XXXXX
CGTech Technical
Services supports
the 5-axis journey
CGTech’s VERICUT CNC simulation and optimisation software has
been intrinsically linked with 5-axis machining since the
company’s inception, initially supporting the aerospace industry.
Here, Gavin Powell, CGTech UK Technical Director, explains the
advantages of using a ‘tried and trusted’ software solution
Astonishingly, the birth of 5-axis
machining can be traced back
prior to the advent of numerical
control. It was rst established in the
1950s, when the United States Air Force
awarded Cincinnati Milacron a contract
to build and test an electric tracing
5-axis vertical mill to determine its
feasibility.
Of course, this machine was seen by
many to be beyond the reach of all but
the elite, earning it the nickname the
‘Opium Mill’. Subsequent developments
in the following years by various machine
tool builders were also cost prohibitive
for any business that didn’t have access
to the Federal Reserve.
However, today 5-axis machining
is both very real and very effective;
increasing in use by around a steady
seven per cent per annum across
most industry sectors. This, in the
main, is thanks to advances in
computer hardware and software,
with improvements providing CNC
designers with the ability to handle
5-axis requirements at a price point that
is accessible to most manufacturing
companies. This is matched by the fact
that CGTech UK alone has produced
more than 2,000 multi-axis model
con gurations of 5-axis and upwards.
Manufacturers across the globe
are doing everything they can to keep
up with the rapid advancements in
technology and processes being
employed by their competitors. One
capability that is becoming increasingly
essential to this competition is 5-axis
machining.
Providing support for such machine
tool technology, VERICUT uniquely uses
parameter les from the machine tool
control, these being used to create
an extremely accurate model of the
behaviour of the individual physical
machine tools. “The machine could be
speci ed with a high speed spindle or
longer axis travels that would then be
simulated in VERICUT, but the parameter
le will also include details of axis travel
limits and rapid traverse rates, as well
as how axes behave with commands
such as G68.2, G43.4, PLANE SPATIAL
and so on. How a rotary axis will react to
an input, say a command to rotate 180°
where there is no bene t to rotating
either clockwise or counter-clockwise.
This could be critical to collision
avoidance,” states Gavin Powell.
He continues: “Without VERICUT,
the post-processed CAM le will often
require a test cut, which is both time-
consuming and provides an opportunity
for a potentially catastrophic crash. The
parameter le in VERICUT is backed-up
by a rotary test le that allows the
engineering team to run the machine
‘dry’ with the results feeding back into
VERICUT to ensure the digital model and
the real world are fully aligned. It means
we know VERICUT is telling the truth,
if the software reports any errors, we
want to make sure that is the case.”
The Technical Support team provides
the VERICUT machine models for most
Demanding industry sectors, such as aerospace,
motorsport, medical and defence, rely on VERICUT to
ensure their machines, products & processes are protected
12 September 2019 www.machinery.co.uk @MachineryTweets
/www.machinery.co.uk