Selecting the right CAM software for 5-axis machining

Five-axis machining techniques programmed with the appropriate CAM software can provide users with more realistic and effective strategies to reduce cycle times, reduce machining steps, improve surface quality and machining quality, and extend tool life. These are common to traditional three-axis machining. It is impossible.

Five-axis machining improves surface quality

Five-axis machining technology is applicable to the processing of complex surfaces, and is therefore widely used in the fields of aerospace, automobiles, and molds. The main advantages of using five-axis machining technology in mold processing are the short processing time and high surface quality. For mold manufacturing companies, the application of five-axis machining technology can achieve higher product quality and shorter lead times.

Positioning five-axis machining

Nowadays, more and more machine tools and controllers can adapt to the requirements of five-axis milling. However, in the CAM software, the true sense of five-axis linkage processing has not been sufficiently popular, and some users still take the five positioning. The shaft machining (3+2) method requires complicated optimization.

The positioning of the five-axis machining is accomplished by a set of "three-axis" systems, and the machining of the fourth and fifth axes is positioned in the rotating position. Its main advantages are that it can effectively use shorter tools, fewer tools stick out, faster cutting, longer tool life, improved machining accuracy and surface accuracy, and these can be created simply by creating a series of positioning work planes. In addition, the number of machining steps required for positioning the five-axis machining is also less, which saves time, reduces the machine tool error rate, and improves the utilization of the machine tool.

Five axis linkage processing

When the mold cavity is deep and has a very narrow part to be machined, if the three-axis tool path for the positioning of the five-axis machining is still used, mutual interference is usually difficult to avoid, and at the same time, some other areas may not be complete. Cover to. At this time, five-axis linkage processing must be a better choice.

Of course, there are no shortage of advanced CAM systems on the market. These systems can provide professional and reliable five-axis machining solutions in real sense, such as PowerMILL software from DELCAM in the UK and HyperMILL software from OPENMIND in Germany. They enable users to Create continuous five-axis toolpaths on complex surfaces, solids, and 3D models, and the toolpaths are automatically checked and optimized to support a wide variety of machining strategies and all tool types.

The advantage of 5-axis simultaneous machining is that the tool feed direction and the workpiece surface are continuously maintained at an appropriate angle to obtain a better surface quality, and the chamfering can be better approximated, while also increasing the tool life. The economical use of tools, the reduced cycle time, and the one-time installation of clamps all save time and reduce the error rate of machining.

Processing strategy

The five-axis machining application in the mold manufacturing mainly includes ribs processing, planer angles, deep hole or core processing, etc. Groove processing, chamfering, steep wall and five-axis drilling can also fully utilize the advantages of five-axis machining.

Using appropriate CAM software can improve the five-axis machining process strategies, such as: vibration inspection of all tool paths, curves, points, contours, automatic calculation of tool position, etc., can be automatically completed by software, and some CAM software also supports all tools. design. Other processing strategies include “point strategies”, such as improved cutting conditions through tool correction and improved machining accuracy.

A common problem with five-axis toolpaths is that the tool vibrates in the normal direction of contact with the machined surface of the workpiece, causing surface quality defects. Using a simplified reference surface can eliminate chattering to solve this problem.

Fully integrated tool path inspection provides thorough prevention of overshoot and vibration inspection. Simulation and verification of machine motions can detect and display potential vibrations, axial movements, and allow manual adjustments on any axis. In addition, choosing the right CAM software can automatically avoid vibration, prevent impact, and protect the equipment.

Tool path optimization

CAM software helps users to optimize the tool path.

Rainbow Shading shows the processing sequence and the axis is displayed in reverse color. Visual inspection can take into account tool geometry, speed, and feed. Because the new CAM features describe cutting-edge characteristics, the user can see the actual tooling process and effects, accurately display the feed speed and effects, and the workpiece surface quality, allowing the surface finish values ​​to be predicted before actual machining.

Redistribution of points provides a way to reduce processing time. In one example, a five-axis machining center with a spindle speed of 7,500 mm/min can speed up the cycle time by 39% by comparing the redistribution of points with standard tolerance data. Redistribution of points allows programmers to easily handle the smoothness of the tool path and the distribution of points on the path in order to obtain these results.

User value

Either way, for mold manufacturing companies, the advantages of using five-axis machining technology are mainly reflected in the following aspects:

1, shorten the processing time: Five-axis machining can reduce the number of manufacturing processes and workpiece clamping and EDM area and die polishing process, thus greatly reducing the overall processing time and shorten the delivery cycle.

2. Improve quality: Use shorter tools to reduce deviations, obtain higher machining accuracy and more stable surface quality.

3, to reduce costs: Five-axis machining can extend the life of the tool, but also reduce the use of other processing equipment, such as reducing electrical processing equipment can reduce the use of power level.

In the actual application process, experienced users will also set a lot of templates, which can save time and reduce the error rate of future programs, and can perform a complete process simulation on the computer to prevent errors in the workshop processing.

When the user uses five-axis machining, the clamping strategy may need to be adjusted so that the workpiece characteristics can be taken into account as much as possible in the programming of the five-axis machining. The standard clamping device generally does not allow contact with multiple sides of the workpiece, while the special five-axis tooling mechanism and magnetic clamping mechanism can easily access the parts being processed, and therefore it is favored by users.

The advantages of five-axis machining include multiple machining methods (three-axis HSM, five-axis positioning, continuous five-axis, five-axis drilling, etc.). Only one device is required, and the spindle speed and feedrate are faster. Five-axis machine tool equipment also has a tendency to decrease in size, and its stiffness is better, which can further improve the efficiency of enterprise applications.

The technology behind five-axis machining and high-speed machining continues to be improved for wider application. For the advancement of these technologies and equipment, although at first sight the investment is relatively high, the benefits in terms of tool life, efficiency, and actual operating cost have completely offset these initial cost increases.

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