‘Progressive Corners Beveling’: The algorithm that revolutionizes the way bevels are cut
by Lantek
Digital Transformation
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One of the big obstacles that the metal industry faces is cutting bevels or chamfers on corners. After months working on how to overcome the loop that is generated, we’ve developed Progressive Corners Beveling (PCB), an algorithm based on dynamic control of the 5 axes, which means that the head is progressively oriented with the angle of the next bevel. That is, it no longer remains perpendicular to the cutting direction, as it does in tangential programming. Thanks to this we save 15 mm to 30 mm of material from each loop. As a result, there is no material waste, so we gain time and therefore, money.
Francisco Pérez, OEM Channel Director
PCB is a revolutionary advancement that is not only possible in exterior bevels, but also in interior ones. In addition, there is another new development with which it is possible to draw the bevel in 3D – increasing precision even more.
Up until now, technology for cutting bevels has evolved from the triple blowtorch to a proliferation of cutting machines with 5-axes heads. This solution has made it possible to produce countless shapes thanks to the interpolated movements of the axes. In the case of plasma machines, angle corrector and compensation tables are used for the calculation of the trajectory for each angle defined in each edge, depending on the material, thickness, type of bevel and angle. These different trajectories will affect the nesting of these parts. On the other hand, in water jet cutting the 5-axes capacity is taken advantage of to provide a better finish in the straight cut. By slightly modifying the angle of incidence on the material, we can minimize the delay in the cutting between the top and bottom of the sheet, inherent to this technology, as well as the taper angle.
Designing progressive bevels can be a problem if there are no semiautomatic tools available that, based on the definition of the top and bottom geometries, are capable of calculating the transitions between the different angles of the bevel necessary to connect them in the desired way, making possible a design process that up until now was exclusive to other more expensive 3D software.
It is the CAD/CAM software which provides an answer for the different goals by designating what cutting technology to use with the least possible programming time.
The introduction of 5 axes was a landmark in bevel cutting; we’re facing a turning point with the development of Progressive Corners Beveling. The factory that decides to commit to this technology will experience a substantial increase in the profitability of the plant.
일반적으로 생산을 증가시키거나 다양화하기 위해서 공장에 두 번째 판금 기계를 추가합니다. 그러나 저희는 이를 소규모 시리즈에 따르는 문제들을 해결하기 위한 현상으로 보고 있습니다. 이는 소규모 시리즈를 생산하기 위해 중단 비용이 많이 들며 자동 생산 능력이 큰 기계를 사용할 때 발생합니다. 이 격차를 메우고 직렬 생산의 중단을 막기 위해, 많은 공장들이 자동화가 아니지만 가용성이 더 뛰어나고 더 저렴한 기계를 추가로 사용합니다.
코로나19 팬데믹을 겪으면서 객관적이고 정확한 데이터를 기반으로 한 의사결정의 중요성이 여실히 드러났습니다. 이런 데이터의 신뢰성과 품질이 필수적이며 결정 사항을 정당화하고 가치를 추가하기 위해 어떤 데이터를 사용할지 정확히 알아야 합니다. 하지만 오래된 데이터를 그냥 사용할 수는 없습니다.
역사적으로 다양한 시장 부문에 적합하게 다양한 소재의 절단 기술이 개발되었는데, 각 기술은 저마다 장점이 있지만 단점과 제한 사항도 있습니다. 보통 이런 기술은 단일 유형의 절단을 중심으로 개발되었지만, 지금은 여러 가지 절단 방법을 조합해 사용하고 있습니다(예: 워터젯과 플라스마, 펀칭과 레이저 또는 펀칭과 전단).