clean the tools after each shift, so Hedin Lagan supplied a 10,000kg Die Splitter.

The Die Cart is driven in front of the Die Splitter and transports the tool onto the Die Splitter.

The top tool is raised and rotated, allowing engineers to clean and repair tools in minutes.

The Die Splitter has been a welcome addition to the pressshop and toolroom.

The Health and Safety Officer is please too.

Hedin Lagan also supply Die Carts, Coil Carts, Die Splitters, Blank Turnover Rigs, Die Rollers or Lifters, Tool Loading Arms, Hydraulic Clamping, and special tool handling equipment.

Change a power press die set in 1 min?

2007-03-27T03:40:00.001-07:00

There is an ongoing debate on the Superfactory web forum concerning SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Die) as developed by Shigeo Shingo, and in particular about Shingo's influence on Toyota. As someone who had the privilege of meeting Shingo a few times before his death in 1991 and who has taught SMED for 15 years, I would like to give my view on the importance of the SMED process. The present debate in brief is that Taiichi Ohno bought quick exchange tooling from the USA for Toyota in the 1950's, whereas Shingo claims to have introduced them to SMED in 1969, when most Toyota presses were already being changed in less than ten minutes, so SMED is not responsible for Toyota's changeover performance.

It is also a fact that Shingo taught industrial engineering at Toyota from 1955 onwards - this was an extension of the original Training Within Industry IE programme, given to Toyota, amongst other Japanese companies, by the USA.

So what was Shingo's contribution, and why is the SMED process important?

Shingo was a great theoretician as well as a great engineer, Taiichi Ohno was a great practitioner and a hard task master.

Taiichi Ohno was only interested in practice and he was a great experimenter - if you read his writings you will see that some of his experiments in the 1950's were failures, but he regarded failures as 'mountains of treasure' - learning to be had.

The important thing was to try, not to discuss theory or say it can't be done.

Shingo was a hard task master like Ohno, but also a great theoretician - he needed to develop an overall theory of why something worked.

Shingo had two major theories which defined how he approached problems.

The first was his ideas about process and operation.

Basically he said that improving the flow through a whole process was much more important and value creating than improving individual operations.

Where less skilled engineers would get involved in issues of how to improve a particular operation, Shingo thought this was meaningless unless the operation was a constraint on flow through the process.

Unless the process as a whole could not meet its QCD targets, and a particular operation was the immediate constraint, improving an operation would not give returns to the bottom line.

This theory was so important to Shingo that it appears as the first chapter in many of his books, including his book on SMED.

I learnt his second major theory, which receives less attention, from one of Shingo's students, JMA consultant Shigehiro Nakamura.

This is the leveling up process, an approach to improvement.

Under this theory, if you want to improve a process you first need good information on current performance and performance requirements, you then need the right people and then a good standard method.

Only when you have reached the limits of these three, do you then look to improve through more traditional engineering methods - looking at measurements - the IE and QC data, machines - equipment modifications and materials, including product design.

Toyota's approach to quick changeover was the traditional engineering methodology of ECRS - 'Eliminate, Combine, Re-Arrange, Simplify'.

So Toyota were breaking down changeovers into their elements and then applying ECRS to each element.

The quick release dies which Ohno bought form the USA were a means of simplifying the attaching and removal of dies.

Ohno was also wedded to idea of standard methods, and everything in Toyota changeovers was standardised, so that changeover times were consistent.

Shingo takes this further, and his theory allows the process to be applied to any changeover, not just dies.

The theory developed over nearly twenty years by Shingo's own account, and the 1969 invention of SMED was the culmination of this.

Like all theories, SMED works by first defining categories.

In SMED the first important distinction is between Internal and External changeover.

Internal Changeovers are those elements, which have to be performed while production is stopped, the rest is external.

This crucial distinction focuses improvement effort on performing only internal elements while production is stopped, and then simplifying those.

The second distinction is between types of activities in changeover.

Shingo defined these as 'Preparation, Exchanging Parts, Adjustment and Trial Processing'.

In general, exchanging parts only takes 5% of the time of the changeover, so buying quick release dies can only improve that 5%, the rest is procedural.

The first step in SMED's three step process is to identify and separate internal and external activities.

In practice this means eliminating all preparation activities from the time when production is stopped.

The second step is to shift activities from internal to external, thus eliminating them from the machine downtime.

In practice this means focusing on externalizing adjustments and the cleaning of parts.

The third step is to streamline the remaining internal elements.

In practice this can mean improving fasteners and reducing any remaining internal adjustment.

SMED is a step by step process which follows the DMAIC, 'Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control cycle'.

It provides categories for the analysis phase and a procedure for the improvement phase.

Control is provided by the development of a standard procedure.

SMED projects rarely result in less than a 50% reduction in changeover time, and often as much as 80-90%.

When I first met Shingo (I was 33, he was 80) he asked me if I had been using his SMED process.

I replied that working in a machine shop we had reduced changeovers from 90 minutes to 15 minutes.

He gave me a steely look and said through his interpreter that when he was at school 15 was a two digit number; SMED meant single digit numbers - 9 minutes or less.

He ended his diatribe in English with the words: 'You must do better.' * About the author - Malcolm Jones is with Productivity Europe.

Wedge clamp moves in arced path, doesn't stick

2007-03-27T03:39:00.002-07:00

A wedge clamp, or escaping arc clamp, is a fixed clamp that moves in an arced path to allow for maximum clamping force and there is no risk of it sticking.

Serapid, a recognized leader in quick die change equipment will feature several new hydraulic clamps at MetalForm 2007. The TBHS wedge clamp, also referred to as the escaping arc clamp, is a fixed clamp that moves in an arced path to allow for maximum clamping force. Due to the motion of the clamp, there is no risk of it sticking.

The TBHS includes a mechanical safety lock so dies will not drop in the event of a pressure failure.

The BTSC is a heavy duty rod clamp.

It features an adjustable clamping height.

The BTSC can be fixed or slide into the T-slots on the press.

This clamp is a great replacement for traditional nut and bolt clamping.

It is very compact and cost-effective.

With Serapid's complete range of clamping devices, guides and rolling elements, we are able to custom-design and configure a system to fit your exact needs! For more information about Serapid's solutions for quick die change, visit their Web site.

Press tool dies virtually manufactured

2007-03-27T03:39:00.001-07:00

Virtual manufacturing software that reduces cost and improves productivity in the press tool and die market offers unmatched accuracy and now includes hot forming.

ESI Group is pleased to announce the forthcoming release, in March 2007, of the 2007 version of PAM-STAMP 2G, the virtual manufacturing software value chain that reduces cost and improves productivity in the tool and die market. PAM-STAMP 2G 2007 has been greatly improved, offering unmatched accuracy and improved usability from feasibility to validation for Full line die simulation. New advanced capabilities support the company's strategy to expand in non-automotive markets.

PAM-STAMP 2G 2007 has been extended to include simulation of hot forming.

This major step marks the beginning of a consortium with industry leaders to continue research and development in this new field.

The software captures the temperature-dependent material behaviour.

This advanced capability fully supports the latest trends in automotive construction for ultra-high-strength steels for vehicle weight reduction.

'Consistent simulation methodology is considered to be key to the success of obtaining predictive quality results.

In partnership with Renault and Arcelor, ESI Group has developed a fully automatic springback compensation methodology.

The aim was and is to get the appropriate shape of the die, so that the panel after springback is within tolerance.

The engineer can obtain a robust industrial solution in a short time with accurate springback prediction,' said Dave Ling, product manager for the stamping line at ESI Group.

PAM-STAMP 2G offers a unique stamping-simulation value chain, from quick stamping die design, through early feasibility, to final validation and quality control.

The full range of features includes: parametric and surface-oriented binder and addendum generation with PAM-DIEMAKER; rapid and optimal feasibility analysis with PAM-QUIKSTAMP Plus; and highly accurate forming validation, which can provide surface defect visualisation, springback prediction and automatic die compensation with PAM-AUTOSTAMP.

The PAM-DIEMAKER module, based on INPRO technology and designed to create the die addendum within minutes, focuses on user-friendliness and workflow streamlining.

A major feature, Auto-addendum, provides engineers with an extremely quick and easy way to create an initial die addendum.

PAM-QUIKSTAMP plays a crucial role in the stamp-simulation value chain by providing reliable formability assessment quickly and easily, so as to support early die design and process iterations, before transferring directly to PAM-AUTOSTAMP for detailed validation and tolerance control after springback.

ESI Group's metal forming solutions now extend to: the design and simulation of tube hydro-forming dies with PAM-TUBE 2G; part feasibility check and rapid die creation integrated within PLM environment with PAM-TFA; and PAM-DIEMAKER for CATIA V5.

* About ESI Group - ESI Group is a pioneer and world-leading supplier of digital simulation software for prototyping and manufacturing processes that take into account the physics of materials.

ESI Group has developed an entire suite of coherent, industry-oriented applications to simulate a product's behaviour realistically during testing, to fine-tune the manufacturing processes in accordance with the desired product performance, and to evaluate the environment's impact on product usage.

ESI Group's products, which have a proven track record in manufacturing and have been combined in multi-trade value chains, represent a unique collaborative, virtual engineering solution, known as the Virtual Try-Out Space (VTOS), enabling virtual prototypes to be improved in a continuous manner.

By drastically reducing costs and development lead times, VTOS solutions offer major competitive advantages and make it possible to eliminate gradually the need for physical prototypes.

This integrated protocol allows all the company's solutions to work with each other and with applications developed by independent software vendors.

By significantly reducing costs and development lead times and enabling product/process synergies, VTOS solutions progressively eliminate the need for physical prototypes during product development, thus offering major competitive advantages.

CAM helps die shop speed up deliveries

2007-03-27T03:38:00.001-07:00

Press tool change system designed and made

2007-03-27T03:37:00.000-07:00

Cimmetry and Alventive collaborate on software

2007-03-22T23:09:00.001-07:00

Alventive and Cimmetry Systems have announced that Cimmetry's AutoVue for Java technology will be embedded in the Alventive Collaborative Design Solution Family.

Cimmetry's robust Web-enabled viewing technologywill now be seamlessly integrated into Alventive's products,enriching Alventive's current 2D viewing capabilities andincreasing users' ability to collaborate visually onmultiple file formats. The enhanced 2D viewing capabilitycomplements Alventive's leading 3D viewing technology.

Allviewing capabilities will be presented in a single userinterface, so that users can access over 200 differentengineering, graphics and Microsoft Office formats without everleaving the Alventive environment.

Participants can easily markupthese documents to communicate design intent, and, viaAlventive's workflow engine, securely communicate ideas andchanges while collaborating more efficiently on design projectsof all types.

Deployed on a corporate extranet, private exchange,or public exchange, Alventive Collaborative Design Solutionsenable manufacturers to overcome technology and communicationbarriers and effectively involve the appropriate participantsearly in the product development process.

Benefits includespeeding time to value, reducing costs, designing more relevantproducts, and greater adherence to quality procedures requiredfor certification, such as ISO 9001.

Cimmetry's AutoVuetechnology provides a library of format support ranging from3D/2D CAD, hybrid, raster and Microsoft Office formats.'Alventive is pleased to be partnering with Cimmetry toexpand our product line's 2D viewing capabilities' saidGary Stoll, Vice President of Product Development at Alventive.'Combining Cimmetry's best-of-breed technology withAlventive's 3D and usability leadership creates the richestand most user friendly viewing environment available in theindustry today.' 'Effective collaboration requireseffective communication, which means getting information topeople and, in our electronic world of incompatible file formats,making sure those people are able to get at theinformation.' said Alain Danik, Business Development Managerat Cimmetry Systems.

'By combining technologies fromAlventive and from Cimmetry Systems, organizations can putspecialized communication channels in place that facilitateinformation exchange throughout companies and across their supplychains.

Design process participants can collaborate on designideas based on real-time information, thereby enhancing thequality of the end product.'

Powerful surface modeller processes CAD into CAM

2007-03-22T23:06:00.001-07:00

GOelan V4 the successful French cam software is being launched byits UK Distributors LSC Group this month at Midland ManufacturingShow, NEC 21 - 22 March, 2001. GOelan is a fully featuredparametric cam system running on a Windows NT platform thatoffers powerful surface and solid modelling and that has directdata transfer interfaces available for many of the worlds leadingCAD systems. This unique CAM software is used to machine parts insome of the world's most desirable chronometers to partsused in popular European built automobiles, whilst some 2,000+users worldwide bear testament to the applications versatilityand performance in the workshop.

What differentiates this packagefrom many on the market is having a practical CAD tool thatallows imported files to be manipulated prior to code generation,allows users to re-define cutting parameters during graphicalon-screen simulation and the ability to define machiningstrategies and associate these with the elements of geometry.

Forthose customers seeking a complete computer integratedmanufacturing solution GOelan can be linked to an industryproven, generative Computer Aided Process Planning tool.

Theperformance boundaries can be further extended through theintegration with enabling technologies that deliver on-demandmanufacturing from ISO 10303 STEP file data sets.

Finally,special launch offers are available at the show, which should beof particular interest to those companies wanting to reduce thecost of new, or replacement CAM software.

Simultate welding and heat treatment effects

2007-03-22T23:05:00.000-07:00

ESI Group, a leading provider of virtual prototyping solutions,today announced the release of SYSWELD 2000. The software enablesusers to build a compute model, simulate the heat treatingprocess, and evaluate the influence of the process on partslifetime. It is uniquely suited to simulate continuous welding,resistance welding, quenching, induction hardening,thermo-chemical treatment and surface treatment.

SYSWELD 2000 newdatabase of engineering know-how guides the users to realisticwelding and heat treatment process simulation.

Other majorenhancements include, improved case hardening simulation, steadystate welding process, and faster solvers for Compaq, HP, and SGIplatforms.

According to Dr.Ludwig Sporer, Manager of theoperating strength testing chassis, BMW, 'SYSWELD gives goodresults on distortions and residual stresses, very close to realmeasurements on the part.

With the virtual prediction ofdistortions and residual stresses of the welded part, we can nowoptimize the welding process in the early stage ofprototyping.' SYSWELD 2000 includes a large database ofengineering expertise that supports the user through real weldingand heat treatment process simulation.

This unique knowledgedatabase will help users save time for setting-up welding andheat treatment simulations, and ultimately reduce the time tomarket by optimizing the quality of the parts.

Improved casehardening simulation allows users to decrease process cost andoverdesign, respectively taking care of lifetime and noisereduction constraints.

SYSWELD 2000 helped reduce the necessarycase hardening time by a factor of 3 still keeping the limits ofdistortion for a gearbox component.

The steady state weldingprocess computation facilities have been enhanced.

A steady statewelding computation enables users to predict, within onecomputation step, all necessary data, such as temperature field,phase distributions, distortions and residual stresses.

SYSWELD2000 allows selected parts, within arbitrary structures to bedeclared as stationary area, providing faster distortionprediction.

In addition to the SGI solver, new fast solvers forCompaq and HP platforms are now available.

Optimized solversprovided by hardware vendors speed up computation time by afactor 10, compare to hardware independent equation solvers.Nonlinear computations options have been improved, reducingdrastically simulation cost.

Due to code optimization, the globalperformance of version 2000 has been improved by a factor 2.SYSWELD is available on PC (Windows NT 4 and Windows 2000) and onUNIX workstations from Compaq, HP, IBM, SGI, and SUN.

Pioneer ofvirtual prototype testing software, ESI Group is a leadingprovider of simulation solutions that enhance product design andmanufacturing process.

ESI Group's collaborative softwareenable engineers to simulate realistic product behavior undertest and their impact on the environment, as well asmanufacturing processes such as stamping, casting, and welding.As engineers are able to explore more alternatives without havingto build and destroy multiple physical prototypes, ESIGroup's virtual prototype testing software helpmanufacturers to reduce development costs and time to market.

Cimmetry's Autovue supports Autodesk Inventor

2007-03-22T23:03:00.001-07:00

Cimmetry Systems, leading developer of visualization andcollaboration solutions has announced that its AutoVue family ofproducts now supports Autodesk's Inventor format. AutoVuecan view and markup the 3D models as well as the 2D drawing filescreated by the Inventor package. In continuing with theirtradition of supporting Autodesk's formats, Cimmetry Systemshas recently included support for Inventor in its upcomingrelease of AutoVue.

Now organizations that make use of thispopular design package can view and markup their 2D and 3Ddrawings and models from within AutoVue, thus communicating theirdesign changes easily and clearly across the extended enterprise.AutoVue also exists in a thin-client JAVA version, allowing foreasy project collaboration over the Internet.

Installation takesplace only on the server side, allowing for ease of maintenanceand deployment.

AutoVue integrates seamlessly with many popularDMS/EDM/PDM/ERP systems such as, Documentum, FileNET, LotusNotes/Domino, Matrix, OpenText, PC DOCS, Windchill, and manymore.

'Our customers will be delighted with this capabilityto view and markup their autodesk inventor 2D and 3D drawings andmodels from within AutoVue, allowing them to communicate theirdesign data easily throughout their company and across theirextended enterprise,' said Brenda Discher, director ofproduct management and customer satisfaction for Autodesk'sManufacturing Division.

'Design professionals in themanufacturing, A/E/C, transportation, and other industries lookto Autodesk for powerful, intuitive applications that enable themto give form to their creative ideas and engineer, build andmaintain their projects and products,' said Alain Danik,Business Development Manager at Cimmetry.

'Those same designprofessionals and their non-specialist colleagues alike have cometo rely on Cimmetry Systems for the tools that allow them tocommunicate design intent, share design ideas and participate inthe design process on an equal footing on the desktop and overthe Web.' Alain went on to say that 'Since itsinception more than a decade ago, Cimmetry Systems has taken veryseriously its commitment to empower the engineering community byconsistently delivering viewing and redlining tools withimpeccable and up-to-date native support for the Autodesk designformats allied with a richly featured, yet extremely intuitiveuser interface.'Autodesk is the world's leading design and digital contentcreation resource.

The company provides software and Internetportal services to help customers drive business through thepower of design.

One of the largest software companies in theworld, Autodesk helps more than 4 million customers in over 150countries turn designs into reality.

AutoVue for JAVA added to NexPrise ipTeam

2007-03-22T23:02:00.000-07:00

NexPrise, the leading provider of collaborative commerceplatforms for B2B exchanges, today announced a technologypartnership with Cimmetry Systems, the leader in Visual DataAccess and Collaboration solutions. Cimmetry's onlinevisualization tool, AutoVue for JAVA, is an additional offeringto the latest release of NexPrise ipTeam, version 4.0. NexPriseenables manufacturers, suppliers, customers, and partners tosecurely collaborate on critical e-business processes such asstrategic sourcing of direct materials, product development, andprogram management and execution in a global virtual workspace.Offered as a tightly integrated component of the NexPrisesolution, Cimmetry's AutoVue for JAVA technology will allowpublic and private B2B exchange users to view and markup drawingsand models of over 200 different file types and formats, allowingmultiple users to add comments without affecting the originalfile.

Cimmetry's offering works seamlessly withNexPrise's collaborative sourcing and product developmentcapabilities, and the technology combination greatly improves andeases communications between virtual team members connectedacross organizational and geographical boundaries 'With theaddition of Cimmetry visualization technology to the NexPrisesolution, the global product development team-includingengineers, designers, buyers and suppliers-is now able to moreeasily develop and share ideas and issues in less time, and withgreater clarity, all in a secure, web-enabled environment,'said Brian Strasser, Business Development Manager at CimmetrySystems.

'We are pleased to have been selected by NexPriseto complement their award-winning solution, and look forward tobringing the benefits of our visualization capability to theircustomers.' 'Cimmetry is a recognized leader inproviding powerful visualization tools for manufacturingcompanies, and understands the important role that visualcommunications and collaboration play in complex procurement andproduct development efforts,' said Ram Sriram, founder andpresident of NexPrise.

'Cimmetry's powerful view andmarkup capability is a great enhancement to NexPrise'saward-winning collaborative commerce solution for B2Bexchanges.'

Digitising software gets optional surfacing module

2007-03-22T23:01:00.002-07:00

The latest version of Tracecut, Renishaw's market leadingdigitising software, features a new optional surfacing module.TraceSurf will create true CAD surfaces suitable for export toany CAD system. Tracecut Version 23 also features new standardoptions including 2 and a half D profiling, full modellingcapability, a module for turbine blade tip refurbishment andsimple dimensioning. Tracecut controls the data capture routinesfor all Renishaw digitising systems, enables data to bemanipulated by techniques including mirroring, scaling, rotation,translation and male/female inversion, and automatically createssplit lines.

The software generates NC part programs to machinemoulds, dies, press tools and EDM electrodes, with tool diameterand machining path totally independent of the stylus diameter andscan paths.

As an alternative, CAD outputs can be created.

Thenew TraceSurf module will allow Tracecut users to benefit fromthe seamless transfer of digitised data to CAD systems, in eitherIGES or STL formats, eliminating the problems of transferringlarge files of point-cloud data.

TraceSurf will simplify thecreation of surfaces using powerful features such as a'triangulation wizard' which automatically producestrue surface CAD triangle data from digitised data.

Otherfunctions include data trimming to remove extraneous areas ofdata, line construction, curve fitting, surface fitting and theability to reverse surfaces.

Additional features include checksfor surface smoothness, and an error analysis function thatallows users to set tolerance bands for surface fit.

Users ofTraceSurf will also benefit from the powerful combination ofdigitising and CAD technologies.

Major applications include thecreation of accurate CAD models from handcrafted parts, theaddition of complex details or decorations to the surfaces ofstandard products, the development of new parts from existingcomponents, and minor styling changes to physical models in thefinal stages of product development.

A powerful new featurewithin Tracecut Version 23 is the ability to scan an object indifferent orientations and then merge the data to create a singlemodel.

Using an indexer or automated indexing probe head,complete objects can be scanned, and users are able to view thefull model in any orientation, allowing checks for data integrityprior to toolpath generation.

Complete machining programs for theobject are produced within Tracecut.

To address the need tocapture 2D profiles with varying Z heights, Tracecut Version 23also includes a 2 and a half D scanning capability, allowing thescanning of components with internal corners or grooves that arenot at a constant Z height.

The refurbishment of turbine bladesis a complex area of manufacture.

A new module within TracecutVersion 23 offers a specific solution, allowing the scanning andre-machining of blade tips.

With a Tracecut a user can scan ablade, extrapolate the profile, and generate a helical machiningprogram to remove any excess material which has been welded ontothe blade tips during the repair process.

The top of the bladetip can also be trimmed, and a 'squealer' cut in thetop of the blade.

Simple dimensioning of components is alsopossible with this latest version, including inspection reportgeneration.

Whilst this module does not have the fullsophisticated measurement capabilities of a CMM, it includes thefacility to measure edges, single points, spheres, bores, bosses,arcs and widths, and calculate distances between features.TraceSurf and Tracecut Version 23 will significantly enhance thefunctionality for users of Renishaw's data capture systems,whether using contact or laser probe versions of the Cyclonescanning machine, machine tool scanning sensors or probes mountedto co-ordinate measuring machines (CMMs).

New surfacing option for digitising software

2007-03-22T23:01:00.001-07:00

The latest version of Tracecut, Renishaw's market leadingdigitising software, features a new optional surfacing module.TraceSurf will create true CAD surfaces suitable for export toany CAD system. Tracecut Version 23 also features new standardoptions including 21/2D profiling, full modelling capability, amodule for turbine blade tip refurbishment and simpledimensioning. The new software will be available from September2000.

Tracecut controls the data capture routines for allRenishaw digitising systems, enables data to be manipulated bytechniques including mirroring, scaling, rotation, translationand male/female inversion, and automatically creates split lines.The software generates NC part programs to machine moulds, dies,press tools and EDM electrodes, with tool diameter and machiningpath totally independent of the stylus diameter and scan paths.As an alternative, CAD outputs can be created.

The new TraceSurfmodule will allow Tracecut users to benefit from the seamlesstransfer of digitised data to CAD systems, in either IGES or STLformats, eliminating the problems of transferring large files ofpoint-cloud data.

TraceSurf will simplify the creation ofsurfaces using powerful features such as a 'triangulationwizard' which automatically produces true surface CADtriangle data from digitised data.

Other functions include datatrimming to remove extraneous areas of data, line construction,curve fitting, surface fitting and the ability to reversesurfaces.

Additional features include checks for surfacesmoothness, and an error analysis function that allows users toset tolerance bands for surface fit.

Users of TraceSurf will alsobenefit from the powerful combination of digitising and CADtechnologies.

Major applications include the creation of accurateCAD models from handcrafted parts, the addition of complexdetails or decorations to the surfaces of standard products, thedevelopment of new parts from existing components, and minorstyling changes to physical models in the final stages of productdevelopment.

A powerful new feature within Tracecut Version 23 isthe ability to scan an object in different orientations and thenmerge the data to create a single model.

Using an indexer orautomated indexing probe head, complete objects can be scanned,and users are able to view the full model in any orientation,allowing checks for data integrity prior to toolpath generation.Complete machining programs for the object are produced withinTracecut.

To address the need to capture 2D profiles with varyingZ heights, Tracecut Version 23 also includes a 21/2D scanningcapability, allowing the scanning of components with internalcorners or grooves that are not at a constant Z height.

Therefurbishment of turbine blades is a complex area of manufacture.A new module within Tracecut Version 23 offers a specificsolution, allowing the scanning and re-machining of blade tips.With a Tracecut a user can scan a blade, extrapolate the profile,and generate a helical machining program to remove any excessmaterial which has been welded onto the blade tips during therepair process.

The top of the blade tip can also be trimmed, anda 'squealer' cut in the top of the blade.

Simpledimensioning of components is also possible with this latestversion, including inspection report generation.

Whilst thismodule does not have the full sophisticated measurementcapabilities of a CMM, it includes the facility to measure edges,single points, spheres, bores, bosses, arcs and widths, andcalculate distances between features.

Delcam Upgrades STL File Repair Software

2007-03-22T23:00:00.002-07:00

Delcam has released a much easier to use version of its STL filerepair software, Trifix. This is needed mainly by rapidprototyping bureaux to ensure high quality RP models but can alsobe used to repair triangle files for analysis software. The newrelease gives improved verification and repair of these files,and also incorporates a new interface and more automatedoperation.

'Most users are now capable of generatingsatisfactory STL files from models built within a single CADsystem,' commented Delcam's Product Manager, ChrisLawrie.

'However, there are still problems with data thathas been translated between systems, for example when the productdesigner and the rapid prototyping bureau use different software.Typical problems that Trifix can solve in these cases includegaps in the model or overlapping surfaces.' 'CAD modelsgenerated from digitised data can also suffer from these problemsand Trifix can equally ensure that high quality prototypes can beproduced from this type of data.' Trifix also allows a rangeof other common problems with STL files to be rectified.Duplicate triangles and nodes can be removed, so can triangleswith less than a given height, intersecting triangles, andtriangles that have more than one other triangle sharing an edge.Increased 'intelligence' within the software means thattypically 80% of problems within a file can be solvedautomatically.

Unlike most other automated healing systems,Trifix does not apply the same tolerance throughout the model.Instead, it begins working with a low tolerance and solves asmany problems as it can.

It then automatically increases thetolerance in a series of steps and tackles the remaining problemsas the tolerance increases.

Free CAD viewing software from Delcam

2007-03-22T23:00:00.001-07:00

All visitors to Delcam's web site can claim free CAD viewing software which works with most CAD systems by using the integrated IGES translator.

The software can be used to view models fromDelcam's Powershape CAD package or from most other CADsystems by using the integrated IGES translator. By allowing allparticipants in any project to view models at any time, theviewer will enable companies to improve communications betweendepartments and so help them to manage projects more efficiently.It will be particularly useful to those involved in sales ormarketing as they will be able to use the viewer to discussprogress on a project with the customer, instead of having tointerrupt the company's CAD operators.

The free viewer isalso available as part of the Delcam's new corporate CD.This also includes a free evaluation copy of the company'sPowershape hybrid CAD modeller and a wide range of information onproduct development and toolmaking from the Delcam web site, plusvideos of demonstrations of all of Delcam's Power Solutionsoftware.

The evaluation copy of Powershape has all thefunctionality of the current release for both solid and surfacemodelling but has the save capability disabled.

A special seriesof tutorials has been added to allow users to assess the softwarein a controlled way.

The Delcam viewer and the Powershapeevaluation version should run on any Pentium PC with a minimum of128 Mb RAM running Windows 98 or Windows NT.

The Powershapehybrid CAD system is a key component in Delcam's PowerSolution range of software.

The full range comprises Powershape,plus the associated drafting and mould design modules PS-Draftand PS-Mold; PowerMILL, the UK's leading cam system formodelmaking and toolmaking; the reverse engineering packageCopyCAD; ArtCAM for 3D engraving; and PowerINSPECT forinspection.

Delcam links with Renishaw's Digitising Products

2007-03-22T22:59:00.000-07:00

Delcam, the UK's largest CADCAM software supplier, and Renishaw, one of the world's leading metrology companies, have entered into a development partnership to broaden the functionality within Renishaw's Tracecut software. This will greatly expand the ways in which digitised data captured with Renishaw's equipment can be used, either that collected by dedicated scanners like the Cyclone digitising system or from Renishaw probes fitted onto co-ordinate measuring machines (CMMs) or machine tools. The main addition will be the ability to create CAD surfaces from the digitised data that can then be transferred into any CAD system, including Delcam's PowerSHAPE program.

The combination of digitising and CAD has three main applications; developing new parts from existing components; adding complex decorations or features onto the surfaces of standard products; and making minor styling changes to physical models in the final stages of product development.

Other options include creating CAD models from physical models for use by analysis packages; generation of surface data from prototype parts for subsequent manufacture of mass production tooling; archiving legacy models as CAD files; and capturing data for computer visualisation and animation.

'Currently, Tracecut is the market leader in reverse manufacturing systems but to date we have limited the CAD output functionality,' explained Gerry Bowyer, Product Manager, Renishaw's Digitising Products Division.

'By expanding the software's capabilities in this manner, we will be opening up a huge range of alternative applications for users of our digitising equipment.' 'The new functionality for Tracecut will be based on existing code within our CopyCAD reverse engineering suite,' said Delcam Product Manger, Chris Lawrie.

'We will be developing a new interface for the new module and also optimising the software for the processing of Renishaw's data formats.

Even so, we expect to be beta testing the new programs during the Summer, with customer release planned for the Autumn.' 'We are extremely pleased to be working together with Renishaw on this development,' commented Delcam's International Sales Director, Tim Mitchell.

'We are both UK companies that have become recognised internationally as leaders in their respective fields.

We also serve many of the same industries including product designers, stylists and toolmakers; providing tools to increase their productivity and improve their quality in today's competitive manufacturing environment.' 'The new software will be available through our subsidiaries and distribution channel worldwide,' concluded Peter Wells, Director and General Manager, Renishaw's Digitising Products Division.

'We are confident that it will open many new business opportunities for Renishaw.' COMPANY BACKGROUNDS Delcam plc is the world's leading developer of CADCAM computer software for the three-dimensional design and manufacture of complex shapes.

The company has enjoyed particular success in the toolmaking industry.

It is firmly established as the world's leading international supplier of specialist software for this sector.

Delcam's power solution software is distributed by over 70 subsidiaries, joint ventures and resellers in 50 countries and is used by over 10,000 customers on more than 3,000 sites worldwide.

Renishaw plc stands at the forefront of automated metrology.

The Group's products provide manufacturers with the ability to machine components accurately, and perform measurement traceable to International Standards.

Wherever precision manufacturing is required, the use of Renishaw's products ensures that exacting specifications are met, with cost-effective methods.

Process power supplies for vacuum plasma

2007-02-15T02:36:00.001-08:00

Huttinger Elektronik has acquired a majority interest in the Polish company AC, headquartered in Zielonka near Warsaw.

On January 31, 2007, Huttinger Elektronik, a member of Trumpf, acquired a majority interest in the Polish company AC, headquartered in Zielonka near Warsaw. The purchase price has not been disclosed. AC develops and sells process power supplies for vacuum plasma applications under the brand 'Advanced Converters'.

The new subsidiary will operate under the name Huttinger Electronic and will remain in the same location.

All 156 current employees will retain their positions.

Through its Huttinger subsidiary, the Trumpf Group is a major supplier of components critical to the manufacture of high technology products such as semiconductors, flat panel displays, DVDs and solar cells.

The Company's products deliver the energy required for depositing thin film coatings on surfaces such as architectural glass and premium industrial components.

Advanced Converters' power supplies for DC plasma processes are also used for vacuum deposition and removal of materials and are, thus, complimentary to the Company's existing product lines.

Trumpf has now expanded and complemented its offering in this fast-growing market.

For the Trumpf Group, the acquisition of AC, which was founded in 2001, represents an important strategic addition to its product range.

'With Advanced Converters, we are strengthening our DC generator business field and expanding our leading position in plasma excitation.

At the same time we are setting the stage for even faster growth in the future,' says Huttinger Managing Director Dr Dieter Pauschinger.

Trumpf expects to rapidly increase sales of the new subsidiary by leveraging it's existing International sales, service and distribution network.

Process power supplies for vacuum plasma

2007-02-15T02:36:00.000-08:00

Aluminium mould bases for prototypes, short runs

2007-02-10T02:34:00.002-08:00

Aluminium mould bases for prototypes and short runs from DMS-Diemould are helping Havant-based rapid tooling specialist Formaplex Machining turn round tooling in three days. According to Formaplex, rapid tooling manufacture is all about spindle time. The time from receipt of IGES file to cutting is paramount.

Formaplex use RTM (Real Time Machining) software with anti-collision detection in combination with its own bespoke process to merge jobs and enable global modelling of an infinite number of components.

CADCAM software reads the incoming CAD model file and machining can commence within seconds if required, enabling tooling to be manufactured in a fraction of conventional lead-times.

To help this happen, Formaplex keeps Rapidbases (aluminium mould bases) from DMS-Diemould in stock at its brand new 1750 sq m headquarters for use on its 15 CNC high speed machining centres - some of which have beds up to 5m with five-axis capability, operating 24/7.

'We currently quote delivery from three days for small mould tools,' declares sales director Andy Bone.

'The Formaplex Process removes a substantial amount of the labour content deployed by conventional toolmaking companies - in 2005 we achieved a turnover in excess of GBP4 million with just 12 direct production personnel.' Formaplex manufactures a range of tooling from small, intricate part geometries to large parts and full suites of tooling for both prototype and low/medium volume production injection moulding requirements.

Mr Bone states that the instant availability of Rapidbases is key to getting jobs started quickly.

'Quickly getting into a position to start cutting is what we are all about as a manufacturer of rapid tooling solutions,' he says.

'Rapidbases cut a significant amount of machining time from our processes, helping us better serve our customers in the automotive, medical, domestic appliance and telecoms sectors.

It helps keep the value chain very short and supports our 'can do' approach.' Formaplex is more a 'creative studio of manufacturing', rather than a toolmaker or precision engineering firm.

In its five year history the company has invested heavily in latest design high technology machines, software, tooling and staff with high levels of ability.

With these elements Formaplex is all set to become one of the most successful and dynamic machine shops in Europe

Moulds built by selective laser melting

2007-02-10T02:34:00.001-08:00

MCP's selective laser melting (SLM) technology can now be used for the fast 'direct to metal' production of injection moulding tools and inserts, whilst at the same time enabling the easy incorporation of conformal cooling channels to speed up part de-moulding times. Currently the only way of rapidly producing H13 tool steel components, the SLM process uses a laser and CAD data to produce the tools and inserts directly from H13 Tool Steel powder. The tools are fully dense with a hardness of 56 HRC straight from the machine.

'Not only can hardened tools be produced far more quickly than using standard machining methods,' said MCP's Bob Bennett, 'By manufacturing them using our SLM process, conformal cooling channels can be incorporated to accurately follow the internal geometry of the mould cavity surface.

This improves part cooling and reduces de-moulding times over conventional methods.' Using SLM also means not only can the tool be produced very quickly, but crucially original tool steel can be used instead of simulated composite powder mixtures containing soft metal and non metal elements, which are often used with other rapid manufacturing processes.

SLM technology is now available in two versions, depending upon the size of tool or part required.

Standard SLM equipment, already widely used for the manufacture of medical, electronic and aerospace parts, incorporates a build envelope of 250mm3.

The new SLM 100 version has a build envelope of just 125mm x 80mm Z-axis.

This physically smaller machine uses an IR fibre laser with a spot size of down to 25 micron making it ideal for the production of very small, highly detailed inserts or parts.

MCP is already talking to customers looking to manufacture micro electronic parts in shape memory alloys and components with very thin walls and highly complex geometries for novel micro engineering designs.

As well as tool steel, SLM can process titanium, aluminium, 'shape memory' alloys, stainless steel, cobalt chrome, copper, inconel and many other non-ferous metal powders.

Bennett continued, 'Now SLM is successfully processing tool steel, we believe we can deliver significant benefits to manufacturers by reducing tooling costs and shortening moulding cycles due to the faster de-moulding of parts.

Tool makers are now telling us their ideal set up would be to have SLM alongside high speed milling and spark eroding equipment in their workshops.

Integrated CAD/CAM has large mold parts library

2007-02-10T02:33:00.001-08:00

CAD/CAM software for mold designers introduces a design-centric, intelligent, parametric mold library that includes all of the common mold tool component types and cooling channels.

VX Corporation, the pioneering developer of advanced, integrated CAD/CAM solutions for engineers, designers and CNC programmers, announces the release of VX CAD/CAM Version 12. Significant enhancements in VX Version 12 include new capabilities for mold and industrial designers, enhancements in light-source rendering, raster-to-vector conversion, surface analysis, assembly modeling, drawing layout and extended capabilities of VX' integrated 2-5 axis CAM. * Better tools for mold designers - VX Version 12 introduces a new design-centric, intelligent, parametric mold library that includes all of the common mold tool component types and cooling channels.

The library sports a very intuitive interface designed by mold designers for mold designers.

Also included is a new electrode design wizard that makes the 3D definition and 2D layout of electrodes fast and easy.

Other mold enhancements include better parting line gap checking with auto-zoom and wire frame-supported parting line entities.

Industrial Designers work Faster and Smarter For industrial designers, VX CAD/CAM just got better with the release of Version 12.

A new 'Visualize' toolbar is added with 'easy-to-use' texture mapping that allows designers to map external image files as textures on 2D or 3D surfaces.

This tool supports all popular image formats.

A new image-to-geometry (raster to vector) translator allows designers to import pictures and convert them to sketch geometry.

For engraving on solids and surfaces, a fast new 'Inlay' command applies a face inlay based on any wireframe geometry.

Reverse engineering with VX took a major step forward with many 'Point Cloud' enhancements.

360 deg surfaces are now supported.

A command to trim/divide point clouds to planes or surfaces has been added as well as the ability to slice/trim multiple point clouds simultaneously.

VX can also sub-divide large STL files to make the data easier to manipulate for reverse engineering or machining.

* CAM enhancements - Version 12 continues to extend the capabilities of its integrated 2-5 axis manufacturing solution referred to as VX CAM.

A new 5-axis isocut tool path tops the list as well as added side cut depth for the current 5-axis swarfcut operation.

3-axis CAM enhancements include new Link/LeadIn/LeadOut for Mill3, spiral and wave support for VX QuickMilling, dynamic shoulder and shank collision checking with automatic tool path correction, and more options for controlling 3-axis engraving.

Rest milling was added to the 2-axis suite of tool paths as well as direct 3D curve machining.

Other CAM enhancements include individual CAM output files, Fixture Offset Registers, Inter Path Move operations, Profile/Containment preview options, Solid Verify CL data or CNC code, and support for open surface boundaries and silhouettes in CAM profiles.

* Other enhancements - VX CAD/CAM Version 12 includes so many user enhancements that only a few can be mentioned here.

With new Assembly Light Sources, designers can create libraries of lighting fixtures that are inserted and positioned as assembly components.

A new method of creating assemblies using in-place modeling is also introduced.

VX can automatically extract each shape in a part as a component, turning the original multi-shape part into a multi-component assembly.

For many designers, this is an especially comfortable way to model assemblies.

'On-the-fly' gap detection and reporting builds confidence when designers need to clean up imported data.

Enhanced surface merging with better tangency control across boundary edges of merged faces promotes smoother and more ergonomic designs.

The many drawing layout enhancements include automated title block text using model attributes or variables, improved support for True Type Fonts, aligned cross-sections of trimmed parts and the ability to associate User-defined entities.

* About VX Corporation - VX Corporation is a pioneering developer of CAD/CAM solutions for industrial designers, engineers and CNC programmers.

VX enables speedy design with fully integrated, accurate manufacturing.

Using a blazing fast hybrid modeling engine, engineers can take advantage of the speed of solids with the flexibility of Class A surfaces.

Designers can create, modify, visualize, document and machine a vast array of parts and assemblies.

From the entry-level Modeler, to the complete End-to-End, VX delivers power, performance and productivity.

Hot runner system ensures accuracy

2007-02-10T02:32:00.001-08:00

Haverhill Mould and Tooling prides itself on being a trouble-shooter when it comes to difficult plastics injection moulding work. 'We get all the hard jobs,' workshop manager and director Neil Farenden explained. 'If a customer has a complicated piece or something that must be produced to high tolerances, then they come to us because of our experience.' Neil and his brother Nigel have run the company in its namesake town of Haverhill, Suffolk, for almost twenty years.

Working with a client base that has 'anything to do with plastics', Haverhill has built up particular experience in making moulds for the production of high quality optical plastics for vehicle lighting systems and commercial lighting applications.

Accuracy is of the utmost importance to ensure that the final components meet the tight tolerances required.

Many of the applications for which Haverhill produces moulds require the development of complex tools that incorporate sliding cores or are manufactured in modular formats to enable a variety of components to be made from one basic toolkit.

The DMS-Diemould Hot Runner System has proven to be extremely effective, particular in meeting its exacting demands of accuracy.

Neil explained: 'We had been using hot tips, but it was actually one of our customers that suggested that we use the DMS-Diemould Hot Runner System - it has been absolutely fantastic'.

'The design is very good and the system works well for us.

Just as importantly the service is excellent, so you get back up when you need it.' In particular Nigel Farenden, managing director of Haverhill, says he appreciates the control that the Hot Runner System gives him, fine-tuning the production process to maintain accuracy and minimising waste.

He continued: 'We get a lot of information and feedback from the system, such as temperature history by zone.

By tracking performance, we can ensure that the tool works at full efficiency ensuring long life.' The company currently employs a workforce of ten, half of which are skilled toolmakers.

As well as being the company that can tackle jobs too difficult for other suppliers, Haverhill also puts the emphasis on quick turn-around times for its customers, usually delivering a mould from start to finish in four to six weeks.

To achieve this Farenden said the firm needs to be able to rely on its own suppliers, such as DMS-Diemould.

He said: 'DMS understand our business and they understand our needs.' The company has no fear of low cost competition from overseas.

Farenden continued: 'We've competed against Chinese firms and we have even had re-work moulds made in China that just weren't up the standard required.

At the end of the day that is why we remain successful and people continue to use us; excellent quality and good service.'

Doubling productivity with stack moulds

2007-02-10T02:31:00.001-08:00

Everyone in moulding is under pressure to reduce costs, improve productivity and increase capacity; all on restricted capital budgets. Perhaps moulders aren't as aware as they should be of the potential productivity benefits given by stack moulds, which can double or treble production yields for each closure of the moulding press. Stack mould techniques can greatly improve productivity on a wide variety of components, large or small, for a relatively modest increase in total tool cost.

Stack moulding covers components such as caps, closures, automotive trim, trays, and high aspect ratio containers or covers.

Essentially, the stack mould tool provides a means of increasing production volumes of injection moulded products or components from a single press.

Productivity is a vital concern when producing thousands of low unit cost components, and capital investment in presses or tools is a key consideration.

When volumes or delivery rates are high enough to consider a duplicate tool set, or even another machine, the stack mould often provides a far more cost-effective total investment route to meet production demands.

This benefit is especially valuable on large parts with relatively long cycle times, and can greatly improve machine utilisation and availability.

The basic concept is very straightforward: have two parting lines instead of one.

This gives three mould levels, the two parting plates and a central plate.

The central plate, set between the parting plates, carries one wall of the moulded component on each side.

The two parting plates each carry the other component wall(s).

When the mould opens, a gear and pinion set drives the two partings to open at the same rate to release two moulded components.

Depending upon the design the plates can produce many more than two components each time the press opens , multiple cavities can be mounted on each plate, so that is possible to produce a set of dissimilar parts in a single cycle, ready for assembly or direct to a kit pack.

While this simple concept provides a reliable route to major productivity gains, it is not always straightforward in practice.

Standard single parting tools normally incorporate the runners, gates, hot manifolds and injection nozzles on one fixed plate, while the other plate moves to create the single parting.

In the stack mould double, or even multiple, parting lines require deliveries of melt to cavities on various sides of the parting plates.

Runners, gates and other melt delivery and control systems must therefore be carried on the moving plates.

As the multi-part line plates must move, this does add some cost and additional complexity, but often results in investment costs far below the costs of duplicating tooling, not to mention the cost of additional presses.

Stack mould designs provide solutions will achieve substantial cost benefits when compared with tool duplication, extreme use of multi-cavity techniques or an additional machine.

Use of stack tools does, of course, depend to some degree upon the press specification.

Naturally, much greater 'machine daylight' is required as the press opens.

The majority of machines can accommodate the stack tools to produce caps, closures, packaging, fan blades, automotive trim parts, garden furniture, electronic enclosures and many types of small containers.

All these products have elements that dictate the size and type of machine, some by clamp tonnage and projected area, some by cavitation and required platen space.

Provided that the combination of plate thickness' and parting gap space doesn't exceed the normal 'daylight' of the machine, there are no significant problems with the standard injection moulding machine, where, for the same pressures and cycle times, productivity is increased! Obviously, many key decisions about tool design and selection depend on volumes and delivery rates.

Manufacturing display at virtual rollout milestone

2007-01-04T02:44:00.000-08:00

Boeing and Dassault Systemes, a world leader in 3D and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, have announced the beginning of a new era in aerospace engineering, production planning and assembly simulation with Boeing's virtual rollout of the 787 Dreamliner. This first-ever virtual rollout, and the PLM technology underlying it, is not simply an animation of the completed airplane, but a virtual simulation and validation of the entire manufacturing process. Today's virtual rollout illustrates the future of manufacturing, showing how accurate, intuitive 3D models can be the primary means for communicating design and production planning information throughout a program.

Such 3D-based simulations of production processes enabled Boeing and its partners to optimise the Dreamliner production system and avoid the costly late-stage errors that can occur with untested designs and production planning.

'A breakthrough program like the 787 Dreamliner needed to lead the way in performance, quality, cost and schedule supported by efficient and flexible production planning'.

'3D PLM has the right capabilities to support these requirements,' says Kevin Fowler, Boeing's 787 vice president of Process Integration.

'In collaboration with its partners around the world the 787 program uses new materials and technology in the production process'.

'These new requirements for the production process required a new type of process and computing design technology backbone that didn't exist before we started working with Dassault Systemes three years ago'.

The 787 Dreamliner program is the first to use 3D models and simulation on a project of such large size and complexity, from the product's inception through to production and product support.

Building upon Boeing's use of Dassault Systemes' virtual design (Catia) and collaboration technologies (Enovia), Dassault Systemes' Delmia software suite provided Boeing and its partners with an environment for simulating and perfecting 787 manufacturing processes before actually building tools and production facilities.

Boeing's planning and layout of production lines using exact 3D models of parts and assembly tooling dramatically reduces rework on the 787.

Such a digital manufacturing environment creates a communication 'loop back' between 787 design and manufacturing engineers, no matter where they are, eliminating the risk of committing to a design change only to discover it cannot be manufactured, or that it requires costly changes to other components'.

'Collaborative PLM, shown so eloquently here by Boeing in its virtual roll-out, is the next step for all industries,' says Dassault Systemes president and chief executive officer, Bernard Charles.

'Boeing pioneered the use of digital mockup with the 777, and it is only fitting that today Boeing shows other industries the way forward with digital manufacturing'.

'PLM and its final component, digital manufacturing, have never been so fully, so completely implemented as with the 787 Dreamliner program'.

'Dassault Systemes is proud to be Boeing's partner in this visionary step forward'.

Dassault Systemes' PLM solutions used by Boeing on the 787 Dreamliner include Delmia for virtual planning and production, Catia for virtual product design, and Enovia VPLM for enterprise-wide collaboration, giving every stakeholder in the process access to 3D data models of parts, assemblies and systems.

Features expand realistic simulation capabilities

2007-01-03T02:43:00.000-08:00

Dassault Systemes, a world leader in 3D and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, announces the availability of Abaqus for Catia V5 Version 2.4 software for finite element analysis (FEA) within the PLM process. This is the latest release from Simulia, the Dassault Systemes brand responsible for developing a unified and scalable portfolio of realistic simulation solutions. Abaqus for Catia V5 Version 2.4 integrates a broad spectrum of advanced linear and nonlinear FEA capabilities within the Catia V5 environment.

The new version introduces several advanced analysis capabilities, such as dynamic analysis, self-contact, submodeling, and cyclic symmetry, expanding the functional capabilities and benefits for Catia users.

The tight integration between Abaqus and Catia V5 allows product design engineers and expert analysts to use the same FEA methods and models, ensuring repeatability and accuracy.

'This new version of Abaqus for Catia V5 enables our customers to deploy sophisticated FEA methods to the enterprise as proven analysis workflows,' says Steve Crowley, director of product management, Simulia.

'Virtual testing and validation of product performance is accelerated without leaving the Catia environment'.

'Version 2.4 of Abaqus for Catia V5 provides the competitive edge to engineering companies that put a premium on development speed'.

Abaqus for Catia V5 Version 2.4 builds on the Simulia strategy of providing scalable simulation solutions and an open framework for performing multidisciplinary analysis within the PLM process.

Global leaders in the automotive and aerospace industries help set the development direction for Abaqus for Catia V5 by specifying and evaluating new features.

Version 2.4 offers the following major advancements:.

* Dynamic simulation capabilities are based on Abaqus/Explicit - Explicit dynamic analysis is well suited for large models with relatively short response times and for modeling extremely discontinuous events, such as impact.

A new capability enables the definition of very general contact conditions, including contact between many or all regions of the model with a single interaction definition.

* Self-contact modeling simulates surface folding - Self-contact is typically the result of large deformation in a model, such as a complex rubber seal that folds over on itself.

It is often difficult to predict which regions will be involved or how they will move relative to each other.

A new capability in the software allows users to easily define self-contact for selected surfaces.

* Submodeling targets regions of interest for detailed stress analysis - When analysing large, complex models such as automotive engines or transmission housings, it is often important to focus on specific, critical areas of the model.

A new submodeling tool makes it easy to obtain accurate, detailed solutions in a local region.

Users are able to target a region with a refined mesh and apply submodel boundary conditions in both mechanical and thermal steps.

* Cyclic symmetry modeling improves analysis efficiency and reduces model size - Cyclic symmetry modeling is useful for automotive brake disc analysis or turbomachinery simulation.

New 3D CAD software increases productivity

2007-01-02T02:42:00.000-08:00

Dyco, the leading manufacturer and integrator of turnkey container-handling systems, has switched to SolidWorks 3D CAD software, a move that has nearly doubled engineers' design speed and for the first time will enable teams to work efficiently with very large assemblies. 'The big thing my guys are talking about is speed, and how it lets them design better products,' said Dyco engineering manager Doug Gordner. 'With our previous software, Autodesk Inventor, it took five, 10, even 15 minutes to open a model'.

'No longer do we have to keep single assemblies in multiple files to avoid crashes'.

'It's also much quicker and easier with SolidWorks to customise a design for a customer who, for example, wants a machine to handle 12-inch-tall plastic containers versus standard 10-inch-tall plastic containers'.

'SolidWorks is faster, more stable, and easier to use, a combination that lets us work nearly twice as fast on our most complex designs'.

The 33-year-old Bloomsburg, Pa, company makes a full line of container-handling equipment, including fully automatic systems for bagging, debagging, annealing, palletizing, bottle turning, and conveying, many configured or fully customised for each customer.

With their previous software, Dyco engineers were forced to split large files into two assemblies to avoid crashes, freezes, and other performance problems.

They can now work easily with 6,000-part assembly designs and can add nuts, bolts, and other fasteners to designs, driving part counts even higher and increasing file complexity.

Dyco is making heavy use of the SolidWorks eDrawings e-mail-enabled 3D model-sharing tool, which is helping CNC operators make parts and machine assembly personnel more quickly fit parts together.

The company is also using the PDMWorks product data management tool to replace its spreadsheet-based filing system and is beginning to use COSMOS analysis software to streamline development and analysis of robotics equipment.

'Dyco machines optimise the efficiency of customers' plants, so the company keenly understands the critical importance of efficiency in its own business,' said SolidWorks Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Rainer Gawlick.

'That's why adopting SolidWorks software was a natural decision, and the result is that Dyco can design better products and deliver them more quickly to market'.

CenitDesktop launches Catia Composites Software

2007-01-01T02:41:00.000-08:00

CenitDesktop, the UK's leading Catia PLM business partner has announced the availability of Dassault Systems Catia Composite Design and Manufacture products in the UK. Developed from Airbus and Boeing work processes, Catia V5 Composites Design is an advanced process centric solution that allows companies from the aerospace, automotive, shipbuilding and consumer goods industries, to reduce design and manufacturing time for complex composite parts. Catia V5 Composite Design Solution, developed in partnership with composite industry leaders, is already in use at major aircraft and helicopter manufacturers and suppliers, Formula 1 teams and yacht designers.

'Using Catia V5 Composites Solution significantly improved our engineering processes and almost doubled the productivity of our design staff,' said Antti Aho-Mantila, RandD Engineer at Patria Aerostructures in Spain.

The new system delivers software tools covering preliminary and detailed design phases while taking into account, even at the concept stage, product manufacturing requirements.

Thanks to powerful synchronisation mechanisms Catia V5 Composite applications make it possible for engineering and manufacturing to efficiently collaborate throughout the product development process.

Geoff Haines Managing Director of CenitDesktop commented, 'This product complements our traditional areas of expertise, Design, Analysis and Manufacturing and enables us to offer exciting capabilities composites users

Aberdeen study sponsored by Pinion Software

2006-12-31T02:39:00.000-08:00

Pinion Software, the leading provider of Technical Rights Management (TRM) solutions, has announced it has sponsored a study by the Aberdeen Group entitled, 'The Protecting Product Intellectual (IP) Property Benchmark Report: Safeguarding Design IP in a Global Market'. The in-depth study investigated common practices used in global design and manufacturing, including unsecured emails and engineering documentation, and revealed that manufacturers face accelerating IP risk in the marketplace. The research found that over two-thirds of manufacturers find the threat to their product intellectual property (IP) has grown over the past two years.

The report also discusses how IP loss diminishes profitability, and finds leading companies are proactively implementing data protection strategies.

Jim Brown, Aberdeen Vice President, Product Innovation and Engineering, and report author, summarized key findings, 'Among companies benchmarked, 48% report lost market share, 44% lost sales, 30% product commoditization, and 27% lower margins because of compromised product IP.

In response, over two thirds are actively pursuing improved product IP protection, with almost one third viewing this as a top-five business priority'.

'Manufacturing companies are increasingly recognising data protection of CAD files, engineering data, and related information is a key component to surviving and thriving in this highly competitive world marketplace'.

'Research and product development is very costly, and that investment can be whisked away by data piracy'.

'Continuous protection of valuable product IP and ideas allows companies to conduct their normal course of business with confidence,' states Darryl Worsham, president of Pinion Software.

The Aberdeen report noted that leading manufacturers are developing multi-faceted IP protection systems including IP friendly collaboration, documenting IP discovery, legal protection, and enhanced data security.

This initiatives are supported by a variety of technologies including general IT security, document rights management (DRM), intellectual management and much more.

Pinion Software peer-to-peer solutions help companies of any size to establish security standards without a major investment in IT infrastructure.

Their award-winning Pinion Desktop Receiver safeguards high-value CAD files and other technical information inside and outside the corporate firewall - whether it is shared from the desktop by email, CD/DVD, or centralised data management system.

This product was recently honoured by SC Magazine's prestigious Best Buy award and their 5-Star distinction.

Pinion's 'in-use' protection covers the entire spectrum of product development, from design collaboration to outsourced contract manufacturing, as engineering data is shared with partners, vendors, or contractors.

TopSolid 2007 to be launched early in the new year

2006-12-30T02:38:00.000-08:00

TopSolid 2007 will be launched early in the new year and the Missler Software VAR conference will be held in Malta from January 10th - 14th to inform and train our reseller network on all the new functionalities in the 2007 version. Here we will take a brief look at the main new functionalities to be found in TopSolid'Cam 2007. The majority of the new functions are in direct response to customer requests.

Listening and responding to customer needs forms an integral part of Missler Software's strategy.

This new version is very focused on improved simulation (and, thereby, less collisions) and increased productivity.

Important time gains will be made in general machining, especially in the aerospace industry.

TopSolid'Cam 2007, Integrated CAM at its Best:.

* TopSolid'Cam available in 64 bits.

* Movement and simulation in the RTCP mode.

* Automatic prevention of collisions in continuous 5 axis machining.

* Changes in approach and retract movements without recalculating the tool path.

* Management of multi-function tools for lathes/milling machines.

* Insert life management for machining of hard materials.

* Multi-pocketing to automate 2D programming.

Shanghai University equipped with TopSolid

2006-12-29T02:38:00.000-08:00

Missler Software has recently signed an agreement to supply the Shanghai University of Engineering Science with the TopSolid integrated CAD/CAM solution. The university has just started to use 40 TopSolid licences since the official agreement was made at the beginning of December. This collaboration is part of Missler Software's commitment to the Shanghai Vocational Training Directive centre, a body which assists in the promotion of advanced technologies for local Chinese industry.

This agreement comes one year after the creation of Missler Software's offices at Shanghai.

Missler Software China now has 4 offices throughout China in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Xian.

An excellent year for TopSolid'Mold in Portugal

2006-12-28T02:37:00.000-08:00

Despite the fact that the tool making market, in general, seems to be suffering in many European and Asian countries, 2006 has been an excellent year for TopSolid'Mold in Portugal. Isicom, TopSolid reseller based in Leiria in Portugal, started reselling TopSolid in Decemeber 2005. Since then the company has had an unprecedented success among Portuguese mold makers.

According to Rui Marcal, commercial manager of Isicom Cad ' We are all going through a crisis situation and moldmakers are no exception to this'.

'However, such a situation obliges companies to improve the way they work'.

'TopSolid'Mold offers the possibility to design the complete mold in 3D, with the complete 2D plan attached, in a more easy and intuitive way than other CAD solutions for the mold making industry'.

According to Arnaud de Boisboissel, International Sales Director for Missler Software 'TopSolid'Mold is a unique solution for today's mold makers'.

'Unbeatable draft creation, management of the entire tool, an advanced preliminary design mode and a complete integration with TopSolid'Cam make TopSolid'Mold a very attractive solution for the mold making industry'.

Some prominant Portuguese mold makers working with TopSolid include companies making big and small size molds as well as high precision mold makers.

Some examples of such moldmakers in Portugal equipped with TopSolid are Frumolde, Tecnifreza, Socem, Moldes RP, Geocam, Moldetipo ...

New VariCAD 2007 1.04 Available

2006-12-27T02:35:00.000-08:00

VariCAD announces the release of a new version of its 3D/2D mechanical CAD system.

This new version includes tools for assembly support (assembly-part links), identical copies (allowing to make the same changes to more solids at once), support for 2D drawing updates after changes in 3D, and other improvements.

A free trial version is available at the VariCAD website.

Helical toolpaths mill blisk cooling holes

2006-12-26T03:59:00.000-08:00

A new method for the production of blisks (Blade Integrated Disks), developed by Delcam and the 600 Centre, was shown for the first time at the Productivity Partnerships event held at the 600 Centre in the UK during November. The profile of the blades was machined in the conventional way, using the range of five-axis strategies available within Delcam's PowerMILL cam system on a Fanuc Robodrill T21iE fitted with a 24,000 rev/min spindle and a Nikken 130 unit to provide fourth and five axis movements. However, the cooling holes, which are arranged at compound angles to the blade surface, were then added with a series of helical toolpaths, also programmed with PowerMILL, using a 1.5mm endmill in 0.5mm steps.

This approach allows the profile shape and the holes to be machined in a single operation.

It saves time by eliminating the need for a lengthy, separate EDM process to generate the holes, with the added potential problem of maintaining accuracy as the electrode wears.

ProgeCAD 2007 Standard Released

2006-12-25T03:58:00.000-08:00

iCADsales.com has announced a lower cost alternative for editing AutoCAD 2007 drawings. progeCAD 2007 standard, list price $199 USD, edits and saves AutoCAD 2007 drawings! progeCAD 2007 Standard can open, read, and allow you to edit drawings created with all versions of AutoCAD. In addition, progeCAD 2007 Professional provides compatibility by providing an 'AutoCAD Like' icon menu, AutoLISP compatibility, the same fonts, scripts, and a command list you are used to working with, at 1/10th the price.

'progeSOFT has opened the world to AutoCAD 2007 drawings while easing the migration to a lower cost, AutoCAD compatible, CAD software package'.

'We have provided a major step forward for the IntelliCAD community' said Damiano Croci, progeSOFT.

The AutoCAD DWG 2007 support within progeCAD 2007 Standard will allow designers to lower their CAD software and training budget while still supporting the processes they are currently using.

CAD users can open the same drawings, run the same menus and commands, and get off the ground running by utilising the compatibility of progeCAD 2007 Standard at 1/10th the price.

progeCAD 2007 Standard has an interface closely matching what AutoCAD designers are used to using.

A new UCS Icon design, 'AutoCAD like' icon and text menu, even the layout of toolbars and command line are designed to minimise the impact of migrating to a new CAD system.

Edgecam 11.5 at southern manufacturing show

2006-12-24T03:58:00.000-08:00

EdgeCAM 11.5, the latest release of Pathtrace's advanced CNC offline programming system, will be demonstrated for the first time on stand K19 at the Southern Manufacturing Show, Thorpe Park, Surrey, 7-8 February 2007. Offering time savings of up to 50% in the generation of cutter toolpaths, the latest EdgeCAM release delivers a wealth of new functionality to support machining on both traditional and latest generation multi-axis machines. EdgeCAM 11.5 further expands the application's established multi-axis simultaneous machining strategies.

Improvements to the system's 5-axis capabilities help to streamline the programming of machines with standard or complex table configurations, for example nutated tables.

5-axis roughing capability, a new feature in version 11.5, addresses the machining requirements of industries such as aerospace and automotive.

The key to successful manufacturing lies in the effective use of innovative technology.

The enhanced Rest Finishing cycle puts the focus firmly on optimised toolpath generation by offering a new strategy that automatically selects the most appropriate toolpath for steep or shallow finishing operations, ensuring optimum workpiece surface finish.

Also on show at Southern Manufacturing will be EdgeCAM DNC, Pathtrace's recently-introduced DNC (direct numerical control) solution.

Based on Ethernet networking technology, EdgeCAM DNC's wireless machine tool communication, data management and data monitoring provide users with an easy and reliable way to manage all their shop floor communications.

EdgeCAM DNC offers automatic upload, download and drip-feed of CNC files from the network to any machine tool, for fast and accurate program transfer without the need for shop floor PCs.

The system also includes transaction tracking and logging and automatic file history

5-axis micro-drilling reduces wing times

2006-12-23T03:57:00.000-08:00

One of Europe's leading Designers and manufacturers of models and components for aerodynamic assessment in wind tunnel environments, Future Advanced manufacture have significantly reduced the production time for aerospace components using a powerful multi-axis drilling application designed for them by Vero International Software. Cheltenham, UK-based Future advanced Manufacture specialise in manufacturing high precision, high performance and safety critical components, offering project management, design and prototyping facilities alongside batch production of complex assemblies. One area of particular expertise is in the manufacture and development of new wing shapes.

Having first installed VISI software in 1997, Future has worked closely with Vero and now operates seven seats running on a network license throughout 10 PC workstations.

After several years experience of using Vero, Future Advanced Manufacture had confidence that Vero could help them develop a dedicated application for micro-drilling of aerospace components.

Part of the process of manufacturing wings for aircraft involves drilling minute surface holes into the components so that they can be pressure tested within a wind tunnel.

Micro-tubes the size of hypodermic needles are fitted to connect each of these holes to pressure sensing equipment inside the model.

It is also necessary to drill 1mm diameter holes up to 300mm long to connect these surface features and invariably these are all running at differing vectors.

The technical brief then was for up to 350 holes per wing (ranging from 0.3mm-1mm) to be precisely positioned and to be perpendicular to the surface at that point.

At that time, the only feasible approach to the problem was a series of steps to calculate the vector direction and rotations for each compound hole - a task that was time consuming, cumbersome and with a high potential for error.

This involved creating a line that defined the vector through the centre of the hole, and then a calculation of two angles and two rotations that would enable true alignment of the hole for drilling down its vertical Z-axis.

At each stage of the process, angle values had to be written down along with the final X, Y and Z and depth values for each hole.

Having to perform this sequence for typical parts with more than 100 holes meant many hours and even days worth of effort, before any of this information could be passed down to the manual 7-axis EDM machines.

The bespoke solution provided by Vero was developed in two stages.

The original specification provided by Future was to provide a solution for quickly identifying all the compound holes, including the diameter, depth, positional co-ordinates and the rotations required to manufacture each hole.

The initial request was to output this information in a table format that could then be passed to the machine operator who would then use this information to produce each required hole.

CAD/CAM assisted in diesel engine project

2006-12-22T03:56:00.001-08:00

As a business started by two ex-Williams engineers, it is little surprise that Outright Engineering Limited is now setting its stall out in the Motorsport industry by working on prestigious projects like the JCB Dieselmax. Based in Banbury, UK, the epicentre of the UK Motorsport industry, Outright Engineering conducts 95% of its business within this sector and works with a wide variety of Touring, Rally and Formula 1 customers. It is this pedigree that led the company to working with Visioneering on the JCB project.

Working on the well publicised project over 2-3 months, Outright manufactured a number of suspension parts and turbo hangers with the help of Open Mind Technologies CAD/CAM software.

As Outright Engineering director Don Ward said: 'The parts we manufacture are fast turnaround parts, and this was particularly true of the JCB project.

Working with F1 customers, this is something we are very familiar with.

We produced a wide range of JCB components in a typical automotive sense, manufacturing front, back, left and right hand sets of parts from aluminium, titanium and steel'.

He added: 'The difference was obviously that the parts were of critical importance, tolerance and specification with no two parts being identical.

Working with our hyperMILL CAD/CAM package from Open Mind has given us the confidence to guarantee not only Visioneering and JCB, but all customers that we can rapidly turnaround parts to exceptionally high standards.' Outright originally planned the purchase of hyperMILL to co-ordinate with the acquisition of a 5-axis Bridgeport machining centre.

However, the machine acquisition was put on hold for 18 months - but Outright still employed hyperMILL for its 3- and 4-axis applications.

As Ward continued: 'We did our research not only based on various vendors' proposals but also with feedback from colleagues in the industry.

Colleagues at other subcontract businesses told us that regardless of collision avoidance 'reassurance', packages were never 100% guaranteed and collisions between tool and part did still happen, especially in 5-axis.' Working on recommendation and personal review, Ward believed hyperMILL from Open Mind looked 'bullet-proof'.

'To this day it has been bullet-proof - we've had exceptional performance from hyperMILL with no collisions in the three years since using the package.

hyperMILL is easy to use and this enables us to fine tune to an extent that truly makes it outstanding,' stated Ward.

In the last three years, hyperMILL has been employed on 3, 4 and now 5-axis applications to great success.

As Ward stated: 'Like any other business that invests considerable amounts in new technology and machine tools, we don't want anything getting damaged via poor programming and potential collisions.

Collisions and gouges out of workpieces are more commonplace when producing complex 5-axis components - the collision avoidance of hyperMILL, particularly in 5-axis mode is remarkable and has put an end to any potential fears of collision.' He said: 'The amount of 5-axis strategies on hyperMILL far exceeds that of any other vendor in the market and this was a major plus point for us when selecting the package.

Programming change raises productivity 50%

2006-12-21T03:55:00.000-08:00

WorkNC raises productivity by up to 50% at Innovative Mold. George Kasper, President of Innovative Mold, incorporated the company in 1989 together with his brother David. The Michigan, USA firm began by making molds for the plastics industry, then rapidly grew into its third building.

It now employs 26 people and produces 90% of its molds for the automotive industry, to suit presses between 50 and 500 tonf.

Kasper said, 'We manufacture single shot molds and two shot rotational molds, producing interior parts, structural components and sound dampening items.' The appearance of many of the interior parts is critical, for example a radio bezel may require two different resins injected to produce the required quality and appearance.

Innovative Mold can offer rotational molds or pick and place robot transfer solutions to achieve the desired results in these demanding applications.

Tool try-out facilities are provided by the company's Toshiba and Cincinnati molding machines, while prototype tooling is manufactured in aluminum or steel depending on the customer's individual requirements.

It installed its first CNC machinery in 1996 but, as mold complexity increased and machine tools became more sophisticated, it found that its existing CAM package had some shortcomings, especially on P20 steel.

When the company initially looked at WorkNC, it felt that it could not justify the cost.

However, after a trial George Kasper's engineers told him that he could not afford to not buy the software.

He added, 'WorkNC spends much more of its time actually cutting rather than in the air.

It has resulted in a productivity increase on the machine tools of between 25 and 50% through more efficient toolpaths.' Quinn Sova, Programmer at Innovative Mold added, 'Programming is around three times quicker with WorkNC when compared with our old software.' CAD data is passed from the company's design systems straight into WorkNC, which is dedicated to the preparation of CNC code.

Sova said, ' The cycles we use most frequently in WorkNC are high torque roughing, high torque re-roughing, Z-leveling, Z-level re-machining, planar finishing, optimized z-level finishing, contour re-machining, tangent to curve, and on curve engraving, giving us the flexibility to easily complete the most complex work.' The software enables the company to use spindle speeds up to 28,000 rev/min and feedrates between 0.04 in/min and 250 in/min as well as cutters down to 0.012in diameter on titanium work pieces, thanks to its reliability and smooth toolpaths.

A major contributor to success has been the re-machining function, which Innovative Mold uses extensively.

After each machining operation WorkNC is able to update the stock material model so that it knows exactly where excess material remains.

Armed with this information, the software ensures that the tool is continually engaged with the job for the subsequent operation, maximizing productivity and minimizing shock loading, which could lead to tool breakage.

Job management system is easy to use and implement

2006-12-20T03:55:00.000-08:00

Sescoi enjoyed a highly successful JIMTOF 2006 with well over 1000 visitors to its stand at the Tokyo International Exhibition Centre. Sescoi demonstrated Version 18 of its WorkNC automatic CAM/CAD software, supported by videos of parts cut by customers Cambrain and Riken Forge. Additionally, Sescoi staff illustrated the advantages of Myworkplan, the easy to use and implement job management solution for very small to medium sized custom manufacturers, which made its debut at JIMTOF.

A spokesperson for Sescoi Japan, commented, 'Our stand was in a prime position directly opposite the entrance, maximising our flow of visitors.

We certainly enjoyed an enthusiastic response to Auto 5 and the other 5-axis routines in WorkNC V18.

The interest in Myworkplan exceeded even our own high expectations, with many visitors taking advantage of our offer of a free 30 day trial of Myworkplan.' The International Machine Tool Engineers Conference ran alongside JIMTOF.

At this event Mr Robert Endl, head of 5-axis RandD from Sescoi Germany and Mr Jeff Jaje, a 5-axis machining expert from Sescoi US spoke on the challenges presented by 5-axis machining technology for both cam systems and users.

Sescoi also ran 5-axis workshops which included US customer case studies The combined audience for all three presentations exceeded 300, making them some of the most popular events at the show.

Sescoi also ran a number of individual seminars at its stand, covering a range of topics including 5-axis machining and Auto 5, automatic programming, 3+2 machining, and 2D functions.

Mr Kanji Hayashi of Sescoi Japan summarized : 'The interest in Auto 5 and 5-axis programming reflects the growing number Japanese companies adopting this technology.

Seminars preview CAD/CAM developments

2006-12-19T03:54:00.000-08:00

Sescoi recently held two UK users seminars to preview the upcoming G3.V19 version of its highly successful WorkNC CAM/CAD software. Held at WorkNC customers' premises - The Hothouse in Stoke-on-Trent and the Aylesbury Training Group CoVE in Aylesbury - the seminars attracted representatives from 30 companies from the local areas. These seminars provided an ideal opportunity for customers to share their experiences with WorkNC, and for Sescoi to optimise the WorkNC development programme ensuring continued high satisfaction with the software.

Delegates to the seminars viewed a presentation and demonstration of WorkNC G3.V19 as well as live 5-axis machining on a Mikron UCP600 machine at the Aylesbury venue.

WorkNC G3 features a third generation single unified graphical interface which brings together geometry, machining, analysis and simulation in one screen.

The large customisable graphics area is bordered by a tree structure and contemporarily styled icons and toolbars.

With the single interface, geometric elements, positions and toolpaths can all be ergonomically selected directly from the screen, allowing the user to gather information quickly and accurately for subsequent tasks and operations.

WorkNC's powerful toolpath editing is greatly enhanced by the flexibility of this interface, allowing easy graphical manipulation of cutterpaths to achieve the exact results demanded by the user.

G3.V19 includes new fluid cutterpath algorithms which will reduce machining times and improve surface finish.

It also has several new toolpaths, including Z-Level Finishing with intelligent lead-ins to avoid marking the part and automatic machining of flat areas in High Torque Re-Roughing.

Collision detection and avoidance has also been enhanced.

Proximity warning alerts the user if the tool or holder moves within a user specified envelope, giving early warning of potentially hazardous machine movements.

Where a collision is detected, the system automatically creates a curve around the affected area, making it possible to create a new safe toolpath to continue the machining process.

Colm Fox, sales manager at Sescoi UK commented, 'We were delighted with the excellent turnout of local WorkNC customers at these seminars, and with their evident high level of satisfaction with the software.

Both Sescoi and its customers are looking forward to the launch of WorkNC G3.V19 in Spring 2007, and the benefits it will bring to their businesses.' * About Sescoi - for nearly 20 years, Sescoi has developed software solutions renown for their quality, reliability, ease of use, and automatic features, as well as for world-class technical support and service.

CAD/CAM change speeds up toolmaking

2006-12-18T03:53:00.000-08:00

Switching to Delcam's PowerSHAPE CAD software and PowerMILL cam system has given Dutch toolmaker, FlexMax International Tooling, a big advantage over its competitors. The software has made it easier to import data, and quicker to create tooling designs and the toolpaths to cut them. FlexMax is a toolmaker with some 40 employees, located in Venray in the Netherlands.

The company makes the complete range of progressive press tools, including cutting, bending and drawing tools, as well as dies.

FlexMax works mainly for automotive industry customers like BMW, Daimler-Benz, Ford, Volkswagen, Volvo and Opel, but it also has clients in other sectors, such as the office furniture and packaging industries.

While FlexMax had used CADCAM for some years, it had had regular difficulties with importing IGES files.

Sometimes the surfaces were so damaged that the software just crashed during importing.

'It took hours to get surfaces correctly imported into our previous software,' remembered plant manager, Frank Hubers.

'We also needed better capabilities to design free-form surfaces when we had to re-design the component model to give the tooling design,' he added.

'Then, we wanted to develop better cutting strategies, in a quick and flexible way.' For the benchmark, Mr.Hubers selected software at three price levels - a 'high-end' system, a budget software and the Delcam programs.

'The 'high-end' software was a total disaster on the free-form surfaces,' he recalled.

'We gave an example of our work to the company's 'specialist CAD designer.

After one and a half hours sweating, he was totally confused and couldn't get any further.

Then, the 'specialist CAM demonstrator' couldn't produce the cutting paths we were asking for.' Hubers said: 'Next, we tried a cheaper system.

The operator couldn't produce the smooth surfaces we needed to blend from one section of the model to another and the flexibility of the toolpaths was way below what we wanted.

Post-processing the files took far too long on both systems.' He said: 'The Delcam demonstration was a complete contrast> We took an IGES file of a BMW part with us for the test.

Importing the data was no problem; it was done successfully in a moment'.' Hubers added: 'The smooth surface that had proved so difficult in the other software was created within a minute.

The demonstrator then suggested other solutions and convinced us of the power and the flexibility of the system.

Then, we took the part into PowerMILL and created all the roughing and finishing paths we needed within 45 minutes.

Also, the post-processing was done in seconds.' Since working with the software, FlexMax has had no more problems in importing data or creating the surfaces it needs.

'We can generate all the toolpaths for virtually any of our work within 45 minutes, including the post-processing time,' said Hubers.

CAD/CAM software boosts rapid prototyping

2006-12-17T03:53:00.000-08:00

Using Delcam's CADCAM software has helped Telford-based Innov8es expand quickly from a rapid prototyping company to one of the UK's market leaders in rapid manufacturing across a range of engineering disciplines. After three years of growth in its home market, the company is now planning a European sales office to further promote its services. Innov8es was founded in 2003 by David Piper and Mathew Turner, who between them have over 25 years experience in rapid prototyping and rapid manufacturing.

The company initially produced master models and silicone tools for short runs of polyurethane components for the automotive industry and this has remained one of its key technologies.

However, as its customers wanted the company to be able to undertake more extensive projects, it expanded into other areas.

Initially, the diversification was made possible by sub-contracting work but, in the last two years, the company has moved to larger premises and added new equipment to progressively bring more and more of its projects totally in-house.

During the same period, the scale of production has increased, with over 100,000 parts being produced in several cases.

'We work with a variety of processes and materials so the versatility of the Delcam software is essential to our success,' commented Piper.

'For example, we recently supplied Land Rover with complete prototype cockpits using a variety of our facilities.

The reliability of the software is equally important,' he added.

'We aim to provide our customers with high quality parts in a time frame that has previously been unachievable so we have to get everything right first time.' The latest additions at the Telford site include two five-axis machining centres and an Object 500 V rapid prototyping machine.

The new machining centres, which like the company's earlier three-axis machines are programmed exclusively using PowerMILL, were initially acquired to allow more efficient production of prototype seat foams.

However, they have also opened new opportunities for the company, in particular, in the production of jigs and fixtures for welding, assembly and inspection.

The Object machine is capable of producing prototypes built up of layers down to 16 microns in thickness.

IWC creates NC programs with TopSolid'Cam

2006-12-16T03:52:00.000-08:00

'Even the most beautiful objects need precise technology to give them their real value'. It is certainly the case for the world famous watch maker IWC who works with TopSolid'Cam for the creation of all the necessary NC programs used in the manufacturing of its parts, casings and production resources. IWC is one of the best known and most renowned watch makers in the world.

Equipped with 4 TopSolid'Cam licences the company has not looked back since it started working with the software.

The first huge benefit, which TopSolid'Cam has brought to the company, was that it saved time.

'When the post-processors function perfectly, we save 50% of the time previously used on NC-programming' explains Joerg Demmerle, who programs the casings on the system.

IWC and Missler Software seem to be an excellent match.

Standards and possibilities agree.

Precision and availability are on both sides.

Franklin joins license subscription program

2006-12-15T02:24:00.001-08:00

Bentley Systems has announced that the city of Franklin, Tennessee, has joined Bentley's Municipal License Subscription (MLS) program. Bentley's MLS offers municipalities all the software they need to design and manage all their infrastructure for a fixed annual fee based on population. The breakthrough program enables them to improve productivity and reduce administrative costs by outfitting their entire mapping and engineering organisations with fully integrated software for GIS and engineering workflows.

This leads to improved services and more efficient government.

Franklin, a fast-growing city in Tennessee just south of Nashville, serves a population of 48,000.

The city uses Bentley's WaterGEMS water modeling product in its engineering and water departments and is expanding its use of WaterGEMS through Bentley's MLS.

In addition, in the near future, Franklin will deploy MicroStation, StormCAD, and Bentley fibre - with other Bentley software to follow.

Said Mike Proctor, IT manager for Franklin, 'A key benefit of our new MLS is the ability to provide improved services to our citizens.

Take, for example, water and wastewater services, which are always a challenge in cities experiencing rapid population growth.

Our expanded use of WaterGEMS will enhance our ability to continually remodel our water network to account for the city's many new subdivisions and, thus, maintain the required capacities.

'In terms of our internal organisation, the biggest benefits of the MLS will result from our ability to share data more effectively across departments and to quickly and easily access a wide array of software to support our infrastructure projects.

For starters, our use of MicroStation will enable us to more effectively collaborate with the Tennessee Department of Transportation, which also relies on MicroStation for many of its projects.

Turn-On-and-Go mobility solutions

2006-12-14T02:23:00.000-08:00

GiveMePower Corporation has launched two new ultra-mobile computing solutions for building surveying and inspection, construction area estimating and reporting, and facilities asset and information management - featuring hardware from mobility market leaders Dell and Tablet Kiosk. centreed around GiveMePower's critically-acclaimed PowerCAD SiteMaster as-built floor planning, design and facilities information management software, two different Turn-On-and-Go solutions are now available for purchase, featuring either Dell's Axim X51v handheld PC or Tablet Kiosk's eo Ultra Mobile PC as the mobile / handheld computing device, and Leica Geosystem's DISTO A6 bluetooth wireless laser to measure and instantly create AutoCAD-compatible drawings with 'point, shoot, done' simplicity and speed. 'Our customers told us they wanted turn-key mobile systems that had everything they needed to be instantly productive,' said Cliff Carr, vice president of North American Sales for GiveMePower.

'Our new Turn-On-and-Go solutions deliver in ultra-lightweight configurations that fit any user's preference, and that maximise operator speed and safety using the best mobile equipment money can buy'.

PowerCAD SiteMaster is a revolutionary mobile, wireless and collaborative office solution which is proven to double the productivity and halve the costs for anyone who owns, operates, manages, measures, designs, constructs, inspects or sells/leases buildings - and needs precise up-to-date floor plan drawings and associated construction, area estimation and facilities management reports.

Receiving rave reviews from users and leading trade publications including Cadalyst and Constructech magazines, PowerCAD SiteMaster Turn-On-and-Go kits allow businesses to confidently deploy standardised solutions from market-leading providers.

Kits include all the software and hardware needed in a custom, high impact carry case built to house and protect everything in even the most demanding jobsite conditions.

Summarizing PowerCAD SiteMaster Turn-On-and-Go systems in a recent issue, Cadalyst magazine reviewer Ron LaFon stated, 'This software is truly remarkable, both in its capabilities and its ability to perform so much on such a small device'.

'Users can perform a wealth of work accurately and in short order, saving time, energy and costly reworking'.

Citect partners with Pro-face

2006-12-13T00:52:00.001-08:00

Citect UK is combining its CitectHMI product with Pro-face industrial PCs to provide the UK control market with powerful 100 I/O point operator interface solutions that are both cost effective and easily customisable. The two new operator interface solutions offer users the flexibility scaleability and ease of use of CitectHMI software, packaged in the latest Pro-face Industrial PCs, which have leading-edge TFT flat screen technology and LCD displays, and provide exceptional levels of reliability. The software component of the new interfaces, CitectHMI, is based upon the world's largest SCADA system, CitectSCADA.

It is a powerful entry level HMI software, developed specifically for machine, plant and equipment builders, who require a flexible, easy-to-use operator interface solution that can be quickly tailored to end user needs.

Using the CitectHMI, OEMs can gain a real competitive advantage by reducing planning, development and commissioning times and consequent time to market.

CitectHMI offers OEMs the benefits of all-in-one functionality with a package that includes essential SCADA functions such as process visualization, alarm processing, trending reporting and statistical process control (SPC).

Designed primarily for standalone applications requiring 100, 300 or 600 I/O points, the software includes a wide variety of driver and connectivity options, up to three of the former being accommodated at any one time from an extensive library extending to 130 named vendors.

In the unlikely event that the driver required is not in the library, then it possible for the OEM to write his own using Citect's Driver Development Kit.

Complementing CitectHMI's powerful SCADA functions are features that make the HMI simple to configure and easy to use and customise.

These include Customisable Installation, Online Runtime Language Switching to support global customers, OLE Automation for automated building of graphics pages, optional OPC server connectivity, CiCode and CitectVBA programming languages, and graphical elements such as Genies, Super Genies and ActiveX objects.

The Citect HMI software resides in two Pro-face industrial PC's: 12' and 15' TFT XGA units, both employing the latest LCD flat screen technology, resistive touch interfaces and Windows XP Pro, and offering 100 I/O point connectivity.

Equipped with a Celeron M 1.3 Ghz processor, the smaller 12' operator interface offers a comprehensive specification including 256Mbytes of RAM, 40 GByte HDD-FDD or CD-ROM, 5 USB ports, 2- 10/100 BaseT Ethernet ports, 1 RS232 serial port and 1-PCI expansion slot, all for a total cost (with CitectHMI software) of GBP1800'.

Open and complete SCADA software suite

2006-12-12T00:51:00.000-08:00

Silverteam now offers a full control, HMI and SCADA solution, having formed a strategic partnership with Wizcon based around its new Version 9.2 Supervisor package. Combining both discrete and process control with HMI and SCADA functionality, plus full internet connectivity, Wizcon Supervisor delivers all the software tools needed to build a complete and powerful automation solution. Wizcon Supervisor makes it easy to develop both discrete and process control systems, complete with graphical user interface and easy visualization and distribution of information.

Further, with its inherent internet capabilities, Wizcon Supervisor extends the SCADA world beyond the plant floor to users who could be in any location, anywhere in the world.

With just a standard browser running on any remote PC, you can develop applications, control machines, visualize charts and images, generate and distribute reports, and much more.

Wizcon Supervisor is the most open, complete, reliable and scalable SCADA software suite available.

Its easy user interface Wizcon Development Studio allows powerful control systems to be set up quickly, and this speed of implementing an automation and reporting process leads to a rapid return on investment.

The package is built up from a number of discrete software tools, including: Wizcon for Windows and Internet; WizPLC; the WizAAM alarm management module; WizScheduler; WizVCR; and WizReport XL Wizcon for Windows and Internet_is a powerful, web-enabled tool that delivers real-time and historical information from the plant floor to the boardroom and beyond.

It provides full SCADA/HMI functionality for operator display on Windows NT, Windows 2000 or Windows XP, plus the ability to publish the same information to any web browser using Wizcon's award-winning Internet technology.

WizPLC is an open, standards-based, soft logic solution for Windows NT, Windows 2000 or Windows XP, which fully supports all six IEC 61131-3 programming languages.

WizPLC offers PC-based control software that enables the user to develop discrete control logic programs.

It also offers hard real time support for maximum determinism and reliability.

WizScheduler is a flexible and intuitive tool that enables users to plan, schedule and execute a variety of tasks based on time and date.

The calendar-style interface provides an easy method to quickly define repetitive and one-time activities throughout the year.

Wizcon Supervisor also features a comprehensive Advanced Alarm Management (WizAAM) module with unmatched capabilities and flexibility.

Users can adapt the hierarchy of the alarms exactly to their needs, inhibit or delay alarms according to specific process conditions, associate multiple comments to any alarm's acknowledgement, link online HTML help for each alarm, and much more.

Local or web interfaces let users visualise, sort and acknowledge any alarm, from anywhere via Internet, email, mobile phone, pager, SMS, fax, remote printer, etc The WizVCR module provides a recording function, enabling the viewing of a specific period of time elapsed on the application.

Securing integrated SCADA systems

2006-12-11T00:50:00.000-08:00

Until quite recently, SCADA systems were traditionally 'walled off' from other systems operating independently from the network. Prior to the awareness of possible attacks, this seemed to provide all the protection the SCADA system required. However, over time they have become integrated into larger company networks as a means of exploiting their valuable data to increase plant efficiency.

The result of this development is that now their security is often only as strong as the security of the overall network.

The process of protecting SCADA networks starts with the creation of a written security policy.

Failure to have a policy in place exposes the company to attacks, loss of revenue and legal action.

The security policy should also be a living document, not a static policy created once and then shelved.

The management team needs to draw very clear and understandable objectives, goals, rules and formal procedures to define the overall position and architecture of the plan.

It should also cover the following key components:.

* Roles and responsibilities of those affected by the policy.

* Actions, activities and processes that are allowed, and those that are not allowed.

* Consequences of non-compliance.

Prior to completing the written policy a vulnerability assessment must be undertaken to identify both the potential risks associated with the different aspects of the SCADA-related IT infrastructure, and the priority of the different aspects of the infrastructure.

In addition, the vulnerability assessment also acts as a mechanism to identify holes or flaws in the understanding of how a system is constructed (ie its architecture) and where threats against the system may originate.

To successfully complete a vulnerability assessment, a physical audit of all the computer and networking equipment, associated software and network routings needs to be performed.

A clear and accurate network diagram should be used to present a detailed depiction of the infrastructure following the audit.

The results would typically be presented in a hierarchical manner, which, in turn, sets the priority to address security concerns and the level of related funding associated with each area of vulnerability.

For example, within a typical SCADA environment, key items and the related hierarchy could be as follows:.

* Operational Availability of Operator Stations.

* Accuracy of Real Time Data.

* Protection of System Configuration Data.

* Interconnection to Business Networks.

* Availability of Historical Data.

* Availability of Casual User Stations.

Power for the energy industry

2006-12-10T00:49:00.000-08:00

IEC 61850 is a new worldwide accepted standard that defines the communication between electrical switchgear, control equipment in substation automation and the related system requirements. European software innovators Copa-data are the first to develop a driver which implements IEC61850 - and thanks to the openness of their zenOn SCADA/HMI software it can be integrated into all existing systems, protecting valuable capital investments. Because many different communication protocols are being used in substation automation, protocol convertors are commonplace.

Equipment vendors are facing significant challenges interfacing communications, leading to higher development costs for hardware vendors and increased integration and maintenance costs for network operators.

IEC 61850 has been devised to send messages between sender and receiver in an optimal way, making communication as direct as possible to avoid losses in performance and functionality.

IEC 61850 standard provides a consistent standard unifying substation automation and distributed power generation equipment, from the switchgear right up to supervisory control and monitoring functions.

As a specialist in open system integration for 20 years and a key player in new SCADA-based substation automation systems, Copa-data has been engaged in IEC 61580 since the outset.

As a result, the company has released a sophisticated software driver within months of the first IEC 61850 compatible hardware solution.

The zenOn driver fully exploits IEC 61850 by providing a consistent communication protocol and unified data model for all areas from the network control stations to the switchgear using industrial Ethernet technology and standard hardware.

Copa-data have already implemented their first IEC 61850 projects with the new driver.

The operators were impressed with the ease of engineering and the notable increase in communication performance.

These customers are not a special case Copa-data's existing zenOn customers can all now use the new driver with their existing zenOn 6.2 suite, so they can take advantage of the new IEC 61850 equipment as soon as it becomes available.

The emphasis of the driver development was on the clear and convenient data handling of the driver.

As such, a sophisticated browsing mechanism is provided which automatically recognises the type of data using heuristic CDC-recognition (Common Data Classes).

For example, PLC data is immediately available within the browsing mechanism, with the same name that is used on the PLC.

At the same time, the data is automatically typed as a value or validity information and the data points are created with no loss of information.

The driver also supports the IEC 61850 real-time PLC time-stamping and plc-quality according to the standard.

Using the browser, communication elements can be immediately mapped into the picture within the Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and the data points are subsequently generated.

Create a User Interface in Minutes

2006-12-09T23:46:00.000-08:00

If you are designing a data acquisition system and you would like to develop a user interface quickly, test it, improve it, test it, improve it and deliver a working system, then you may want to set aside a few minutes to download DAPstudio 3.00 and decide to try it out. There is no time limit on the free trial of the full software. DAPstudio 3.00, the latest version of DAP Measurement Studio software from Microstar labouratories, maker of Data Acquisition Processor (DAP) boards and software, includes a new custom window design capability.

This lets you size and place different display formats exactly the way you want them.

You now have a tool to help you quickly create the most effective user interface for your application.

It lets you select any combination of graph, table, waterfall, bar, alarm, and digital volt meter formats to display application data.

And the user can toggle between flat and 3D views.

You also can almost instantly configure a matrix of user input controls to run experiments or to allow operator input in a production environment.

For instance, the PID tuning simulation application illustrated in the screen shot can very easily be set up in DAPstudio 3.00 with four edit boxes to specify the set point and P, I, and D parameters.

With this four-element matrix of user controls in place, a press of a button changes the settings in the application.

Creating the matrix is simple.

You say how many controls you want, and how you want them laid out in columns: in this case, four controls - in one, two, or four columns.

You then add that matrix of user controls to your custom window.

The company Web site includes other examples that show you how to set up user controls like this for different applications.

Every DAP board includes an onboard processor that runs a real-time operating system, DAPL, that Windows applications - like DAPstudio - can control.

DAP boards also communicate among themselves independently of Windows to synchronise their clocks with one another.

They then all work together as a synchronised data acquisition system not only within a single PC but also across a network.

DAPstudio 3.00 lets you configure every DAP board in a network from a single PC on that network.

It displays a map of the DAP network, with each board represented by an icon.

Clicking on the icon lets you configure that board.

You specify, by choosing from appropriate options presented by DAPstudio at each stage of the configuration process, exactly how that board is to behave at runtime.

DAPstudio expresses this behavior as a sequence of operations that it downloads for the onboard processor to perform on the flow of acquired data.

As described above, you can use DAPstudio to configure one or more DAPs for an application.

You then can run your application without requiring any other Windows software.

You also can do this from LabVIEW, MATLAB, and other third-party software.

And from C++, VB, and other applications that allow DLL calls.

You can quickly create custom user interfaces for your PC-based data acquisition applications using DAPstudio 3.00.

From a single PC you can configure any DAP board on a network and also run a complete application with no other Windows software.

The company provides hardware and software for evaluation at no charge.

You can download a full version of DAPstudio and try it out right now.

If you decide to keep on using DAPstudio after you have tried it, you will need to buy a license.

Orthos projects employs citectSCADA

2006-12-08T23:46:00.000-08:00

UK company, Orthos Projects has successfully completed a turnkey contract to design and build a new state- of- the- art Greensand preparation plant, part of a complete new casting facility for Scaw Metals, South Africa's leading producer of high chrome grinding media for the mining industry. The turnkey project, part of Scaw's multi-million Rand expansion programme in its high chrome foundry, employs a CitectSCADA system to provide plant visualisation and operator interface. In addition, the Citect system has a modem connection allowing remote observation, fault diagnosis and troubleshooting by Orthos technical staff from anywhere in the world.

'We have used CitectSCADA successfully on several of our international foundry projects,' said Alan Piper, Project Engineer for Orthos Projects.

'It is an extremely fast and easy-to use system'.

'We like the way it enables us to do just what we need to do, even down to data logging, and the way it expands easily and flexibly as the requirements of our customers grow'.

'A major benefit is that we do not need to purchase development licences for CitectSCADA.

This reduces our costs substantially, and also helps our clients, who can make changes to their systems without the added cost of a development system'.

The Scaw Metals project consolidates Orthos Projects growing reputation within the South African marketplace.

It required Orthos to design and install a new state-of-the-art 45tph Greensand preparation plant, as part of a complete new casting facility.

Greensand plants are systems used in many foundries for the production of cast iron assemblies.

They employ moulds made from a number of materials, primarily sand; hence, there is a need for systems to produce this sand automatically.

New raw materials (typically silica sand, clay, coal dust and water) are weighed and mixed with old, already- used sand in order to provide the ideal 'green sand' for a molding machine.

A mixer is used to combine all these materials, typically mixing around 4 tons at a time.

Finally, a molding machine is responsible for shaping and squeezing the sand, ready for the molten metal to be added.

The specification for the Greensand plant supplied to Scaw Metals demanded the very latest high technology, energy efficient equipment, with integrated computer, PLC and SCADA control systems.

However, with over 25 years experience in foundry engineering Orthos Projects proved that they had the technical merit, track record and innovative capability to produce the exact specification of sand plant required.

The plant was engineered in the UK and was supplied complete with all key components.

This factor, combined with a local supply for structural steelwork and construction labour, enabled an extremely quick project turnround of just over 9- months from order placing to first production.

A new tower building houses the 45tph sand preparation plant capable of supplying the Disamatic moulding machines requirements, incorporated within the plant is an Eirich intensive batch mixer chosen for its high degree of sand preparation, reliability and low maintenance.

SCADA data importer function extended

2006-12-07T23:45:00.000-08:00

Citect has recently extended the Switch2Citect solution with the release of RSView importer. This newest importer will have the same 'try before you buy' offer as Citect has provided with earlier importers. Customers can send in three displays to see how they import before they purchase the solution.

Switch2Citect offers an automated way to convert legacy screens to CitectSCADA using numerous importers, such as RSView, Fix32, iFix, InTouch and FactoryLink.

This means that over 50 percent of world's installed base of HMI/SCADA systems can be quickly and easily converted to CitectSCADA.

The upcoming planned importers, including WinCC, Wizcon and Genesis32, will boost the coverage to an estimated 65 percent of the HMI/SCADA installed base.

'Switch2Citect has been designed to automate conversion to CitectSCADA, allowing users to take advantage of Citect's solid upgrade history and unique features to improve their performance and protect their IT investments,' said Stephen Flannigan, Global Director, CitectSCADA.

'We have received strong demand from customers to develop these new importers to aid them in the conversion process, and more are planned for next year!' In its latest version of Switch2Citect, many enhancements have been added.

For example, attributes are now editable with controls suitable to the value being edited:.

- Numeric values are validated and an up/down spinner control is provided.

- Line and Fill styles are selectable using a drop down list.

- colours are now editable using a popup colour picker, and can be edited directly on the attributes list.

Wide- ranging monitoring system

2006-12-06T23:44:00.000-08:00

Citect Nexa facilities software is providing the platform for a new, wide-ranging system, designed by Entech, for the remote monitoring of lifts, water pumps, water tanks, boilers, and riser pumps in multi-occupancy buildings right across a large London Borough. The system is providing a more efficient service to residents, by providing real time information for rectification of faults, and is also reducing costs through improved use of maintenance personnel and building management services. 'The Entech/Citect monitoring system is revolutionising the way we operate and maintain council buildings in the Borough,' said a Council spokesman.

'The system takes us from a reactive to a proactive approach, where we often know about faults with lifts, pumps, boilers and the like before our residents do, and are able to rectify these faults quickly with the minimum of disruption'.

'In addition, the Citect Nexa facilities platform provides us with records of breakdown histories of equipment in our buildings, enabling us to undertake trending to anticipate and obviate longer-term problems'.

The London Council decided to invest in a new, more comprehensive building monitoring system when the original remote lift monitoring system used in many of its multi-occupancy properties became unreliable.

The previous lift monitoring solution, a DOS-based proprietary control system, had begun to swamp the council with false alarm calls about inoperative lifts.

In addition to overcoming this problem, the Council wanted to be able to reduce the incidence of complaints, by being able to identify system faults quickly.

Importantly, they also wanted to extend the parameters of the system to include other equipment on site, including water pumps, tanks, heating boilers and riser pumps.

To provide a single solution to all these remote monitoring requirements, the Council turned to Sidcup-based systems integrator, Entech.

The system provided by Entech is based on a number of remote sites fitted with hardware designed to monitor equipment on site - typically lifts, water pumps, water tanks, heating boilers and riser pumps.

It has been designed to be intuitive and guides users via a series of simple, on screen visual indicators that identify faults or alarms.

This facility is provided by a graphic front end, which is an integral part of the Citect Nexa facilities software package specified by Entech for the building monitoring system.

At the heart of the Entech system are AMACS units (Advanced Monitoring And Control System).

Designed and developed by Entech, these devices have a number of analogue inputs, digital inputs and relay outputs that are directly connected to the equipment to be monitored.

They are powered by on site AC power and have internal batteries to allow communication and monitoring in the event that the mains supply should fail.

Each AMACS unit includes an internal modem that connects to a BT telephone line, allowing communications to the central monitoring system, which is situated at the Council's head offices and manned by Council engineers, to enable reporting of alarms and user interrogation.

The value of this data to the Council is explained by the Council spokesman.

'If we have a lift breakdown in Deptford, for example, we now know about it the moment that it has occurred, and are able to make the best use of resources by diverting one of our engineers that is closest to the scene'.

'In addition to this, the Council is responsible for a number of sheltered housing schemes'.

'If boilers fail in these premises then vulnerable people can be put at risk'.

'The new system means that we are aware almost immediately when these problems occur and are able to put them right straightaway, often before the tenants know there has been a problem'.

Currently, the Council is using the Entech system to monitor 25 sites: the plan being to add 15 more sites each year, as capital become available.

Asked if the system offered potential for improved efficiencies and cost savings for other councils across the UK, the spokesman replied: 'Absolutely'.

The Council's planned expansion of the monitoring system, up to a potential maximum of 300 sites, is one of the major reasons why Entech specified Citect Nexa facilities software.

The package has the ability to monitor and control 100,000's of I/O points from a single server, with the scalability to grow the system to monitor one or more multi-site facilities.

Citect Nexa is also easy to use; its open architecture and easy-to-use configuration tools enable users to quickly develop and deploy building solutions.

Once installed, the package enables managers to lower building operating costs and improve tenant services, by providing centralised control and monitoring of facilities, and by integrating climate, lighting and other systems in single or multi-site operations.

The basic principal of operation of the London Council system is to have remote monitoring units on each of the sites; these dial in alarms to advise the user that there is a problem on that site that may need attention.

Each monitored item of equipment on site has specified alarm and monitor points - alarm points are signals that trigger a dial-out to the central system, monitor points are signals that do not trigger a dial-out but can be used to monitor the equipment status while looking 'on-line'.

Based on the alarms received by the central monitoring system, Council engineers can contact the relevant maintenance companies to attend the site.

Once logged onto the system, engineers can select a site to observe the equipment in real-time, which, in some instances, can aid fault diagnosis.

Remote diagnostics of automation

2006-12-05T23:44:00.000-08:00

A new software package from Festo provides designers, users and maintainers of automation systems with exceptionally powerful and cost-effective remote diagnostics capabilities. Known as CPX Web Monitor, the software facilitates on-line retrieval of digital and analogue statistical data from any Ethernet-equipped Festo CPX series valve terminal or I/O module. Capable of handling static and dynamic data, it accommodates a wide variety of process-related functions, including individual pneumatic valve diagnostic and condition monitoring, pressure, temperature and I/O status monitoring, and power supply condition monitoring.

CPX Web Monitor is a low cost, ready-to-run remote diagnostics solution that requires no in-house software expertise and only minimal set-up.

Module data is automatically collected, processed and stored locally on the machine by a Festo CPX terminal controller - a high functionality hub with extensive fieldbus protocol support - and transmitted to the internet via a suitable Ethernet-equipped web server.

The system is inherently expandable and entirely self-configuring: during power-up, the terminal controller automatically ascertains which valve terminals and control modules are present.

Festo's CPX Web Monitor software can be installed on any standard PC-based web server, and users can retrieve data via any standard web browser, such as Internet Explorer or Firefox, simply by specifying the IP address of the CPX terminal controller.

The web monitor can be accessed directly via the system network, the intranet or the internet, depending upon the user's IT network configuration.

Users with mobile devices that support HTML-based web browsing, such as phones and PDAs, can access the system while on the move, and the system can also be set up to send text messages and email alerts.

All information is presented in an extremely clear and easy-to-understand format.

Analogue data is displayed in graphical line chart form, and digital data is shown as a series of on/off bar graphs.

The CPX terminal controller also maintains an event history file, enabling users to instantly recall the last 40 error conditions for detailed failure analysis or predictive maintenance.

The system also allows users to include HTML links to their own on-line documentation, enabling them to incorporate the diagnostic and monitoring data within their own procedures.

Monitor Newsletter Reaches 25000 Subscribers

2006-12-04T23:19:00.000-08:00

Over 25000 people are now receiving Monitor (ISSN 1472-0221), thefree newsletter for PC-based data acquisition and control.Published by Windmill Software Limited, Monitor is sent by e-mailevery month. It is written in an easy-to-understand style andincludes:.* articles on making measurements.* examples of industrial applications of computerised dataacquisition and control.* sources of information on topics such as energy consumptionlogging, RS485 communications and digital control.* news of exhibitions and conferences relating toinstrumentation.Monitor was launched in August 1998 and mailed it to just 42people. Very soon after the publishers started offering theirWindmill suite of data acquisition and control software free toeveryone signing up.

At that time it cost non-subscribers 345 GBpounds to purchase the software - so not surprisingly a greatmany people took advantage and started using Windmill.

In fact,over 17000 copies of Windmill have been given away! Withoverflowing e-mail in-boxes Windmill is very conscious of theneed to keep the newsletter relevant or it will simply bedeleted, or worse still marked as spam.