Latest CAM software has given a mould maker the ability to machine pre-hardened stock, reducing bench times from 1 week to 1 day, realising biggest savings with multi cavity tooling.

NC Graphics' DEPOCAM and toolmaker software has played a key role in the business plans of East Kilbride based Anderside Tools. In 1983 Hugh McKinnon the Managing Director had a vision to create the first specialist mould making company in Scotland, using his experience of procuring moulds to provide the type of service he had been looking for in his position as technical director of a moulding company. Unique in 1983, he offered his clients a complete service which included accurate quotations, feasibility studies, mould design, mould manufacture with modern CNC machine tools, and in-house mould sampling in a professional and clean environment.

Taking this a stage further, he ensured that the moulds were designed with the correct fixings and water connections to suit exactly the moulding machine the customer intended to use, ensuring new tooling had been properly tested and could go directly into production.

This policy paid off handsomely for Anderside Tools.

12 years ago it doubled in size, going from 6000 to 12,000ft2 and invested GBP 1million in new equipment as part of a 3 year business plan, which in practice was executed in 18 months.

This was in response to the growing complexity of plastic parts with freeform surfaces demanded by customers such as Hoover, and the aim of Anderside Tools to bid for complete suites of tooling from major customers.

DEPOCAM and ToolMaker were a crucial part of this plan.

Hugh McKinnon explained, 'The NC Graphics software enabled the efficient use of the new CNC machine tools and EDM die sinkers purchased as part of the expansion.

It streamlined the programming technology, and opened up new opportunities for the machining of ambitious shapes, providing a shop window for customers, and encouraging major clients including IBM and Compaq to order larger tooling packages.' Hugh McKinnon also formed Origin Precision Mouldings to provide a product moulding service for his clients, further enhancing the principle of a complete service.

2001 saw history repeating itself for Anderside Tools.

New challenges from the Far East prompted a further GBP 1million investment in new technology to improve efficiency and competitiveness by the introduction of High Speed Machining (HSM), and the latest EDM die sinking and wire erosion equipment.

The three new Mikrons, HSM700, VCP710 and UME560 provided spindle speeds up to 42,000 rpm and required specialised and reliable toolpaths.

Additional DEPOCAM seats enabled very small tools down to 0.3mm diameter to be used for engraving graphite and 0.5mm tools to be routinely used in steel.

Lights-out machining is a normal part of the working week, so the reliable toolpaths created by DEPOCAM were essential for success.

Ian Ferguson CNC Programmer for Anderside Tools said, 'The moulds are high value items, so we cannot afford to have errors in the machining, our move to HSM was painless with DEPOCAM.' Anderside now machine directly into hard material using HSM techniques.

Previously they would have vacuum heat treated the mould before bench finishing the shut off faces.

DEPOCAM has given them the ability to machine these directly in the hardened state, reducing bench times from 1 week to 1 day, with the more complex and multi cavity tooling providing the biggest savings.

Ferguson commented, 'The two halves of the mould fit together perfectly straight off the mill.' Further reductions in hand finishing are achieved by locally machining the ends of the nitrided ejector pins assembled into the tool.

DEPOCAM and ToolMaker have also provided economies in the EDM process.

Far more material is removed during machining, with the ability to use smaller tools.

The result has been a massive reduction in the number of electrodes required.

They are either completely eliminated, or they need to remove much less material.

In addition DEPOCAM, with its ability to reliably drive very small diameter tools, enables much greater detail to be incorporated into finishing electrodes.

Throughout the process, Anderside use System 3R electrode holders on its Agie Agietron and Sodick multi-station die sinkers, enabling it to transfer the datum from ToolMaker and DEPOCAM through to the machine tool and the EDM machine, ensuring everything lines up perfectly.