Spanish metrological software manufacturer seeks French CAD/CAM or robotic solutions vendor to sign a commercial agency agreement to put in the market a unique measurement platform for 5 axis machine tools

Five-axis machining provides infinite possibilities as to the part sizes and shapes manufacturers can effectively process. The term “5-axis” refers to the number of directions in which the cutting tool can move. On a 5-axis machining center, the cutting tool is able to approach the workpiece from any direction. In other words, five sides of a part can be processed in a single setup. This is particularly important in the automotive and aeronautic sectors, an industrial competitive landscape where optimization, flexibility and most of all, high precision and quality are key to be competitive. Within this scenario, a Basque metrological software manufacturer SME has developed a metrological CAM software that allows the measurement of parts inside 5 axis machine tools. The solution is connectable to any 5 axis machine tool control system enabling inline measurements during the parts machining process. It is the first metrology software that can be directly connected to the control of a machine tool providing it with metrological capabilities. The company’s metrological CAM software analyses and captures dimensional information before, during and after the machining processes and has a graphic interface that helps designers to do the programming in a very intuitive and simple way. It provides real-time information so manufacturers can take decisions in a fast and reliable way obtaining an adaptive production which is fully optimized. In addition to full programming and 3D measurements performing as if the machine tool was an advanced coordinate measuring machine or a part inspection instrument (it’d be controlled by the company’s consolidated metrology platform), this new software adds two main functionalities: 1. Alignment or setup: This is the positioning of the part in a machine tool. Usually different fixtures are required to perform this initial and important step. The product optimizes this process by using different types of alignment depending of the specific machining process and the geometry of the part. 2. Verification: I takes less than 10 minutes using a tetrahedron and enabling to detect up to six volumetrical machine errors. It provides traceability and optimizes the machine parameters reducing the number of defective parts. In summary, the software solution subject of the agreement sought, provides the following functionalities to machine tool users: • Intuitive, user-friendly graphical interface • Agile integration with all kinds of controls • CAD programming capture/measurement: captures and part measurements can be programmed in advance • Offline programming is also possible • Enables program simulation. Without having to connect to a machine tool it can be seen how it will move to measure the part without any connection • Contact probing perpendicular to surface can be done • 5 axis contact probing. Available for standard and high precision probes. • Possibility of creating model systems to adapt results to the machining process • Possibility of having different alignments according to the machining strategy • Measurement of all type of geometries, dimensions and tolerances • Graphic 3D results of the resulting part, export them in .pdf and csw formats and showing them in different coordinate systems Part of the company’s product commercialization strategy includes reaching out to CAD/CAM and robotic solutions vendors with which establish alliances and cooperation schemes. That is why a commercial agreement is the collaboration type foreseen. This is considered to be key if the company is to successfully operate in certain markets like e.g. the French automotive and aeronautical sectors.