OPEN MIND presents the CAD/CAM feature hyperMILL® BEST FIT

hyperMILL^® BEST FIT from OPEN MIND is a new feature that dramatically changes the planning of machining operations. The unmachined workpiece in the fixture no longer needs to be manually aligned to the NC program, because the hyperMILL^® CAM system automatically aligns the NC program to the position of the workpiece. This method saves time and increases process reliability. This is especially evident for cast, forged, welded and additively produced raw materials with small or irregular tolerances, for rework of heat-treated workpieces and for machine changes. Each of these processes requires a skilled hand for accurate matching to the CAD model of the finished product.

hyperMILL^® BEST FIT removes all the uncertainties associated with manual alignment by taking full advantage of the capabilities of the virtual machine in the CAM program and communication with a 5-axis machining center that can perform 3D measurements.

Real-time alignment for reliable and schedulable processes

Until now, it was common practice to adjust the raw material and fixture on the machine to the conditions of the NC program. The workpiece had to be aligned manually using a dial gauge, control cycles and a great deal of finger-tip feeling. The actual clamping operation was thus adjusted to the requirements of the virtual program. This was a time-consuming process that often had to be repeated several times and involved a number of uncertainties. One way to solve this problem is real-time alignment of the workpiece in CAM. The non-aligned raw material is scanned on the machine via 3D measurement, then the measurement data is sent to the CAM system and hyperMILL^® BEST FIT adapts the NC code to the actual position of the workpiece. The virtual world (programming) is hereby adapted to the real world (fixture), and not the other way around! Then the adjusted NC code for the actual fixture is simulated in the virtual machine and optimized automatically.

A real breakthrough in numerous application areas "Thanks to hyperMILL^® BEST FIT, the time-consuming and unsafe alignment of workpieces on the machine is now definitely a thing of the past. hyperMILL^® detects the situation on the machine and virtually aligns the workpiece," explains Manfred Guggemos, Product Manager at OPEN MIND Technologies. "Aligning workpieces at the touch of a button represents a real breakthrough in numerous application areas. This includes the re-machining of refurbished workpieces or forged workpieces with imperfections, as well as the machining of workpieces that are too heavy to be aligned by hand, eliminating the need for precision equipment. What makes this method so unique is that unlike previous solutions marketed, hyperMILL^® BEST FIT does not change the zero point on the controller and generates toolpaths that are fully collision checked."