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Software Image courtesy of Vero International, Inc. Vero���s developments take the shrinking workforce into consideration. ���For instance, an experienced mold designer may know instinctively based upon on the component geometry whether or not the mold will fill correctly, but in the future the software must answer these questions,��� Youhill says. ���We have already automated several steps within the entire mold design and manufacturing process, but we know more is possible. ���We consider machining efficiency in two parts,��� Youhill continues. ���First, how quickly can we calculate complex toolpaths from the model. While computing power has increased dramatically over the last 10 years, so have the complexity of the models our customers are working with.��� The company has recently implemented Hive Machining, which allows complex calculations to be performed wherever there is capacity on networked computers. The 3D assembly structure makes is easy to navigate complex tooling while 3D notes help provide vital part information to the operator. Secondly, efficient toolpaths can significantly decrease machining time and increase tool life, Youhill notes. ���Carefully controlling how a tool enters or exits part of the geometry and the consistency in which it removes material, is critical to surface finish, cycle time and tool wear.��� One shift in the mold world is the movement to conformal cooling, Youhill adds. ���This is the production of 3D cooling channels built using rapid prototyping technology,��� he states. ���The benefit of this approach is the ability to create complex cooling circuits that can flow around an insert keeping a constant distance and therefore maintaining a constant temperature. This can reduce molding cycle times and prevent warpage.��� Jaje of Sescoi adds he believes CAD/CAM developments will provide more tools to increase the reliability and automate a lot of individual pieces to allow shop floor programming to move into a lights-out/unattended machining environment. 30 MoldMaking Technology March 2013 ���Additionally, faster and batch collision checking of the tool, holder, part and machine through batch processing will become more commonplace,��� Jaje states. ���There will be a greater reliance on the 3D stock model in not just the roughing stages of the part but also the finishing stages. Automated tool holder collision avoidance���including in five-axis���will allow people to mill more with shorter tools.��� For 2013, DP Technology has introduced ProfitMilling, a patent-pending, high-speed material-removal cycle that allows programmers to take a significantly deeper, faster and more efficient cut while reducing wear on the tool and machine, Mathews adds. The benefits of the ProfitMilling cycle are a reduction in machine-tool cycle times, increased tool life, decreased programing time, reduced energy consumption and significant productivity improvements���even with light and medium-duty machine tools, Mathews adds. ���Test results have shown that it may reduce cycle time by 75 percent and increase tool life by 500 percent as compared to traditional concentric roughing strategies.��� Integration/Communication Barnes of Cimatron notes that software must be relevant and seamless for the entire mold manufacturing process. ���I wish I could create a new term,��� he comments. ���To me, Cimatron isn���t CAD/CAM in the original sense of the term. It is ���CADMA��� (Computer Aided Design, Manufacturing and Assembly). We have taken out the slash���or ���wall��� as I refer to it��� between the design and manufacturing departments. Communication and intention has always been difficult to purvey from design to manufacturing. The term paperless has been a buzzword for many years now. When a company has a single software platform for quoting, design, manufacturing and assembly, then paperless becomes realistic.��� In 2013, Cimatron���s number-one goal is to handle the lifecycle of tooling from beginning to end with full associativity, Barnes maintains. ���No other software should be required and you can operate with minimal paper,��� he says. ���In order to facilitate the communication mentioned above, we make use of PMI (product manufacturing information) in the model. This helps to communicate information���without paper drawings���via shop viewers or NC seats. PMI can be notes, attributes, dimensions, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, etc. Design standards can also be derived from various colors that are passed to NC templates with intention such as clearance or shut-off that dictates different offset groups within a single cutter path. Parting edges can be kept razor sharp with new techniques. NC Templating is much closer to automated machining in Cimatron E11. Electrodes are nearly automated at every stage and posts out a G-Code file to be read directly into the CNC EDM sinker with locations and burn conditions. In summary, integration and automation go hand in