5 reasons to reassess your CAM system

The GibbsCAM and Sandvik Coromant collaboration delivers a productivity boost with its Version 2023. GibbsCAM

CAM system developers are constantly adapting the software and adding new features to meet the needs of today’s manufacturers. Most shops are focused on producing parts and getting them out the door to customers as quickly and efficiently as possible, leaving little to no time for other projects, like exploring new CAM features.

But it is important for a shop to assess whether the CAM software meets its needs. Experts suggest marking the calendar at least once per year to evaluate what is working and what features might be worth investing in. If it can be evaluated every six months, that’s even better.

“Getting new or updated software is not always the answer,” said Ben Mund, channel marketing manager, CNC Software LLC. Tolland, Conn. “It doesn’t cost a shop any money to dig deeper into the software it already has to make sure that it is using all the tools to the fullest. This isn’t always the first thought, but it’s important to understand exactly what the software offers and how it can be used to its fullest. It can be a little daunting because there's a lot in there, so a reseller or CAM representative can help.”

CAM representatives and resellers can look at current projects to determine if it is taking advantage of existing tools or if it could be doing something different or better without having to invest in new software.

Here are 5 reasons why a shop should reassess and possibly upgrade its CAM.

1. Jobs Aren’t Completed to Satisfaction

There are many reasons why a shop might struggle with a new or existing job, but CAM software can be a factor.

“With CAM technology moving as quickly as it is right now, it can be easy for businesses to get behind and settle on status quo,” Vic Baker, product marketing manager, GibbsCAM, Thousand Oaks, Calif. “Some businesses may be OK today, but in two or three years they may find that they are not performing as well as they should. A shop may find itself in the situation where it is losing work or not getting the jobs that it expected.”

It’s certainly better to try and stay ahead of the curve and prevent this from happening, but that’s not always easy in practice. When a business is consistently losing out on jobs or having quality issues with existing jobs, this can be a clear indicator that it’s time to reassess existing CAM software.

“Some shops have a good sense of where they are technologically compared to competitors,” said Mund. “If they notice a slip in productivity or feel they are getting less work than other shops who are comparable, it’s worth considering what CAM software—and version of that software—others are using. It may be the case that competing businesses have better software that allows them to be more efficient.”

Manufacturers can assess pain points in its process and conduct a deep dive in areas that could be improved. No one wants to find itself in a situation where it is constantly being undercut in production time and cost.

VoluMill provides a high-speed machining option for 2.5-axis and 3-axis milling with even the hardest materials. CAMWorks

“For example, sometimes existing CAM systems can be several years old and can take several hours or more to generate a CNC program,” said Marc Bissell, senior applications specialist, CAMWorks, Scottsdale, Ariz. “In today’s environment, time is money and every second counts, and upgrading to a new or faster system can alleviate this issue.”

2. Machines Aren’t Used Effectively

Parts are becoming more complex and it’s more important than ever to produce them as efficiently as possible. A shop needs to maximize the latest innovations and ensure that it is taking advantage of all existing technology.

Mill-turn and multitasking machines have become increasingly popular on the shop floor. The ability to perform done-in-one part production is a great concept if users can take advantage of it.

“These machines are significant investments, sometimes reaching up to half a million dollars or more,” said Baker. “The last thing any manager wants to see when they walk through the shop floor is the machine sitting idle or having a single spindle in the cut, where the machinist is treating the machine like a 2-axis lathe rather than what it was designed to do.”

New equipment can be daunting to operate, especially for inexperienced operators who might rather work with the status quo than risk crashing the machine. Some situations arise where the operator doesn’t know how to run the software properly. But in many cases, manufacturers may not have the right software options to run these machines effectively.

“If a shop brings in a new piece of equipment and they can’t use it to its fullest potential or if it takes an inordinate amount of time to program, that's a great indicator to reassess CAM software or anything else that's directly affiliated with it,” said Mund. “Sometimes there are special utilities on a machine that a shop may not have thought about or may not yet have decided how to apply to existing processes. At this point, it may be time to look and see if there's an update to the existing software or move to a new package.”

Are all axes on the machine being used as much as possible? On multitasking machines, are both spindles being used? It can be very easy to detect if the machine is being utilized to its optimal performance. For example, if the part is always on the left spindle and the right one is never used, then the machine benefits are not being optimized.

3. To Utilize the Latest Toolpath Improvements

There is a constant flow of disruptive technology entering the machining space. New cutting tools and machining parameters are helping manufacturers produce parts faster and more efficiently. However, a shop cannot access the benefits without CAM features that enable these improvements.

Some businesses are careful about adopting new technology too quickly, but there are some great advancements that can make a huge difference in productivity gains.

“Several cutting tool manufacturers have come out with new multifunction tools,” said Baker. “These tools have inserts that can perform drilling, boring, and turning operations. They can shave seconds and minutes off a job because the operator doesn’t have to change the tool every time. In a high-production environment, this saving can be critical, but only if the CAM system supports it.”

Sandvik Coromant’s PrimeTurning increases feeds and speeds by two to three times and extends insert life. For shops looking to take advantage of these productivity gains, it’s important to ensure that CAM supports these advanced toolpaths. GibbsCAM

CAM software also can be used to reduce cycle time. For a manufacturer looking to take advantage of VoluMill, a high-speed rough milling technology, and Sandvik Coromant’s PrimeTurning, it must ensure that its CAM supports these advanced toolpaths.

“For example, PrimeTurning increases feeds and speeds by two to three times and extends insert life,” said Baker. “It uses special inserts that are designed to cut in the opposite direction from how a lathe usually cuts. It breaks the chip down and it allows for a shallower angle of approach, which helps with chip size and heat distribution.”

Bissell noted that VoluMill and PrimeTurning provide significant cycle time reductions.

“VoluMill provides a high-speed machining option for 2.5-axis and 3-axis milling with even the hardest materials,” said Bissell, “The latest CAM updates also support various tools, including multipoint threading tools and others, to help reduce programming and cycle times.”

New and improved CAM cycles are constantly being released and manufacturers aren’t always aware of the benefits of the latest disruptive technology. Some may have a sense of what is out there and what will work for them, and others may not. Checking out the latest features and trends can help a shop identify different approaches that can give it an edge.

4. To Become More Automated

Manufacturers constantly are looking for ways to improve and automation is one way to do that. Choosing a CAM system that is feature-based can help automate the CNC programming process.

“Automatic feature recognition and knowledge-based machining are great tools to automate the programming process,” said Bissell. “Traditional operations-based CAM for CNC programming is laborious and prone to errors. With operations-based programming, part models are typically created one at a time by choosing a tool or operation type, selecting a chain or profile, and then repeatedly adjusting the operation parameters to achieve the desired toolpath. With feature-based technology and automatic feature recognition this process is automated. The machinable features in the CAD model are automatically recognized and the machining knowledge that is built into the CAM system with knowledge-based technology, automatically associates the manufacturing features with a company's preferred machining strategies.”

The challenge with this approach is that CAD systems are always updating or changing the database structure. This means it’s important to stay on top of CAM maintenance. The last thing any shop wants is to receive a CAD model from a customer and find out that the CAM system can’t read it.

Another way to automate is through barcoding.

“Parts and part families that already have programs attached to them can be barcoded so that when they are sent to the machine tool, the barcode can be scanned, and then the CAM system finds the program and the machine produces the part,” said Baker. “The CAM software is able to save existing programs, making it easy for shops to automate parts they produce often.”

Automatic feature recognition and knowledge-based machining are great tools to automate the programming process. This may mean having an integrated CAD/CAM system so that both CAD and CAM files can be stored in a single file. CAMWorks

5. To Make Digital Transformation Easier

Industry 4.0 and the digital transformation are on the top of many people’s minds right now.

“One of the cornerstones for digital transformation is a digital twin,” said Bissell. “The digital twin includes all the CAD and CAM data in a single file, which is accomplished with a fully integrated CADCAM system. Having a CAM system that is fully embedded in a CAD system allows the CADCAM models to become design and manufacturing digital twins. When the CAD model is changed, the CAM tool paths update automatically, saving a lot of time when design changes are made.”

Having this integration is so important when it comes to ensuring accuracy. For example, some CAM software offers tolerance-based machining that can read MBD or PMI data and select the correct machining strategy to meet the tolerance or surface finish requirements specified by that data.

“This technology promotes the use of digital twins with MBD and PMI data to help eliminate the need for 2D paper drawings and digitally transform manufacturing,” said Bissell.

Knowledge-based machining and databases allow for processes and specifications to be saved. From here, users can create operations using presaved programs or toolpaths automatically.

“One of the benefits of knowledge-based databases is when a similar job comes up, the operator can grab the process and doesn’t have to input metrics except for the new geometry,” said Baker. “It creates a toolpath very quickly. This can be extremely helpful in shops that have new programmers that aren’t as skilled as some of the long-time operators. All the knowledge and skill can be captured digitally and shared as users access it.”

Use Downtime to Evaluate CAM

Downtime is the perfect time for a business to step back and evaluate its CAM software.

“Shops can take the time to re-evaluate what types of jobs they are getting in and how they are cutting them,” said Mund. “This is a great time to talk to a CAM representative and find out more about what existing software features can be better taken advantage of or if an update is needed. Sometimes this is a great time to just dial in existing aspects of the CAM software to make it work better for the shop. It’s also a great time to consider CAM software training.”

Even downtime can ultimately be invaluable to a manufacturer because it provides more flexibility and time to look for efficiencies, whether that’s through software upgrades or CAM features training.

Don’t miss our “CAM action plan.” This feature provides simple steps that machine shops can take to use their CAM capabilities more efficiently.

Associate Editor Lindsay Luminoso can be reached at lluminoso@canadianmetalworking.com.

CAMWorks, www.camworks.com

GibbsCAM, www.gibbscam.com

Mastercam, www.mastercam.com