A customer from the window and facade construction industry wanted to use Logikal software already used for calculations in operations, for design purposes. Our EluCad programming software builds the interface between design and execution. EluCad creates processing data for the profile processing centre and also accounts for time optimised solutions

“the customer can used EluCad as an interface or for independent programming’, explains elusoft applications technician Marco Müller, who setup the LogiKal connection for the SBZ 122 rod processing centre. The customer’s 3-axis machine has a swivel angle head that elumatec offers as an additional option.

“New tools have to be placed on the machine” said Müller, and referred to how important it is that the tools in the tooling magazine of the machine are appropriate for the dataset calculated for by LogiKal design software processing. Matching between tooling data is checked with so-called ECI-comparison (Elumatec Customer Interface). Marco Müller: “A change in the EluCad tool database must be checked in LogiKal".

Set up tools simply

New tools can be setup simply in EluCad. Because the programme requires comprehensive information such as e.g. cut length, immersion depth, diameter, total length and data for tooling acceptance, new tools must be measured into the system. If the machine operator has not paid proper attention to the specified conditions, EluCad shows an example list if the tool needed for processing is missing from the tooling magazine of the machine. If another tool is available with which the required processing can be carried out with the same results, then EluCad selects this tool as an alternative. The software programme determines a tool selection for processing that prevents tool exchanges when possible. Only the results of work counts, and on the way there much time can be saved with fewer tooling changes.

Even path optimisation belongs to the strengths of EluCad. The programme calculates the shortest pathway between processing points. In all processing steps, the programme avoids unnecessary re-clamping of a profile rod, a pre-requisite for time-efficient manufacturing.

Included in EluCad functions is also collision control – for this the software calculates if machine parts or chuck elements are in the movement path of the machine. This prevents expensive machine crashes and downtimes. If a part to be manufactured is correctly programmed, thanks to EluCad it can be manufactured quickly with the same quality on a selected machine in the company’s machine shop. A business can also quickly process high volume production jobs.