Editor’s Pick: Mobile Viewing into Machining Processes

This sounds like a really interesting one.

An outfit called SPRING Technologies has come out with what it calls NCSIMUL Machine 9. This is a toolset for simulating, optimizing, verifying, and reviewing your CNC machining processes. It interfaces with major CAD/CAM applications like CATIA, Creo, EdgeCAM, and Mastercam as well as ERP and MES systems.

SPRING Technologies describes NCSIMUL Machine as giving you an end-to-end CNC control solution. By that they mean you can integrate cutting tool libraries, debug NC code, optimize cutting conditions, and even produce documentation for the technicians and other stakeholders. Its simulations integrate your machines, tools, and material parameters. You can see and correct clashes and fine-tune motions, and error lists are generated for you. And since it does its work before problems arise at the machine, NCSIMUL Machine should help you develop better cutting strategies, compress cycle times, experience less breakage, and incur minimal scrap.

In other words, NCSIMUL Machine seems designed to maximize productivity and reduce those errors and mishaps that jack up expenses through wasted time, repairs, scrap, and rework. All good.

Now, what’s cool about NCSIMUL Machine 9 is that it includes functionality for Windows 8-based tablet PCs. This means that you’re not chained to your desk. You can wander onto the floor or into the cafeteria and access all of your program’s features like the cutting tool libraries or current cutting conditions. When empowered, you can browse any shared jobs through the enterprise network or replay NC simulations.

I suspect the tablet PC functionality in NCSIMUL Machine 9 is first generation, which is a gush about its potential not a critique. But what I have no doubt is that NCSIMUL Machine seems focused on using the most modern user interface tools. That is, it seems in tune with the collaboration, platform, and ergonomic habits of consumer market trends. While Facebook or Instagram for CNC seems far-fetched, the operating conventions, integrations, and point of view deployed with NCSIMUL Machine seem to be developed to comply with the expectations of the emerging generation of computer users. All of which makes it very interesting.

You can learn more about NCSIMUL Machine 9 from today’s Pick of the Week write-up. Make sure to hit the link to the video library. You’ll find a bunch of good shows there. You can also request a demo version to get yourself some hands-on experience with it.

Thanks, Pal. — Lockwood

Anthony J. Lockwood

Editor at Large, Desktop Engineering

Read today’s pick of the week write-up.

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