Tebis simulation technologies: No compromises

Safe manufacturing is collision-free manufacturing. And fast manufacturing means optimally utilizing the machines and accounting for all components with ideal traversing and retract movements. The Tebis CNC simulator unites reliability and speed.

An example from practice ….

While searching for a new CAD/CAM system, die manufacturer GEDIA Gebrüder Dingerkus GmbH from Attendorn, Germany, had a clear goal in mind: unattended manufacturing over the weekend – which only works if all machines operate continuously with no interruptions. GEDIA ultimately chose Tebis. Hermann Geueke, head of machining, justifies his decision: "To reduce our collision rate to zero and to avoid time-consuming checking after postprocessing, we needed a simulation of the machine model and the tools in the virtual world that had millimeter accuracy." 

Collision-free manufacturing – the efficient approach from Tebis

Many CAM systems only simulate the output NC code. Only then can the NC programs be adjusted in the control-specific NC format – this is not especially convenient for the NC programmer or the machine operator and requires additional communication. Tebis therefore takes another approach: The NC programs are completely collision-checked before postprocessing. Essential prerequisite: It must be possible to simulate the real manufacturing environment in the virtual CAD/CAM world with no ifs, ands or buts. Tebis achieves this with intelligent process libraries.

Digital process libraries for greater safety

Tebis supports all common machine types from various manufacturers on the market and their geometrical and kinematic properties. The machine library contains more than 1,400 models in 3,700 variants – including multi-axis, gun drilling and multifunction machines, such as turn-milling machines and lathes with a main and secondary spindle.

There is no tool that cannot be represented in the Tebis tool library. Precision is key: Tebis accounts for the contours of the tools with absolute accuracy. Modern high-performance tools – like HPC cutters (high-performance cutting) for roughing, HFC cutters (high-feed cutting) for finishing and prefinishing and circle-segment cutters for finishing – can therefore be used with perfect results.

Controlling rather than being controlled

The manufacturing environment could not be precisely simulated without high-precision process libraries. But the CNC simulator can do even more: It checks the complete machining scenario with all of its dependencies – including tool and table changes, setups, starting points and connection conditions, limit switch limitations and axis and traverse movements. The operator controls the machine at all times. This person controls all the details of what it will do next. For example, retract movements must be optimally adapted to the manufacturing situation: The real world precisely follows the movements in the virtual world.

The entire process chain at a glance

The CNC simulator is also a very useful tool for cost estimation and manufacturing planning. Specifying machines, machine heads and clamping devices, selecting shuttle tables and tools, defining reference points, determining the number of machining operations, displaying and avoiding potential collisions – this is all done prior to NC programming. This lightens the load on the NC programmer, who can focus exclusively on the core task. The programmer uses the libraries and the manufacturing knowledge stored in templates to automatically generate collision-tested NC programs.