Case Studies

Metal Cutting Simulation
Minneapolis, MN - May 2001

Contributed by: Kerry Marusich Third Wave Systems, Inc.

Animation of chip curl and heat transfer during metal cutting. Visualisation enables users to compare different cutting conditions and choose an optimised process without expensive testing.

Third Wave Systems, Inc. (TWS) located in Minneapolis, MN, develops and supports AdvantEdge. The finite-element based simulation software application was principally developed by a pioneer in metal cutting modeling – Dr. Troy Marusich. The program is primarily used by aerospace and automotive engineers to reduce costs associated with metal cutting. Tecplot is used to visualise the results of AdvantEdge's metal cutting simulations.

Manufacturers cut metal using lathes, milling machines, and drills. The faster they can cut metal, the lower their cost is for making parts. Optimising speed and minimising waste is a difficult problem. AdvantEdge helps engineers obtain solutions faster and with more reliability.

Specific applications for AdvantEdge include increasing the material removal rate in any machining process, improving tool life, and reducing part distortion. Results are achieved by designing parameters and tooling configurations that reduce cutting forces, temperatures, and part distortion, off-line.

Tecplot is fully integrated into the AdvantEdge interface. While the simulation is running, or after it has been completed, users can view the results in Tecplot by clicking Results.

Engineers may run AdvantEdge in batch mode to optimise the process. AdvantEdge uses the Quick Macro Panel to give engineers the most commonly sought information, while advanced users can write their own macros for additional analysis and visualisation.

The most important information for AdvantEdge users are force plots, temperature plots, and stress data versus time, as well as machining parameters such as speed, feed, and type of tool.

Tecplot instantly displays the force plot data and then mesh and contour plots. The Quick Macro Panel pops up automatically so users do not need to perform data manipulation to obtain results. A click or two yields stress, strain, and temperature.

"The Quick Macro Panel has automated the most important part of modeling, the analysis and visualisation of information that was created in AdvantEdge. "

Tecplot enables users to get information about their cutting process quickly. Customers visualise chip curl, heat transfer, temperatures, cutting forces, and stress levels. This is shown through contour plotting, X-Y force plotting and process animations. They can compare different cutting conditions and choose an optimised process without expensive testing.

"Our users are very busy solving problems and they want answers quickly. In some cases, production line problems require that the engineer have a solution immediately."

President Kerry Marusich of Third Wave chose Tecplot because it was easy to use and could be rapidly customised to fit their application. "The initial macro panel took very little time for us to develop. The biggest benefit of Tecplot has been we are able to focus our efforts on what we are good at – developing, selling, and supporting metal cutting modeling software applications, rather that spending precious resources on something that we have no expertise in. Our end users benefit from an integrated package that makes it easy to set up, run, and visualise simulations. They can focus on solving problems."

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