Fully Automated Manufacturing

[mega]

I work with my customers, to automate their manufacturing processes,  the modules that we sell use data exported from an s.a.p. system into mastercam usually via excel then the toolpaths are rendered from that data and posted to every machine available, with those you need security features to make sure the programs are safe.

Those processes don't require human interaction, however, each company has a very unique workflow so it takes time to map out all the path to automation, maybe a year each or so after your first one..

I would say I can automate 90% of parts for aircraft interiors, including 5 axis paths for sidewalls etc..

There are some guys doing cool stuff with Robotics as well like YoDoug, Machine oems also have some integrated systems into controls for feature based machining etc..

[mega]

We are currently doing some work on a 3D printed inconel part

It is a 1/4 scale rocket engine nozzle and it took our customer 7 months running 24/7 to print it

Do you know what software they are using G?
(I am a developer of a 3D printing software for Mastercam called APLUS)
I work there full time on top of my responsibilities as President of Thee Byte Software..

[gcode]

Do you know what software they are using G?
(I am a developer of a 3D printing software for Mastercam called APLUS)
I work there full time on top of my responsibilities as President of Thee Byte Software..

I do not.. and they probably wouldn't tell me if I asked

[mega]

I do not.. and they probably wouldn't tell me if I asked

Some folks are very secretive of their processes for sure,
This is a very competitive space for sure..

[Rstewart]

The machine we have, we are already 3D printing titanium....this machine can also print inconel 718 and other things as well.

The current issue is printer resolution, currently it is difficult with those "high stress" and pressure body type items...but IT IS getting better every year.

The big question that's still open is "how good can it get?"

I saw a piece of flight hardware today in our shop.  I asked if that just came back from heat treat, it had that look.  Nope, that was straight off a printer!  Inconel 718 and it was unbelievably slick.  I cannot imagine how many millions of doll hairs that machine cost.  The tech is almost there where we're printing threaded parts that need no post processing.

[Rstewart]

We are currently doing some work on a 3D printed inconel part

It is a 1/4 scale rocket engine nozzle and it took our customer 7 months running 24/7 to print it

I've seen several scaled-down printed nozzles up close, they're Impressive for sure.  I always wondered what the processing time was.

[crazy^millman]

We are currently doing some work on a 3D printed inconel part

It is a 1/4 scale rocket engine nozzle and it took our customer 7 months running 24/7 to print it

@$300/hr to print it. About $1,500,000 for a printed part. I worked on a $10,000,000 part that was 20 different printed parts time it was all said an done that has already been to space and back. I have worked on printed parts with the average cost from $30k to $250k before it was even machined. The sintering process for gears and other items is impressive the tolerances they can hold. Have a customer in Texas that is 3D printing Foundation drink dispensers. There is no way you could ever machine that printed part.

[YoDoug]

easy to automate (commercial and just need the "finish"/shiny)

LOL, that's our game here. We focus our product development on aftermarket automotive, low tolerance, shiny, machined aluminum parts. That way we can automate everything. Every machine we have has a robot or FMS attached to it and they all run 10-20 hours a day unattended. We have looked at getting into performance engine components (pistons/rods/turbos/superchargers/etc.) but the higher tolerance needs would really change our operations. We have a good formula now so why change it if we are doing well.

[JakeL]

LOL, that's our game here.

Out of curiosity, where is "here"?

Automation is so fascinating to me. MetalQuest is a company I stumbled across a few weeks ago and they're doing some really cool stuff. They seem very similar to what you guys are doing.

For anyone interested:

[YoDoug]

Out of curiosity, where is "here"?

Automation is so fascinating to me. MetalQuest is a company I stumbled across a few weeks ago and they're doing some really cool stuff. They seem very similar to what you guys are doing.

For anyone interested:

I work at CVF Racing. www.cvfracing.com

[MIL-TFP-41]

Protolabs is one place that I can think of that is close a fully automated job shop. I believe they just have a whole shitload of "standard" machines (Haas). They also stock a shitload of standard blank sizes in various materials. So things are programmed always using the same stock size, and I am willing to bet that a fair share of the programming is automated. Likely tools are standardized as well.

This video does show what I mean about a shitload of Haas.

[JParis]

and we end up doing secondaries to most of what we get from there becasue their process doesn't allow them to machine certain things...

That is when they are right...we have actually spent more time trying to set up and run the secondaries that it would have taken us to make it from bliiet

[YoDoug]

Protolabs is one place that I can think of that is close a fully automated job shop. I believe they just have a whole shitload of "standard" machines (Haas). They also stock a shitload of standard blank sizes in various materials. So things are programmed always using the same stock size, and I am willing to bet that a fair share of the programming is automated. Likely tools are standardized as well.

This video does show what I mean about a shitload of Haas.

I went to a few meetings at Protolabs to try to sell non Haas machines. Their software developer basically said because of their relationship with Haas they have access to the control software that normal users do not. This was over 5 years ago but they were basically doing the automated programming with their own Chooks and Nethooks in Mcam.

[svnmlkdmf]

I went to a few meetings at Protolabs to try to sell non Haas machines. Their software developer basically said because of their relationship with Haas they have access to the control software that normal users do not. This was over 5 years ago but they were basically doing the automated programming with their own Chooks and Nethooks in Mcam.

That's a really great business model...