Product manager Olaf Körner says the use of analytics has been able to identify common themes – the sequences people click most, and why. “It shows how customers achieve certain results, and we’ve used those measurements to incorporate sequences that are used many times every day, into just one click,” he says.
A significant update in Radan 2019 R1 makes the Radquote function easily accessible to different categories of employees. “Radquote users are generally not the staff who program machine tools with Radan,” says Körner. “So we’ve made Radquote completely stand-alone and easy to use by anyone – automatically using machine technology for the quote, with Radquote calculating the cycle time and best material usage. This achieves an accurate quote every time, providing consistency and transparency, irrespective of who is producing the quote.”
Radquote not only calculates costing on sheet metal, but all aspects of quoting are now included – such as cutting, bending, welding, painting and assembly. The Radquote functions also links seamlessly with most ERP systems, particularly Vero’s WorkPLAN. As a result, if there’s a material price rise recorded in the ERP system, Radquote will utilise that information.
Radan CAD/CAM is a key area where click habits have been reviewed and advanced for simpler use – saving time and refining business processes. “Part preparation is a time-consuming task and some operations have been reduced from two clicks to one, to apply settings,” says Körner. “The ‘Grab Part in Nest’ mode function – to change a part in nesting mode – has also been simplified, saving average users an estimated minimum of 50 clicks per day.”
The ‘Batch Nest’ function now benefits from a stronger web option which allows parts to be nested evenly across a sheet. This function is optimised for the best cut option, where nothing else will fit on the sheet, and is particularly useful to stop sheets moving on punch presses, while preventing heat build-up on lasers by ensuring adequate space between parts.
Three important updates feature in Radbend, including: improved automatic finger-stop positioning for sharp-angled parts; pre-selection of the bend process depending on tool selection; and filter tool profiles. Körner explains the tool filter options: “While every tool purchased is in Radbend’s tool library, it can also now show tools filtered according to manufacturer. In addition, it shows all the tools capable of producing the required bend. To reduce that list even further, you can set additional filters. ‘Available’ is for all tools in the system; ‘Valid’ are tools that would fit the job; and ‘Mapped’ shows tools which are already programmed and ready to go on a specific machine.”
Radm-ax developments include automatic heat avoidance, hazard avoidance and common line cutting. A newly developed cutting sequence for heat avoidance has been added to prevent heat build-up in the component. Improvements to hazard avoidance, calculating a better and safer path around hazards, and an increase in the ability to cut more difficult angles – such as 30° angles – with common line cutting, will also benefit production times.
Multiple nesting in Radm-ax is now easier, as set-up nesting screens have been updated to improve workflow and clarity. Organising the workflow is also easier, thanks to an improved naming convention for generated files. And changes have been made to tube alignment options, making it easier to pick the correct point for alignment with the machine axis.
