machine simulation

[FTI2007]

we are getting an bridgemill with a right angle head that can index and change heads.  Is  machine simulation needed and/or worth the cost for this. how well does it work.  We have  no experience with anything other than 3 axis mills so It will be a small learning curve Im sure.   

Thanks

[crazy^millman]

Really comes down to what you are doing and what your burden rate is. Problem is most companies never care about the true cost of running machines. They set an hourly rate they think is based off of real numbers, but most times never really capture real numbers. What will the machine sitting cost you? What will equipping you with the best way to program the part be worth? Simulation is a tool in the tool box, but even the best simulation software is not perfect. Couple good examples this week with a customer. Control on a machine freaked out because of a .0001 difference in posted code and crashed a tool. Older machine and they run a name brand industry recognized simulation software. Verify, and full machine simulation did not catch it. Tweaked the tolerances in the HST toolpath and it corrected the problem that both the CAM and Simulation software both missed. Another example same customer the HST toolpath decided that plunging into extra stock with a 3/4 endmill verses off the stock for one plunge move in 50k lines of code was a good thing to do. Again Verify and Simulation Software both missed it broke an endmill. Easily corrected and fixed, but the tool failed in both instances to do the job it is supposed to do. They are extremely rare .01% issues, but not perfect.

 

Simulation is a great tool to have and allows the programmer to see things that may have missed or over looked when programming. A missed clamp, or holder, or extra stock, or 100's of different things a programmer can miss or even forgot. I am not perfect and have never made the claim I hear a lot. I have meet more perfect Programmers and Engineers in the last 6 months than I have ever meet in my life. I make mistakes and do my very best not to, but it happens. The Simulation software helps to catch them and make a programmer better. Flip side of that I am also seeing is to much trusting of the simulation software and not going out and hearing the story the machine, tool and part are telling you. I see a lot of idea people who have really neat ideas. Problem is a lack of understanding what it takes to make those ideas reality. Simulation will be very helpful, but will someone who thinks they understand what you need be the decision maker or will someone who really understands what you need make the decision? One crash or one scrapped part could easily pay for a seat of simulation software. Yes I see too many people cheap out and spend tons of money on a machine and then expect a post to be free, simulation to be free and the programmer to be 100% perfect right out of the gate.

 

Really a no brainier in my humble opinion since I know the machine will cost more than a $100k. I would estimate closer to $500k time is all said and done. Even if the simulation software was 10% of the cost it would be money well spent.

[Myth Project]

Long story short, well worth it.

[guitar]

Long story short, well worth it.

 

lol

[FTI2007]

Thanks for the response.   Just to clarify I am referring to Mastercams machine simulation. I agree with you on it should be a no brainer. its just a matter of convincing management since they think if we didn't have it before we do not need it now. And I want to make sure I am recommending the right product.  I agree that 1 crash would pay for the software.  We are just doing basic milling /drilling on the machine so I am hoping that Mastercam machine simulation is enough and that I do not need something like Vericut.

[Myth Project]

MasterCAM verify can have some issues if you're doing like rotary drilling (cross drilling).  The code will be fine, but it'll look like it's going to drag a tool through your part.  For me it's good like 99% of the time.  Personally never used any other types of verify, so can't input any info on that front.