2019cnc4-5

50 www.CNC-West.com CNC WEST April/May 2019 with no chatter. They were easily fixtured. It was a stand- out project for us—it received a lot of recognition.” Verify is a CAM software feature that prevents tool col- lisions. It lets programmers check for gouges, view the fin- ished shapes of parts, and visualize how to include fixtures in the Verify simulation screen. Productivity increases and problems are addressed before parts are ever cut. Program- mers can verify on a separate thread while continuing to pro- gram, saving valuable production time. “If we don’t use Verify, we usually get ourselves into trouble,” said Lister “We use it on every single part that comes through.” Dynamic Motion technology is another software feature that is making an impact on Specialized Bicycle’s machining operation. During the production of new carbon fiber molds, high-speed Dynamic Motion toolpaths from previous molds are used as templates for roughing mold cavities. “That’s the only way we do it — with Dynamic Motion toolpaths,” said Lister. “We rough the cavities, do our semi- finishing and full-finishing cycles with the ball and bull end mills, and then dial in all of our insert and slider locations.” Machining these pieces is particularly tricky because inserts and sliders must be matched perfectly with surface features on mold halves. 4-axis machining creates tapered surface finishes, and post-processing operations, whether polishing or hand-work, are kept to a minimum. The team uses Verify to see exactly what will come out of the machines. Lister adds that Dynamic milling is the biggest change in Specialized Bicycle’s prototyping process during the past five years. Since adopting this technology, the company in- creased cutting efficiencies. Because Dynamic Motion tech- nology utilizes the entire flute length of a cutting tool, air cutting is reduced or eliminated and tool life is extended. With less machine vibration, machine wear is decreased and constant chip loading is ensured. For the folks at Specialized Bicycle, their CAD/CAM software helps bolster team collaboration. For example, the team can create templates that may be referenced when new parts arrive. Programmers can scrub toolpaths, craft new ge- ometries, and see how a previous programmer set up a part. Team collaboration over templates and machining processes is a time-saving strategy. Customizing in the software is a solid investment, said Lister. “I like to tell my guys, ‘Set up this toolpath with its de- faults in a certain way so that next time that you use it, it’s exactly the way that you expect it to be.’ The versatility and the speed at which we can execute these prototypes is why we enjoy using the software.” When team members encounter the occasional hiccup during the machining cycle, they contact their local Master- cam Reseller, Sierra CAD/CAM, Inc. (Browns Valley, CA), for advice. “It can be complex or just a bug or tweak that needs to be made and Jack (Tiffany) or Dan (McGourty) will say, ‘It looks like you missed this and this — here is a better way to do it,’” said Lister. “Or they’ll say, “Wait, that could be a bug. I’ll send this one off.’” New hires, including one programmer seeking to learn a new surfacing routine, are sent to Sierra’s headquarters for training. Lister hopes to get the entire team out to Browns Valley for more training soon. As Specialized Bicycle Components continues to blaze trails as a cycling industry pioneer, its Research and Devel- opment team will rely on Mastercam CAD/CAM software to bring its latest creations to production. With the benefits of modeling software, verification tools, and Dynamic Mo- tion high speed machining, the path to production will be a smooth one. The bicycle wheel hub being machined. The bicycle wheel hub being machined Bradford Craig holds the completed wheel hub From Left: Ford Murphy, Daniel Lister, Bradford Craig and Andy Schiffer Bradford Craig holds the completed wheel hub. The wheel hub with diagrams From Left: Ford Murphy, Daniel Lister, Bradford Craig and Andy Schiffer