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Changing CAD/CAM Versions On-The-Fly
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In December 2005, Tom Prebelich, the tooling supervisor of Dynamic Plastics, a prototype and tooling shop in Chesterfield Township, Michigan faced a dilemma. A new version of the company’s preferred CAD/CAM software could potentially contribute to noticeable improvements in productivity, product quality and tool life. But, the new version was so radically different, at least at first glance, that making a wholesale change could conceivably compromise existing work schedules. The company had been using Mastercam CAD/CAM Software from CNC Software since the release of Version 5. The company holds nine licenses—six mill, two design and one wire EDM. From the start, incremental changes in the product made upgrades easy to adopt all the way through Version 9, according to Dynamic Plastics. When Mr. Prebelich received a beta copy of Mastercam X, he was both impressed and concerned. The latest version was available as a free upgrade under the company’s maintenance contract. It contained many features and functions (particularly new task-automation tools and high speed machining tool paths) for which Dynamic Plastics had been searching. However, these features were presented in a different, purportedly streamlined graphic user interface (GUI) that did not resemble the original product. After experimenting with the program for a couple of weeks, Mr. Prebelich concluded that the company would simply lose too much if it did not implement Mastercam X across the board. Even though he sensed some urgency in introducing the software, Mr. Prebelich realized that it would be a mistake to force this change on the toolmakers abruptly. Dynamic Plastics is fortunate enough to employ a 12-person team of experienced toolmakers who are highly self-motivated. “They are always being ‘double productive,’ working back and forth between the CNC equipment and the software,” Mr. Prebelich says when referring to his dedicated team. “They have earned us a reputation for being able to complete projects with seemingly impossible deadlines on time even when there are extensive engineering changes. One example of this is when we built 28 prototype tools for the Segway HT personal transporter.” The last thing the company wanted to do was impose new labor-saving software on the team and have the learning process become a bottleneck in the workflow. To preempt this, Mr. Prebelich devised a plan. “Everyone huddled in the conference room to watch the 30-minute video that came with X,” he says. “All of them agreed to work in the program for at least 1 hour per day during the first week. During the second week, they would work in X for 2 hours per day.” What followed was quite comical, Mr. Prebelich observes. First, the team would discover some new feature in X and say something to the effect of “wow, that’s cool.” Then, frustration would set in because the new software didn’t always work in ways they were accustomed to. The team might then revisit Version 9 only to discover that what they were doing in X simply worked better. This went back and forth. Even so, almost everyone converted over after the initial week. By the end of the second week, everyone was using the new program—all of the time—and began reporting benefits such as finishing work more quickly and easily than before.
For example, “live entities” in the design mode allow users to preview the line or the shape that they are creating. This means that operators can make revisions before it becomes part of the model. These kinds of features allow more to be accomplished in fewer steps, the manufacturer says. The company also reports that a selection of high speed tool paths delivers consistent entries, exits and tool engagement throughout the machining process. “If you ask for a 40-percent stepover, then it will maintain that all of the time and never take any more than that,” Mr. Prebelich says. “Previously, we beat up a lot of tools on our high speed machining center.” Using the software’s backplotting and verification features, the company can create complex tool paths. Backplotting shows an animated version of the cutting tool as it executes the various tool paths the user has assigned to the part. That way, the company does not have to make test cuts. This function also incorporates toolholder recognition to prevent toolholder crashes. The verification function produces a 3D rendering of the manufactured part based on the selected tool paths. Colored areas on the solid block indicate where too much or too little stock has been removed relative to the CAD model. Features like these were present in previous versions. However, they have been rebuilt from the ground up in the new version. As a result, they are faster, more effective and practical for everyday usage. Mr. Prebelich estimates that his department (both people and the equipment) has increased overall productivity by as much as 15 to 20 percent since transitioning over to Mastercam X in January of 2006. “It’s as if we hired another two experienced toolmakers,” he quips. In addition, the company says that it is spending less on tools for its high speed machining center. Scrap and rework levels are also down as a result of the toolpath and workpiece previewing tools as well as the precision high speed machining routines. http://www.mmsonline.com/articles/0507bp5.html |
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