Delcam Software Helps Chicago Mold Engineering
"Almost every mold has some aspects that are best cut on a multi-axis machine," said CME CEO Ralph Oswald. "Using a 5-axis machine significantly reduces set-ups, cuts production time and improves
Ralph Oswald, Chicago Mold Engineering, with one
of the helmets produced for the Chicago Bears
CME chose PowerMILL after evaluating a number of 3-D machining software packages. Mr. Oswald said, "We relied on the input of the HSM machine's operator. He said the Delcam program reacted better for high speed machining; the exits and entries were more gentle on the machine."
CME machinist and network administrator Chris Saragaglia said PowerMILL gives him great flexibility. "You're able to create different leads and links and different toolpaths," he said. "PowerMILL is precise in its curve and surface cutting boundary creation, and it enables you to blend your smaller cutters to the larger ones. The result is much less polishing and a nicer finished piece."
CME uses both PowerMILL and PowerSHAPE on the shop floor. Mr. Oswald said, "A lot of shops program offline in a programming department. I elected not to go that way. Giving the operator the capability of doing toolpaths means that his machine is always running. When he's doing his roughing operation, he's programming his semi finish or finish operations. It represents a lot of saved time."
German immigrant Eric 'Ozzie' Oswald founded CME in 1944 with $500. Over six decades, the company, which has a staff of 75, has grown to fill about 40,000 square feet of manufacturing, engineering and office space in St. Charles, IL. It serves a wide range of manufacturers in the automotive, recreational, consumer electronic, and houseware industries. Its molds shape products ranging from toasters to personal watercraft and from automotive lighting components to helmets for the local American football team, the Chicago Bears.
In recent years, CME has focused on producing large molds, while the company also seeks out complex projects many shops can't handle. Multi-color molds are one of its specialties, such as an automotive tail light consisting of a gray plastic bezel and translucent red lens.
To assure that final molded parts are functionally and cosmetically correct, CME regularly holds tolerances of ±0.001 inch. Some automotive lighting components have optical surfaces with virtually no tolerance. They have to be absolutely correct.
Even a simple-looking part may require a complex mold. For example, an American football helmet may appear to be a simple shape but the mold is quite unique because it has a core that has to collapse and become smaller so the helmet can come free.
Producing these one-of-a-kind molds means CME can't make up manufacturing or development expenses over a long production run. "You have to make it right the first time and make money on it the first time. Often there isn't a second chance," Mr. Oswald concluded.
For more information contact:
Domenic Lanzillotta
Delcam International Inc.
PO Box 2939
Venice, CA 90294
310-581-3313
Fax: 310-581-3314