Korean automotive manufacturer Hyundai increases PowerMILL use

By aiming to make the company one of the world’s five largest automotive manufacturers by 2010, leading Korean automotive manufacturer Hyundai has increased its investment in PowerMILL.

Hyundai, the leading Korean automotive manufacturer, believes that, in order to achieve this target, it must implement the world’s leading technology, including the best manufacturing software (Delcam’s PowerMILL CAM system), within its tool- and jig-manufacturing operations.

Hyundai is unusual among the leading automotive manufacturers in that it still manufactures the majority of its press tools in-house. Within these operations, the company is increasing its production volumes, while also working to shorten delivery times, optimise quality and improve productivity. In addition, Hyundai expects its technology partners, including Delcam, to provide increased technical support to its suppliers so that they can also boost their productivity.

Hyundai first selected Delcam software in 2000 after one of the most thorough series of benchmarking tests in the company’s history. The company realized that it needed to change its CAM system following the introduction of high-speed machine tools at its main press tool manufacturing plant in Ulsan. In particular, a system with a wider range of machining strategies was thought to be essential to give high-quality and high-efficiency results from the new machines.

Sang Han Yu from the Hyundai Tooling Center highlighted a number of PowerMILL features that had proved especially valuable to the press tool operation. "The main benefit has been a 60% saving in machining times,” he reported. "We have seen a small increase in the programming times because we are using more sophisticated strategies, such as offset machining** for roughing* instead of raster machining. Also, we are making much more use of rest machining and pencil finishing. These also add to the programming times but give us a much better surface finish. This means less hand finishing is required.”

"Another benefit has been the improved control over cutting forces that we get from PowerMILL’s high-speed machining strategies,” he explained. "This has significantly reduced tool wear and breakages, so saving time and money. We often need to modify toolpaths when there is a change to the tooling design so PowerMILL’s powerful and flexible toolpath editing features are also essential.”

Mr. Yu also stressed the value of the strong collaboration that has been built up between the users at Hyundai and the software developers, both with the local Hankook Delcam team and with the staff at Delcam’s Birmingham headquarters. "Hankook Delcam provides a very fast customization service as part of the support we receive,” he said. "Similarly, Delcam has developed many enhancements that we have requested to make the software even more productive in press tool manufacture.”

PowerMILL is the world's leading specialist NC CAM software for the manufacture of the complex shapes typically found in the toolmaking, automotive and aerospace industries. Key features include a wide range of strategies, including the latest high-efficiency roughing, high-speed finishing, and 5-axis machining techniques, exceptionally fast calculation times and powerful editing tools to ensure optimum performance on the machine tool.

The ability to machine components in the shortest possible time is an issue of ever increasing importance. Any development in engineering which can give faster delivery, and at the same time improve quality, must, therefore be given serious consideration by the toolmaker.

For many years Delcam has been at the leading edge in the development of High Speed Machining (HSM) strategies. These use a combination of techniques to ensure rapid delivery of high quality machined components. There are many elements to efficient High Speed Machining including; the cutting tool, the CNC machine, the material being cut not to mention the use of a high quality CAM system.

Modern developments in cutting tool technology have led to a revolution in the way CNC programmers now tackle jobs. These specialist tools have totally different cutting characteristics to traditional tooling. Whereas traditional programming methods would consider machining a component from the top down, modern HSM tooling can sometimes prefer to cut from the bottom up.

PowerMILL leads the way with it's unique approaches to efficient area clearance. The main requirements of these machining strategies are to keep the load on the cutter as consistent as possible and to minimize any sudden changes in the cutting direction. One of the basic changes in strategy needed to achieve these conditions is the use of offset machining for roughing rather than the traditional raster approach.

* Rest Roughing: The rest toolpath will remove material left by a previous larger tool allowing only areas which require smaller cutters to be remachined, and so reducing milling times.

** 3D Offset Finishing: This type of finishing gives an excellent surface finish because the stepover is constant across all surfaces irrespective of whether they are steep walls or shallow contoured areas. Spiral offset finishing prevents ‘witness marks’ since the tool stays in constant contact with the model in one smooth spiralling shape.

American Management Online Certification Programs

Certificate In Manufacturing Management
Choose 5 or 6 courses for a total of 10 CEU's
The courses listed can be used towards completion of this certificate. Courses may be applied toward one certificate only. Please note that some courses may be required. Get Started Today!

Certification Program Series- Click Here

Find out how to protect your network from hackers, malware, and other malicious attacks with No.1 AdAware Plus!

Read more industry news.

Your Small Quantity Specialist - Order Online Today! Tool Steel, Metal Packs, Plastics, Aluminum and more.