CAM Software Maximizes
5-axis Machining

As the global leader in food cutting technology, Urschel Laboratories, Inc. is a vibrant Indiana manufacturing company that has been growing steadily since its founding in 1910.

One of the continuing missions at Urschel is exploring new ways to streamline and improve the existing ma­nu­fac­tu­ring process. Bill Monroe, Senior Manufacturing Engineer at Urschel Laboratories researched 5‑axis machining, and learned that by using this technology the company would be able to build better parts for the Urschel product line. “I felt we could make parts faster and with more accuracy, including new parts with complex geometry that we could not build with existing equipment and CAM software,” said Monroe.

Mr. Monroe first wanted to experiment with 5‑axis machining. At the outset, there was absolutely no idea of what would be able to be created using this method, but he knew that possibilities would materialize once he got his hands on a fast and accurate 5‑axis machining center and the CAM software to control it.

CAM software directly integrated into SOLIDWORKS

All 3D design work at Urschel is done using SOLIDWORKS, and Monroe wanted a CAM software solution that was directly integrated into SOLIDWORKS. hyperMILL^® CAM software definitely met this critical need. For over 10 years, hyperMILL^® has been a SOLIDWORKS certified Gold CAM product, providing in-window seamless integration of CAD and CAM, and with all hyperMILL^® strategies enabled. SOLIDWORKS in­te­gra­ti­on was just one consideration. Monroe was anxious to start the 5-axis experiments so he could get up to speed fast. The company needed quality training, ongoing support and help with 5-axis machining stra­te­gi­es to meet their current and future needs. OPEN MIND was also able to help.

Positive experience all the way through

Summed Monroe, “Working with OPEN MIND’s hyperMILL^® team has been a positive experience all the way through. We chose hyperMILL^® because we were already familiar with its interface, and that was critical. Being able to have a package that was big enough and comprehensive enough to grow with us over the long term was also extremely important. We didn’t want a pared down package just because it worked in SOLIDWORKS. We needed and have found, a solution that is comprehensive and that we can grow with. Having really good support is key. We wouldn’t have been able to move to production as quickly as we did without the OPEN MIND staff teaching us along the way. Also, they didn’t try to oversell us, which was a huge deal. Our relationship with OPEN MIND will continue to grow, for a very long time.”

www.urschel.com