Enhancement to popular CAM system supports next generation
manufacturing data standard.
MOORPARK, CA: Gibbs and Associates,
developer of GibbsCAM®, software for programming CNC machine tools,
announced today the completion of a collaborative effort in conjunction
with South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) which allows GibbsCAM to
read STEP Application Protocol 224 (AP224) files. STEP (for STandard for
the Exchange of Product model data) AP224 is the foundation format
within the STEP Manufacturing Suite of the International Organization
for Standardization (ISO). This robust suite of STEP Application
Protocols addresses the data requirements extending from product design
through manufacturing engineering to machining using numerically
controlled machine tools to final inspection. STEP AP224 specifically
supports the transfer of manufacturable product information between
design engineering and manufacturing engineering groups and includes
both geometric and product manufacturing information, such as features
with dimensions and tolerances.
"STEP AP224 represents the next generation of product model data,"
states John Callen, Gibbs' Vice President of Marketing. "Not only does
AP224 contain the geometry of the product, but it also includes the
other information which is required to have a complete product
specification necessary for machining. Traditionally, this product
information has only been available to the manufacturing group through a
set of separate engineering drawings. This initial step allows us to
gauge the market's reception of AP224 while establishing a technical
foundation upon which further enhancements can be developed."
The
STEP AP224 interface was implemented under funding from the Army's Tank
Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Center (TARDEC), a
key client of SCRA. In the interest of improving overall operational
efficiency and reducing deployment and maintenance expenses, various
branches of the Department of Defense have been investing in STEP-based
technologies. Today, a number of STEP formats are in use in various
military maintenance depots throughout the United States.
"We see
GibbsCAM's support of AP224 as an important step in its commercial
deployment and adoption," comments Dr. William Freeman, SCRA's Director
of Research and Development, Institute for Solutions Generation, which
specializes in working with various organizations within the Department
of Defense. "We believe that AP224 has considerable applicability
outside the military supply chain and this is an excellent way to
demonstrate that value to manufacturers of commercial goods. This also
provides our military clients with a commercially available CAD/CAM
system which is capable of meeting their mission requirements."
GibbsCAM's
STEP AP224 interface reads the solid model contained in the AP224 file
and then creates features which correspond to the features in the AP224
file. The Feature Manager can then be used to organize and manipulate
the features within GibbsCAM. A feature selected in the Feature Manager
listing is highlighted and the geometric faces within that feature can
be passed as a group to various operations which are used for machining
within GibbsCAM. For example, hole features can be selected as a group
and then passed to GibbsCAM's Hole Manager for processing. The features'
product manufacturing information contained in the AP224 file is also
read into GibbsCAM and can be referenced by the user while creating
their CNC program.
For more information about GibbsCAM or to
locate your local GibbsCAM Reseller, go to www.GibbsCAM.com, call
1-800-654-9399.
About Gibbs and Associates and GibbsCAM
For over
twenty years, Gibbs and Associates has been a leader in providing
cutting edge CAD/CAM technology, while maintaining its signature
ease-of-use and productivity. Powerfully Simple, Simply Powerful is the
guiding philosophy at Gibbs. Gibbs believes in empowering the NC
programmer, machinist, and manufacturing engineer, not eliminating them.
Gibbs' goal is to introduce manufacturers to new technologies and new
ways of working that makes their machining easier and their businesses
more profitable. To achieve this goal, Gibbs creates tools that are
naturally intuitive, graphically interactive, extremely visual,
associative, and just plain enjoyable to use. Gibbs provides a total
quality solution with the service and support successful customers
require.
The current GibbsCAM product line supports 2- through
5-axis milling, turning, mill/turning, multi-task simultaneous machining
and wire-EDM. GibbsCAM also provides fully integrated manufacturing
modeling capabilities that include 2D, 2.5D, 3D wireframe, surface, and
solid modeling. GibbsCAM has received Microsoft's "Designed for Windows
XP/2000" certification. GibbsCAM's data exchange capabilities are able
to access the broadest range of native and industry standard CAD data
formats. GibbsCAM is certified under the Autodesk Inventor Certified
Application Program, is a Solid Edge Certified Select Product, and is a
SolidWorks Certified CAM Product. GibbsCAM is either offered or endorsed
by a number of leading worldwide control and machine tool
manufacturers, including GE Fanuc, Infimatic, Siemens, Doosan Infracore,
Haas, Index, MAG Fadal, Mazak, Mitsubishi, Mori Seiki, and Tornos.
Gibbs and Associates distributes its products worldwide through a
network of international Resellers. For more information about Gibbs and
Associates and its CAM software packages, call 1-800-654-9399, or visit
the company on-line at www.GibbsCAM.com.
About South Carolina
Research Authority and STEP AP224
SCRA is a leader in applied
research and commercialization services with offices in Anderson,
Charleston, and Columbia, South Carolina, in addition to McLean,
Virginia, and Dayton, Ohio. SCRA collaborates with its industry,
academic, and government partners to advance technology, providing
technology-based solutions to solve challenges having a national scope,
For more information about SCRA, visit the organization's web site at
www.scra.org.
SCRA's Readiness and Sustainment Business Unit
within the Institute for Solutions Generation was responsible for the
development of ISO 10303 STEP Application Protocol 224, "Mechanical
Product Definition for Process Planning, using Machining Features" and
its registration as an International Standard. A format which is part of
the overall STEP Manufacturing Suite that includes AP203, AP240, AP219,
and AP238, AP224 provides production-grade product data. SCRA has
developed a suite of applications to further prove-out and demonstrate
the feasibility and operational benefits of using AP224: a product data
translation system (STEPTrans), a product data validation system
(STEPValidator), and a generative process planning system (STEPPlan).
For more information about ISG and STEP AP224, visit the group's website
at www.ISG-SCRA.org. |
