Since 1948, Dixons surgery in Wickford, Essex has been manufacturing reusable surgical instruments. As the market has matured, surgical Dixon has progressed to the manufacture of complex orthopedic instruments, modeled in CAD. These changes encouraged the company to invest in both SolidWorks and SolidCAM, including the revolutionary iMachining module.
Jay Dixon, Director General said: "We have been using CNC machining since the early 90's. The schedule can be manual or talk to the machine. Now has standardized on Mazak machines, including a quick turn Nexus 200 MSY that has been milled, the shaft and the shaft, and a vertical machining center VCN 410A. In 2010 we began to receive requests for parts that were difficult to program the machine, especially milling and turning, and that were modeled in 3D, so I started looking for a suitable CAM system. "
Surgical Dixon had already invested in SolidWorks from Cadtek Systems Ltd, so I was looking for a package that would integrate with it and also be able to schedule your time machine factory. Jay Dixon continues, "quickly appreciated the benefits of 3D CAD for new and existing parts. SolidWorks parametric tools allow us to model only part of a family of parts, and with a parametric table, automatically create multiple versions, common in our industry. Our two main criteria for a CAM system - seamless integration with SolidWorks and the ability of our program of rapid return Mazak Nexus - removes all the systems we have examined, except SolidCAM. "
SolidCAM is fully integrated with SolidWorks and allows surgical Dixons to make a single machining program and the use of parametric CAD system tables to produce the other variants. Jay Dixon says: "A tool we Fixator comes in 12 different sizes and other CAM systems have had to create a different model for each variation. SolidCAM really expands the scope of the CAD system. This allows us to design and fabricate the templates and develop the CNC program for each of the three operations needed for each fastener machine a CAD model and a CAM program, compounding time savings on top of saving time. What really impressed our operators when they realized the amount of duplication of efforts had averted! "
After an impressive demonstration, Jay Dixon realized that the new module iMachining SolidCAM could make a big difference in ease of
Mazak machining Nexus in its turn quickly, because it solves the problems of rigidity and efficient metal removal milling machine operations. He says: "For the C-axis milling often have to compromise on the tools you choose, most projections are ideal. On the other hand, milling and turning machines are not as rigid as a machining center, have holding less power and more flexible working with situations of over-indebtedness as one would like. IMachining SolidCAM has produced some incredible results in stainless steel, machining times are half of what we expected and last about cutters five times more than they did previously. We used to receive the unpleasant noise of the machine as it was cut, but now just get a grinding sound sweet. "
A stainless steel instrument spinal implant, which produces surgical Dixons Quick turn Nexus, has a profile back ground everywhere outside, and a pocket through the center, 26 mm deep, which need to be cut with power tools. The central pocket is cut with an 8 mm long series of hard metal tools and finished with a 6mm tool. iMachining allows the pocket to cut only once in all its depth, from a pilot hole, without vibration. Jay Dixon says: "With traditional methods would have had a lot of steps along the machined walls. With iMachining to get a beautiful finish smooth and flat."
SolidCAM programming is also easier. Dixons Surgical employs highly qualified engineers, so drivers are able to prepare their own programs, while cutting machines. Jay Dixon says: "With the machine programming of complex parts, often the machine tool is idle for one or two days, while the CNC program is being developed. With iMachining only produces a code that works for the first Once, a huge increase in productivity by giving us more capacity machining and virtually eliminating programming and time setting. We feel that our future is in the production of complex orthopedic instruments. We have the experience, skills and knowledge necessary to complete the surgical instruments to the required standards. Our investment in and iMachining SolidCAM is a fundamental part of our expansion plans. We have been impressed by his performance. "