Trumpf user lifts design to NC production using Jetcam
1 min read
Hanover-based sheet metal subcontract services firm Erich Uhe says speed from design to NC code output has improved since installing Jetcam in 2000 – and has jumped again this year, with its purchase of a Trumpf L3040 laser machine.
The firm recently bought a third license of Jetcam Expert, along with the freeform automatic nesting module.
Says Erich Uhe managing director Hermann Strathmann: “The main advantage that came with Jetcam from the beginning is the ease of use, along with 100% error-free code for all of our machines. But we are now taking advantage of the more powerful automation features, which reduce programming time, run faster on the machine and save more material.”
The original Jetcam system replaced an ageing Unix-based system with limited tooling and nesting, which was unable to drive the more advanced features of its first new Trumpf 600L punch/laser combination machine.
Strathmann says that even users with no CAM system experience or knowledge were able to learn to use the Jetcam system within one day. And he adds that ‘dirty’ CAD files have been automatically healed, massively reducing import times.
“We literally just import a file, run automatic tooling, auto nesting and generate the NC code – it’s that simple,” he says. Single component automatic processing (SCAP) also allows for a nest of a single component to be generated in seconds.
“On average we saw around 15% improvement in material utilisation over our old CAM system, and this is with only rectangular nesting and only 5—10% of components taking advantage of common-line cutting. I expect this figure to rise with the use of freeform nesting.”
