[step-manufacturing] Minutes of conference call and Fanuc announces S30i

[Martin Hardwick]

Minutes of Conference Call on Friday June 8 at 1PM France, 8PM Japan 
and 7AM Eastern USA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Attendees
---------------
Alain Brail, Airbus
Jean-bernard Hentz, AIrbus
Fred Proctor, NIST
Bengt Olsson, Sandvik
Philippe Darnis, University of Bordeaux
Len Slovensky, SCRA
Chiaki Sakamoto, MER
Martin Hardwick, STEP Tools

The Open Seminar will be from 10:30 to 3:30PM. It will feature a 
keynote speech by Professor Kisinami, a demonstration of process 
planning for a mold and die part using AP-240 by MER and SCRA, and a 
demonstration of machining and probing of a 5 axis part by Airbus, 
Sandvik, NIST, the University of Bordeaux, the University of Toulouse 
and STEP Tools. Fanuc will give a demonstration of STEP-NC machining. 
Fanuc has announced STEP support for the S30i.


1. Fish Head Machining and Measurement Demonstration
     --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Airbus has prepared two new versions of the finishing operation. The 
first uses 16mm diameter tooling and will be used for machining by 
Sandvik and the University of Bordeaux. The second uses 12mm diameter 
tooling and will be used by NIST.

STEP Tools has converted the new finishing operations to AP-238 and 
integrated them with the roughing operations produced from Mastercam 
and the inspection operations produced using internal operations in 
the STEP-NC DLL. The new data has been posted to the web site as 
files called ibusuki4.238 and ibusuki4_nist.238.

Sandvik has tested the machining data produced for its Heidenhain 
with AC axis using Vericut and will machine the part next week. STEP 
Tools has complete a converter for the University of Bordeaux 
Heidenhain with BC axis and the new codes will be tested next week.

NIST will machine the roughing operation next week and ship the parts 
to the University of Bordeaux, Sandvik and the University of Toulouse.

STEP Tools will work with Sandvik and the University of Bordeaux to 
generate probing codes that use the Heidenhain macros. Two versions 
of the AP-238 data for inspection will be produced. The first will 
probe in just the X or Y direction. The second will probe in both 
directions at the same time.

A Catia avi of the machining operations has been produced by Airbus 
and posted to the ftp site.

A Vericut avi of the finishing operation has been produced by Sandvik 
and posted to the web site.

Avi's of the simulations by the other sites will be posted as they 
become available along with avis' of the actual machining operations.

There was a discussion of how best to present all the material at the 
Seminar to avoid repetition and keep the presentations organized and 
coordinated. This will be discussed further at the next telcon. 
Airbus has produced a slide showing an overview of the demonstration: 
ftp://www.steptools.com/private/Japan/Fish_head/demo_overview.jpg


2. Mold and Die Process Planning Demonstration
     -------------------------------------------------------------------

A description of the Mold and Die demonstration to be given by MER 
has been posted to the ftp site. MER and SCRA are in the process of 
preparing avi's for their demonstrations.


Action Items
------------------
NIST to send copies of the stock after finishing to the other sites.
Airbus and the University of Bordeaux to begin testing the codes for 
the Heidenhain BC machine
Sandvik to machine the finishing operation
STEP Tools to extend the Heidenhain converters for the Heidenhain 
probing macros.
All to prepare avi's for the machining and the machining simulations.

The next conference call will be hosted by Airbus on Monday June 25th 
at 8PM Japan, 1PM France, 7AM Eastern USA
Minutes prepared by Martin Hardwick