CNC machines such as CNC punch or laser machines are significant investments for any manufacturing operation. Extending their lifespan is crucial for maximising return on investment and maintaining productivity, as well as upholding part quality. While you will no doubt have an annual maintenance and service plan in place, one often overlooked way to extending your CNC’s lifespan is by using high-quality CADCAM and nesting software.
Here's how it can help:
Advanced CADCAM software generates efficient toolpaths, reducing unnecessary machine movements. This minimises wear and tear on mechanical components, especially in high-speed machining scenarios such as lasers.
More complex algorithms can be applied when cutting arrays of holes, such as an air vent comprising of, for example, 50 square or rectangular holes horizontally and 50 vertically. Traditionally with a CNC laser, each hole would have been cut individually, with the laser head having to stop in X to then start travelling in Y, stopping each time it finishes a directional cut – that’s four stops per hole. Fly cutting, also referred to as grid cutting, will instead cut all the horizontal cuts, turning the laser beam on and off as it passes over material. In addition to automatically identifying the application of fly cutting logic to all suitable geometry, JETCAM’s JETCut fly cutting algorithm also places a radius on the turn as the laser returns to cut the line underneath. This further minimises the wear and tear of the machine, as it only needs to slow down at each turn rather than stop and change direction completely.
Common cutting can significantly reduce cutting time while also saving material, by using a single cut to separate parts rather than leaving a skeleton between them. This is generally more suitable for rectangular parts.
Even the position of lead ins on laser machines can be automatically optimised, so that the pierce will be located along the most optimised tool path, further minimising machine travel.
By optimising and combining cutting strategies, CADCAM software can significantly reduce overall machining time. In addition to optimised cutting paths, less overall runtime means less stress on your CNC machine over time. Of course, this also has the added benefit of giving you more potential throughput within the same time period, delivering a quicker return on investment and providing increased capacity before you need to consider another machine purchase.
Nesting software maximises material utilisation, reducing waste and the number of machine setups required. Fewer setups translate to less frequent tool changes for punching machines and reduced machine wear. It will also save operator time too. Adding remnant material management into the mix further optimises material utilisation across multiple jobs, potentially reducing the number of sheet changes, in turn reducing wear on the machine’s loading mechanisms.
CADCAM software can automatically select the most appropriate tools for each operation, reducing the risk of using inappropriate tools that could cause excessive wear to the machine. Features such as Tool Teach allow JETCAM Expert to be taught how to tool complex geometry areas of a part, automatically applying preferred tooling for future similarly shaped parts.
Collision detection and avoidance is particularly useful for sheet metal components that have louvres or formed elements, or where inner scrap can tip and catch on the machine itself. By preventing crashes, you protect your machine from potentially catastrophic and expensive damage, but also reduce the risk of quality issues of parts sustaining damage from an undetected collision.
Logic in JETCAM Expert can intelligent avoid moving the head over areas such as louvres or scrap areas (which could tip), ensuring that there will be no collision.
JETCAM Expert can automatically adjust feed rates based on material properties, thickness, and cutting conditions/quality, configured in the technology tables. This helps maintain optimal cutting performance while reducing stress on the machine and having the added bonus of also extending the life of your consumables.
Being able to simulate the cutting process beforehand allow operators to run a program virtually before sending it to the machine. This can help identify potential issues or inefficiencies, reducing the risk of errors that could damage the machine or waste materials/time.
CADCAM software that integrates with ERP systems can help optimise production scheduling, reducing unnecessary machine setups and idle time. A good example is dynamic nesting, combining orders for different customers that will be using the same material and thickness. This can lead to more efficient use of the machine over its lifetime.
Advanced CADCAM software for laser cutting can incorporate thermal management strategies, such as optimising the sequence of cuts to minimise heat buildup in the material. When cutting thicker materials, JETCAM Expert can be configured to create ‘heat zones’ – after a certain amount of cutting has occurred in one area it will automatically start cutting another area of the sheet until the first area has cooled sufficiently. This maintains cut quality while reducing stress on the laser system.
When cutting thick plate, heat avoidance logic will automatically move the head to cut other areas while the material cools down, improving part quality.
Monitoring information such as overall runtime or the number of hits any given punch tool has performed allows maintenance to be planned for the machine and consumables to be replaced near the end of their life, rather than waiting for them to fail and enduring unexpected downtime.
By investing in the right CADCAM and nesting software, you're not just optimising your production process and saving material – you're also protecting and extending the life of your valuable CNC machinery, saving your staff time and effort, and potentially even gaining additional capacity.