CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
23 February 2007
Events News
Delcam to Highlight Cost and Time Savings for Composites Manufacturers at JEC
Delcam will use its stand at the JEC exhibition to be held in Paris from 3rd to 5th April to show how its range of CADCAM software helps companies in the composites industry to maximise their profitability. Successful applications include the manufacture of composite components for the aerospace, marine, autosport and luxury car industries, the production of top-of-the-range sports equipment, and the machining of patterns and tooling for compression moulding and reaction injection moulding.
A typical example is the Italian composites manufacturer, Plyform, where the introduction of Delcam software has helped to reduce both design and manufacturing costs, and time to market. The software is also enabling the company to create the increasingly complex components requested by its customers.
"Our customers, who include well-known names like Agusta, Aermacchi, Alenia, Piaggio Aviation and Ferrari Auto, don't ask for simple systems any more," commented one of the owners Mr. Gianluigi Grillo. "They need to design and produce increasingly complex industrial structures."
The first challenge is to capture accurately the designer's idea, whether it is a new body panel, a fuselage's fairing or any other structural part. To manage the complex geometries involved, the engineering department at Plyform uses Delcam's PowerSHAPE CAD software.
"PowerSHAPE's hybrid modelling capabilities enable our designers to optimise details within the design and to minimise the component's weight," said Mr. Grillo. "Then, the close integration between PowerSHAPE and the PowerMILL CAM system enable designs of new parts to be rapidly converted into machining data to mill components or to produce a resin model."
Using PowerMILL has helped Plyform to introduce five-axis machining. "The main benefit of this kind of technology is the opportunity to save time by machining complex shapes in a single set up," explained Mr. Grillo. "In addition, the ability to use shorter cutters enables greater machining accuracy."
"In the aerospace industry products have not only to provide high performance, their reliability has to be absolute. At the same time, we must reduce costs and time to market. Owning Delcam's CADCAM tools helps to match these needs," concluded Mr. Grillo.
Become a member of the CIMdata PLM Community to receive your daily PLM news and much more.
Tell us what you think of the CIMdata Newsletter. Send your feedback.
CIMdata is committed to your privacy. Your personal information will never be sold or shared outside of CIMdata without your express permission.