CAD/CAM software solution developer Open Mind Technologies AG collaborated with Haimer in Egenhausen, Germany to perform 5-axis machining on the aluminum panther statue. Haimer is a partner of the German Hockey League Augsburg Panthers professional ice hockey team.

Haimer covers the tooling aspect well and turned to its long-term CAD/CAM software partner, Open MInd Technologies in Weslin, Germany, because its hyperMILL software suite and programming expertise can provide free-form contours for Panthers Perform programming.

The team took about three weeks to complete the first standalone Panther. Once the processing parameters were in place and optimized, the approximately 20-inch (500 mm) long Panther was processed in less than 13 hours. In addition to being displayed by the Augsburg Panthers hockey team, the Panthers model will also open the MInd trade booth at Haimer and in future events.

Christian Neuner, Global Engineering Services Manager of Open Mind, said: “Models like this are an excellent opportunity to test the versatility and flexibility of our software. HyperMILL has a wide range of features that allow CAM users to truly optimize the machine’s capabilities to achieve their desired goals. Including manufacturing complex and challenging parts."

Jakob Nordmann, an application engineer at Open Mind, and Daniel Swoboda, an application engineer at Haimer, worked together to develop the programming and machining infrastructure. Due to the very fine mouth and front teeth, and the slender tail shape, two settings are required on the linear 5-axis DMG MORI HSC70 machining center.

For rough machining, a four-blade cutter with a fillet radius of the Duo-Lock Haimer milling cutter Alu series was selected. In the finishing process, a full-radius version of the solid carbide end mill of the Haimer Mill Alu series was used because of its The micro-geometric characteristics are designed for smoothness and top surface quality.

"For particularly detailed areas, such as the creases of the mouth and tail or joints, we generated additional surfaces that can be combined with the STL network in hyperMILL," Nordmann said. For this purpose, the "CAD for CAM" system hyperCAD-S specially designed by Open Mind is used to help meet the needs of all programmers.

Also indispensable for milling Panthers is the hyperMILL virtual machining center, which is a process-safe NC simulation solution in which the virtual machine motion fully simulates real motion and ensures reliable collision detection. The virtual machining center preemptively recognizes that parts cannot be machined in the basic direction due to the X-axis limitation, and automatically generates a feasible position solution.

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