Shop Floor Control with Predator Software
Would you like to gain real-time control of your shop floor? With Predator Software's SFC bundle, it is possible. Predator SFC is a bundle of seven Predator software applications that can be used to gain real-time perspective of your shop’s productivity and make your shop paperless. These seven applications can be used together or individually in your shop to streamline your shop’s manufacturing output. Read more to learn about the individual programs and their add-in versions that can be run from within SURFCAM.
By having your shop networked, you can easily use Predator DNC and Predator MDC to speed up and track the progress of your shop. With DNC, your programmers can upload the NC code directly to the machine instead of having to transfer it via some other medium. This greatly increases productivity by reducing the preparation time for each part. Similarly with MDC, you can collect data on the jobs (and parts) that are currently being cut in your shop. MDC uses cycle, idle, setup, teardown, and machine downtimes to allow you accurately track your shop floor. Using this data you can then streamline operations and make better decisions.
MDC also operates as an add-in for SURFCAM. When using it in this way, your programmers can all track their own jobs, machine status and shop floor dashboards from within SURFCAM. This add-in works for SURFCAM V5 and previous versions.
Predator Tracker, another application offered in SFC, offers the ability to track your shop’s tools, gages, and fixtures. By organizing this information in one place, machinists on the shop floor can always find the proper tools, gages and fixtures thereby reducing preparation time in cutting. Tracker is also offered as an add-in for SURFCAM. When used from within SURFCAM, machinists have a real-time view of tool and gage cribs as they prepare the parts to be cut.
These are only some of the programs that are available from Predator Software in either their SFC package or individually. For more information on the other Predator programs included in Predator SFC, such as a CNC text editor and a machine simulator, click here or contact an authorized Predator reseller.
Customer Testimonial - AFAB Precision Manufacturing
AFAB Precision Machining began using SURFCAM in 1991 when they saw that it was the best solution for 3D machining software, over Mastercam and Smartcam. They have since programmed and machined over 3,000 parts which made SURFCAM become an integral part of the day-to-day business. When asked why AFAB has been using SURFCAM for almost 20 years, Larry Campbell, president and owner, says “it is because of all the features and functionality found in SURFCAM which we require to get the job done as quick as possible. The ability to import complex 3D models into the software and then program them with great ease are just two of the reasons we continue using SURFCAM on a daily basis. We also receive great technical support and training options which has helped us better utilize the software to remain competitive within our market.
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"Recently a customer with a new prototype medical laser talked to us about engineering and manufacturing an enclosure that would house their working model. Using SolidWorks to design and present three versions of an enclosure, a version was selected and then programmed and manufactured using SURFCAM. This was easily done by opening the SolidWorks design directly in SURFCAM and then programming directly on the solid model. Because of SURFCAM's ability to work so seamlessly with our SolidWorks data, this new medical laser has become a very successful project and is currently selling internationally. This project has opened the door to other design and manufacturing projects and increased our business by 15%."
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AFAB currently has 2 licenses of the latest release, SURFCAM V5 with the TRUEMill option. The company machines mostly aluminum as well as carbon and stainless steels, acetal and polycarbonate. AFAB services many industries including aerospace, biomedical, electronics and transportation.
-Larry Campbell, AFAB Precision Machining (http://www.afabcnc.com)