Lantek Flex3D Tubes

Lantek Flex3D Tubes

Lantek Flex3D Tubes is a CAD/CAM software system for designing, nesting and cutting parts of tubes and pipes.

Lantek has used all of its experience and proficiency gained in design systems and programming for sheet metal cutting, punching and bending machines and applied it to the tube cutting sector – regardless of the type of machine.

Easy, Flexible Design

Lantek Flex3D Tubes integrates with various kinds of tubular geometry importers such as SAT and IGES. This software allows 3D design to be simple and intuitive. It gives a true vision of the resulting design profile that will eventually be cut on a machine.

This system is a parametric system which allows the user to change the values of any operations previously made, including changes to the initial parameters of each tube (lengthening, shortening, change of diameter).

Once the design stage is complete, the user can simulate optimisation of the tube (nesting) and the path followed by the cutting head. The software will directly generate the NC program in order to send this optimisation to the machine.

Technical Characteristics

• Provides a real vision of the expected result on the screen.
• Displays the exact tube and simulates 3D and each process, thus reducing errors.
• Allows for easy manipulation and editing of the design with zoom, view, and rotation controls.
• Offers the user the ability to create standard tubes based on requirements.
• Allows the user to design tube types adapted to their needs from 2D outlines, in addition to cylindrical, rectangular, and triangular tubes.
• Allows for the design or import of desired geometry to create any type of cutout or trim with 2D design options.
• Lantek Flex3D Tubes is totally integrated with Lantek’s management systems, Lantek Manager and Lantek Integra.

Design Options

• Complete or partial chamfers on either end of the tube
• Possibilities for creating any type of contour (round, rectangular, triangular, etc.) either projected through one or both faces at any point on the tube, at any angle
• Various options for copying elements and operations (linear, circular, by grid)
• Visual identification of intersections and operations with easy calculation of intersections between two tubes
• 2D geometry projected or surface mapped on the tube surface
• Data modification checked and modified at any time in the operations tree

Optimising and Cutting the Tube

Lantek Flex3D Tubes allows the user to obtain the best optimization of both the tube itself and the generation of the NC file for the machine. Optimization is created by importing sections from the warehouse automatically or by calculating supply needs. Other features include:

• Remnant management
• Warehousing and Re-utilization
• Automatic, semi-automatic or manual 3D nesting
• Automatic or manual lead-in and lead-out generation
• Support for machines with various number of axes
• A versatile environment for the machining process which can be achieved in 2D or 3D

CNC Simulation and Generation

Lantek Flex3D Tubes can simulate the cutting machine and the machine sequence over the tube. If the resultant simulation is acceptable by the user, Lantek Flex3D Tubes will automatically generate the NC file for each machine; and, in the same environment, it will integrate the information related to the design and post-processing. Lantek Flex3D Tubes offers totally interactive simulation: step-by-step, forward, rewind, pause, and restart.