ProtoTRAK PMX technology eliminates the sea of buttons normally associated with VMCs.
Vertical Machining Centers (VMCs) are inherently complex. As a result, for many shops, two people may be required to run them - a lesser skilled operator to load, monitor and unload parts, and a highly skilled CAM programmer to generate and revise programs.
ProtoTRAK PMX CNC technology, standard on all Southwestern Industries LPM VMCs, addresses VMC complexity by simplifying the programming process. This enabling technology allows lower skill-level personnel to generate and edit programs for average complexity parts, while freeing up higher skill-level personnel so that they can focus on more challenging tasks.
Based on Southwestern Industries' ProtoTRAK CNC conversational language technology, the PMX user interface consists of English language prompts and 2-D / 3-D part program renderings. This means that the programmer does not have to know G-code or CAM to generate and edit programs.
"The ProtoTRAK PMX has powerful but simple to learn and use software packages that expedite the programming process and are also available with the LPM VMC," said a company spokesperson. These include:
- A DXF Converter for generating conversational language programs directly from 2-D CAD files
- A Parasolid Converter for generating conversational language programs directly from 3-D CAD files and
- Verify Machining Simulation software that provides a 3-D graphic representation of a part machined in accordance with a conversational language (or G-code) program.
Although the PMX control simplifies and expedites the programming process, it is still capable of running CAM programs (G-code) for highly complex parts for which conversational language programming is not practical. G-code programs can be generated and edited at the machine, and CAM programs can be directly converted to conversational language programs for added flexibility.
For more information contact:
Bruce Meredith, Marketing
Southwestern Industries, Inc.
2615 Homestead Place
Rancho Dominguez, CA 90220
310-608-4422 / 800-421-6875
info@southwesternindustries.com
www.southwesternindustries.com