Optimizing the Productivity of High Speed Machines (cont.)
Global competition is forcing the mold making industry to rethink the way it does business. Despite investing millions of dollars in high-speed machining (HSM) technology, firms for the most part have yet to achieve the true potential of hard milling processes for machining intricate molds and dies.
Hard Milling generally refers to molds and dies that are made of very hard materials with intricate details. The typical manufacturing process for these parts includes graphite electrode design, electrode machining and time consuming Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM). The use of HSM in hard milling allows high quality finishes to be obtained by machining, reducing the need to use slower EDM processes and minimizing the need for polishing and hand finishing. This results in significant productivity improvements.
Even though high speed machines have evolved over the past four decades, the real promise of HSM is yet to be realized by the majority of manufacturers who have invested millions of dollars in high speed. This is often because the users don't know how to create tool-paths and select machining parameters that will utilize the higher feeds and speeds without breaking tools or spoiling the part.
With NX 3, UGS saw the need for dedicated research with customers to address the area of HSM. Hard Milling demands specialized toolpaths for both roughing and finishing. In addition to state-of-the-art high speed friendly tool paths, UGS delivers practical implementation solutions such as the innovative process for obtaining chatter free machining parameters, constant metal removal rate and proven machining data.
Is your HSM investment paying you dividends? Find out more here.
