Improve Productivity with Mastercam 5-axis Machining
Multiaxis machining is defined by the motion of the cutting machine. A multiaxis machining center can move either its cutting tool or workpiece not only along the three basic linear axes (X, Y, and Z), it can also use the rotary axes (A, B, and/or C) around each of the linear axes. With Mastercam 5-axis machining, programmers can take advantage of the three linear axes and two of the rotary axes: A (rotation around the X-axis), B (rotation around the Y-axis), and/or C (rotation around the Z-axis). The increased range of motion means more efficient machining, but as profitable as 5-axis machining is, it can be intimidating. If you find yourself questioning whether or not 5-axis is for you and your shop, read on. 1. Try 3 + 2 Machining First Before jumping headlong into 5-axis machining, try 3 + 2 machining, or positional 5-axis machining. This type of machining is run with a standard 3-axis milling program, but the cutting tool is in a tilted position along one of the rotary axes. Instead of the tool adjusting its angle continuously, as it would in simultaneous 5-axis machining, the tool remains stationary and locked into one fixed angle during machining and cannot be [...]
XYZprinting SLS Machines Compatible with High Performance PP and TPU
A reprint from 3Dnatives 3D printing solutions manufacturer XYZprinting has announced a partnership with AM Polymers to offer two new materials for its selective laser sintering (SLS) machines. The range now includes an FDA-approved, food-grade PP01 polypropylene powder and a PB01 TPU powder for the footwear industry. This partnership allows XYZprinting to expand the capabilities of its industrial SLS 3D printers and broaden the scope of possibilities for its users. SLS has become a very popular 3D printing process thanks to its ability to manufacture quality parts in series while optimizing costs and lead times. This is surely one of the reasons why XYZprinting has entered this niche, after already making a name for itself in the FDM 3D printer market. Since 2019, the manufacturer has indeed taken an industrial turn in the 3D printing market by developing SLS solutions which are more suitable for mass production. This time, it’s going one step further by offering qualified materials, developed by German manufacturer AM Polymers. The powders are compatible with the SLS machines from XYZprinting (photo credits: XYZprinting) An FDA Approved Polypropylene AM Polymers’ PP01 polypropylene powder is now compatible with XYZprinting’s SLS machines. It is a material that offers a high [...]
Join us for Informative Upcoming Webinars
Next week we have three different webinars scheduled that will take some deep dives into 3D Printing. All events are free to attend but registration is required. Take a look at what's coming up . . . Prototyping with Metal Tuesday, March 29 at 9AM EDT In this webinar, you will be introduced to some key benefits and use cases of prototyping with metal 3D printed parts. We’ll cover two hot technologies on the market, the Desktop Studio System (bound metal deposition), and Xact Metal systems (affordable metal powder-bed fusion). Register Here How 3D Printing is Getting Products to Market Faster Tuesday, March 29 at 4PM EDT With 3D printing, you can print prototypes and end-use parts moving to full-scale production at a faster speed, enabling you to get to market faster, while still reducing costs. Join HP and current customers as we share what it takes to incorporate 3D printing into product development and production of medical equipment and devices. Register Here Metal Using Additive for End-Use Parts – Deep dive into Desktop Metal Shop System Wednesday, April 13 at 9:30AM In this webinar, we will provide a brief history of Metal 3D before diving deep into the [...]
Powerful Mastercam Router Features You Should Know
Did you know routers were first created as a solution for the cabinet industry for cutting cabinet faces out of wood? The modern router, however, comes equipped with multiaxis rotary devices and pivoting heads, making them a staple in the shops of any industry. They are now capable of cutting a variety of materials like foam, plastic, wood, aluminum, and carbon fiber. You may already be familiar with its advanced Router software solutions. Pairing with Mastercam Art allows you to incorporate any image – a 2D drawing, clipart, photos, CAD files, etc. – into your machining code. Feature-based toolpath generation automatically calculates the best machining strategy by evaluating a part’s geometries. But the following three features can take your shop’s router work to the next level. Mesh Editing Tools These editing tools are incredibly useful when working with large files imported as STL models, such as architectural art, corbels, or embossed engravings. Decimation: Reduces the file size to expedite processing by reducing the number of facets – or data points – in the model. You can control how closely the new file imitates the old by determining the pattern of facet reduction. Explode Mesh: Separates the mesh model into workable areas according to [...]
Desktop Metal Releases the Production System P-50
Desktop Metal has shipped its first Production System P-50 printer, marking the commercialization of the company’s flagship additive manufacturing technology for mass production of end-use, metal parts. The P-50 is designed to mass-produce high-performance metal parts with the repeatability and cost required to compete with conventional manufacturing. (Photo: Business Wire) As one of the most highly anticipated advanced manufacturing systems ever introduced, the P-50 is the product of nearly $100 million in investment and a four-year development program overseen by Desktop Metal engineers and materials scientists. The P-50 is designed to mass-produce high-performance metal parts with the repeatability and cost required to compete with conventional manufacturing. Stanley Black & Decker, the first P-50 customer, is a purpose-driven industrial organization that operates the world’s largest tools and storage business, including such iconic brands as DEWALT, BLACK+DECKER, and CRAFTSMAN. The Production System - World’s Fastest Way to 3D Print Metal Parts At-Scale Created by the inventors of binder jetting and single-pass inkjet technology, the Production System is an industrial manufacturing platform powered by Desktop Metal’s Single Pass Jetting™ technology. It is designed to achieve speeds up to 100 times those of legacy powder bed fusion additive manufacturing technologies and enable production quantities of [...]
Metal 3D Printing 101 – Webinars on Demand
Metal 3D Printing 101 - Part 1 in the Acceleration of Metal 3D Printing Series This is a three part webinar series, culminating with a live event in New Jersey on April 28th. In Metal 3D 101, we will provide a brief history of Metal 3D before diving deep into the most commonly used processes and use cases. We will show how it plays an important role in manufacturing today. https://cimquesttv.wistia.com/medias/afd3eo346r?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640