|
Fleming Software Limited ™ |
|
Software and IT services for sheet metal engineering companies |
|
· An extension to Automatic machining · Takes flat pattern panel drawings created in a 2D CAD system, such as AutoCAD, using outside view dimensions. Drawings can contain single or multiple panels and drawing sheets. Layer names and line types are used to communicate bend type and other information to the ACM Fabrication Module. · Automatic bend compensation · Automatic rotation of panels according to grain direction · Automatic corner chamfering where appropriate · Automatic processing isolates each panel in turn to generate machine tool instructions which are then queued for nesting · Bend lines are cut as grooves and will be trimmed and/or extended beyond the edge of the part as appropriate · Straight, curved, or compound bend lines are supported · Automatic insertion of stress relief cuts (saw-cuts) into the flange for curved bends or panels · Special processing for “Bolted Bends”, where two panels meet on a corner and the flange must fold inside the adjoining flanges · Automatic panel visible surface area calculation · It has interfaces to the ACM Material Requirement Planning System to use raw material purchase assumptions when creating production nested sheets, and/or 3rd party shop floor tracking software · Automated processing with user override and reviewing is possible at all stages · Remnant / Off-cut management. Reusable scrap is automatically cut from the sheet and numbered for later re-use as appropriate. · Automatic nesting and cutter path optimisation with optional automated common cut between parts if required |
|
ACM Fabrication Module |
|
Other products in this range: |
|
Working in conjunction with Booth Muirie Fleming Software has produced an extension to Automatic Machining to optimise the production of architectural cladding panels made from Aluminium Composite Material (ACM), typically Alucobond, Reynobond, Dibond or Alpolic. Booth Muirie purchased a flat bed router, but after installation they found they could not feed it fast enough to get a return on their investment, so they contacted Fleming Software, who proposed an extension to Automatic Machining to solve the problem. The software takes 2D flat pattern panel drawings created in AutoCAD using outside view dimensions, it applies a fold allowance adjustment to straight, curved or compound bends to create a correct flat pattern for ACM material, it converts bend lines to groves, and it also makes intelligent adjustments to chamfer corner notches and for bolted bends. The system operates with almost total automation to process large batches of panels through to NC programs for nested sheets to be cut on the router. As a by-product it reads information from the drawing, calculates the visible surface area of the panels, and feeds a 3rd party production control system. When nesting the system can, if required, be integrated with the ACM Material Requirement Planning System to make use of the raw material purchase nesting assumptions. The system can also be used in conjunction with the Auto-Panel Wizard where dimensional variants of standard panel types are required. Before the combined investment in the machine tool plus the software each panel required 2 drawings, up to 4 work centres and up to 7 operations. After the investment this was reduced to 1 drawing, up to 2 work centres, and a maximum of 4 operations per panel, as shown in the diagram below. This represents a reduction from between one and two man hours for each panel, to 10 man-minutes for any complexity of part.
Fleming Software is now working in partnership with suppliers of flat bed routers to offer this software solution to other customers working with ACM material. We can offer software only or combined machine tool and software solutions. As well as architectural cladding panels the system could be applied equally to sign writing, woodwork or plastic, any application that requires only two and a half axis machining and uses high value sheet material to be cut on a flat bed router. |
