Schunk Schunk’s VERO-S workholding system can be loaded into a machine in seconds and offers repeatability within 0.0002".

Efficient rapid prototyping on a CNC requires the right technologies and effective organizational skills.

Say the words “rapid prototyping” and prototyping, including quick-change tooling most people think of 3D printing. But until re- and workholding, smart software systems and cently, most prototyping was performed by offline tool presetting, as well as a flexible ma- skilled machinists who cranked the handles chine tool and CNC. on knee mills and engine lathes to make parts “You have to look at all the pieces,” he said. far more quickly than was possible with cam- “It’s about doing whatever you can to save driven and, subsequently, CNC production time.” machines. Some shops use 5-axis mills or multifunc- That decades-old paradigm has begun to tion lathes to achieve that. Estes noted, shift. Machine tool builders, tool suppliers and however, that shops with even basic equip- software developers now deliver technology ment can take several easy steps to improve that makes it possible for CNC operators to throughput. One is cataloging cutting tools set up jobs in minutes rather than hours, and deliver parts in days instead of weeks. About the Author Pieces of the Puzzle Kip Hanson is a contributing Jeff Estes, director of Partners in THINC editor for CTE. Contact Technology Centers for Okuma America him at (520) 548-7328 or Corp., Charlotte, N.C., said numerous technol- [email protected]. ogies are needed for -related rapid

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RapidProto.indd 66 3/14/17 11:42 AM Rapid Rules Conversational controls make machine operation more efficient while reducing setup times, both of which are important factors for into groupings able to perform var- anyone doing prototype work. ious types of work. “When you’re making one of this or three of that, you can’t afford tool changeovers,” that is less than optimal. This is a big Estes said. “You want to find the no-no in a production environment, commonalities among all the tools but it certainly reduces setup time resident in your turrets or carou- when prototyping. “If it takes you sels, standardizing wherever pos- 10 minutes to change a tool and sible and organizing the work for set the offset, who cares if it takes your machines based on what kind 30 seconds longer to machine the of tools they carry. This helps mini- part using the existing tool?” Estes mize those that need changing.” asked. “You’re saving 9½ minutes Estes added that this grouping of changeover during the setup. comes naturally to machinists, who That’s what people need to think mentally keep track of what tools about.” Okuma America are in which lathe or machining cen- ter and set up jobs accordingly. The This documentation is especially Push the Button key is documenting what’s in every- important as older generations of Workholding is something else one’s head, collecting tool types, machinists retire and new employ- to think about. “For job shops and drawings and dimensions, and then ees take their place. production manufacturers alike, placing all this information into a In some cases, standardizing the rapid prototyping requires the abil- central location for everyone to see. tool set means using a cutting tool ity to load a workholding device

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RapidProto.indd 68 3/16/17 2:11 PM in the machine without having to quick-change receivers are bolted over in a few minutes, they were probe its position or set a work to the table, dialed in one time, and able to break into an existing setup offset, and have confidence it will then used as datum points for what- and run the job in a few hours. By be within two-tenths (0.0002") of ever pallets, vises or workholding the time the driver left with the where it was the last time you used fixtures are required. new part, the shop was back mak- it,” said Brad Evans, workholding Worried about the cost? Don’t ing chips on the previous job. The product manager at Schunk Inc., be. Reducing downtime by even a customer was happy, the shop re- Morrisville, N.C. “You should be able to drop a fixture, vise or rotary ‘The time savings and convenience can have table on the machine and hit ‘cycle a huge impact on productivity, especially with start.’ ” Many shops without a quick- prototype work, where every minute counts.’ change capability toe-clamp their indexers or 6" machinist’s vises on few hours a week brings a quick re- ceived a nice premium for the rush the machine table, leaving them turn on workholding investment— order and did it without disrupting there indefinitely. They know mov- often measured in months—and the production schedule.” ing them is not worth the hassle. provides opportunities that didn’t Leaving them in place, however, exist previously. “I recently worked Get Modular not only consumes valuable work- with a shop in Wisconsin that imple- Along with toolholding, modular- ing space, it also reduces flexibil- mented our VERO-S system,” Evans ity offers the flexibility shops need ity. Then when these shops have to said. “His best customer called with if they’re to compete in the rapid- change over, several hours are lost a rush order for a part he needed prototyping realm. in the process. that same day. Normally, this order “Success with rapid prototyp- Evans suggests modular work- would have been a problem, but ing benefits from modularity,” holding as an alternative, one where because the shop could change said Tom Raun, product

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manager at Iscar Metals Inc., Ar- lington, Texas. “The first thing that comes to mind is the toolholder, where quick-change adapters have long offered big setup-time sav- ings. But there’s also the cutting tool itself to consider. The ability to customize the tool in terms of reach, type of application and type of shank is a huge benefit for rapid prototyping." Examples include the need to quickly switch from a longer tool to one that’s shorter and load a tool with a reduced shank diameter to clear a vertical wall, he added. Shops specializing in one-off and low-volume work never know from one day to the next what custom-

ers are going to order. Because of Iscar Metals this, Raun recommends a cutting ISCAR’s Multi-Master system is modular in nature, making it easy to switch cutting tools as tool system like Iscar’s Multi-Master, needed for various machining conditions.

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RapidProto.indd 70 3/16/17 2:11 PM which offers more than 40,000 com- ager at Zoller Inc., Ann Arbor, Mich. the shop floor to see what inven- binations on a single platform. This He said operational organization, tory is available. He’ll check with allows manufacturers to quickly which is crucial to quick turnaround the toolcrib and, perhaps, the ma- change to a variety of heads that and profitable prototyping, starts chine operators to see if they have encompass all types of milling ap- with a centralized database of tool the gages, toolholders, inserts and plications. The heads are made of information. The company offers fixtures needed to run the part, and carbide or steel and can be used such a database, separately or as then he can start developing the on steel, carbide or heavy-metal part of its offline tool setting and process. All these steps take a lot shanks. Repeatability should be measurement systems. According of time—something you especially better than ±0.0004" (0.0102mm). “The Multi-Master system uses a ‘One of the first things that has to be done on any screw-on head,” he said, “which al- lows tool replacement in seconds, job is verifying how it will fit in the machine tool.’ even in tight quarters or where tools are difficult to reach—on Swiss- to Bigleman, Zoller’s database elim- can’t afford with prototype or low- style lathes, for example, or a 90° inates the silos of information com- quantity work.” head on a machining center. The mon in many shops. Having one database for tool and time savings and convenience can “Everyone ends up with their own machining information is like con- have a huge impact on productiv- spreadsheets or individual software ducting an orchestra where every- ity, especially with prototype work, systems,” Bigleman said. “This re- one’s playing from the same sheet where every minute counts.” sults in duplication of data and in- of music, Bigleman said. Better creases the chances for error. It also yet, it provides an easy way to con- Go Offline means that, when an order comes nect with external systems such as Dr. Gregg Bigleman is the tool in, the person responsible for pre- MachiningCloud (an independent management solutions (TMS) man- paring the job has to walk out on aggregator of cutting tool data),

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speeds access to tool data and in- creases programming efficiency. Those concerned about the ef- fort needed for a plant-wide TMS implementation needn’t fear. “Zoller TMS is modular,” he said. “You can start small and add to it as needed. You never lose what you build on. The database—which is the same one the presetter uses— can also be used for cutting tool in- ventory, for fixture and gage man- agement, and for the shop floor itself. You can see what jobs and tooling are in the machines. We also have a module for production Zoller planning. TMS allows you to mini- With Zoller's tool management solutions, all stations of the manufacturing process are linked mize changeover time and make via one central database: CAD/CAM, warehouse, purchasing, machines and the company’s the most efficient use of resources.” presetters and vending equipment.

Redefi ning Throughput certainly have their place in some The CAM system is another im- contributors prototyping shops, but, rather, soft- portant element to increase pro- ware automation. To Davies, soft- totype throughput. Don Davies, DP Technology Corp. ware automation provides the abil- vice president of Americas for Ca- (800) 627-8479 ity to write specialized routines and marillo, Calif.-based DP Technol- www.espritcam.com macros that help eliminate much of ogy Corp., the makers of ESPRIT the manual effort behind toolpath Iscar Metals Inc. CAM software, agreed that setup- programming and simplify the “art (817) 258-3200 time reduction is an important first www.iscarmetals.com to part” process. step for any prototyping shop. He “Some CAM systems provide an noted, however, the activities that Okuma America Corp. application programming interface, take place prior to machine setup (704) 588-7000 or API, that allow you to develop are just as important. www.okuma.com customized functionality,” he said. “One of the first things that has Davies offered an example of a Schunk Inc. to be done on any job is verifying manufacturer in Minnesota that has (919) 572-2705 how it will fit in the machine tool,” www.schunk.com automated roughly 80 percent of Davies said. “That means pulling all its toolpath generation using the the cutting tools, fixtures, clamps, Zoller Inc. APIs available in the ESPRIT system. chucks, vises—everything needed (734) 332-4851 Upon receiving an order, a clerk to machine a part—into a virtual en- www.zoller-usa.com enters various part criteria, where- vironment and checking to see how upon the system generates the ma- they function. The more complex pliers have traditionally struggled chine code and decides what tools the machine, the more valuable this with. That’s beginning to change as are needed to run the job. exercise becomes, but it’s a neces- more companies embrace 3D mod- “If I were to start a machine shop sary step for any shop looking to in- eling of their wares. Shops can view today, I’d hire people with the skills crease efficiency on the shop floor.” the machining process in a virtual needed to understand manufac- The CAM system is an important world before pushing any buttons turing—speeds, feeds, tooling and part of the equation, Davies said, in the physical one. what not—but also make sure they but users also need the digital data One final consideration is auto- have knowledge of software pro- to support this virtualization, some- mation. This doesn’t mean robotics gramming,” Davies said. “That’s thing manufacturers and their sup- and pallet changers, although these where our industry is headed.” CTE

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