FORMING AND FABRICATING AUTOMATION
Q uick, intuitive and smart automated functionality in programming software recently implemented at this 120-yr.- old sheet metal fabricator keeps the material moving through its lineup of CNC punching machines, lasers and press brakes. The sheet metal shop of YC Precision Fabrication, York, PA, features, among other equipment, two 10-kW fiber-laser cutting machines and a pair of CNC punching machines, both auto- mated TruPunch models from Trumpf equipped to run lights out—which, says YC CNC laser/punch programming and Solid- Works designer Dustin Reeves, the firm does nearly every day, sometimes for more than 10 hr. after first shift ends its work - day. Thickness of the material destined for these machines may reach 11-gauge, and order size varies from one nested sheet to as many as 150—that’s the type of job that will run lights-out unattended. Reeves’ programming software: Trumpf’s TruTops, and more CNC Punch Programming Efficiency
Using TruTops Boost to program a pair of CNC punching machines, YC Precision’s laser/punch programming and SolidWorks designer Dustin Reeves finds the software to be very smart when it comes to nesting and then sequencing operations in the punching machines. “This proves particularly beneficial when programming parts with perforations (shown here), perhaps with a series of dozens of ¼-in. staggered holes,” he says. “I used to have to place the hole centerpoints manually—very taxing. Boost does this automatically, saving hours of programming time.”
specifically, the latest version of the software called TruTops Boost, which YC Precision upgraded to late in 2022. TruTops Boost, according to Trumpf, merges the steps needed to com- plete production of sheet metal parts—cutting, punching and bending—into a single set of programs encompassing design and machine programming, at the touch of a button. It’s used for 2D and 3D design and programming, and quickens the process of moving from part geometry to complete NC program. “The software also includes full 3D CAD design functional- ity,” adds Reeves. It’s also able to subdivide an assembly into separate parts and automatically set them up for processing, according to Trumpf, including automatic unfolding of the parts
and preparation of the bending program. “The time savings can be significant when compared to pre - vious softwares,” Reeves explains. “And, I also appreciate the ease of saving newly created custom shapes into the library for use in future part nests. In addition, the software captures the process for cutting a unique geometry and automatically applies it when I place the shape into a nest. That’s a big time saver, as well.”
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