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ith its roots at Italian The last few releases have seen a huge » Product: VISI 18 neatly task oriented user experience that
manufacturer Olivetti in amount of work done on both the » Supplier: Vero helps to instil a certain level of confidence
the 1980s, Vero Software integration and extension of the new Software in the working environment. Specifically,
and its flagship product tools the company has acquired such as Price on application this release features a consolidation of the
range, VISI, has a background steeped the mould filling simulation tools from vero-software.com file/open and file import commands, which
in the business end of manufacturing. Plastic & Computers and wire EDM tools were previously separate. Now the user has
Having grown from a mould and die from Camtek. So, with this amount of drag & drop access to all of the following
focussed modelling and machining product to look at, we’d better crack on formats - Acis, Catia V4 & V5, DXF/DWG, Iges,
solution, the range now offers a wealth and start with the basics. Parasolid, Pro Engineer, Solid Edge, Solid
of CAD tools for simulation, design Vero has been working hard on the Works, Step, STL, Unigraphics and VDA. While
and manufacturing, even delving into system’s user interface. It looks fresh and this may seem an extensive list, work has
the more esoteric realms of wire EDM. modern with a crisp graphics display and a been done on the output of data. So, as well
Geometry Manipulation
Whilst many may think that the 3D geometry
issue has been solved, it’s clear that there’s
still more work to do and VISI 18 shows this
perfectly. This is evident in the new Advanced
Modelling set of tools, which have been
implemented in two forms. The first is the
ability to deform a surface model with much
more freedom compared to most surface 3
modelling tools. The user can Stretch, Bend,
Twist and apply a Radial Bend (Bend + Twist)
to the geometry. What’s interesting is that quality needed while allowing you to achieve text, our 6 step workflow below should show
these tools aren’t restricted to surface the deformation required.
1
you how it works more clearly.
geometry, but can be applied to any mix of In order to understand the level of control
surface, solid, mesh or indeed, wireframe. Target Driven Deformation at hand you need to consider why Vero has
In practice, they’re pretty easy to use. Take The second and more advanced of these tools provided this tool. VISI is commonly used in
the Bend operation for instance and point to is Target Driven Deformation (TDD). While the the stamping die industry where, as anyone
two points. The first is where the geometry first four operations discussed above allow experienced in the field will know, spring-
is held, the second is where you apply the you to define global deformations, these give back is a constant problem. The nature of
bend. In terms of control, you have a great a further level of control. Not only in terms the process together with the materials used
deal, not only over the amount of movement, of how the geometry is deformed, but also mean that if the die is designed based on the
but exactly where it’s applied. What’s what faces and features are affected and nominal CAD data, the resulting part won’t
interesting is how the system applies the which are retained. In short, they allow you to match. The reason being that while huge
changes. It’s capable of maintaining surface deform a model based on multiple start and force has been applied, the sheet material
quality and you can specify whether the end conditions. So, think of taking an edge set still retains its elastic nature and springs
holding condition is positional, tangential or from a starting model, creating the edge set back out of the die to a different shape. This
curvature constrained, up to G4 standards that you want the model to conform to and is a true black art and requires some serious
(3D acceleration). Similarly, if you Stretch having the system carry out the modification. knowledge on a part by part, machine by
and Twist, all three will maintain the surface While this probably sounds mildly baffling in machine basis. The way it’s accounted for
I
n the November 2010 issue we took
a look at the design oriented tools
within Vero’s flagship VISI product
discovering a system that has
improved and expanded its capability.
In this issue we turn our attention to
the world of manufacturing - an area in
which Vero and VISI earn their collective
bread and butter. So, let’s begin with
something that’s often overlooked by
many CAD/CAM software developers:
progressive die design.
VISI Progress
Progressive die design involves a fascinating
process in terms of workflow. It essentially
starts with a part, typically sheet metal in
nature, and works it backwards to arrive
at a blank form. The user then creates the
punches and formers at each stage taking the
developed blank to final form. The actual tool
is then designed around those entities. When 1
complete, the die is built, the sheet metal
is fed in and out pops a typically complex
component. This may seem counter intuitive In VISI Progress 17 flange unfolding was » Product: VISI 18 constraints can be added to hold specific
for those not experienced in the industry, but substantially improved. This release sees » Supplier: edges in order to maintain particular
it works beautifully. that work mature with disparate commands Vero Software features. Finally, after completing the blank
The first part of the die design process and options consolidated into a handful Price on application
development, it is possible to generate a
is perhaps the most complex. While the of operations. These are context and HTML report that provides all the relevant
www.vero-software.com
folded form of a component can typically be selection sensitive so that the geometry information for the production of the part.
defined in a single operation for each fold, the user selects will predefine the method This includes weight, theoretical thickness,
unfolding that same form for each die stage used to fold specific geometry. There’s also area, perimeter, plus additional details for all
is often much more involved. Firstly, some greater feedback and reporting on the more internal forms. Information like this is vital
bends need to be applied in multiple stages, complex operations, such as using a binder when preparing a quote.
either to purely achieve an extreme change surface to unfold complex faces. This allows Next up for VISI Progress 18 is greater
●1 Combination
in angle or to allow the die to create other the user to predefine a sheet form onto finishing routine based support for the smaller details such as Ribs
features. Additional complexity arises as which flanges will be developed. The system on angle ranges and Bosses (or, to use the more common
the progressive die design needs to account then calculates the deformation in order to ●2 Interactive drilling parlance, Bird Beaks), which add strength
for not only the bending and punching of provide an accurate geometric form. For allows the user to to parts. As these have a dedicated feature,
materials, but also for the distortion and this latest release the forming process is override feature the user defines the geometry on which to
recognition for live
stretching of the sheet metal as it progresses now animated and coloured feedback shows base them (essentially a line), and then picks
editing
through the process. In essence, it’s not just where thickening or thinning of the sheet the geometry to which they’re applied. Also
a case of flattening out a sheet metal model metal will occur. ●3 Interactive milling
key is a new ability to integrate assembled
allows dynamic
of a part and using it. The flanges also have There are also tools to show how edges are creation of simple 2D components into the parts at individual
to be unfolded. shifting between each stage. For instance, machining tasks stages. This ensures that the stages defined
VISI PEPS-Wire
Vero acquired UK-based Camtek Limited
some time ago and its tools, including the
PEPs suite of specialist CAM technologies, are
now beginning to merge into the flagship VISI
product. PEPS’s mastery always lay in the
2 field of Wire Electrode Discharge Machining
(EDM). This is linked heavily to the more
mainstream world of 2.5-axis machining, but
has a very different requirement in terms of
capability and control as well as integration
with a range of specialist machines. It starts
with feature recognition that finds not only
parallel-sided pockets but also those with
land and taper, variable land and more
complex 4-axis tapers (which are most
commonly used for extrusion dies and large
scale mouldings). Next, the user works
through the features, adding in the necessary
start holes and approach points. The system
then presents a machining operation best
suited to the geometry at hand. For example,
if it’s a parallel or tapered aperture, it’ll
present 2-axis operations whereas a 4-axis
operation will be offered for more complex
ruled surface features. Of course, for more
simple wire-EDM type jobs, a 3D model isn’t
always necessary or available and in these
cases operations can often be driven from 2D
geometry just as efficiently.
3 In practice, the user switches to the Wire
environment, selects the features to work
in production will allow these intermediary common features. First off, VISI Progress is with, and uses the appropriate technology
steps to be performed and that the folding or able to apply relief holes to vertical edges for a specific machine tool (VISI PEPS-Wire
production process doesn’t foul with the die of internal pockets and automatically has a wealth of predefined technology for
during fabrication. assign feature attributes that can be used a lot of different machines) and filtering
A typical die stack consists of a number to generate drilling tool-paths. Second is operations to define the toolpaths required.
of plates, each with different apertures for the ability to create automatic die housing These can be either automatically created,
punches and for slug removal. VISI 18 sees inserts, which include minimum distance or in more complex scenarios, perhaps due
the introduction of some automated features checking and key corner radius adjustments to machine head movement or intricate
to aid the assembly and manufacture of the to avoid incorrect assembly. These are geometry, taper, approach and exit angles
●
4 Machine setup will load specific EDM technology data ●5 Toolpath parameters including tagging, No. of cuts, ●6 Dynamic simulation can also be used to validate
power settings are all available slug removal