GibbsCAM 2010 Includes Enhanced Productivity Tools

Gibbs and Associates has announced that it is now shipping GibbsCAM 2010, which includes a variety of new features, additions, enhancements and productivity tools. Bill Gibbs, founder and president of the company, said: 'We added many capabilities to make programming and machining easier and more efficient, especially with new features in five-axis and solids machining.

'We also implemented 64-bit operation to enable the faster processing of long programs and complex parts, added support for new tools and tool holders, extended functionality within various modules and extended and updated interoperability with various CAD [computer-aided-design] systems. 'All this is in addition to the recent integration of Volumill and making GibbsCAM compatible with the Windows 7 operating system,' he added.

GibbsCAM 2010 includes more spiral machining options, gouge check projection options, a lead-in/lead-out 'flip' option, an axial shift damp option for trimming applications and support for countersink and keyway cutters. A Surface Tools plug-in has been added to create surfaces for repairing or improving the machining of surfaces from solids. An Adaptive Cuts option enables the user to regulate the distance between paths based upon the angle of the surface to be machined to provide a consistent surface finish, regardless of surface angle.

The Impeller Roughing option has been enhanced with functionality that covers more contingencies, which is useful when roughing near and around splitter blades. A new option, called the Retract Through Tube Center, enables the user to retract cutting tools from angled pockets while avoiding walls, which is useful for machining cylinder head ports and similar geometry. A more capable Plunge Roughing option is no longer a plug-in but a tile in the computer-aided-manufacturing (CAM) palette, with the ability to calculate material removal strategies that accommodate carbide-inserted drills, which require special motion for no-drag retractions, while avoiding collision in tight or narrow areas.

Enhancements to advanced 3D machining include the addition of Hit Flats with specified tools for pocketing, the ability to specify flatness tolerance in Flats Cut to ensure that all desired 'flat' areas are machined, a locking high feed rate for the Shortest Route and Minimal Vertical retract styles, the addition of Trim to Ramp Advance as a Contour option for waterline cuts, specifying surface finish with step-over distance or scallop height parameters and the use of the Stock Bounding Box as an additional machining boundary. Facet bodies, generated from a previous machining process, or brought in through a data file, can now be used as initial stock in solid pocketing.

The 64-bit implementation allows the user to take advantage of the more powerful multi-processor PCs equipped with 4Gb or more of RAM. This provides tighter interoperability with 64-bit CAD systems that are co-resident with GibbsCAM on a PC. Also, 64-bit operation reduces computation time when processing long programs or working with complex geometry. It will also enable users to take advantage of system enhancements when running under the Windows 7 operating system.

GibbsCAM 2010 includes features to extend functionality, including enhancements to the user interface and for the milling, multi-task machining and wire EDM modules, as well as new add-ins for data exchange to support Inventor 2010 and Solidworks 2010 and additional CAD file import and translation. The Macros menu has been enhanced with changes to facilitate access, to allow for uninterrupted operation and to support five-axis and advanced 3D processes and calls to plug-ins.

Mazak Event Highlights CNC Machine Tools And More

Mazak has showcased its CNC machine tools, turning centres and control systems at an open day at its European Technology Centre in Worcester. The centre houses 16 machine tools, which were all in action providing live cutting demonstrations. The Megaturn Nexus 900 and Slant Turn Nexus turning centres made their UK debut, as did the VTC-800 30/SR machining centre. Visitors to the open day also saw live demonstrations of the Mazatrol Matrix and Mazatrol Smart control systems.

Tensilica Enhances Software Development Tools

Tensilica has announced its eighth-generation tools that further automate customised Xtensa dataplane processor (DPU) design and speed software development. Improvements cover improved compiler technology, better multi-core system simulation and profiling, an upgraded integrated development environment (IDE) and pin-level co-simulation with RTL. 'In the dataplane - as opposed to the control plane - our DPUs have to deal with intensive data processing workloads and direct interconnection to hardware blocks,' said Steve Roddy, Tensilica's vice-president of marketing and business development.

'With this eighth-generation tool set, we've concentrated on improvements that make it easier for designers to use customised DPUs to perform these data-intensive tasks, bringing programmability, enhanced debugging and post-silicon software upgradability to signal processing and other dataplane functions previously handled in dedicated hardware blocks,' he added. Tensilica's compiler now supports operator overloading on custom data types in the C programming language, without any of the overhead that is often associated with it.

The compiler also now displays custom data types in their natural format for faster debugging. Tensilica is known for its ability to let designers add custom instructions and data types to its processors to improve performance. If an application needs to work on 56-bit data, a designer can now define a custom 56-bit data type with a single line of code. The designer can also specify what regular C operators, such as '+' and '*', should do when using this data type. The overloading is always done with zero overhead so the resulting binaries are most efficient.

Porting and creating C application code that uses custom data types is now easier as standard C operator syntax can be used. This makes the code easier to read and allows porting via changes in the C header files rather than throughout all of the source code itself. User-defined display formatting (UDDF) provides a means to display non-integer data types (such as fixed point and vectors) in a more natural and readable way that makes debugging issues faster. Custom data types that are pre-defined in Tensilica's audio and communications DSPs, such as Hi-Fi and ConnX D2, already have overloading definitions and pre-defined UDDFs.

Tensilica now allows designers to program, simulate and profile a simple shared memory subsystem for heterogeneous cores quickly within the Xtensa Xplorer IDE. The memory partitioning for each core and the shared memory is simplified by specifying them in the subsystem wizard. With a subsystem defined, it can be simulated and profiled within the IDE for initial assessment of hardware and software partitioning using side-by-side profile comparisons. To aid the designer in dealing with shared memory systems, Tensilica provides a synchronisation library in C source form with primitives for locks, barriers and semaphores.

With this library, up to six months of development and bug fixing can be avoided for designers who are new to shared memory systems. Tensilica has made several improvements to its Xtensa Xplorer IDE so designers now have an upgraded IDE platform (Eclipse 3.3, CDT 4.0) as well as faster simulation speeds and more efficient debugging. The company has also strengthened its simulation capability with the introduction of a link between its pipeline-accurate, cycle-accurate Xtensa Instruction Set Simulator (ISS) and the Verilog simulators. Designers can now run pin-level accurate System-C simulations of Tensilica DPUs in their native Verilog simulators.

MX7 Grinder Makes Tools With Up To 16mm Diameters

Anca's MX7 CNC grinder, which the company recently exhibited at the EMO Exhibition, can manufacture a variety of tools up to 16mm in diameter. Adam Wallace, the MX7 product manager, said: 'The MX7 offers high output, enhanced flexibility and rapid changeover for high-efficiency and support for lean-manufacturing principles.

'The MX7 provides superb flexibility and quick changeovers to accommodate smaller batch sizes yet high output for production houses. 'That's where the ten-second wheel-and-tool changeover capability really makes its mark.' The MX7's permanent-magnet spindle produces superior performance across the entire spindle working range; it operates to a maximum of 10,000rpm with a spindle power rating of 20kW/27Hp (S1).

Because of a lower current draw, less heat is generated and therefore less system expansion takes place, which further aids precision. Although applicable to a range of materials, the MX7's higher torque at lower RPM characteristics are particularly suited to efficient carbide grinding.

The inclusion of a standard wheel-pack changer increases the machine's productivity and flexibility. The MX7 has a speedy 10-second wheel-change time and six HSK wheel packs. MX7 productivity can be further enhanced with the use of the MLX Loader, designed for maximum productivity, minimal set-up time and a 10 second tool-change time.

How To Choose And Use Ergonomic Hand Tools

Paul Holstein, COO of Cableorganiser.com, offers expert tips on what makes a hand tool ergonomic, and how to choose the right one for your body and the job.
Drop into any hardware store or home improvement centre, and you're likely to find aisles full of tools labeled "ergonomic" But what exactly does that mean for consumers? Simply put, ergonomics is the science of designing and producing tools, furniture, and other work-related implements that improve a worker's efficiency while reducing discomfort, fatigue, and risk of injury.

Ergonomically enhanced tools can include helpful features like angled handles, padded handgrips and nonslip coatings. However, no matter how impressive a tool's design is, it's almost impossible for it to be universally ergonomic since human physiques and project applications vary greatly from one to the next. Whether you're shopping for ergonomic tools or just trying to select the right one for the job from an existing collection, the key things to consider are whether or not the tool fits your hand, how well it suits the job being done, and whether or not it eases your work and prevents you from straining in ways that could lead to injury.

To make the decision process a little easier, CableOrganiser.com offers the following guidelines for choosing the right ergonomic hand tool for your body type - and the job at hand. Because finger size and placement differs from person to person, avoid using tools with handles that have built-in finger grooves. When fingers don't naturally align with grooves, excessive pressure from the raised groove edges can cause discomfort and injury. Choose tools with handles that are covered in a soft material, like foam or flexible plastic.

Cushioned handles are not only comfortable for long hours of use, but they provide a much firmer grip and cut down on slippage. Hard-handled tools can be quickly and inexpensively converted by just adding a sleeve. Ensure tool handles are free from sharp edges and seams that might irritate or cut the hands. When selecting double-handed gripping and cutting tools, opt for ones with spring-loaded handles that will automatically return to the open position. If you need to forcefully pinch or grip an object for an extended amount of time, prevent muscle strain by switching from standard pliers to a clamp or grip.

Only use tools that allow you to work with your wrist in a straight position. For tasks that require force, such as torquing screws and nuts, hammering, and heavy chiseling, choose single handle tools with handle diameters that range from 1.25 to 2in. Larger handles allow fingers to wrap comfortably around the tool in a power grip, which prevents slippage and reduces stress and impact on hands, fingers and wrists. For tasks that call for more precision and delicacy (like fine chiseling and driving miniature screws), opt for single-handle tools whose grips fall within the 0.25 to 0.5in range.

The smaller diameter handles make it easy to comfortably grip tools between the fingertips without overexerting fingers, knuckle joints, or hand muscles. Just as grip diameter affects work with single-handle tools, the grip span of pliers, snips, cable cutters and other double-handled tools can either make your job easier or cause you hand fatigue. For maximum comfort and efficiency for tasks that require more force (like gripping with large pliers, cutting wires, or snipping through sheet metal), choose tools with a maximum "open" grip span of 3.5in, and a "closed" grip span no less than 2in across.

Detailed jobs that involve grasping small parts and components with pincers, tweezers or tongs are best done with double-handle tools whose grip spans range from no less than 1in (closed) to no more than 3in (open). When a work space is tight but the task at hand requires a good deal of force, opt for "power grip" tools (with handle diameters from 1.25 to 2in), which are grasped with the entire hand instead of just pinched between the fingertips. This type of grip lets you finish the job in far less time, with far less physical stress. Tool length should also be matched to space constraints.

Excessively long tools can force you to assume awkward work postures and wrist positions when you're trying to reach components in cramped areas. Instead, choose short-handled tools that give you the freedom to meet the target work area directly, while keeping your wrist straight. The palms of your hands are full of pressure-sensitive nerves and blood vessels, and in order to avoid damaging these during high force tasks, it's important to make sure that the handles of your tools are long enough that their ends won't press into your palms.

To measure, hold your hand palm-up, with fingers together and thumb against the side of your hand. As long as the tool's handle is longer than the widest part of your hand (the span from the outer edge of your pinkie to the outer edge of your thumb), it's safe to use. CableOrganiser.com offers a wide assortment of ergonomic hand tools, including: insulated pliers, insulated screwdrivers, Klein Tools insulated nut drivers, and ergonomic Ty-Rap cable tie guns.

Lightweight Hose Is Ideal For Air Tools

The UltraFlex hose is highly resistant to corrosion and offers outstanding working and burst pressures. PCL has launched a lightweight ultraflexible hose it reckons is the ideal companion for its range of handheld air tools Ideal for applications and environments where space is at a premium, yet complete freedom of movement is required, the UltraFlex air hose is a superb alternative to the traditional inflexible and heavy hose.

Manufactured in a quality three-ply construction, using highly flexible PVC and polyester yarn reinforcement, the UltraFlex hose is highly resistant to corrosion and offers outstanding working and burst pressures. UltraFlex also has a very good "memory", which enables bends and kinks to straighten out so that the hose can return to normal after use. Available with a blue cover and black inner tube in 30m coils, UltraFlex is a convenient and cost-effective piece of equipment designed to make life easier for the user.

The UltraFlex Air Hose complements PCL's extensive range of air tools, which includes everything from impact wrenches and ratchets, to sanders and grinding tools, all designed to meet the rigorous needs of a modern workshop. The portfolio has recently been extended with the addition of the Prestige range of high quality products, featuring low vibration, low noise, ergonomic grip and higher performance.