A number of new features for machine support include the ability to set tool changes from alternate origins. This now includes the ability to set the tool change home location based on Part (as in previous versions), Part Station, Machine, or Tool Group. In addition, it is also possible to flag tool motions with abnormally high feedrates and provide a safety warning to the operator. Alongside new simulation modes such as Fixture Visibility, GibbsCAM 2023 significantly boosts its simulation feature set.

Some milling jobs feed at 200 IPM @ 2,500 SFM without catastrophic edge failure. Turning feeds up to 0.01 IPR @ 1,200 SFM are routine. “With the other ceramics we tried, whiskered or unwhiskered, the milling was not up to our standards,” said Hub Whitley.

Ceramic, but built for roughing A key factor in the performance of the Ingersoll AS20 ceramic is the toughness of the SiN substrate, combined with a very strong geometry and special edge prep. Unlike most ceramics, the AS20 is designed specifically for roughing, and in particular features a wide land. Top-face geometry puts more of the machining heat into the departing chip than into the tool, toolholder, or workpiece. This not only protects the insert, but also helps speed up indexing.

Indeed, heat management in a broader sense helped to shorten cycle times in other ways. Keeping the tools just warm to the touch will shorten indexing downtime to a measurable degree. “We’re deliberately accepting high edge wear in exchange for higher throughput, which necessarily means more frequent indexing,” says Horton. “Naturally we want to avoid indexing delays due to inserts becoming too hot to handle right away.” Kippola added that he has seen processing at other plants delayed for 10 minutes or more, waiting for the tool to cool off enough to handle.

Other enhancements include a new option in most Turning processes to control Cutting Load Variation in order to suppress resonance-induced chatter and improve chip breaking for CNC machines. This machine capability is also called variable spindle speed by Okuma, and low frequency vibration by Citizen. VoluTurn functionality has also been extended to manage the active control of chip thickness during the cut by varying the feed rate instantaneously with any changes in cut depth.

GibbsCAM 2023 extends the default drill cycle types to include five more: gun drilling, variable peck (full out and chip breaker), and peck tap (full out and chip breaker). In addition, a new Multifunction Insert Drill type is supported which can be used to perform both turning and drilling/boring operations (such as the Sandvik Coromant CoroDrill 880 series). The Multifunction Insert Drill tool type can seamlessly switch between turning, lathe drilling, and mill drilling without retraction or tool change motions. Also included is a new option for Lathe Drilling with counter-rotating tools that instructs the live tooling spindle to turn in the opposite direction at a specified RPM to effectively increase spindle speed and significantly boost material removal rates.

There are pluses and minuses to working in the machine shop at MOGAS Severe Service Ball Valves. On the plus side, there’s plenty of work despite the ongoing economic uncertainties; as part of a global corporation, the Houston-based process valve manufacturer is busier than ever. The backlog of orders is so extensive that the CNC department and manual machine shop must run 24/7 just to keep up.

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“Many people think that whiskered ceramics are intrinsically tougher than unwhiskered ones, but that’s ‘old school’,” said Kippola. “Newer, unsupported ceramics exhibit vastly improved toughness because of the substrates themselves.”

Cylindrical milling in GibbsCAM 2023 is easier with direct selection of a ‘Slice’ in the CS depth axis -- select a closed profile to machine a cylindrical boss or pocket, or select two loops to machine a groove or ring without the need to extract edge geometry and unwrap the shape. New Spiral Boring functionality cuts a spiral out to the full diameter at each Z step, which substantially increases cutting feed rate and depth due to a more consistent tool load. In addition, Mill Roughing can now omit cavity areas to support high-speed mill tools that cannot plunge or ramp.

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Cambrio, a leading CAD/CAM innovator in the production machining industry has announced the new release GibbsCAM 2023. New developments continue the focus on core capability, while introducing new technology in collaboration with Sandvik Coromant. GibbsCAM 2023 features a number of significant Turning enhancements including the highly effective implementation of Sandvik Coromant’s PrimeTurning strategies. These new cutting methodologies permit turning and facing in all directions, delivering dramatic increases in high volume production. PrimeTurning has proven to deliver cycle time reductions of up to 50%, and more than 500% increase for insert tool life. PrimeTurning uses the slope of the insert for chip thinning to allow you to make heavy cuts and spread cutting forces and heat over a larger portion of the cutting edge, which in turn contributes to longer tool life. In addition, PrimeTurning adapts the feedrate (excellent for cutting on a taper) to constantly manage chip thickness which is ideal for high-volume and unattended environments. PrimeTurning supports two new tool types (CoroTurn Prime Type-A with three 35° corners for finishing and fine roughing/getting into grooves etc, and CoroTurn Prime Type-B with two strong corners for bulk roughing/heavy cutting) that both utilize a low lead angle to improve surface finish. Commenting on the latest development, Åke Nilsson, Global Product application manager for Turning tools at Sandvik Coromant said: “We have now extensively tested the PrimeTurning cycle in GibbsCAM, and it's really good. The team have taken an innovative approach and I must say that they've made a tremendous job with the technology implementation.” Other enhancements include a new option in most Turning processes to control Cutting Load Variation in order to suppress resonance-induced chatter and improve chip breaking for CNC machines. This machine capability is also called variable spindle speed by Okuma, and low frequency vibration by Citizen. VoluTurn functionality has also been extended to manage the active control of chip thickness during the cut by varying the feed rate instantaneously with any changes in cut depth. Thread Turning operations have been expanded with Face Threading, Variable Pitch Threading, Multi-pitch, and Position Tool Front options. Users can produce a spiral thread on the face of a part, vary pitch threads incrementally per revolution, or generate different pitches on a continuous thread, with easy control of exact start/end specs in the tool dialog. Alongside many other Turning enhancements, it is now possible to specify Rake and Back Relief for tool inserts to more accurately define the 3D geometry of the tool inserts to provide a tool representation that perfectly matches what the customer is experiencing. Also, the Elliptical Contour process may now be used for elliptical bores inside of solid parts, and supports a radial (Xr) stock offset, for both inner diameter (ID) and outer diameter (OD) machining. Cylindrical milling in GibbsCAM 2023 is easier with direct selection of a ‘Slice’ in the CS depth axis -- select a closed profile to machine a cylindrical boss or pocket, or select two loops to machine a groove or ring without the need to extract edge geometry and unwrap the shape. New Spiral Boring functionality cuts a spiral out to the full diameter at each Z step, which substantially increases cutting feed rate and depth due to a more consistent tool load. In addition, Mill Roughing can now omit cavity areas to support high-speed mill tools that cannot plunge or ramp. GibbsCAM 2023 extends the default drill cycle types to include five more: gun drilling, variable peck (full out and chip breaker), and peck tap (full out and chip breaker). In addition, a new Multifunction Insert Drill type is supported which can be used to perform both turning and drilling/boring operations (such as the Sandvik Coromant CoroDrill 880 series). The Multifunction Insert Drill tool type can seamlessly switch between turning, lathe drilling, and mill drilling without retraction or tool change motions. Also included is a new option for Lathe Drilling with counter-rotating tools that instructs the live tooling spindle to turn in the opposite direction at a specified RPM to effectively increase spindle speed and significantly boost material removal rates. A number of new features for machine support include the ability to set tool changes from alternate origins. This now includes the ability to set the tool change home location based on Part (as in previous versions), Part Station, Machine, or Tool Group. In addition, it is also possible to flag tool motions with abnormally high feedrates and provide a safety warning to the operator. Alongside new simulation modes such as Fixture Visibility, GibbsCAM 2023 significantly boosts its simulation feature set. Lastly, organising parts is easier than ever to match the way you work. GibbsCAM 2023 lets you categorise and organize workgroups and coordinate systems within a part, and specify active and inactive operations which significantly helps users to part information throughout the CAM workflow, especially with large complex machining processes. To improve ease of use, new tabs have been added to allow the setting of work areas limits on a part-by-part basis and assign to new toolpath operations. In addition, the Work Fixtures tab within the Post Processor dialog can now group offsets in use by operation coordinate system. This increases visibility and program safety when multiple coordinate systems are used on a single fixture offset. www.cambrio.com

The outcome: a secure process for roughing Inconel, which runs twice as fast as with any other ceramic. For example, turning a ball that used to take an entire shift with carbide, and two hours with other ceramics, now takes an hour. A seat ring that once took an hour with carbide, and 30 minutes with other ceramics, is now completed within 15 minutes.

Lastly, organising parts is easier than ever to match the way you work. GibbsCAM 2023 lets you categorise and organize workgroups and coordinate systems within a part, and specify active and inactive operations which significantly helps users to part information throughout the CAM workflow, especially with large complex machining processes. To improve ease of use, new tabs have been added to allow the setting of work areas limits on a part-by-part basis and assign to new toolpath operations. In addition, the Work Fixtures tab within the Post Processor dialog can now group offsets in use by operation coordinate system. This increases visibility and program safety when multiple coordinate systems are used on a single fixture offset.

Faster machining, reliably In initial trials, the Ingersoll solution achieved slightly higher rates than other ceramics, but did so with much more reliability. Failure causes were edge wear (which was very predictable), not edge rupture (which is not.) “Performance was especially impressive on milling, with its interrupted cuts that often fracture brittle ceramics,” said Hub Whitley.

On the other hand, to fill all those orders MOGAS must machine a lot of “uncooperative” Inconel 718. That heat-resistant alloy is notorious for burning up tools and generating long, stringy chips with a proclivity for adhering to cutting edges. This limits cutting rates and necessitates frequent but unpredictable stoppages for indexing — considerably upsetting that round-the-clock schedule.

Commenting on the latest development, Åke Nilsson, Global Product application manager for Turning tools at Sandvik Coromant said: “We have now extensively tested the PrimeTurning cycle in GibbsCAM, and it's really good. The team have taken an innovative approach and I must say that they've made a tremendous job with the technology implementation.”

Four-part solution There were four parts to their solution: 1) retool with an Ingersoll ceramic insert, with special edge preparation; 2) inject some “out of the box” programming; 3) sacrifice edge life for exponential gains in feeds and speeds as a matter of strategy; 4) and control process heat to speed up edge indexing.

Thread Turning operations have been expanded with Face Threading, Variable Pitch Threading, Multi-pitch, and Position Tool Front options. Users can produce a spiral thread on the face of a part, vary pitch threads incrementally per revolution, or generate different pitches on a continuous thread, with easy control of exact start/end specs in the tool dialog.

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Accordingly, MOGAS flood cools everything during turning ---work piece, mandrel, tool and tool holder. They run the milling dry, but flood the cutter and inserts for 15 seconds at every indexing stoppage. Horton won’t disclose the actual indexing frequency, but says it’s short enough to shock some people. “Nevertheless, we’re way ahead economically by burning through inserts in order to run faster. That’s a trade-off I’d take any day.”

New developments continue the focus on core capability, while introducing new technology in collaboration with Sandvik Coromant. GibbsCAM 2023 features a number of significant Turning enhancements including the highly effective implementation of Sandvik Coromant’s PrimeTurning strategies.

Alongside many other Turning enhancements, it is now possible to specify Rake and Back Relief for tool inserts to more accurately define the 3D geometry of the tool inserts to provide a tool representation that perfectly matches what the customer is experiencing. Also, the Elliptical Contour process may now be used for elliptical bores inside of solid parts, and supports a radial (Xr) stock offset, for both inner diameter (ID) and outer diameter (OD) machining.

MOGAS makes the balls from chucked barstock: Bore out the main bore, mount it on a mandrel, turn the OD, then move the piece to another machine to pocket-mill a rectangular slot. The slots engage the valve stem as part of the rotation mechanism. The valve seats involve OD and ID turning only, with the ID a spherical radius to mate with the ball.

Last August, MOGAS CNC programmer/supervisor Zach Horton and his CNC team, together with Ingersoll’s Craig Kippola, attacked the problem head-on by seeking to find a faster, more reliable way to machine that most contentious material. As a result, they’re turning Inconel 718 valve balls four times faster than with carbide — and twice as fast as with any other ceramic they’ve ever tried. Similarly, the team improved rough milling rates by 5 to 1 over carbide, and again, 2 to 1 versus any other ceramic.

The principal parts in MOGAS ball valves are the balls and their mating valve seats. Such valves help control hot, corrosive process fluids found in refining, chemical and mining operations. Each valve has one ball and two valve seats that require precision machining for the valve to be truly leak-proof. The ball has a bore down its center, rotating the ball opens and closes the flow of material.

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Commitment to ceramics Together with lead man Hub Whitley, Zach settled on ceramic tooling to replace the carbide components. They tried a few grades on their own and achieved 50% to 100% productivity improvements, but edge failures were so unpredictable that they defeated process stability. So, they called Ingersoll’s Craig Kippola and Kirk Higby of tooling distributor Cutting Tools Inc. for specific recommendations on grades and machining parameters. “They solved past problems for us very well, so they were the natural ‘go-to guys’ this time around,” said Horton.

In addition, PrimeTurning adapts the feedrate (excellent for cutting on a taper) to constantly manage chip thickness which is ideal for high-volume and unattended environments. PrimeTurning supports two new tool types (CoroTurn Prime Type-A with three 35° corners for finishing and fine roughing/getting into grooves etc, and CoroTurn Prime Type-B with two strong corners for bulk roughing/heavy cutting) that both utilize a low lead angle to improve surface finish.

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Kippola’s recommendation for both turning and milling: Ingersoll ceramic grade AS20 SiN inserts, running at roughly twice the speed of any other ceramic tried. To Horton’s surprise, the inserts were “unwhiskered” (no microscopic reinforcing fibers), with special edge preparation. Turning inserts are plain rounds, which rough at 1,200 SFM. Milling inserts, seated in a 2-inch shell mill, are notched for better gripping in the seat pocket to withstand the extremely fast rpm’s. Standard speed: 2,500 SFM.

Based on success with the Inconel balls and seats, Horton is running the same Ingersoll ceramic insert to turn valve stems, and is doing a considerable volume of boring, too. “We’re pushing the envelope regarding boring Inconel with ceramics, with excellent results” says Horton. “We’ve heard that many shops avoid boring Inconel with ceramic inserts because the material doesn’t tolerate the recutting very well. With this particular Ingersoll grade and special attention to chip evacuation, our boring operations have been very successful.”

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These new cutting methodologies permit turning and facing in all directions, delivering dramatic increases in high volume production. PrimeTurning has proven to deliver cycle time reductions of up to 50%, and more than 500% increase for insert tool life. PrimeTurning uses the slope of the insert for chip thinning to allow you to make heavy cuts and spread cutting forces and heat over a larger portion of the cutting edge, which in turn contributes to longer tool life.

Once the requisite stability was established, the MOGAS CNC team modified the programs for more aggressive toolpaths, and then turned to Kippola and Higby to optimize the final machining parameters. The critical detail of their strategy was to push machining rates, even at the expense of edge life. “Sure, ceramic inserts aren’t cheap, but the real potential for money saving is to speed up the chipmaking and let the rest fall where it may,” said Horton.