b'\x1b\x1a\x19 \x1f\x18\x1d\x17\x16Get With the ProgramSOFTWARE EVOLVES WITH INDUSTRY By Stas MylekT he challenges of high-temper-ature materials like titanium, plus increased pressure to reduce cycle times and costs, are forcing manufacturers in aerospace, en-ergy, medical and other industries to seek new methods to machine these materials in the most produc-tive ways possible.CAM software providers continu-ally improve their products to keep pace with the evolution of materials while adapting to innovations on the side of cutting and machine tools. The goal is to develop toolpath strategies that address the machin-ing characteristics and challenges that these materials present, as well as to exploit developments with ma-chine and cutting tools. Research and testing often uncover surprises.For example, Tolland, Connect-icut-based CNC Software Inc., de-veloper of Mastercam, operates a manufacturing lab for toolpath and machining research to gain hands-on feedback on CAM devel-opments. Personnel ranging from application engineers and prod-uct specialists to the partnership team use the lab to test new ideasCNC SoftwareCNC Software operates a manufacturing lab for toolpath and machining research to gain under typical shop conditions. Whathands-on feedback on CAM developments.makes the lab unique is its collabo-ration with industry leaders in theegy that potentially could trans- (0.375") dia. tool. Even at a more machine and cutting tool fields.late into large cycle time reductionstraditional feed rate of 1.7 m/min. The facility regularly cycles throughfor titanium parts. This theory was(65 ipm), the material removal rate equipment to accurately replicategrounded in earlier lab tests. Lever- was still over 40% greater than using customer environments, and cut- aging the optimum cutting condi- the high-speed machining, radial ting tool partners often use the labtion and constant chip load capa- chip thinning approach thats more to test their most recent technologi- bilities of Mastercams Dynamic Mo- common in the industry. This newcal advancements. tion toolpaths, the lab ran a test withpower cutting method required A recent project involved testingD2 tool steel at an 80% step-overhigher horsepower usage and more a counterintuitive roughing strat- and 200% DOC with a 9.525 mmrigid workholding, yet the MRR and 14JUNE 2020 GetwithProgram.indd 14 5/14/20 12:27 PM'