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Attendees <br>
-------------- <br>
Martin Hardwick, STEP Tools, USA <br>
David Loffredo, STEP Tools, USA<br>
Julie Huang, Sandvik Sweden<br>
Alain Brail, Airbus (retired), France<br>
Mike Restall, Sandvik, USA<br>
David Odendahl, Boeing, USA <br>
Sid Venkatesh, Boeing, USA<br>
Leon Xu, Boeing, USA<br>
Jim Kosmala, Okuma, USA<span style="color:windowtext"><br>
</span><span style="color:windowtext">Thanh Huynh, </span>Okuma,
USA<span style="color:windowtext"><br>
Bob Baldizzi, </span>Okuma, USA<span style="color:windowtext"><br>
Paul Kingsley, Okuma, USA</span><br>
<span style="color:windowtext">Rod Tojdowski,</span> Okuma, USA<span
style="color:windowtext"><br>
Thanh Huynh, </span>Okuma, USA<span style="color:windowtext"></span><br>
Brian Sides, Okuma, USA<br>
Vincent Marchetti, Ameritech, USA <br>
Wayne Myers, Gosinger, USA<br>
Zhigang Wang, Makino, USA<br>
<br>
The press release for the IMTS demonstration was sent on July 31st.<br>
<br>
We agreed that it is becoming inappropriate to discuss details of a
demonstration to be given in the Okuma booth at IMTS in a public
domain (ISO) conference call.<br>
<br>
We discussed the advantages of replacing the multiple different
formats used by the CAM industry for process data with STEP-NC.<br>
<br>
Each CAM vendor has its own data format for communicating the
process data designed in its system to the developers of post
processors. The most well known is the NCI format of Mastercam. The
formats are designed to be simple to convert into G-codes. The
conversion is usually done by third parties who know the coordinate
configurations of the machine, and the preferences of the customer.
For the customer the cost of developing and maintaining the
postprocessor is an undesired cost and the cause of errors because
of misunderstanding between the CAM operators, the post-processor
developers, the CNC operators and the machine tool builders.<br>
<br>
Several attempts have been made to replace the CAM outputs with with
a single standardized file. APT-CL was an early example but it did
not have enough functionality and too many flavors were added to
create that functionality. BCL was another example. Its features
were more closely controlled but it failed because the cost of
developing and maintaining a post processor from BCL was greater
than the cost of developing and maintaining one from the CAM export
formats.<br>
<br>
The CAM export formats have the advantage of working closely with
the CAM systems so the post-processor writer can visualize what is
going on by looking at the process definition in the CAM system.
APT-CL and BCL do not have a model of the stock or workpiece so
process visualization is very difficult. STEP-NC is different
because it includes geometry models for all of the key elements
including the stock and workpiece but also the cutting tools,
fixtures and machine. Therefore, the process can be understood in
context and systems such as STEP-NC Machine can show simulations to
further enforce data correctness.<br>
<br>
Consequently we discussed whether the industry can replace the
non-standard CAM file formats with ISO 10303-238 STEP-NC. For the
CAM industry there is the cost of developing the software to export
the new data. We estimate this cost to be about $100K including two
months of work and the cost of purchasing a STEP toolkit. The cost
is low because all the geometry models are already being made in CAD
so they only have to be linked into the process model.<br>
<br>
In return the CAM vendor can reduce costs by no longer having to
manage a post-processor industry. The potential price is the loss of
business if the end user can change between CAM vendors more easily.
A leading vendor will have the winning functionality and an emerging
vendor will like the reduced costs for market entry, but the other
vendors will worry about the customers currently locked into their
post-processor base.<br>
<br>
A recording of the call is on the ftp site. <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="ftp://www.steptools.com/private/CAM_exchange/Cycle_4/stepmanuf_telecon_20140709.wmv">ftp://www.steptools.com/private/CAM_exchange/Cycle_4/stepmanuf_telecon_20140813.wmv</a><br>
<br>
The next conference call will be held at the regular times on
Wednesday August 20th<br>
<br>
Martin Hardwick<br>
Team Leader ISO STEP-Manufacturing<br>
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