Open Mind Tech, a developer of CAD/CAM software worldwide, teamed up with Haimer in Igenhausen, Germany to take on the challenge of 5-axis machining a panther out of aluminum. Haimer is a partner of the German Hockey League’s Augsburger Panthers but also designs, manufactures, and sells tool presetting machines, solid carbide cutting tools, toolholders to metalworking manufacturers. Haimer then contacted its CAD/CAM software partner, OPEN MIND Technologies in Wessling, Germany and got to work on the panther. It took the Haimer and Open Mind team approximately three weeks to complete the first free-standing panther. Once the machining parameters were in place and optimized, the approximately 20-inch-long panther was machined in less than 13 hours. In addition to being showcased by the Augsburger Panther hockey team, the panther model will be on display with Haimer and Open Mind at trade shows.
“A model such as this one was a great opportunity to put the versatility and flexibility of our software to the test. hyperMILL has a wide range of functions that allow CAM users to truly optimize a machine’s capabilities to achieve the desired goal, including making intricate, challenging parts,” Open Mind Manager of Global Engineering Services Christian Neuner says.
Jakob Nordmann, application engineer at Open Mind worked with Haimer applications engineer Daniel Swoboda to develop programming and machining infrastructure. The detailed mouth and incisors and the long and thin shape of the filigree tail section required two set-ups on a linear 5-axis DMG MORI HSC70 machining center. A four-flute cutter with a corner radius from the Duo-Lock Haimer Mill Alu series performed the roughing and finishing process, the full radius version of the solid carbide end mill from the Haimer Mill Alu series was used because of its micro-geometrical properties, designed for smoothness and top surface quality with help from Open Mind’s hyperCAD-S system.
The hyperMILL Virtual Machining Center, a process-safe NC simulation solution where virtual machine movements fully mimic real movements and ensure reliable collision detection was also used to milled the panther. The Virtual Machining Center recognized the component couldn’t be processed in a basic orientation due to X-axis limited and automatically generated a solution for a workable position.