Delcam Electrode integrates the design, machining and inspection of electrodes.
Delcam has added a range of enhancements to its Delcam Electrode integrated solution for the design, machining and inspection of electrodes and has extended the range of EDM equipment supported by the software.
The system also benefited from a number of new options introduced into Delcam's PowerSHAPE design software. "PowerSHAPE provides the CAD element of the overall solution, in particular the new option to merge fragmented faces into a single, continuous surface and produce cleaner, simple electrode geometry," said a company spokesperson. "This simplification makes subsequent operations, such as adding draft to complex regions of the model, much easier and also improves the operation of many of the direct modeling tools in the software."
Delcam Electrode can now provide scripts for Exeron and JDMA EPX equipment as well as the previously supported AgieCharmilles (Agievision and CT Millennium controls), Makino EDM, Mitsubishi Electric, ONA EDM, OPS-Ingersoll, Sodick and Zimmer & Kreim.
"Scripts are the EDM equivalent of CAM programs for machine tools," said the spokesperson. "They provide an automated process for the programming of the machine, instead of users having to program manually from a set-up sheet. The automated process is much easier and quicker, especially when a number of electrodes are being used on the same component. Furthermore, the direct link removes the human error that could always be possible with manual programming." In addition, data from Delcam Electrode can now be output to the CERTA shop-floor management software.
Delcam Electrode combines PowerSHAPE, the PowerMILL CAM system and the PowerINSPECT inspection software to provide an integrated solution for the design, machining and inspection of electrodes. "At the heart of the Delcam solution is a novel file format called the .Trode file," said the spokesperson. "This contains all the information for each electrode project, including the electrode design, machining and inspection information and the set-up sheets for its manufacture and use."
In the 2014 version, the .Trode file is compatible with Windows Explorer. This new option allows electrode geometry, set-up sheets and script files to be viewed directly from the .Trode file using Windows Explorer with a single click on the desired item.
"Data management has also been simplified with the option to output an electrode schedule from the software," said the spokesperson. "The data can be output in HTML, Excel or CSV format as a table describing each electrode required and its key data, such as blank size, undersize value, material etc. This option will be of most value when large numbers of electrodes are required in a project such as a complex mold tool."
Another enhancement automatically updates the script files based on information gathered during the inspection with PowerINSPECT. The new script file is designed to provide accurate process information to the EDM machine, avoiding the need for manual updates.
For more information contact:
Delcam
877-335-2261
marketing@delcam.com
www.delcam.com
www.delcam-electrode.com