Simulator optimises CNC operation

CGTech has released the latest version of its Vericut CNC machine simulation and optimisation software.

CGTech has released the latest version of its Vericut CNC machine simulation and optimisation software.

Vericut 5.4 features several enhancements designed to increase the ability of manufacturing engineers to inspect, analyse and document the CNC programming and machining process in order to produce better results and reduce the time spent in the programming and machining cycle.

Vericut software offers the ideal environment for improving manufacturing documentation - it contains the critical manufacturing information, especially an accurate representation of the in-process geometry, necessary to accurately document the process.

Most manufacturers inspect parts at various times during the machining process.

To do so, they manually create "inspection instructions" to document the results.

There are many ways to create a series of inspection instructions.

But in the absence of an electronic "in-process" model of the part, and therefore a limited knowledge of the in-process state of material, these manual methods require a certain degree of technical expertise and can be prone to error.

Accurate in-process geometry is necessary for efficiently creating quality in-process inspection instructions.

Vericut 5.4 offers a better way by automatically creating inspection instructions, complete with in-process feature dimensions, automatically created during a simulation of the NC program.

This helps establish a formal, but easy and efficient method to create and document inspection procedures.

With a simple template, the auto-generated inspection reports are highly customisable by the user.

Creating the inspection sequence instructions is quick and easy because the manufacturing engineer uses the in-process, "as-machined" model to graphically describe which features to inspect.

To add inspection points, the user just clicks on a cut feature - Vericut then identifies the feature, automatically extracts feature sizes from the electronic in-process model, and applies a standard tolerance for the measurement.

Users can then add any additional instructions and select the measuring instrument from a list.

When the inspection sequence is completed, the finished inspection report can be saved in standard HTML or PDF format for easy printing or sharing via e-mail.

Advantages to automatically generated inspection sequence reports include: reducing engineering time; reducing documentation error by using the actual geometric data; improving communication and quality by formalising what is already being done; reducing production time by providing clear instructions; minimising production errors with through, accurate instructions; and providing timely information which accurately represents the real process across all departments.

Vericut features the ability to detect gouges and excess material by virtually "embedding" the design model inside the cut stock and comparing the differences between the two.

This "auto-diff" function in enhanced in version 5.4 to make accurate comparisons of large cut stock with the design faster and easier.

Especially useful for finding errors and differences on large parts, a new "compare by region" option provides the ability to individually check certain areas of the part without having to perform an auto-diff comparison on the entire model.

This dramatically speeds calculation time because the software needs only to focus on the specified area.

The region can then be expanded over the entire stock model.

Vericut 5.4 includes powerful tools for creating custom reports, tailored for a specific user/department/company's needs, containing all the data generated during the simulation process for shop floor or in-process documentation, NC programming documentation, or to capture the information generated in the Vericut session.

Produced in standard HTML format, the layout is highly customisable, including the ability to modify page design, fonts, graphics, tables, pictures, statistics, and add user-defined information critical do documenting the CNC machining process.

Vericut includes an "x-calliper" measurement utility that enables users to digitally verify the dimensional accuracy of their cut parts before even loading the NC program on the CNC machine.

With this utility, manufacturing engineers can measure features such as stock thicknesses, volumes, distances between features, angles, hole diameters, corner radii, scallop heights etc.

New to version 5.4 is the ability to measure the distance between the cut stock and the "virtually embedded" design model.

Users can now cross-section the model and measure the distance between the as-cut material and the design model along the sectioned plane.

This provides a tool to determine how much more material needs to be machined from the stock, or verify that the cutter left the correct amount of material on the stock.

During cross sectioning, the models can be displayed in solid or translucency to help visualise the results.

Vericut now supports simulating tool chains.

It uses a sweep profile to define the path of the tool chain and checks interference between tools in adjacent pockets.

Vericut supports tool changers that replace the tool in either the original or "ready" pocket.

Additionally, tool chain position motion is simulated concurrently along with cutting simulation.

This enables users to simulate and track tool change time.

Among other useful purposes, with this feature users can improve the machining process by determining if a cutting operation is forced to wait for a long tool change, and making any necessary modifications.

Vericut is CNC machine simulation, verification and optimisation software that enables users to eliminate the process of manually proving-out NC programs.

It reduces scrap loss and rework.

The program also optimises NC programs in order to produce the most efficient tool paths possible that both save time and produce higher quality surface finish.

Vericut supports G-codes or native CAM output to simulate milling, drilling, turning, wire EDM, and mill/turn machining operations.

Vericut runs under Windows and Unix.

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