Flat pattern to G-Code for Amada Punch press

Anybody have any experience with software to take a flat pattern ( from a
bent sheet metal component in SWX) and run it thru a 3rd party program to
dump into the punch press. Right now it would be an Amada. Possible later on
I could be looking for the same type of software to do the same with a CNC
brake. Im sure there will be issues with nesting routines and all, but Im
looking for the software that will integrate fairly easily with SWX. Im
certain that we will have to fudge with the bend allowance tables to suit
our needs, Any advice on this one, Any help is appreciated. Sincerely, Jake
Barron

 

Jake,

We use a program called "Merry Mech" (www.merrymech.com) which works very
well for us. It doesnt necessarily integrate with solidworks, we just export
the flat pattern as a dxf file and they open it right up. I believe that
they can "tweak" the bend allowances if needed.

I am sure there are other out there, thats just what we use...

Todd

 

Jake
goto the amada web site www.amada.com and look at Sheetworks this ties
in with Solidworks and might be suitable for what your trying to do.
I ahvent tried it myself yet but will be evaluating it at some point
for my current employer.
Regards
Ken

 

we have several machines amadas vipros,apelio,pega and a finn power

i use fabriwin from metalsoft www.metalsoft.com
it will bring in flats right from solidworks with out have to create more files
i seldom have to make adjustments after setting the k factor

Dan

 

One thing to keep in mind, some solution partners will require a seat of SW
on the same machine. In our case, we didnt need/want that...

--Todd

 

Im currently using Amada/MetalSoft, going on 3 years now. To put it
nicely, if it were shareware, I wouldnt ante up after the 30 day trial
was up. And this would not be an exaggeration. The punch module is
passable, the Laser module is virtually unusable.

Ive demo'ed MerryMech, and it looks good, but, will all CAM products,
until you've put it thru its paces, its hard to tell suitability to
task.

 

i use fabriwin from metalsoft www.metalsoft.com
Fabriwin brings in "Flattened States", and not "Flat Patterns". The
difference is that 1)The bend sections are not merged with the flange,
and that means you
have whole lot of nibbling to do, if using a Punch 2)Fabriwin only
uses "single precision" internally, meaning on large radii/slight
slopes, it gets that math wrong and there will be at minumum, an error
in the geometry, and at worst the toolpath itself fails. 3) It saeems
to want to "grid" (group) geometry, like holes, even tho by gridding
it it may make the geometry uncuttable.

 

I'm also using Metalsoft's Fabriwin, going on over 10 years.
I don't do as much programming now as I used to do on my previous Jobs
and positions.The program has worded very good for us on the punching
and laser machines; one of the weak points at one time was the
Optimization of the path when using macros with the Amada's driver, I
don't know if that has changed-- we are running version 5 and I think
they are on version 7 or higher.

I worked for a company that switched from Merrymec to Metalsoft
because of some issues with the drivers for their laser machine
(back in 1999).
The programmer wasn't too happy about it because he had to learn a new
program. He gave me a demo on Merrymac, and for what I rememeber back
on that time the program was Dos based but it had some interesting
features that Fabriwin didn't have.