CAM Software for Turbomachinery components

Compressors, Pumps, and Turbines provide highly efficient service in many areas, from power generators to chemical processing to the jet engines found on air­planes. The demand for ma­xi­mum efficiency begins in the production of the complex rotational parts used in them.

This includes impellers and blisks installed in turbo­machines. Individual turbine blades are high-end com­po­nents that have to meet many different requirements with regard to sur­face quality and profile accuracy. 5‑axis milling processes are commonly used in the production of impellers and blisks.

Programming made easy thanks to special packages perfectly matched to the requirements

The machining of impellers and blisks places high demands on CAM soft­ware. Standard 5‑axis strategies are not sufficient for efficient NC programs used to produce these components. With its multi-blade pac­kage that targets impeller, blisk and turbine components, OPEN MIND is there­fore able to offer machining strategies specially designed for simple and efficient programming of turbo­machinery components. Integration into the familiar hyperMILL^® environment enables other machining options to be combined and thus optimize or complete the production of parts. Other components such as diffusers and casings can also be programmed in a single soft­ware solution. The hyperMILL^® special packages provide easy-to-use automated functions, allowing users to program even complex components with­out any specialized know­ledge.

Automation speeds up programming

Like all other companies, turbo­machinery manufacturers are also facing the constant need to cut costs. This makes it all the more important to design the end-to-end manufacturing process – from NC programming to milling – to be as economical as possible.
Feature and macro technology allow the user to save considerable time during NC programming. Having a simple definition of the key blade features enables the use of stored programming sequences in the form of a macro. The complete NC programming can thus be automated, standardized, and performed very quickly.

Leaving nothing to chance: simulation and collision avoidance

The simulation technologies and post­processors developed by OPEN MIND allow even the most complex impellers, blisks, and turbine blades to be reliably manufactured every time. For instance, hyperMILL^® VIRTUAL Machining offers an NC code-based simulation. This takes into account both the geo­metries and the kinematic behavior of all components involved in the manufacturing process. During simulated 5‑axis machining, the user is shown the exact movements that the machine tool will actually perform. Integrated safety mechanisms ensure that only collision-free NC programs are transferred to the machine tool.