“Singularity point analysis makes it possible to achieve the required surface quality for complex parts virtually, before going to the shop floor to cut the first part,” says Philippe Legoupi, product owner, Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division. It also helps manufacturers optimise the stock position and orientation, which affect the achievable cutting feed rate of 5-axis continuous trajectories, leading to cutting factors that can differ significantly from the CAM program for a given machine. By predicting the lines of code where there may be problems with vibrations and surface quality, programs can be improved by modifying cutting strategy parameters or changing strategies altogether. The new release helps predict the singularity point.

In order to do the job right the first time and reduce cycle times to meet delivery times, it is vital to stop the singularity point. The machine tool can vibrate, causing ‘chatter marks’ on the component being machined, which affects the quality of the surface finish. When the toolpath generated by CAM software passes through, or near to, the singularity point, the machine tool behaves erratically. It is particularly important when machining turbine blades and impellers for the aerospace industry – as 5-axis continuous cutting is used for 80% of aerospace parts – along with complex automotive, and oil and gas parts. This follows customer requests for vital assistance in ensuring a high-quality surface finish on their completed parts. Enhancements to NCSIMUL serve as a digital twin of the machine to plan and optimise NC programming, enable machinists to determine the location of the 5-axis singularity point and avoid it for the first time.

Hexagon ncsimul