Developments

Delcam launches new PowerMILL CAM for five-axis machining

Delcam has launched the 2015 version of its PowerMILL CAM system for high-speed and five-axis machining. The new release includes improvements to the Vortex high-efficiency area-clearance strategy, improved collision checking to also cover near misses, and more efficient raster finishing. The Vortex area-clearance strategy produces safe toolpaths with a much deeper cut by using a controlled engagement angle that maintains the optimum cutting conditions for the whole toolpath. As a result, higher feed rates and material-removal rates are possible, making the cutting time shorter by as much as 70%. In addition, cutting is undertaken at a more consistent volume-removal rate and at a near constant feedrate, so extending tool life and protecting the machine. Two enhancements in PowerMILL 2015 will give even greater reductions in machining time with Vortex compared to conventional roughing. The first change allows toolpaths to approach the part from outside the stock at the cutting height, both for open pockets and in areas where earlier cuts have made this possible. Previously, all entry moves had to be made by plunging onto the surface or by ramping into the material. The second change allows an increased feed rate to be set for non-cutting moves. The default value is set at double the rate for the cutting moves but this can be altered as required for each machine tool. The extra time that can be saved depends on the shape of the part but an additional saving of around 20% should be expected above the earlier releases of Vortex. Another problem in previous versions of PowerMILL was that unnecessary lifts could be added to area-clearance toolpaths when the cutter moved outside the stock or close to its edge. Changes to the roughing algorithm in PowerMILL 2015 have reduced the number of lifts per toolpath slice to the minimum […]

Sustainable bending technology from Germany

Picture: The new, easy-to-operate machine control from Schwarze-Robitec clocks the individual working steps synchronously for time-optimised production. The rising costs for raw materials and energy make it clear: to remain competitive in the future, it is imperative to handle resources particularly carefully, to tighten production process and thereby increase efficiency. The resource Man can also be supported with labor-saving solutions, thereby also increasing repeating accuracy. To design tube processing especially resource-conserving and efficient, Schwarze-Robitec has developed a series of sustainable solutions over the last years. These include, for example, the integrated residual length optimisation for tube bending machines for the automobile industry suppliers, which reduce residual tube lengths to a minimum, thereby making considerable material savings. Trials have shown that the material input, depending on the respective tube system, could be reduced by up to 20 percent. The Terminal-End-Bender, which is used for the manufacture of tube systems in power plant construction, bends in both directions conducted subsequently at the rear end of the produced tube coil without having to interrupt the fully automatic manufacturing process. Therefore, the Terminal-End-Bender essentially helps to save time. A further new development of the tube bending specialist are the rapid clamping systems for bending tools in series and mass production, which enable fast and easy tool change. Unproductive set-up times are reduced significantly. The bending machine CNC 60 E TB MR which is equipped with multi-tools, allows production of different radii as well as bend-in-bend systems. It is particularly suitable for the manufacture of exhaust pipes with a bending radius of 1 x D without straight intermediate lengths between two bends. Thanks to the multi-bend tools, set-up times are reduced to a minimum. Further cost savings can be achieved with the separating system integrated in the bending system. Here, several individual tubes are […]

The Second Machine Age

Driverless cars and 3D printers are harbingers of a new era, argue MIT colleagues Brynjolfsson (Director/Center for Digital Business; co-author, Wired for Innovation: How Information Technology Is Reshaping the Economy, 2013, etc.) and McAfee (Principal Research Scientist/Center for Digital Business; Enterprise 2.0: New Collaborative Tools for Your Organisation’s Toughest Challenges, 2009, etc.). Some 200 years ago, the invention of the steam engine sparked massive amounts of mechanical power to drive factories and mass production in the first machine age. Now, computers and other digital advances are providing such “a vast and unprecedented boost to mental power” that technologies once found only in science fiction are becoming everyday realities. Drawing on research, including interviews with inventors, investors, entrepreneurs, engineers and others, the authors describe the forces driving the emerging age, notably the digitisation of nearly everything, which increases understanding and fosters innovation, and an amazing exponential growth in improvements. We’re now seeing “the emergence of real, useful artificial intelligence (AI) and the connection of most of the people on the planet via a common digital network. As machines complete cognitive tasks—as opposed to physical ones—engaging in pattern recognition and complex communication, AI will do more and more, for example, giving key aspects of sight to the visually impaired and restoring hearing to the deaf. Along with benefits, including greater amounts of individual choice, technological progress will bring economic disruption, leaving some people behind and workers without jobs. The authors describe the large differences that are already apparent among people in both income and wealth and explain how individuals can improve their skills to maintain healthy wage and job prospects. “Our generation has inherited more opportunities to transform the world than any other,” they write. “That’s a cause for optimism, but only if we’re mindful of our choices.”

itSeez3D turns iPad Into 3D scanner

When it comes to 3D scanning, more and more solutions are becoming available as the months go by. 3D scanning is allowing us to take photographs of people and things, in ways that we could never imagine before. Instead of only being able to look at a flat, 2-dimensional photo, we can now interact with 3D photographs via our computers, and create 3D replicas with the use of 3D printers. A company called itSeez3D has come up with a new iOS application, that when paired with the Structure Sensor allows people to take full 3-dimensional photographs of people and objects. It has an incredible ability to capture color and structural information of a subject, and then process it into a realistic looking 3D model. The app has the capability of capturing high resolution data, and features a unique augmented reality feedback system which enhances the scanning process (see video below). Once a scan has been captured, users have the ability to email the 3D representation to their friends, in .ply or .obj file formats, or simply upload it to sketchfab.com. Users can also 3D print it at home on their own 3D printers. If it is printed on an at-home FDM or SLA 3D printer, however, the colors will not print because of the current technology available. On the other hand, if a high quality 3D printer is used, the colors will be able to be preserved. For example, users could send their 3D scan to Shapeways or another service, to have it printed in full-color sandstone. itSeez3D has already uploaded 18 different models that they have created using the app, to their sketchfab profile, and I must admit, the quality appears to be excellent. Uploaded models include several people as well as a stuffed animal, a sneaker, a mug, […]

Hypertherm to Showcase World-class Metal Cutting Solutions at QME 2014

Hypertherm designs and manufactures the world’s most advanced plasma cutting systems for use in a variety of industries such as shipbuilding, manufacturing, automotive repair. With a strong international presence, the company has been serving the Oceania market for more than 30 years, and has been expanding its local capabilities to meet domestic demand. Hypertherm’s mechanised plasma systems are used to manufacture mining equipment, such as conveyors, wear packages, and hoppers, while handheld systems are most commonly used to maintain and repair the heavy equipment used at the mines.Some of the uses of plasma on-site include pipe fabrication and repair, cutting off corroded bolts to repair bulldozer tracks and for gouging out welds prior to repairing trucks and loaders. In partnership with SMENCO Pty Ltd, Hypertherm’s solutions will be on display at the Queensland Mining & Engineering Exhibition 2014 from 22 – 24 July. During the three-day event, visitors to Stand L199 can learn more about the thermal cutting solutions provided by Hypertherm, and the benefits that these innovations offer. Here are some highlights of the showcase: DuramaxTM Hyamp Torch The first of its kind in the industry, the DuramaxTM Hyamp long handheld torch is a groundbreaking new addition to the DuramaxTM Hyamp torch series. The long torch opens up new possibilities for scrapping, skeleton cutting, and other applications, and comes in two lengths – 1.2 m and 0.6 m. The special application torch is made from high impact and heat-resistant materials, and is designed for industrial use in harsh environments. It is compatible with the Powermax125, as well as the Powermax105/85/65 systems. Powermax air plasma systems Hypertherm’s Powermax line of products consists of six highly portable air plasma systems for handheld cutting, and five which can be used for automated cutting, and for gouging […]

High strength cellular aluminium foam for the automotive industry

Aluminium foam is used for applications that requires high level of energy and sound absorption characteristics. Researchers have developed an innovative process to make high strength cellular aluminium foam with help from some salt. Aluminium foam exhibits unique properties when compared to its dense form, particularly its lightweight characteristics. Generally, the foam can be divided into two categories; closed cell and open cell, both have different characteristics and applications. The features of the closed cell are, the pores structure is isolated and they are not connected to each other. This type of aluminium foam is suitable for application that requires high level of energy and sound absorption characteristics. It has been used widely in many structural parts, particularly in areas exposed to high damping capacity, for example in the automotive front bumper component. Meanwhile, the open cell, owing to greater level of connectivity of the pores, the structure has been accepted and used in thermal management applications. One such promising application is as a heat exchanger, particularly as a cooling medium to transfer heat, due to the development of its porous structure, which provides greater surface area, thus, enabling improved heat transfer efficiency. Producing a combined structure of open and closed cell in one volume component appears to be a difficult process due to the different processing techniques involved and their individual limitations. Therefore, in this study, an innovative processing route for high strength cellular aluminium foam (CAF) by integrating porous and dense structures is presented. The CAF is well known as a light-weight product exhibiting high level of inter-connected porosity which is very useful as a thermal management application, particularly as a heat transfer or cooling medium. However, the level of strength for the CAF is not really promising when it is subjected to high impact; thus, limit its […]

Network Time Machine ensures optimal user experience

The Network Time Machine LTE/VoLTE, is a portable LTE troubleshooting appliance that helps wireless carriers resolve network performance issues quickly and cost effectively. This ability is crucial to reducing customer churn, as subscribers who switch wireless carriers increasingly point to poor customer care and inadequate network performance as their reason for leaving. The Network Time Machine provides extensive network and application visibility, as well as the forensic details necessary to solve signalling or data performance problems in 20 Gbps carrier environments. Using Network Time Machine, carriers can measure and prove network performance, resolve subscriber issues and deliver the best possible consumer experience to meet growing voice, video, and data demands. “The proliferation of affordable smartphones, tablets, and other devices has sparked an ever-increasing popularity of mobile videos, games, and data applications,” said Amit Rao, general manager of the Carrier Wireless Core product line. “While networks have evolved from 3G to 4G/LTE to meet performance demands, network monitoring technologies have not kept pace. Network Time Machine LTE/VoLTE is the first troubleshooting appliance that can deliver the 20Gbps performance required for high-performance wireless networks and—even more important—for creating loyalty among today’s fickle wireless subscribers.” According to a recent Ovum survey*, 27 per cent of wireless subscribers who had changed carriers in the previous month cited “low network quality/speed of the services” as their reason for switching. More than 30 per cent said poor customer care was a key reason. While today’s wireless carriers need better and faster ways to resolve the network issues that drive customer complaints, most of their network engineers rely on solutions that lack capture performance or fragile appliances that must be shipped to unmonitored high-traffic LTE port locations. These tools often break and require complex configurations to make them operational. Network Time Machine is a rugged appliance that […]

PowerMILL 2015 to launch at IMTS

Picture: The improved collision detection in PowerMILL 2015 will be demonstrated at IMTS. Delcam will launch the 2015 version of its PowerMILL CAM system for high-speed and five-axis machining at IMTS 2014 in Chicago from 8th to 13th September on booth E3222, the largest CAM software booth at the show. The new release will include improvements to the Vortex high-efficiency area-clearance strategy, improved collision checking to also cover near misses, and more efficient raster finishing. The Vortex area-clearance strategy produces safe toolpaths with a much deeper cut by using a controlled engagement angle that maintains the optimum cutting conditions for the whole toolpath. As a result, higher feed rates and material-removal rates are possible, making the cutting time shorter by as much as 70%. In addition, cutting is undertaken at a more consistent volume-removal rate and at a near constant feedrate, so extending tool life and protecting the machine. Two enhancements in PowerMILL 2015 will give even greater reductions in machining time compared to conventional roughing. The first change allows toolpaths to approach the part from outside the stock at the cutting height for open pockets or in areas where earlier cuts have made this possible. Previously, all entry moves had to be made by plunging onto the surface or by ramping into the material. The second change allows an increased feed rate to be set for non-cutting moves. The default value is set at double the rate for the cutting moves but this can be altered as required for each machine tool. The extra time that can be saved depends on the shape of the part but an additional saving of around 20% should be expected above the earlier releases of Vortex. Another problem in previous versions of PowerMILL was that unnecessary lifts could be added to area-clearance toolpaths when […]

Revolutionary mass manufacturing 3D printing system on its way

The third industrial revolution may soon be upon us. Project Ara has received a ton of media attention over the last several months, as Google sets out to change the way smart phones are made and sold. The bigger story within the story is the fact that 3D Systems will be using an entirely new mass manufacturing system, which will rely almost solely on 3D printing. 3D Systems may be about to single-handedly revolutionise the manufacturing industry, by integrating a new system, capable of mass production, via additive manufacturing. We all know that traditional 3D printers, even the large scale quarter million dollar machines, are painstakingly slow. Up until now, unless you are mass producing only a few hundred small products, 3D printers are better left for rapid prototyping. There are tremendous benefits to 3D printing, mainly the fact that each print a machine makes can be totally different than its last. All the while, there is no need to change out equipment, teach production line employees new techniques, or reprogram the movements of robotic arms. If manufacturers could just overcome the problem of speed, the entire industry would be turned upside down. This is where 3D Systems is about to step up to the plate. They are working on a highly sophisticated, mass manufacturing system, which relies on high speed 3D printers. Such a system is so productive that it will be used in the manufacturing of millions or even billions of Google Project Ara smartphone modules. So how has 3D systems been able to overcome the downfalls of additive manufacturing? According to the company, their latest technique removes the “reciprocating platform,” used by most 3D printers today. Current 3D printers work in a way which allows the build platform and print head to move in tandem. Because of […]

Omni Stop provides pedestrian protection

PICTURE: Vehicle travelling at 60 Km per hour safely stopped with minimal deflection of the Omni Stop Bollard. There are regular reports across Australia of incidents where vehicles have crashed into construction zones, bus stops, pavement cafes and retail shop windows. Protecting lives from potential injury or death is paramount for all authorities so after each of these incidents, there is an investigation to assess whether or not it could have been prevented. One way to prevent out of control vehicles crashing into work zones or pedestrian areas is to erect a barrier which affords protection but does not restrict everyday activities on, or adjacent to, a road. Some common types of barrier, such as precast concrete sections or water-filled plastic units, provide inadequate protection and in some cases increase damage and injury to drivers and pedestrians. The Omni Stop Bollard is an energy absorbing bollard that is the only one of its type in Australia. It has been extensively crash-tested with impacts up to 60 kilometres per hour and complies with the requirements of AS/NZS3845:1999 Table 5.3.3(3). The Omni Stop Bollard permits access for workers to a construction zone or pedestrians to a shopping precinct while at the same time preventing vehicle penetration. Designed, assembled and tested in Australia, the Omni Stop Bollard is available from Saferoads. Based in West Gippsland, Victoria, Saferoads has been servicing State government departments, local councils and road construction companies with a broad range of products designed to direct, protect, inform and illuminate all road users since 1992. The carbon steel bollard of the Omni Stop is supported by a unique energy absorbing cartridge that is encased in a concrete footing. When the bollard is impacted, the cartridge deforms and absorbs the kinetic energy of the vehicle. When a 1600 kilogram car at 60 kilometres […]

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