Faster machining,

better machining
How to accelerate CNC machining without
sacrificing safety or control

Siemens Digital Industries Software

Time is of utmost importance for
machine shops. The faster they
complete jobs, the higher their
revenue. For NC programmers, that
not only means producing toolpaths
quickly, but producing toolpaths that
run fast. Several new capabilities
enable both. These include high-speed
machining, feature-based machining,
toolpath simulation, and working
associatively with designs from any
computer-aided design (CAD)
application. Time is critical. How do
you get jobs done more quickly, while
maintaining control and ensuring
safety?
Accelerating machining Jobs
At the end of the day, machine shops are only as profit-
able as the number of jobs they complete. The more
jobs a manufacturer completes, the more money it
makes. Move only a few orders through the door each
month and revenue suffers. Take on too many orders
but complete only a handful of them – or worse yet, fail
to meet customer specifications – and the result is the
same. The only way a job shop can assure profitability is
to fill its roster, perform quality work and move each job
through in a timely manner.
That straightforward formula for job-shop success puts
NC programmers under pressure to get their own part
of the job, toolpath creation, done quickly and done
well. NC programmers seek a solution to meet all their
requirements when it comes to toolpath creation.
While programmers and the manufacturers they work
for have long relied on computer-aided manufacturing
(CAM) software, they’re asking more from their CAM
The ability to receive product manufacturing informa-
programs than ever before. They know they can quicken
tion (PMI) and geometry data directly from any CAD
their pace by using faster and smarter toolpaths sup-
program is also important. The CAD-to-CAM handoff
ported by their CAM program.
makes it easy for the NC programmer to design the
To assess toolpath viability, they want, for instance, manufacturing plan according to the engineer’s specifi-
immediate feedback on the toolpaths they’ve created. cations, no matter the customer.
Even feature-rich software must be easy to use, as NC
Programmers also want to simulate how the machines
programmers can’t spend a great deal of time learning
will execute cutting following the toolpaths they’ve
the ins and outs of each feature. Programmers are
designed. By viewing a visualization that depicts how
looking for quick ways to understand exactly what their
the machines will operate, programmers can check for
software is capable of and how those features function.
clashes and analyze machine motion, changing tool-
They’re looking for automatic toolpath creation where it
paths where necessary before the first cut.
fits, but they want to be able to customize toolpaths
where needed. Automated toolpath creation drastically These are the time-saving tools programmers need to
reduces the amount of time operators spend setting up do their jobs today. Luckily, NC applications offer new
toolpaths. Customization allows NC programmers to ways to meet the needs of NC programmers employed
tailor jobs exactly to their needs. in quick-moving manufacturing environments.
Automated intelligence through advanced Customizing automation to your tastes
machining techniques Although speed is important, so is control. Automation doesn’t mean the programmer
surrenders complete programming control. They still need to manually edit and cus-
Manufacturers must machine parts at high speeds. Of course, those parts need to be tomize some NC toolpaths quickly and effectively.
accurate, well-made, and meet all customer requirements. Anything less affects the
manufacturer’s bottom line. Errors may force machine shops to complete another run Each manufacturer has its own set of experiences and practices that works best for
for the customer, losing valuable production time while costs mount. The manufactur- their customers. Operators should be able to modify and manage toolpaths by manu-
er’s reputation suffers as well. ally adjusting the program that automatically machines the model. For example, they
should be able to click on and adjust cutting parameters where needed. An operator
Accuracy and speed begin at the programming level. This is where programming may need to change the sequence of machining steps, including, for example, chang-
automation makes a big difference. The ability of a system to generate toolpaths ing a cutting tool or adjusting the speed or feed of the machining process. If milling
automatically reduces the time NC programmers spend on programming and reduces operations aren’t in the right order, operators must be able to re-sort operation classes
programming errors to accelerate overall machining time. by tool, path type, or machining method. They should also be able to quickly and easily
The CAM tool must be able to automatically identify the optimal toolpath for each part change a toolpath with their mouse and immediately see the results on their screen.
and to automatically apply the results. Automation slashes the time operators spend on
coding and the time lost on detecting and correcting problems such as long reposition-
ing motions between cutting paths, unexpected collisions, and overtravel. In fact, with
an automatic system, users could produce CNC programs with only a few mouse clicks.
Automation doesn’t stop there. NC programmers can develop and apply automated
machining strategies for combinations of machining toolpaths.
But automation isn’t the only “must have” for the modern job shop. To truly speed their
throughput, programmers also seek a software system that includes advanced capabili-
ties like high-speed machining – for a high material removal rate – and adaptive
machining. Normal cut patterns vary the amount of material that is removed, and in
doing so, require varying feed rates. If the feed rate is too high for a given thickness, it
can stress or break the tool, but if the feed rate is too low, the job can take more time
than is necessary. Instead of requiring a switch back and forth between feed rates,
adaptive machining automatically maintains a consistent thickness by varying the
stepover. This allows the machine to run at a constant, optimal feed rate for the pat-
tern. When the feed rate is constant, a job shop can always run at maximum speed and
capacity.
Feature-based machining is also a must
have, as it extends automation and the
speeds that it brings. Feature-based
machining automatically recognizes model Their CAM software should clearly guide them in editing the knowledge base it used to
features – whether the model is native or create and generate NC toolpaths and in modifying the rules it used to recognize
imported. It then creates the toolpath for model features. The same is true of customized toolpath creation, in which program-
the model features. In this way, feature- mers edit the knowledge base to generate NC toolpaths to tailor them for their unique
based machining automatically creates an needs.
individual NC toolpath for each type of
feature. With this capability, NC program-
mers can quickly and easily build out their
machining strategies.
Simulation to check for toolpath errors
What if programmers had a way to confirm the toolpaths they created were error-
free before machining began? After all, manufacturing issues are a costly and timely
headache for job shops. A programming problem means manufacturing downtime
for toolpath modification. An incorrect toolpath could result in damage to the
machining equipment and in broken tools, not to mention the safety issues that arise
when operators are around machines that may break or malfunction without notice.
Simulation is the answer.
This capability allows programmers to simulate their intended toolpaths via a com-
puterized animation that depicts how the machines will operate as they follow the
programmed toolpaths. By using the mouse or key clicks, programmers can spin, pan
or zoom around the machining simulation to view the process from all angles.
Programmers can view the simulation to check for any actual or near collisions and
interferences between the part, the in-process workpiece, tooling and fixtures, and
machine tool structure. The simulation lets them see the material as it is removed
from stock and observe the form of the product after cutting. They can check for
programming or parameter setting issues. They can also simulate on-machine prob-
ing cycles for a full visualization into part production.
It’s important to note that for the most accurate toolpath moves, the system should
use the actual G-codes for simulation rather than the internal toolpath representation.
By simulating their toolpaths, operators can discover problems and fix them before
parts get to actual production. That saves the machine job from costly retooling of
parts. It also speeds and smooths the production process and makes for a safer work
environment.
Ready for designs from any CAD application
It sometimes seems as if no two companies use the same CAD application.
Manufacturers can’t dictate the CAD format in which their customers send them
models, so they must be able to read and work with all types of CAD data.
NC programmers must be able to open models and drawings sent to them in native
formats. They’ll also need capabilities to clean up or even to create geometry. This
must often take place before programmers can create NC toolpaths because parts of
the model may be lost in translation as they move to the manufacturer. Even so, for
a manufacturer, working with imported CAD data should be as easy as opening a
native file, no matter its native format or the complexity of its geometry.
A CAM program should allow a programmer to understand how changes made to
the geometry or boundary conditions will influence results. They need to see and
compare a range of potential results and should be able to assess results by numeri-
cal values, graphs or animations as required.
The good news is that NC toolpaths are associative to the design model. That means
when engineers change a model, the NC toolpath automatically updates to reflect
that change.
Summary
Improving profitability isn’t just about creating toolpaths fast, its also about creating
toolpaths that run quickly. That shortens time to payment. Modern CAD/CAM applica-
tions provide key capabilities that help in this regard:
• High-speed machining supports new machining centers that run at higher rates.
Feature-based machining applies sets of toolpaths with embedded best practices to
accelerate machining. Modern CAD/CAM applications must support both.
• Automation is important, but control is paramount. Programmers need the ability to
change toolpath parameters at a high level, but also must have the capability to
change individual moves in the toolpath. This is another area where modern CAD/
CAM applications must support both needs.
• No machine shop can afford broken tools, jigs, and fixtures. Simulations virtually run
toolpaths to check for collisions so they can be addressed before they are run in the
real world. That eliminates costly mistakes on the shop floor. This is yet another area
where modern CAD/CAM applications offer these key capabilities.
• Machine shops get models in a huge range of CAD formats. Modern CAD/CAM
applications must be able to open all those models so they can build out toolpaths
to machine them.
Address CNC machining requirements CAD-neutral capability
Understand influence of changes in the geometry or boundary conditions on the
You can address all types of CNC machining requirements and provide the right tools to results by comparing a wide range of project variants. Assess results by numerical
manufacture today’s products faster and more easily with Solid Edge® software. Solid values, graphs or animations.
Edge offers comprehensive solutions for machine tool programming, from simple NC
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Postprocessor library
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Included with Solid Edge CAM Pro, the Post Hub library enables a streamlined process
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Learn more about Solid Edge CAM solutions at
Tight integration with Solid Edge
siemens.com/solid-edge-cam
Sending files from Solid Edge mechanical design to Solid Edge CAM Pro is a one-button
click. Send a single file or a whole manufacturing assembly. Data retains associativity,
so that when late-stage design changes occur, they can be easily incorporated into the
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