During the upcoming IMTS 2014 show and the Trends in Advanced Machining, Manufacturing and Materials (TRAM) Conference, Boeing and Okuma will share their experiences in technology leadership with a new implementation of the STEP-NC ISO standard.
- At 11 a.m. each day of IMTS, in the Okuma booth, David Odendahl, Associate Technical Fellow at The Boeing Company, will do a short presentation, complete with titanium cutting demonstration, to briefly discuss the optimization of programming with STEP-NC
- At 3 p.m. each day in the South building conference room #S-103e, attendees can meet with representatives of the companies involved in making this presentation possible. Representatives can answer attendee questions and discuss specific applications.
- STEP Tools, Inc.
- The Boeing Company
- Okuma America
- Sandvik Coromant
- Iscar
- Jim Kosmala, VP of Technology at Okuma America Corporation and David Odendahl, Associate Technical Fellow at The Boeing Company, will present on Wednesday, Sept. 10 at 2:20 p.m. during the TRAM Conference
Commercially available implementations act as a universal CAM translator, similar in some ways to what MTConnect does for data transfer. This allows end users to leverage multiple tooling suppliers using a variety of CAM packages that provide optimized cutting paths resulting in reduced cycle times and increased tool life by taking advantage of the latest in tooling technology. These optimized tool paths can be incorporated into one STEP-NC file that retains process knowledge, not just the axis motion of G-code, for:
a)portability or transfer of operations from one plant to another
b)process retention, i.e., storing the process for future manufacturing use
c)evaluating suppliers and solutions
Attendees will walk away with a better understanding of STEP-NC, its evolution and role in the programming environment, and its practical applications.
Any CNC program can be optimized by modernizing its tooling, but the optimizer must meet all the design and manufacturing requirements. G-code alone does not have this information, so in 2012 the Organization for Machine Automation and Control (OMAC) issued a call to develop standardized CAM files. In response, new ISO standard interfaces have been added to CATIA, NX and Mastercam, and in May of 2013 Sandvik Coromant and Iscar started cloud services to optimize programs using the new files. Research from the OMAC led team has shown that optimizing machining processes using the STEP-NC ISO standard can achieve improvements of 15 to 30 percent realized as time savings, tool wear savings, or some combination of both.
The part being machined during the demonstration is a test part developed by Boeing Commercial Airplane. This titanium part will be machined using the original Boeing process, and then two optimized processes. A new CAM file simulator on the PC-based, open-architecture OSP control will direct the machining and validate the design and manufacturing requirements.
About Okuma America Corporation
Okuma America Corporation is the U.S.-based sales and service affiliate of Okuma Corporation, a world leader in CNC (computer numeric control) machine tools, founded in 1898 in Nagoya, Japan. The company is the industry’s only single-source provider, with the CNC machine, drive, motors, encoders, spindle and CNC control all manufactured by Okuma. Okuma’s innovative and reliable technology, paired with comprehensive, localized service protection, allows users to run continuously with confidence - maximizing profitability. Along with its industry-leading distribution network (largest in the Americas), and Partners in THINC, Okuma facilitates quality, productivity and efficiency, empowering the customer and enabling competitive advantage in today’s demanding manufacturing environment. For more information, visit www.okuma.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter @OkumaAmerica.
About The Boeing Company
Boeing is the world’s leading aerospace company and the largest manufacturer of commercial jetliners and military aircraft combined. Additionally, Boeing designs and manufactures rotorcraft, electronic and defense systems, missiles, satellites, launch vehicles and advanced information and communication systems. As a major service provider to NASA, Boeing is the prime contractor for the International Space Station. The company also provides numerous military and commercial airline support services. Boeing provides products and support services to customers in 150 countries and is one of the largest U.S. exporters in terms of sales. Headquartered in Chicago, Boeing employs more than 169,000 people across the United States and in more than 65 countries. Total company revenues for 2013 were $86.6 billion.
About OMAC
The Organization for Machine Automation and Control (OMAC) helps manufacturers work together to find new and innovative ways to be successful in their production operations. OMAC brings together leading manufacturers representing End-User Manufacturers, OEM Machine Builders, System Integrators, Technology Providers, and Non-Profit / Government Agency organizations to address issues that confront global manufacturing today. OMAC’s two working groups, Packaging and Machine Tool, lead the way in producing industry consensus guidelines that help manufacturers reduce their delivery times, be more efficient with available resources, and increase profitability, all while maintaining their competitive advantage. More information is available at www.omac.org.
About STEP Tools, Inc.
STEP Tools, Inc., founded in 1991, provides software tools to enable design and manufacturing information sharing. Its products leverage standards to enable new types of manufacturing efficiency. The ST-Developer® libraries are used for CAD translation in a large percentage of the world’s workstations. The STEP-NC Machine® system enables direct execution of standardized CAM files on the CNC control.
About Sandvik Coromant
Sandvik Coromant is a global leading supplier of cutting tools, tooling solutions and know-how to the metalworking industry. With extensive investments in research and development Sandvik Coromant creates unique innovations and sets new productivity standards together with their customers. These include the world’s major aerospace, automotive, and energy industries. Sandvik Coromant has 8000 employees and is represented in 130 countries. It is part of the business area Sandvik Machining Solutions within the global industrial group Sandvik.
About Iscar
ISCAR is the largest of the 15 companies comprising the International Metalworking Companies (IMC). Celebrating their 60th anniversary in 2012, ISCAR has developed a complete portfolio of innovative metalworking tools, software support and tool management accessories to help users productively manage and apply their cutting tools, achieving an unparalleled machining experience.
