Schaublin Machine Tools has supplied a medical device manufacturer with a Schaublin 48V CNC mill

Schaublin Machine Tools has supplied a medical device manufacturer with a Schaublin 48V CNC mill and Renishaw probe system to produce high-accuracy parts.

Schaublin engineers helped train Clada Medical's Raphael Blowick, to use the equipment.

Blowick, not a production engineer, faced a steep learning curve when it came to machining.

Blowick said: 'I've always liked designing parts in Solidworks.

'The problem for me has been turning those designs into physical parts.' Starting with the premise that for the medical parts he intends to make, accuracy and process consistency are more important than complexity, Blowick took advice and invested in a Schaublin 48V mill fitted with a Renishaw OMP 40 probe.

He then took the decision to go further, purchasing GibbsCAM, to turn his 3D designs into machining programs, Renishaw's Productivity Plus software, to automate the programming of probe routines, and Renishaw's CNC reporter, an SPC package used to analyse and control the production process.

He said: 'Frank Boston from Schaublin Machine Tools supplied the Schaublin 48V milling machine, together with the probe system from Renishaw.

'He introduced me to Guy Brown from GSPS, to set up the purchased software packages configured for the Schaublin 48V.' Brown installed Renishaw's Productivity Plus plug-in for GibbsCAM to integrate the creation of probing cycles with the creation of metal cutting tool paths within the Virtual Gibbs package.

A complete metal cutting process can be defined and simulated prior to machine prove-out.

Simulation provides graphical identification of the work piece and shows any potential fixture collision with cutting tools.

Productivity Plus seamlessly adds the probe moves into the simulation, so that the whole process is developed off-line.

The net result for Blowick is short and reliable prove-out times.

He said: 'The probe measures the part as part of the production cycle, with the measured data recorded by CNC Reporter, providing feedback to adjust the process and keep it within control limits.

'The great thing about it is the way it updates the tool offset - I know I can get a precision part every time, with the system automatically controlling itself.

'Brown and Boston helped me make a calibration part, incorporating most of the features I would be likely to machine.

'I know exactly what I have to do and the tools are all set up in the library, so I use it and do not need to mess around with it or change it.

'The probing moves are in there to control the process but also to verify the finished parts - if there is any variation that can be fed back to the CNC control.

'I can also get a print-out for the Q and A people or for my own records.'.