GibbsCAM VoluMill has made it possible for Quelch Engineering Ltd to achieve some startling reductions in its machining cycle times. The Uxbridge based company specialises in aerospace, motor sport, petrochemical and electronic components, including parts for the Ariane space rocket.
As a subcontractor, a high proportion of parts are new and unique, leading to a heavy demand for CNC programming. Quelch Engineering first invested in GibbsCAM in 1999, choosing it for its simplicity of operation. Now the company has two seats of the software using it to program all of its 11 CNC machines including Milling, Turning and MTM Mill/Turn. Chairman, Alan See, says “We have a policy of continuous investment to ensure we can keep ahead of the technological demands of our market and deliver high quality products on time at a competitive cost”.
An evolving product As part of this investment program, Quelch Engineering has continuously invested in its GibbsCAM software adding modules for 4-axis Positional and Rotary machining, solid modeling, multi task machining and full 3D machining With the ability to read native CAD models including CATIA V5, Pro-Engineer, NX-CAD and Solidworks, to name but a few. The VoluMill module was the next logical investment. In 2009 Quelch Engineering became the first company in the United Kingdom to install the GibbsCAM VoluMill Module achieving some truly remarkable results.
Intelligent algorithm GibbsCAM VoluMill has been designed for ultra high-performance 2, 3 and 4 axis roughing by optimising the feedrate, toolpath and cutting conditions to achieve the shortest possible cycle time. The intelligent algorithm in the software considers heat dissipation through the chips, keeping the workpiece and tools at a constant temperature, while curves and arcs are introduced into the cutterpath to produce smooth fluid movements of the tool. The software also enables the programmer to rough as deep as possible, to make use of the full length of the tool. It then automatically re-roughs the large steps produced, ready for part finishing.
We will go into deeper explanation on GibbsCAM VoluMill:
- optimisation of tooling and
- working conditions and explain
- the technology advantage of the software package
in Eurotec’s next issue.
GibbsCAM at Prodex If this post explains the benefits of machining parts of a few decimetres cubes with GibbsCAM, the software also offers dedicated solutions for microtechnology, watchmaking and medical. Many specific modules of GibbsCAM have been developed in the heart of the microtechnology market by Productec, dealer in Switzerland and France and long-time partner of GibbsCAM. On the K30 stand in Hall 1.1 visitors will be able to discover the all-new version of GibbsCAM ’GibbsCAM 2012+’, the workshops management tools of CWork as well as programming of multitasking machines (MTM) solutions.
Productec SA
Grands Champs 5 2842 Rossemaison Tel. + 41 32 421 44 33 Fax + 41 32 421 44 39 [email protected] www.productec.ch
Productec France Tél. ++33 9 74 76 26 61
