An example of the type of project Costa Precision is well known for is the machining of a single-piece aluminum body for helicopter deployed neutralization systems (part of Raytheon’s AN/ASQ-235 program (AMNS)). The end products are 2 a hydro-dynamically stable bodies looking like a torpedo with fins.
The work piece for this enormously complex component is a single aluminum billet ten feet long and weighing approximately 3,500 pounds. Roughing the work piece consumes hundreds of hours, after which the part is shipped across the country for straightening and heat-treating. After several hundred more hours of machining enough material has been removed so that two operators can easily lift it from the large vertical mill by hand.
Todd Milo, Production Manager for Costa Precision, said the company’s most indispensible tool for assuring the requisite precision without sacrificing manufacturing profitability is Mastercam CAD/CAM software. He said, “There is no way you could even begin working on a part as complex as this if you had to rely much on drawings. At the outset of projects Costa Precision receives CAD models in any number of formats including parasolids and these are seamlessly translated into Mastercam.”
The software’s work coordinate system allows users to create programs for various tools and tool holders working from dozens of different orientations without having to create new views of the part. This is a real time saver. After a part has been programmed, computer-simulation of the manufacturing processes in Mastercam is used to accurately predict total machining time—this helps keep projects on-schedule.
Throughout the product development Costa Precision engineers worked within Mastercam to select toolpath strategies that would reduce the total machining time. These include using the software’s high-speed machining toolpaths (particularly those for roughing) to minimize air cutting and to optimize material removal by safely adjusting feeds and speeds in response to the cutter’s percentage of engagement with the material.
Programmers use Mastercam’s verification feature to visually ascertain that stock has been removed appropriately from within these confined spaces and that tooling and head clearances are adequate. Since there is no reworking allowed, there is no margin for error. One slip of the tool could scrap a part worth more than two expensive automobiles and put the delivery off ten weeks.
With its newly adopted production mind-set and tools like Mastercam, the company has dramatically improved its manufacturing profitability and on-time deliveries are consistently between 95% and 100%. Costa Precision welcomes all challenges both big and small. Their commitment to excellence in quality and delivery paves the way for successful partnerships. |