Delcam on Board When a Leader in One Field Joins with a Leader in Another, Great Things Happen
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Customer success stories — News, views and reviews Delcam on board When a leader in one field joins with a leader in another, great things happen. Whether making parts for the automotive industry, mobile phones, aeroplanes, or art sculptures, Autodesk’s manufacturing software, powered by Delcam, enables you to make anything. Inside… PAGE 3 AUTODESK TECHNOLOGY CENTRE PAGES 8&9 LAUNCHED IN BIRMINGHAM RAMLAB AND AUTODESK PIONEER PAGE 4 ‘ON-DEMAND’ ADDITIVE WHAT’S NEW IN 2019 RELEASES MANUFACTURING FOR MARITIME REPAIR PAGE 6 POWERMILL CAM FLEXIBILITY SUPPORTS GROWTH AT A&M EDM PAGE 9 USING THE CLOUD AND IIOT FOR SMARTER MANUFACTURING autodesk.com/manufacturing Customer success stories — News, views and reviews A perfect match When Autodesk joined forces with Delcam, the two companies were always going to make great things happen. So what has been achieved so far? For many years, Delcam was associated with Mark Gadsden, Manager of Product market-leading manufacturing software Marketing for Autodesk, believes that being solutions. The 2014 acquisition by Autodesk part of a global tech giant has enabled him — which has a worldwide reputation for and his new Autodesk colleagues to focus excellence in design and simulation — was even more energy on serving the areas that a marriage made in heaven. Delcam excelled in. Autodesk now has more than 8,000 staff “Autodesk’s goal to be the leader in serving over 12 million customers around manufacturing software focused the the world, with 25% of revenue invested Delcam business on its core customers into researching and developing the in mould-making, production machining, products that manufacturers will need In terms of value, the company is looking and complex part manufacturing across to remain competitive in the future. to provide customers with lower upfront sectors such as aerospace, automotive, costs, risk and levels of commitment when power generation and medical,” comments The process of integrating Delcam into investing in new solutions. So instead of Mark. “There’s no doubt that this focus has Autodesk was approached with the same choosing a capital expense, costs can be enabled us to improve across the business: thoroughness and attention to detail that seen as an operating expense based on better products, improved customer Autodesk applies to customer projects. The a pay-as-you-go pricing model. As well support, smarter marketing, and process involved developing new products with as offering obvious cost and budgeting process efficiencies.” the aim of enhancing customers’ capabilities, advantages, Autodesk sees the model as ensuring compatibility with Autodesk licensing the most economical way for customers for former Delcam customers, simpler pricing to stay at the head of innovation by using and packaging options, and all the usual HR, the latest versions of Autodesk software. Finance and IT adjustments that are part and parcel of any acquisition. Flexibility is also an important part of Autodesk’s vision of the future, with Autodesk also invested heavily in former customers able to scale up or down Delcam offices and workshops in the UK and whenever they need to. overseas as part of the company’s overall strategy to be at the heart of “The Future ‘Simplicity’ represents the third pillar of of Making Things”. the Autodesk approach, offering simplified software licence and user management Autodesk products and services are moving agreements, regular product updates, away from the traditional perpetual licensing fast troubleshooting, and valuable model to a flexible subscription licensing usage analysis. model, providing customers with the opportunity to be more productive faster for a quicker return on investment. Ultimately, Autodesk aims to deliver greater value, more “Autodesk’s goal to be the flexible access to products, and simplicity of use. leader in manufacturing software focused the Delcam business on its core customers in mould-making, production machining, and complex part manufacturing across sectors such as aerospace, automotive, power generation and medical.” Mark Gadsden, Manager of Product Marketing for Autodesk in the UK. 2 Autodesk Technology Centre launched in Birmingham Autodesk has launched a new Technology Centre in Birmingham so that it can collaborate more closely with its manufacturing customers, helping them to bring their visions to life, to solve some of their biggest challenges and to test out innovative techniques. The Centre, which was opened formally by Autodesk’s President and CEO, Andrew Anagnost, on 15th February, 2018, is the first of its kind in Europe. The Birmingham Advanced Manufacturing Facility (AMF) is one node in a network of six technology centres around the world that bring Autodesk together with its customers and partners to reimagine the relationships between software and hardware, machines and materials. It will play a key part in Autodesk’s support for its customers as they look to bring design and manufacturing closer together, a concept that has been talked about for years but which is now actually happening. It will enable Autodesk to provide more help to its customers as they seek to overcome challenging problems and introduce new manufacturing solutions. Since acquiring Delcam, Autodesk has supported the concept of a manufacturing facility in Birmingham and, over the last year, has funded a major expansion for that part of the site. The Centre now houses innovative machines from leading suppliers, covering 5-axis machining, hybrid manufacturing to human-robotic collaboration, and clay milling. Customers and partners, both large and small, can explore a range of techniques to see how they can benefit from the future of making things. In short, it’s the factory of the future made real now. As well as helping customers with their current challenges, the Centre supports the It also continues to support Autodesk’s more experimental work of the Advanced software development teams by offering the Consulting team and the Collaborative opportunity to test new algorithms on the Research and Innovation team by providing types of equipment being used by customers the staff and equipment needed to trial novel and then allows marketing staff to create processes and to produce initial components materials demonstrating these new for validation. developments. Tel: 0121 766 5511 autodesk.com/manufacturing 3 Customer success stories — News, views and reviews What’s NEW... PowerMill is Autodesk’s CAM For 2D machining, PowerMill FeatureCAM is automated CAM grouped into thread families, system for high-speed and provides an improved workflow software that uses advanced making it simpler to identify five-axis machining. It offers a for the definition of open-sided feature-recognition technology to specific thread types. comprehensive range of tools to 2D features. These can now also reduce programming times and enable the manufacture of moulds, be created based on a selection A new turning strategy, called produce consistent high-quality tools and other complex shapes. of surfaces reducing programming back cutting, complements the results, when programming mills, time further. use of inserts designed to turn PowerMill 2019 provides a lathes, turn-mill machines, dedicated suite of strategies PowerMill’s stock simulation tool in all directions, such as Sandvik’s Swiss-type lathes, wire EDM to help program the growing – ViewMill – offers a ‘Remaining PrimeTurning inserts. This equipment and more. In addition number of CNC machines that Material’ shading mode. This helps strategy gives better insert life to the ability to send your offer both additive and subtractive CAM programmers to identify and higher rates of material programming data directly to technology. PowerMill is capable areas of unmachined stock, to removal. Indexing improvements Autodesk Fusion Production, new of driving both wire-fed and ensure parts are completed before make it possible to machine technology in FeatureCAM 2019 powder-blown hardware with being removed from the machine. a radial pattern using XY 3- and 5-axis machine motion. provides tools to make parts even PowerMill 2019 includes a direct coordinates and rotate the C faster. Quicker programming is For 5-axis machining, a new interface to Autodesk Fusion angle for each instance of the possible from a new method of ‘automatic tool axis tilting’ Production, a cloud-based feature. This gives the benefits applying feature recognition to method simplifies the creation collaboration tool specialising of XY machining and enables CAD models that combines the of collision-free toolpaths. This in scheduling and tracking travel limits to be avoided where single solution creates smooth production, and monitoring recognition of holes, bosses, machines cannot cut below the and safe five-axis motion for all CNC machine utilisation. sides and pockets into a single centreline of rotation. New model shapes and toolpath types, workflow. When spot-drilling and options for programming making it as easy to create creating chamfers, the cutting Swiss-type machines include five-axis programs as it is to geometry of centre drills can now support for fixed angle holders produce three-axis code. be modified with custom tip and to machine angled features, PowerMill’s high-efficiency included angles to give more a new feature-recognition add-in roughing strategy – Vortex – now accurate simulation and NC code. that splits the full turned profile includes a new ‘From Stock’ option Set-ups are now created directly into shorter user-defined