CNC automation
Automatic manufacturing of single parts and small series with Tebis Automill®
In modern manufacturing companies, NC programs for CNC machine centers are no longer created by conventional means with individual manual operations by an NC programmer on CNC controls and CNC programming systems. Instead, a CAM system like Tebis evaluates the digital CAD part model and accesses a previously stored structure of digital representations of the company's manufacturing environment and the manufacturing knowledge stored in templates to calculate the NC programs. This forms the basis for automated CNC programming and highly efficient manufacturing.
Tebis Automill
This is how CMC automation with Tebis works:
Your NC programmers use process libraries, containing your machines, controls, tools and clamping devices as individual digital objects. Your Tebis software therefore knows your specific manufacturing environment in detail (virtual machines = VM, clamping devices = Clamp).
Still more: NC templates also contain your optimized manufacturing knowledge and enable standardized work and automatic functions for your NC programming (technology packages = TP).
The NC programmer uses NZ templates containing proven manufacturing sequences as well as suitable tools, machines and clamping devices from the process libraries stored in virtual form. This enables Tebis NC programs to optimally adapt to the manufacturing environment and to detect and avoid collisions in advance during programming.
Low error rate
Minimized idle toolpaths
Optimized path speeds
High manufacturing quality
Automill process libraries: The basis for CNC automation
The process libraries specially developed for your company can be used simultaneously for all your Tebis workstations – regardless of their number.
When calculating NC programs, Tebis accesses process libraries with:
- Virtual machines
- Virtual tools
- Virtual units and clamping devices
- Individually adapted postprocessors
- Geometry templates for design and manufacturing preparation (features)
- Standardized NC sequences for frequently used manufacturing standards (NCSets)
- NC templates for the same or similar manufacturing tasks (Job Managers)
- Templates for NC documentation
Automatically and safely calculate NC programs
Use your virtual workspace before and during NC programming. Specify suitable tools and find the best setup and tilt directions. You can select digital twins for the machine, machine head, clamping devices, shuttle tables, units, tools and reference points. You can calculate and plan right from the start in your own digital manufacturing environment that you can also use for NC programming.
When calculating toolpaths, Tebis detects collision hazards for the tool holder and machine head and automatically reduces the milling area to prevent collisions. Tebis prevents collisions in 5-axis machines by automatically generating 5-axis avoidance movements.
Calculated toolpaths are still verified in the CAM environment for collisions with all components of the part, clamping devices and machine components involved and are corrected before the NC programs are sent to real manufacturing. Adherence to the working space of the machine with its limit switches is also checked virtually.
Integral process measurement in the milling machine
- Probe calibration
- Point measurement
- Angle measurement based on points or circles
- Circle and rectangle measurement
- Checking of grooves and ribs
- Shorter setup and machining times
- Higher component quality
- Fewer correction loops
The manufacturing environment and manufacturing knowledge are stored in these process libraries
We archive your process libraries on request and provide them for downloading with every new release. Of course, all of your process libraries can be protected against unintentional disclosure to third parties.
Virtual machines
For representing your machines in your Tebis CNC programming environment These ensure reliability in the CNC automation environment. Detailed digital twins of your actual machining centers and robots are generated from our large inventory of catalog machines. The virtual model includes the machine geometry, additional equipment, kinematics, limit switches, dynamic parameters for axes and drives and much more.
- Your manufacturing planners use the virtual machines for feasibility testing and for precisely determining machining time.
- Your NC programmers use the virtual machines to define suitable setups and for checking the calculated NC programs for collisions and limit switch problems, up to spontaneous switching of an entire manufacturing project to a different machine.
- Postprocessors use information from the virtual machines when outputting the NC programs in the control format.
- Machine operators simulate the machining operation based on actual machine kinematics.
Virtual tools
For representing your tools in your Tebis CNC programming environment. The virtual tools include all geometric properties, proven and optimized cutting data and groups of tools in magazines.
All tools are supported, including modern high-performance HPC, HFC and circle-segment cutters.
Virtual units and clamping devices
For representing your actual clamping devices. This enables NC programmers to unequivocally specify the setup. This prevents collisions with clamping devices that would require renewed NC programming. The clamping devices include all geometric and technical properties.
You can manage all clamping elements and combine them in clamping device groups in the clamping device library. Using predefined connection points and an automatic filter function that only offers elements with appropriate connections, you can quickly and conveniently construct simple vises in the same way you create zero point clamping systems with a variety of clamping plate systems. Multiple setups are also integrated. If individual elements in a clamping device group can be physically moved, you can specify any necessary degrees of freedom to restrict the direction of movement.
- Create and manage clamping elements and clamping device assemblies
- Import and directly use external data such as clamping elements and products directly from the manufacturer via direct interfaces
- Quickly adapt clamping situation to the specific manufacturing task
- Simple positioning
- Automated plausibility checking
- Set up the machine one-to-one in the virtual world
- Simplified setup processes in production
Postprocessors
For outputting the calculated toolpaths in the special format of your CNC controls. Depending on their design and complexity, you will require an individualized postprocessor for each of your machines. These are available for milling, turning, laser cutting, turning/milling and for robots (with more than 5 axes). Tebis implementation technicians use available catalog postprocessors to create your individual postprocessors to your exact specifications.
Geometry templates for design and manufacturing preparation (features)
Use geometry templates, also known as features, for automatic NC program calculation of standardized manufacturing objects such as bores, toleranced fits, planar surfaces and pockets. Each feature can be associated with a suitable manufacturing sequence.
Features are included in your CAD manufacturing files by the intelligent feature scanner and by manual insertion.
Tebis feature scanner video
Standardized NC sequences for frequently used manufacturing standards (NCSets)
For representing standardized manufacturing sequences of several NC calculation functions linked to each other with information on strategies, tools and calculation parameters.
NC templates for the same and similar manufacturing tasks (Job Managers)
For representing and saving all NCJobs in all setups that result in manufacturing of the part.
Job Managers with all setups and all NCJobs can be reused as templates for the same or similar manufacturing tasks. The use of intelligent Job Managers is especially efficient. The automated functions yield significant time savings for NC programmers. The NCJobs contained in the intelligent Job Managers automatically identify the geometry to be manufactured, using the stored information on tool use, strategies and cutting data.
Templates for NC documentation
These are needed to document your NC programs for your shop. They can be output in XML format or as a PDF file, for printing on paper and for viewing on screen.
Tebis implementation technicians use the inventory of catalog templates to program your individual templates to your exact specifications for more CNC automation in your processes.
