Knives Out: Debarker Manufacturer Uses CAD and AM to Produce MLX™ Knife Tips
Nicholson Manufacturing uses Mastercam CAM and APlus AM technologies to produce debarker knives for the lumber industry.
The Challenge
Producing rugged knife tips that withstand the rugged conditions of debarking machines. Nicholson needed additive manufacturing (AM) software to work with its existing Mastercam CAM software system.
The Solution
Mastercam, the most robust CAD/CAM software for machining applications, and Aplus additive manufacturing (AM) software.
Benefits
- Mastercam and APlus brought Nicholson’s programming time down from days to hours.
- APlus tells the system when to fire the laser and how much powder to deliver.
- CAM and AM software work in concert to make one program that runs the entire hybrid process via G-code.
Project Details
In the 1940s, Nicholson Manufacturing revolutionized the forest industry when it designed and built lathe and rosser-head-style debarkers to replace manual debarkers. In 1951, it built its first whole-log mechanical ring-type debarker, which feeds a non-rotating log through a multi-tool rotating ring. Today, Nicholson Manufacturing Ltd. (Sidney, British Columbia, Canada) produces ring debarkers for lumber facilities throughout the world.
CNC Machinist and Programmer Steve Cracco works on Nicholson’s additive manufacturing (AM) projects. The team wanted the company to use subtractive and additive manufacturing to produce knife tips.
“We did not have a software system that could do what we wanted to do—additive plus machining—so we hunted around and found a solution with APlus® (CAMufacturing Solutions, Inc., Windsor, Ontario). It does additive machining and works only with Mastercam,” said Cracco.
As part of the R&D division, Mechanical Designer and Draftsman Jay Hale leads Nicholson’s additive manufacturing MLX™ project. Before investing in the additive manufacturing piece of the CAM/AM puzzle, Hale compiled a comparison chart of five additive software systems.
“I did an extensive analysis of the available software and compared all their features and gave them fancy ratings,” Hale said. “It came down to the fact that we only had to train Steve on the additive side, not the entire system…APlus was the obvious choice.”
APlus fits well with Nicholson’s current manufacturing strategies because it supports programming and simulation of additive manufacturing processes in Mastercam. Its seamless integration into the CAD/CAM software delivers the benefits of CAM and AM. Since adopting AM capabilities, Nicholson uses it to create rugged knife tips for its debarkers. The AM machine adds durable layers to wear-surfaces of the tips, hard surfacing the long-wear parts.
“The knife tip is located at the business end of a debarker,” explained Hale. “That’s what takes the bark off the log. Each tip needs to be incredibly tough, incredibly hard.”
A typical debarker contains between three and six knives. Currently, Nicholson manufactures five models of debarkers and supports many other models that it sold over the years. It has approximately 100 part numbers for knives. Given the extreme conditions surrounding lumber processing equipment, replacement parts are always in demand.
The first step in creating a knife tip is using Mastercam to machine in-house fixtures. After parts are machined, a laser distributes and melts powdered composite material onto the knife tips; the number of layers varies by part. Mastercam and APlus run the entire additive layering process.
Cracco programs the additive part, specifically the additive deposition passes, and uses a Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies Fiber Laser bolted into a Haas VF7 to print and subtract in the same set-up. A deposition head can be selected just like any other tool, so an operator can easily go from cutting to printing.
Mastercam and APlus brought Nicholson’s programming time down from days to hours. For a company that manufactures thousands of knife tips each year, the overall time savings provided by CAM and AM is substantial. Also, the CAM/AM software combination gives programmers and machinists more creative freedom than what previous AM software offered.
“Now we have axis control, which is incredible,” said Hale. “With the combination of additive and subtractive technology, we’ve really subverted the fundamental laws of manufacturing: better, faster, cheaper. We used to have to pick two. Well, I’m not picking two. We’re having all three.”
Using 3+2 machining on the Haas VF7, Cracco tilts the part 10 degrees on the trunnion and directs movements in the X, Y, and Z axes. APlus tells the system when to fire the laser and how much powder to deliver. CAM and AM software work in concert to make one program that runs the entire process via G-code.
“Our previous additive software couldn’t do what we wanted it to,” added Cracco. “One of the biggest issues was axis control. With APlus and Mastercam, I have no issues.” Nicholson now has more options for putting down layers. Machinists can print parts with Mastercam and APlus for current jobs and future applications.
“Regarding APlus, a big perk for me was the customer support, which has been great,” said Cracco. “And, our Mastercam Channel Partner, In-House Solutions (Vancouver, British Columbia), has been helping us with our new additive manufacturing journey.”
For post issues, Nicholson looks to Postability (Cambridge, Ontario), a software development company focused on the development of NC post processors for Mastercam. The company’s solutions and support are now accessible through Mastercam’s Channel Partner network.
Quick Facts
- Product Used: Multiaxis, APlus
- Industry: Heavy Industry, Lumber
“Now we have axis control, which is incredible. With the combination of additive and subtractive technology, we’ve really subverted the fundamental laws of manufacturing: better, faster, cheaper. We used to have to pick two. Well, I’m not picking two. We’re having all three.”
Jay Hale, Mechanical Designer & Draftsman, Nicholson Manufacturing Ltd., Sidney, British Columbia, Canada
