NX CAM

Feature-Based Machining
(FBM) Introduction

Tom van ‘t Erve

NX CAM Development

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What is Feature-based Machining (FBM)?

Traditional Manual CAM steps Automatic FBM steps

• Define Workpiece • Define Workpiece

• Create operation 1 • Automatically Find Features
• Select geometry • Automatically Create Operations
• Select tool
• Specify cutting & non-cutting
parameters
• Define feeds & speeds
• Add UDE’s
• Generate tool path • Generate tool paths
• Create operation 2, 3, 4, 5, … n • Make changes as needed

• Simulation & Verification • Simulation & Verification

• Post processing • Post processing
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Example User Workflow
Find Features - Start

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Example User Workflow
Find Features – Automatically finds 105 features

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Example User Workflow
Create Feature Process - Start

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Example User Workflow
Create Feature Process - Creates 84 operations

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Where is FBM being implemented?

Most customers start with 2½D Prismatic Machining

Standard features appear in many different parts like
• Mold bases
• Machinery parts
• Automotive parts
• Aerospace parts
Predominantly holes, pockets and slots
Using OOTB parametric feature types

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Turning, WEDM and Color & Attribute features
were added in NX7.5

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Feature Teaching was added in NX8.5

• Automatic Feature Recognition for your own, customer specific, (milling,

drilling, turning, WEDM) feature types

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 Where can you implement FBM?
• Hole Making
• Floor/Wall Milling
• Cavity Milling
• Turning
• WEDM (2 and 4-axis Internal Trim and No Core)
• Thread Milling and Hole Milling
• Planar Milling
• Plunge Milling
• Z-Level Milling
• Fixed Axis Surface Contouring
• Variable Axis Z-Level Milling
• Variable Axis Surface Contouring (Streamline
and Contour Profile)

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FBM existing Limitations (1/2)

No support available yet for rule-based creation of sub-operations:

• Face Milling manual
• Generic Motion operation
• Turning Teach Mode operation
• Probing operation

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FBM existing Limitations (2/2)

Focus is on face-based operations; drive geometry is not support yet

• Machining Areas used to limit machining to a subset of the feature’s faces

Only automatic boundary generation is supported for boundary based operation

• Machining Area support for boundaries is still on our to-do list

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PMI support in FBM

• Dimension tolerances
• Diameter tolerance
• Radius tolerance
• Limits & Fits
• Surface Finish
• Thread
• Thread tolerances
• Face Color
• Face Attributes

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Why are customers interested in FBM?

Process Automation
Significantly reduce the time needed to create NC programs
Productivity improvements of 10x have been documented
Process Quality
Reduce the amount of mistakes in “simple” and “repetitive” NC
programming tasks
Spend more time on critical / non-standard tasks
Process Standardization
Ensure that the “standard process” is used by default
Support the standardization of cutting tools

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 Machining Knowledge Definition
How does it work?
Expert: configures the best practice machining processes
(Machining Knowledge Editor application)

Machining
Knowledge NX CAM loads
the appropriate
Machining
Knowledge

Machining
Knowledge
NC Programmer
(NX CAM) Create Feature Process
command

Operations
Features
Tool Database Template Database
Teamcenter Resource Teamcenter or native
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Manager or ASCII
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FBM – basic principles

• Operations are selected based on (customer specific) rules

• Feature type
• Feature parameters (dimensions, tolerances)
• Product material & selected machine tool
• Tools are selected from the configured tool database
• Tool type
• Tool search parameters (from the tool database; not the internal tools)

• Once selected,
• Operations are created by copying them from the selected template
• Operation parameters can be overruled from the rules; this includes:
• Cutting & non-cutting parameters, step overs, cut levels, etc.
• Cycle parameters and UDE’s
• Feeds & speeds
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Turning example

Typically used for complex and reoccurring features that require several
operations
• Cut region definition through containment
• As mentioned before, no support available yet for teach mode operations

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Machining Feature – Machining Area
Extension to Feature Teaching

• Machining Area is a User defined “name” associated with a set of faces

and/or edges
• Defined using standard NX PMI Labels
• Machining areas can be used to define operations that work on a subset a
feature’s geometry

• For online live demo please use the following link:

• Quickly add new feature definitionsUnrestricted
for feature-based machining
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 Operation Teaching
Is available since NX8

1. Use NX CAM to generate machining rules from existing CAM operations and store in MKE

2. In the Machining Knowledge Editor (MKE), edit the machining rules to make them more
general. Also add or optimize machining conditions & set the priorities

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Operation Set Teaching – Introduced (as preview) with NX10.0.2
Uses part files with alternative operation sets per feature type

• Create a single “teach” part

file per feature type
• Model a feature for each
machining “variant”
• Recognize the features and
create a feature group for
each feature
• Per feature group, define
Operation Set the operations for that
variant including:
• Operation parameters
• Tool
• Cycle parameters
• UDE’s, etc.

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Object -> Teach Operation Sets…
Conditions are defined in NX CAM

• Feature Group conditions

• determine which variant to use
• Feature dimensions; Diameter <= 16.0
• Feature tolerances; Roughness < 3.2
• Feature color; Color = GREEN
• Feature attributes; …

• Operation conditions are used to

match tool & operation parameters
with feature parameters
• Tool.Diameter = Feature.Diameter_1
• Operation.DepthOfCut = 0.25 *
feature.Depth
• Etc.

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Operation Set Teaching
Rules are stored in MKE; available for Create
Feature Process

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 Operation Set Teaching - Benefits

• No need to learn an extra application; use NX CAM to define best

machining practices
• Much faster ROI (Return on Investment) for initial FBM projects
• Much easier to make changes or add new / alternative processes
(occasional use)

• Does not limit the future growth path or sacrifice any of the powerful MKE
capabilities

• Does not require any additional licenses (just FBM_Author)

• Available as Preview from NX10.0.2 onwards

• set UGII_CAM_FBM_ENABLE_TEACH_OPERATION_SETS=1
• Already used in production by selected customers
• Few additional enhancement required to streamline the workflow

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 How to implement FBM – Lessons learned (1/2)

• Use the OOTB rules to demonstrate the feasibility and get management buy-in for a
small proof of concept
• Get basic training, study the OOTB rules to master the concepts
• DIY. This is your core business and your company’s best practice and know how;
document, implement and optimize it by yourself
• Assign a CAM expert with IT affinity; not an IT expert that does not understand CAM
• Start with a small proof of concept (1-3 weeks) with a limited scope
• Test drive the entire process from start to finish (use holes first before you do this on
your own feature types)
• Knowledge Acquisition & Standardization
• Implementation & Testing
• Have something working to demonstrate to your management
• Provide ROI details if required
• Learn how to estimate a larger project implementation

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 How to implement FBM – Lessons learned (2/2)

• Enhance the scope incrementally

• Make sure you have regression tests in place
• Capture validated Create Feature Process results before you start making
changes
• Re-run your tests and compare the new outcome with the validated results
• Contact me if you need help automating this
• Stick to the 80-20 rule; do not get lost in the exceptions
• Only automate what “everybody” accepts as good practice
• People need to be able to trust the automatic results
• Some of the benefits are lost again if users constantly need to validate the
automatic results

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Licensing

What license is required ?

Foundation
No license required for end users
CAD 2
“FBM Author” license is required for the definition of the
2.5x Milling
company specific machining knowledge:
3x Milling
Save & Save As in Machining Knowledge Editor
Turning
Feature Teaching
Wire EDM
Operation & Operation Set Teaching
5 X Mill

FBM Author (NX31435) is available as add-on license Simulation

FBM Author is included in the Total Machining bundle FBM Author

Total
Machining
NX13430

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FBM & Teamcenter

FBM uses the customer’s standard CAM configuration to define:

Operation templates
Cutting tools
Cycles & UDE’s
Machining Knowledge
Etc.

It supports any mix of Native and Teamcenter.

Most “managed” users store their machining knowledge xml in Teamcenter
along with the operation templates and the cutting tools

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