CAD Embedded In Estimating Software

Modern Machine Shop, Nov, 2001 by Elizabeth M. Gruber

The company announced its successful integration of the Automatic Feature Recognition (AFR) technology into its flagship systems, Machine Shop Estimating (MSE) and FabPlan.

Today's most sophisticated computer aided estimating systems--which give manufacturers the ability to quickly and accurately calculate production times and costs--though already automated, still require manual data entry. The AFR technology brings to the (MSE) and FabPlan estimating systems a reduction in the time required to prepare a quote. An estimate that took hours to prepare 10 years ago can be prepared by contemporary estimating software in half the time, and it may now take less than 5 minutes with MSE.

The system interrogates entities selected by the user and interprets the elements, whether circles, squares, rectangles, lines, diameters or complex shapes. It then supplies this data to the estimating algorithms in the form of shapes, lengths, widths, distances between features or diameters.

Machine Shop Estimating will become totally AFR capable. An AFR module for the fabrication industries is capable of analyzing parts to be cut by laser, waterjet or thermal cutting methods. In testing, a piece part with 168 individual features was analyzed, and a complete process layout was produced in less than 20 seconds. All feature information (lengths and diameters), rapid travel distances and idle movements were automatically entered into the system by the AFR system. Automatic tool fitting for turret punch is next, followed by the turning and milling operations.