Tag Archives: estimating machining time using tombstone fixturing

KipwareCYC® – New Release – Multiple Part Machining Time Estimating

The design of KipwareCYC® from the start has been to assist users accurately create machining time estimates for their workpieces … and has been based on creating that time to machine one part from start to finish. Estimates are created while users walk the part through each machining operation for each machine required … creating a time to complete each operation on each machine.

This release of version 7.0.0 of KipwareCYC® now includes the ability to take that single part estimate and research and calculate how that single part time will be effected by using :

  • Multiple pieces in a fixture
  • Multiple fixtures
  • 4th axis or tombstone fixturing using multiple pieces per side of the tombstone while machining multiple sides of the tombstone
  • Multi-axis spindle and multi-turret turning centers
  • Swiss style turning centers

Making use of many of our proprietary formulas already employed inside KipwareCYC® … rapid time, cutting times and handling times ( indexing times ) can now be easily incorporated through the use of these new features and the Multi-Milling and Multi-Turning option screens.

Details are outlined in detail below … or you can watch the video :

MILLING OPTIONS

mill_screenUsing the MILLING option … users have the option of choosing either a MULI-FIXTURE or INDEXER type set-up. Using the FIXTURE TYPE option … users can define

  • # of pieces per fixture
  • # of fixtures
  • distance between the fixtures

Using the INDEXER type option ( designed for HMC’s utilizing a tombstone or 4th axis indexer ) … users can define

  • # of pieces per side of the tombstone
  • # of sides that will be used for machining
  • Indexing time of the table or 4th axis indexer.

KipwareCYC® will then auto-calculate the additional RAPID TIME, CUTTING TIME, and HANDLING TIME ( indexing time ) required and present the user with all the new calculations for comparison. This new feature will not only produce a  more accurate cycletime for multiple parts … but will allow the user to research and compare what might be the better fixturing options to employ.

TURNING OPTIONS

lathe_screen

The TURNING option was designed with multi-spindle and multi-turret type as well as swiss-style turning centers in mind. The cycletime on a multi-spindle machine is in essence the time for that turret with the longest machining time. In KipwareCYC® the user now has the ability to move operations between the turrets to define that turret’s cycletime … and in essence the cycletime to machine the part that was originally estimated using a single spindle machine.

The user is presented with a drop-down list of all the operations from the estimate created for the single spindle machine … and can then move the operations between turrets to find the optimum time and sequence of operations.

Estimating

What does it all mean?

In addition to quickly and easily turning a single part machining time estimate into an estimate for multiple parts on multiple fixtures or time using a more powerful and capable machine … users have new power to research and explore the best machining option to obtain the optimum machining time available on their equipment.

These new features are … once again from Kentech Inc. … cutting edge and innovative. These options coupled with the proprietary formulas employed inside KipwareCYC® give users added power and flexibility to not only win more work … but win more profitable work.

Kenney Skonieczny – President

Kentech Inc.