Delcam to highlight robot machining programming at JEC

The robot machining demonstration will make use of a KUKA robot, highlighting a combination that has proved successful for Delcam customers, such as marine manufacturer Southern Spars. This is one of many applications where a robot has provided a lower-cost alternative to machine tools for the manufacture of larger composite components. The new robot machining interface in Delcam's PowerMILL CAM software has made it far easier to program robots for a much wider range of applications. The ability to program the robot offline from 3D CAD data is both faster and more efficient than the 'teach and learn' approach that is often used to create instructions for the equipment. The cost of installing a robot is far less than the price of a large machine tool with a similar working envelope, while, in addition, the flexibility of the robot means that complex operations can be carried out in a single set-up, so cutting production times and reducing the number of fixtures needed. Robots can be used successfully in any area where softer materials need to be machined to accuracies of tenths of a millimetre, which is more than adequate for components that might be several metres in length, as is often the case for composite tooling and parts for marine, aerospace, autosport and rail applications. The latest developments in Delcam's PowerSHAPE design software and PowerMILL's 5-axis machining system will also be demonstrated at JEC.