Page 16 - MetalForming April 2017

Software for Manufacturing
AutoForm Tapped by VW for Tool Design forCatia Volkswagen has selected AutoForm-ProcessDesigner
LaserCoil CAM begins by creating a recipe with prebuilt initial cutting param- eters supplemented with the blank’s profile data imported via a CAD file. The user can either ask the software to select the best coil from multiple coils in inventory, create the best nest for a specific coil width, or permit the program to specify the optimum coil width based on part yield.
as its software of choice in its tooling operations for process design. The software was developed in a joint project between AutoForm and Volkswagen, with a main goal of creating an advanced software product for process design that would enable users to rapidly create CAD-quality die faces, which are
required for CNC machining.
Through dedicated surfacing com-
mands, AutoForm-ProcessDesignerforCatia enables the user to quickly create a die face layout, including deep drawing and
Taking into consideration the appro- priate grain constraint for material flow as well as part profile, the software iden- tifies the best nesting pattern and then determines how the profiles will be cut by the laser. Next, the operator generates the cutting path; he can make adjustments by clicking on the profile parameters and setting a new cutting routine. The software then generates a simulation to illustrate the sequenced travel path of the cutting head.
all secondary operations in the Catia envi- ronment. All generated surfaces fulfill Class-A surface requirements and imme- diately can be used for CNC machin- ing. The software offers specially developed unique features, allows for the creation of draw shapes, supports company- wide standardization and implements a sophisticated methodology that reduces the complexity
“This software provides our customers with a single interface to help reduce pro- gramming time and scrap rates, as well as improve their throughput and yield,” notes Scott Sonnenberg, LaserCoil director of mechanical engineering/product devel- opment.
LaserCoil: www.lasercoil.com
AutoForm: www.autoform.com
Automated Nesting and Cutting-Path Generation Supports Laser Blanking
of process design, according to AutoForm officials.
LaserCoil Technologies LLC, Napoleon, OH, has developed LaserCoil CAM to support its coil-fed laser-blanking systems, automating the importing of part profiles for optimized nesting and cutting. LaserCoil CAM accommodates single and multiple cutting heads,
as well as
peripheral
automation
such as the sys-
tem’s dynamic
conveyor lanes.
In addition to
optimizing part
recipes, Laser-
Coil CAM also
controls and
monitors the
blanking system during production.
Rapid Die-Face Design with New Simulation Module
“Creating nesting and cutting programs is a time-intensive process requiring a skilled technician,” says LaserCoil chief technology officer Jay Finn. “LaserCoil CAM takes only minutes from the importing of CAD files to active cutting of simple blanks. To illustrate its efficiency, imagine if you could design and machine a blanking die for a complex part in less than 30 min.”
The module’s optimization function automatically performs a series of simu- lations in order to find the best compromise between feasibility and minimal material consumption by adjusting binder shape, drawbead values and addendum geometry. This allows users to efficiently perform a feasibility simulation at the styling and part-design phase, with no stamping knowledge needed. The die-face design
14 MetalForming/April 2017
www.metalformingmagazine.com
ESI Group’s Die Starter simulation module automatically designs the first complete die face including binder, adden- dum, bead centerline and blank contour, reportedly enabling die-face designers to significantly reduce the number of iterations needed to establish a feasible tool design.