ESPRIT by DP Technology Corp.

Esprit 2011, the latest edition of the company’s CAM software for CNC programming of mills, lathes and wire EDM machines, features system-wide upgrades.

A shop’s first steps into programming with CAM can be intimidating. But this company found success in fearless flexibility and the right software to fit its applications.

Esprit 2010 offers improvements in the support of integrated multitasking and mill-turn machine tools.

Makino in MexicoMakino has opened an international technology center located in Querétaro, Mexico.

The latest version of Esprit software offers 22 new five-axis machining strategies onto both Esprit SolidMill and SolidMillTurn FreeForm. These simultaneous five-axis machining cycles are available for both milling and mill-turn machines. The FreeForm five-axis composite machining cycle débuting in this version allows the user to define the machining pattern and the tool orientation strategy to be used when creating the simultaneous five-axis tool path and includes 20 different machining strategies (cycles) in one.

The Esprit 2009 CAM software is designed to save time and money by importing solid models, recognizing features on those models and automatically drawing options from a database of machining practices for the machining of those specific features and for a range of machine types. The KnowledgeBase user interface has been centralized to make it easier to manage all of the data in the database, the company says. The single, consistent user interface allows users to access all the data from one central location, such as the processes, materials and cutting tools, and context-sensitive commands are available with a right-click of the mouse.

Esprit 2009, the latest version of Esprit CAM software, is the result of a balanced effort focusing on both the shorter term needs of its existing customers and the longer term direction of the metalworking industry. The software is designed to run on both the Microsoft Windows XP and Microsoft Vista operating systems. Twenty-two five-axis machining strategies have been added to the existing five-axis functionalities of both SolidMill and SolidMillTurn FreeForm.

Esprit 2008 enhancements include turning stock automation for lathes, EDM machine-specific machining technology, improved 3D machining performance, open-pocket milling, expanded CAD to CAM feature exchange enhanced KnowledgeBase Machining (KBM) functionality and B-axis turning for five-axis mill-turn machines. These enhancements reduce the time required to produce part programs, increase the quality of those programs and help reduce machining cycle times.

Medtronic Powered Surgical Solutions produces power surgical motors, tools and attachments. CAM with knowledge-based machining capabilities helps them program low volume, complex parts processed on multi-tasking screw machines.

Esprit 2008, by DP Technology includes advancements in turning stock automation for lathes. This new technology allows Esprit to maintain awareness of the state of lathe stock at all times during the machining process. After each turning operation is created, Esprit will update the stock to reflect the actual remaining material based on the machining cycles and cutting tools used.

Swiss-type lathes and CNC automatic screw machines now have more power and flexibility and better accuracy than ever. As the popularity of CNC continues to grow on these machines, a good computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) system is increasingly necessary to take full advantage of the machines’ true multitasking capabilities.

Esprit FX is a CAD-to-CAM feature exchange technology that allows users to automatically capture the original design intent, define what the user is machining and program parts quicker and more accurately, the company says. Going beyond transferring the part geometry, the new utility provides portions of the original CAD feature tree directly inside the CAM user interface. This includes the complete original design intent, such as features, tolerances, material properties, surface finishes, administrative data and more.

Featuring functionality that emphasizes higher cutting speeds, extended tooling life and capabilities to deal with increasingly complex geometry, Esprit 2006 is now available from DP Technology Corp. Inherent in the program are added grooving cycles that support advances in cutting tool geometry and machine tool design, including machines capable of turning while using a B axis. These cycles offer orientation of virtually any tool using a B-axis, pre-finish options, expanded finish pass control (enhanced for NC compensation), optimized stepover calculations, additional roughing patterns and support for casting stock.

The latest version of Esprit CAM continues to build off earlier versions of the software and includes pre-packaged software for programming multitasking mill-turn machine tools. The software eliminates the need for end users to have to devote time to post-processor writing and machine definition, formerly routine steps that have increased in complexity with the availability of multitasking machine tools. The software's real-time simulation performs comprehensive verification of the machining processes without taking machines offline for expensive dry runs, leaving programmers confident of the results prior to cutting parts, the company says.

- Instructions for Esprit 2005, with updates on how to approach the improvements to the software for the new version- Includes a demonstration copy of Esprit- Takes the users from concept to completion, including machine setup and lathe programming with the software.

Esprit 2005 is a pre-packaged solution for programming multitasking mill-turn machine tools. CAM products typically require end-users and/or resellers to devote time to postprocessor writing and machine definition, formerly routine programming steps that have increased in complexity with multitasking machines. This software is said to eliminate this complicated and costly implementation process.

Esprit software is said to allow CNC programmers to readily program multitasking machines with B-axis capability.  What one machine and on setup produces is said to be equal to what previously required two machines and four setups. With SolidMillTurn, users can program milling and turning operations, on the front or back of the part, with the primary or secondary spindle, with the upper B-axis head or lower turret, in any combination on a single workpiece.

The most recent version of Esprit software allows CNC programmers to program multitasking machines with B-axis capability. This line of SolidMillTurn software is making five-axis multitasking machines accessible and is enabling shops to achieve the productivity gains these machines are designed to provide, with tools that are said to create, optimize and verify CNC programs in a native Windows environment. With this software, users can program milling and turning operations with the primary or secondary spindle, with the upper B-axis head or lower turret.

The company now offers the ability to directly read and machine native CATIA (V4 and V5), Pro/Engineer and Unigraphics part files. The company data exchange kernel now supports CNC programming from all CATIA, Pro/E and UGS solid, surface or wireframe part models, enabling the CAM software to build tool paths directly from the original part models from these mechanical design systems. The software users now have the benefit of native CAD to CAM data exchange with CAD systems--CATIA, Pro-E and UGS--enabling them to directly import their part geometry completely intact and ready for machining.

Command Tooling (Ramsey, Minnesota) thought it was doing more work than was acceptable for the results it was getting and was searching for a way to save time each month. The company manufactures precision CNC toolholders—primarily end mill, collet, and shell mill holders—that are designed and manufactured to deliver the extreme gripping pressure that ensures precise tool centering and rigidity.

About the time this company's products were getting more complex, they undertook a major re-engineering process directed at increasing productivity. CAM software played a big role in achieve their objectives.

ESPRIT 2001 has advances in automated tool path generation and optimized cycle times for mills, lathes, and Wire EDM machines. With this release the software now supports all styles of lathes and Swiss style machines with any number of turrets, spindles and power tooling options. For these machines, the ESPRIT Sync

ESPRIT CAM features system wide advancements in Knowledge Based Machining in the form of a Process Manager and enhanced feature recognition, as well as upgraded pocketing canned cycles, multi-axis turning support and many other new and improved machining cycles. Feature recognition produces a dramatic reduction in