b'CAM software with a graphical user interface transformed programming into an activity like a video game.Shop Transformation maintaining uniform chip thicknesseasy that almost anyone can cre-across a profile, which requires sub- ate a simple toolpath after a few stantial computing power. There- minutes of training. Without mod-underpowered. Today, it is com- fore, creating HSM paths withouternCAMsoftware,HSMtool-mon for machining centers to havesoftware would be impossible. paths would not be possible. And 20,000-rpm spindles. we would not have been able to Spindle speed may sound insig- Growth of CAM fully capitalize on increased speeds nificant, but it has a direct impactFew shops 25 years ago used on the programmed feed rate of aCAM software as we do today. Small machine tool. High feed rates usu- shops relied on conversational con-ally mean high removal rates andtrols orlike we did at my shopreduced cycle times, making a shopused brute force by writing G code more efficient. on paper and then typing that into Every programmer should knowa control. Even large companies at that rpm multiplied by feed perthe time depended on unwieldy tooth equals inches per minute.systems, such as Automatically Pro-So as spindle speeds increased,grammed Tool, a cumbersome For-more dynamic machine tools weretran-based language that required needed. thousands of hours to master.Our initial CNC machine was notCAM software with a graphical high end but had comparable spec- user interface transformed pro-ifications to many other machin- gramming into an activity like a ing centers on the market. In rapidvideo game. Programming is so traverse mode, the machine would travel 10.16 m/min. (400 ipm). In a feed move, the machine could goMitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems 6.35 m/min. (250 ipm). MachinesAmericas has several machining centers today are capable of rapid traverse(right) with features like high-torque and cutting feed rates in excess ofspindles and through-spindle coolant.60.96 m/min. (2,400 ipm)six times faster than our machine.As machining centers have be-come more dynamic, the use of ad-vanced milling techniques, com-monly called high-speed machin-ing, has gained popularity. HSM offers many benefits like reduced cutting forces, extended tool life and large depth-to-diameter ra-tios, all of which increase milling effi-ciency. HSM toolpaths are based on Modern controls (right) are PC-based and provide features like color monitors and USB ports. Connecting devices, such as bar code scanners, is simple, which makes automation easier.C. Tate58APRIL 2020Milling.indd 58 3/16/20 5:25 PM'