CAMTEK PACIFIC, working with manifold manufacturing companies, has developed Manifold CAM Expert for use with the PEPS CADCAM suite. A hydraulic or pneumatic manifold has to provide control of multitude of operating units accordingly to the customer specification. As a result manifolds can vary substantially in their configuration and complexity, although they generally consist of standard elements that represent ideal parametric features.
Said Bob Nolan, Manifold Manufacture manager: The main advantage of using Expert approach is the capability to generate complete NC program to machine a manifold directly from the design data practically eliminating human factor. The reliable NC program ready to go for unmanned NC machining is generated in minutes instead of hours. We are a lot more confident using Peps programs over previous when we had to set up and prove out our first blocks. Now it is always right as we are using proven features.
Features at a glance:
- Manifold Stahdard Features library
- Manifold Company Features library
- General Company Features library
- Features Machining Methods library
- Material Library which identifies used materials by their physical characteristics and cutting qualities
- Tool Library which is used to define tools to be used and optimum cutting parameters
- Extensive range of CAD interfaces; both for import and export
- Comprehensive machine and postprocessor database
- Feature recognition from solid models with projection onto cutting planes
CUSTOM FLUIDPOWER PTY LTD utilises the latest in Cartridge Valve Technology including SUN Hydraulics and Waterman Hydraulics to design and manufacture state-of-the-art hydraulic manifolds covering industrial, mobile, agricultural, marine and aerospace applications. The design is produced on Pro-Engineer CAD system using manifold elements as parametric features. Manifold Expert retrieves features data generated during design. For every parametric feature CAM Expert has rules for its machining setup by the company personnel. CAM Expert is using these rules and Tool-Cut Data Base to resolve all required machining operations to produce all features and to cut the manifold.
Preprogrammed manifolds can be loaded onto the machine tool table or a multisided pallet. CAM Expert is a process planner which automatically sequences and groups all operations for all manifolds in the layout and subsequently generates a comprehensive NC machining program for the layout as a whole.
The flexibility of CAM Expert allows customization to suit the requirements of different manifold manufacturers. Practically any CAD system can be used when parametric features are used, and parametric feature data is subsequently generated during the design process. Users can create unique features and apply different parameters to define them. The machining methods differ substantially between companies as well as cutting tools and cutting parameters. Machining rules of features are compiled by the company using parametric machining operations provided by CAM Expert. The Tool-Cut database is modified accordingly to the piece materials, tooling and cutting parameters.
The strategy of the layout machining changes from one company to another as well. Accordingly to the company requirements some operations can be grouped to be machined with the same tool on all sides to minimize number of tool changes and some can be grouped to machine side by side to provide better precision by minimizing number of pallet settings. CUSTOM FLUIDPOWER PTY LTD is using OKUMA machining centre with 100 tools in its automatic tool changer. Practically any machine tool and CNC control can be used as CAM Expert provides 100% adapted NC output to use all machine tool and NC control capabilities.
