HxGN Production Machining, a new software suite developed by Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division, was released today. Its goal is to help machine shops achieve operational excellence in the production of discrete parts, tools, and components with machine tools at any scale, from one-off prototypes to high-volume production, and in any industry.
The suite’s capabilities include computer-aided design (CAD) for production and review, computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) for programming numerical control (NC) machine tools, process simulation and G-code verification and optimization, shop-floor production intelligence, and automation and collaboration powered by Nexus, Hexagon’s digital-reality platform. Central to the company’s Machine Shop Excellence solutions, the suite features extensive automation and cutting-edge technologies that aid manufacturers in maximizing the effectiveness of their use of raw materials, cutting tools, and CNC machinery, as well as documenting, archiving, and routinely reapplying the shop’s best practices.
From initial project quote and design review to production, quality assurance, and product delivery, HxGN Production Machining will connect common processes to assist teams decrease mistake and remove unnecessary operations. Manufacturers can streamline their purchasing, setup, and upkeep with the help of the Hexagon ecosystem’s linked product suite. The suite’s adaptability makes it useful for small, medium, and large machine shops, as well as for the manufacture of prototypes and mass quantities of any discrete component or material.
Shops of all sizes may benefit from the HxGN Production Machining suite because it provides a comprehensive software tool set inside a linked and intelligent digital workflow that aids in ensuring that the job is done perfectly the first time. According to Chuck Mathews, general manager, production software at Hexagon, “we are helping our clients achieve better operational excellence by using the concepts of model-based manufacturing and the automation advantages of artificial intelligence (AI).
“Our new CAM system, ESPRIT EDGE, combines the DNA of Hexagon’s EDGECAM and ESPRIT software with powerful digital twin and AI technology, and is just one example of the suite’s innovations.”
“Through our suites we refocus innovation on what matters most to customers, be that in single product or leveraging data across workflows,” said Parth Joshi, Hexagon’s chief product & technology officer. Future enhancements to our cloud-based Nexus platform will streamline teamwork and centralize job data, allowing for more productivity and better quality as projects progress from bid to final delivery.
Customized design-for-manufacturing tools were created to speed up the process from planning to production, and they make it simpler to get tasks ready for CNC programming. Manufacturers may quickly see and analyze component model geometry using Hexagon’s DESIGNER program, which is compatible with CAD data from any supplier. Product manufacturing information (PMI) including tolerance, surface finish, and material data may be used with the assistance of the software. This suite was created with the intention of ensuring the continuity of this crucial data across the whole digital workflow.
Hexagon’s three production machining CAM systems are compatible with DESIGNER and may be used to program any kind of machine, including multi-axis, mill-turn, multi-tasking, Swiss-type, and wire EDM machines. Software like EDGECAM, ESPRIT, and the brand new ESPRIT EDGE offer a wide variety of machining cycles, in-process measurement programming, powerful automation tools, machine-optimized G-code, and the use of artificial intelligence to generate collision-free positioning between cutting zones.
For increasingly sophisticated equipment and procedures, Hexagon provides substantial CNC program simulation and verification tools to prevent collisions and optimize code. For the purposes of cycle-time optimization, set-up modification, and program certification, NCSIMUL software receives machine-specific G-code programs from the CAM system and includes the whole machining environment to create a digital twin of the equipment, component, and processes.
Data-driven planning, quoting, and continuous improvement are facilitated by new production-intelligence systems that integrate with machine tools to deliver real-time insights and asset status monitoring. Automated Production Intelligence, developed by Hexagon partner Datanomix, allows for lights-out machining and a high degree of automation by automatically capturing data on machine performance and providing mobile machine-tool status alerts. By keeping track of prior work, businesses of all sizes may better predict how their equipment will perform on future jobs by analyzing data from comparable jobs.
By analyzing series metrology data to foresee when parts will start to go out of tolerance and automatically performing tooling offsets owing to natural tool wear and tear, high volume and precision manufacturing processes may adopt closed-loop quality capabilities from the suite. By updating the CNC controller immediately, Hexagon’s Intelligent Machine Control (IMC) software ensures that manufacturers won’t have to depend on human intervention to compute offsets and achieve lights-out operation.
