OPEN MIND Technologies AG, reported that its customer Concept Reality Inc. (Vancouver, WA U.S.A.) is increasing productivity and improving part accuracy using the hyperMILL® MAXX Machining finishing module for aerospace part manufacture.

hyperMILL® CAM software from OPEN MIND enables revolutionary 5-axis strategies for fast, easy-to-use programming, resulting in reduced cycle times and high quality surface finishes. The integrated hyperMILL® MAXX Machining finishing module, a performance package of the hyperMILL® CAM software suite, is the CAM programming source enabling the use of conical barrel cutter technology to reduce cycle times over 90%. It is ideal for planar, ruled and curved surfaces often found in complex 5-axis components. hyperMILL® MAXX Machining offers three powerful modules for finishing, roughing and drilling.

"On a recent aerospace project, the hyperMILL® MAXX Machining finishing process allowed us to increase our step down between tool paths by 12x when compared with traditional machining methods using ball nose cutting tools. This saved us 5 hours per part in finishing operations while reducing cusp height," said Mr. Chris Nunn, President of Concept Reality Inc. "We were able to deliver a higher quality part in less time ‒ a great benefit to our customer."

The hyperMILL® MAXX Machining finishing module makes efficient use of machine and tool options in relation to surface quality and speed, by applying an innovative 5-axis tangent plane machining strategy and conical barrel cutters that use the functions of a barrel cutter and a ball mill simultaneously.

A conical barrel cutter features a very large radius ‒ ranging from 250 mm to 1,500 mm. The large radius of the conical barrel cutter makes step-over distances of 6 mm and 8 mm a reality. It does not require switching cutters in order to finish adjacent areas such as rounded interior corners, and hard-to-reach areas can be machined in a highly efficient, secure manner. In addition to superb surface quality, the hyperMILL® MAXX Machining finishing process enables short production times, increased tool life, the use of fewer tools and it offers the highest degree of process reliability.