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Software 22 MoldMaking Technology —— JANUARY 2018 By Cynthia Kustush Software suppliers are working diligently to provide moldmakers with relevant but easy-to-use solutions that speed processes and lower costs. Software Technology Is More Versatile, Efficient and Simplified I t is almost impossible to keep pace with technological advancements today, especially where software is con- cerned. So, MoldMaking Technology reached out to representatives of several software providers that serve the industry to offer a glimpse of the current trends and new developments in CAD/CAM, simulation and job-tracking software. Making CAD/CAM More Versatile and Efficient Recent trends in machining and automation have spurred advancements in CAD/CAM software capabilities that are helping moldmakers remain competitive in the global mar- ketplace. MoldMaking Technology asked a few CAD/CAM experts to share their perspectives. "The biggest trend I have seen is the move to five-axis machining," Ryan Weekes, North American sales manager for CGS North America (Ontario, Canada), says. "CAM soft- ware companies now work closely with machine tool and cutting-tool companies to develop easier ways to control the tilt direction of five-axis toolpaths. As creating these toolpaths becomes easier, programmers are less resistant to doing simultaneous five-axis toolpaths." Alan Levine, managing director of Open Mind Technologies USA (Needham, Massachusetts), says, "Additionally, machine controls, such as those from Heidenhain, FANUC and Siemens, have new capabilities and improved performance. Importantly, CAM software strategies enable the use of shorter cutters, which improve feed rates and produce better surface finishes." Casey Goodman, marketing and inside sales manager for Tebis America (Troy, Michigan), says that mold designs are becoming more complex, and the use of multi-axis, simultaneous milling machines is more commonplace, particularly in the automotive industry, which puts more emphasis on the ability of the person using the software. "Automating processes in mold manufacturing is becoming more crucial and necessary for companies to stay competi- tive. It is also one way to overcome the skills gap," he says. "Automation is achieved by setting standards and establish- ing machining templates, then measuring those standards and adjusting them as needed. The benefit is that less expe- rienced employees do not have to learn complete software programs, but can grow into them while still meeting man- agement's expectations." Manufacturers are now looking at ways in which they can work smarter and not harder, according to Clinton Perry, product marketing manager at Autodesk Inc. (San Rafael, California). "In tooling, two trends deal with automation and interoperability," he says. "Using automation, mold and die manufacturers can convert their best CNC machining practices into a suite of intelligent macros and templates that can be automatically applied to families of parts. Automation enables the creation of high quality, predictable CNC machining code with minimal human input and risk of human error." Regarding interoperability between software, Perry, who is based in Birmingham, U.K., says that traditionally, design and manufacturing software were only designated to one or two steps in the entire part-design process. As a result, workers were making any needed changes manually dur- ing the other steps, ultimately introducing the potential for error. "Now, we are seeing the ability to make a change in one area, and then that change is triggering a dynamic update across the entire workflow," he says. This article is part of a series of roundtable discussions with industry suppliers addressing recent trends in moldmaking, the challenges moldmakers are experiencing and the latest solutions that are or will be available to resolve them. VIDEO Access the related video under the Videos tab at MMT online.