ConcurrentCAM is the latest release in a number of tools from Somatech focused on delivering ease of use and better productivity for NC programming

Somatech has announced the availability of ConcurrentCAM. As organisations seek ever quicker design and manufacturing techniques to bring products to market faster and with better returns they turn to their people, processes and technology for results. ConcurrentCAM has been created to generate these results delivering massive productivity gains.

ConcurrentCAM can best be described as Knowledge Management (KM) for the process of taking a 3D model and producing the end result of NC code.

Like all KM systems ConcurrentCAM needs to be trained once in machining strategy for a particular feature and this can then be taken from the vault and reused.

By using centrally managed online rules dictated by machine resources, manufacturing strategy, product or tooling and technology data a user can generate NC programs rapidly.

The solution automatically takes features direct from the 3D model and matches those to CAM features then the optimum machining strategy and faultless NC program are generated automatically from the 3D model.

Marcel Veenis, Somatech's Product Manager for ConcurrentCAM explains the benefits, 'ConcurrentCAM has been developed in conjunction with industry as a solution to automate the NC programming process.

Traditionally the method of import component data, select and define features, apply tooling and machining strategy, verify and then post NC code involving skilled CAM operators can now be performed in a fraction of the time using ConcurrentCAM.

The benefits are achieved not only through the reduction in time and effort required to program a component but in quality through standardisation of machining strategy and ease of use.

Since these manufacturing strategies are easily accessible a Design Engineer could run what if scenarios to check design for manufacture avoiding costly mistakes later in the process.

Typically we expect an organisation to save 35% of their programming time and improve quality by using ConcurrentCAM.' ConcurrentCAM utilises Esprit CAM from DP Technology to provide the underlying NC programming, validation and tool management but a separate user interface has been designed, Veenis explains why 'we developed a new user interface that focuses on the core requirements that of generating NC code.

With little or no knowledge of a cam system such as Esprit and design and manufacturing best practices accurate and reliable NC code can be generated so a new user can be productive within a very short space of time.

This allows CAM specialists to get their work done quicker and focus on improving technology and production methods rather than calculating NC programming and empowers the occasional user to deliver proven NC code quickly and easily.' A demonstration CD outlining the benefits and giving a brief overview of the process is available upon request.