April 2010: act/ 3.6 new features in 3D applications

act/ 3.6 introduces several important features in all the 3D applications, from 5 axis/robot cutting to robotized welding and tubes cutting. These improvements range from the increased consideration of the craft and processes specificities to the programming automatization.

act/cut 3d

Surfacing functions (pocketing, parallel, zig-zag)

Alma developed new features to define the machinings required to lay out the aeronautics composite parts. They lead to the creation of the machining trajectories used to perform the surfacing operations.

The surfacing preparation steps are:

• Delineating the machined surface by selecting its CAD-defined edges.
• Choosing the machining mode (with spiral-like, parallel or zig-zag trajectories).
• Starting the trajectories automatic computation.

C1 surface profiles identification

The geometry analysis enables defining the cutting profiles of a 3D part with a single click.

3D starting points positioning

Once the cutting profiles are automatically identified, act/cut 3D is now able to select the lead-in position for each 3D profile without a manual operation. This position can be edited manually afterwards through the newly developed Move starting point function.

3D sequencing

Alma devised a brand new sequencing algorithm to optimise the cutting jobs scheduling in the 3D environnement. Once the task to schedule is selected, the new algorithm automatically computes the solution minimising the crossings between the machining trajectories.

act/weld

Automatization

Alma took the first step of the act/weld automatization project. It is now possible to use already programmed parts as templates to create robotized welding programs on similar parts (identical conception with different dimensions). The welding program from the template part (sensing points included) is automatically transferred to the new part.

Fine synchronisation

An increasing number of robotized cells now include two robots working simultaneously on the same part, which is set on a positioner. The 3.6 version new tools to program multiple robots cells greatly simplifies the preparation and simulation of programs requiring continuous synchronization between the movements of several robots and external axes. It is even possible to choose between simulating all the concerned elements (robots and positioner) and simulating a single robot. That is often quite useful when adjusting the program.

Laser sensors parameters definition

Laser camera welding trajectories calibration enables a very precise control of the process, despite an important dimensional dispersion of the part. act/weld 3.6 improves the programming of these sensors by giving the user access to the peripheral’s various use modes. The new data structure also permits taking into account the hardware evolutions by integrating new parameters whenever required.

Tube Designer Module for tubes conception

Conception of a tube with a welding bevel

The Alma’s tube conception module has been deeply overhauled. Our new version, named Tube Designer, enables defining welding bevels taking into account the process limits. The software therefore computes differently according to the maximum cutting angle allowed by the technology. The machining types (Min material, Max material) remain available in this new edition with optimized computation capabilities.

Adding bevels to imported tubes

A growing number of tubes are modeled in CAD software. In that case, the programers want to use directly the tube description in 3D that they receive from the conception team. act/cut 3.6 creates a direct link between these 3D CAD files and the machine program since it uses geometrical calculations to create 3D trajectories that can be machined and that take into account the machining types (Min material, Max material, Add bevel). This really speeds up the programming all the while ensuring that the program can be run on the machine.

Workshop document

A workshop document for the tubes, 3D cutting and welding technologies is available in PDF format. It uses the same reporting tool than act/ 2D, which allows the easy management and customization of the documents.

> Learn about act/cut 3.6 new features for 2D cutting and punching-nibbling