The Sneaky Time Thief in CNC Machining: Air Cuts!

What are these air cuts? Most of you are all too familiar with them, as you encounter them constantly.

You can recognize this air cuts (non-cutting moves) by the sound your CNC makes: a cutting noise, then silence, then cutting again. These silences, sometimes lasting too long, signify non-cutting tool paths and indicate significant machining losses. You might notice this issue when examining your CAM program, but often, with tight deadlines, the priority is to generate the CAM program quickly, inevitably leading to numerous non-cutting tool paths in your NC program.

Meet the Air Cuts

Air cuts can be classified into 3 primary types:

1) No Contact Moves: During CNC machining, there are instances where the tool moves without making contact with the stock material.

2) Touch Moves: Even if the cutting tool is touching the surface of the stock, it doesn't always remove chips.

3) Unnecessary Home Returns (Long Retracts) While your CNC machine is running, it often returns to the home point unnecessarily, especially on multi-axis milling machines. This frequent return can be frustrating, making you wonder if you're cutting a part or sending the tool on a needless journey.

Introducing MANUSsim optimize

MODULE 1 – Air Cut Feedrate Optimization:

It detects all air cuts (no contact and touch moves) in the NC program and speeds up every non-cutting movement, reducing machining time by over 20%. This software works with every type of CNC milling machine, from 3-axis to complex 6-axis simultaneous machines.

MODULE 2 - Air Cut Minimization:

It detects “Unnecessary Home Returns (Long Retracts)” of the tool from the stock material and positions your tool for the next operation just above the part, avoiding collisions and unnecessary long retracts.

MODULE 3 - Cutting Feed Rate Optimization:

The biggest issue with traditional CAM software is its use of fixed feed rates, which wastes time. Our module addresses this by adjusting feed rates based on chip geometry reduces feed rates where chip volume is high and increases feed rates where it’s low.

OPTIMIZE YOUR NC PROGRAMS& SPEED UP YOUR CNC MACHINING TIMES BY MORE THAN 20%

Everything happens automatically. It automatically transfers everything (cutting tools, stock material, work piece zero coordinates etc.) from your CAM program to MANUSsim CNC simulation. After that all you need to do is to press the simulation start button in MANUSsim. Then, MANUSsim optimize, which is working automatically inside MANUSsim, completes all those processes without you noticing in the background while simulation is running and gives you an optimized and accelerated new NC program.

Benefits

1. Increased Production: More parts produced in the same time period without additional CNC investment.

2. Reduced Costs: Lower CNC workload, electricity, and labor costs per part.

3. Faster Delivery: Quicker delivery times give you a competitive edge.

4. More Business Opportunities: More affordable prices attract more business.

5. Maximized Efficiency: Even inexperienced CAM programmers can machine parts quickly.

Experience these benefits firsthand with MANUSsim optimize. Start increasing your gains and profits today!

Case Study: Success with MANUSsim optimize CNC Optimization Software