Mechanical Technology January 2016

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38 Mechanical Technology — January 2016
⎪ Products and services ⎪
Open-ended floor grating
Elaine van Rooyen, marketing manager at
Andrew Mentis says that the company’s
open-ended system (OES) on its RS40
Rectagrid floor grating panels offers
customers some unbeatable advantages:
“The OES is more cost competitive com-
pared to banded panels and lead times
are also much shorter, especially for cus-
tomers who usually cut and fit standard
panels on site.
“The half pitch on all sides of the
panels, because of the manufacturing
process, results in an almost seamless
walkway. Aesthetically pleasing pattern
matching is made possible by the ac-
curate pitching, so that one is presented
VERICUT software is used to simulate
CNC machining in order to detect errors,
potential collisions, or areas of inefficien-
cy. VERICUT enables NC programmers to
correct errors before the program is ever
loaded on the CNC machine, thereby
eliminating manual prove-outs. VERI-
CUT also optimises NC program cutting
speeds for more efficient machining. And
Version 7.4.1 is now available!
Also featured is the AUTO-DIFF
module, which enables users to com-
pare the simulated model to the design
model. From the time a part is designed
to when it is ready to be machined, the
design has passed through a number
of different people, departments, com-
panies, and CAD/CAM systems. In the
end, it is difficult to tell if the tool path
accurately reflects the original design
intent. Without AUTO-DIFF, the only way
to be sure is to cut the part and do a first
component inspection.
By using AUTO-DIFF to compare the
simulated model to the design model,
Large-format printing for AEC professionals reinvented
HP has recently unveiled five new HP
DesignJet technical printers, including the
flagship HP DesignJet T830 Multifunc-
tion Printer (MFP) and the HP DesignJet
T730 Printer, reinventing how architecture,
engineering and construction (AEC) profes-
sionals print, scan and copy. Engineered to
withstand tough environments, these new
devices make large-format printing faster and
easier from the office to construction sites.
“Even as AEC and design professionals
become increasingly mobile, they prefer mak-
ing edits and reviewing plans on the printed
page,” says Xavier Garcia, vice president and
general manager, large format printing, HP.
“HP’s innovative new large-format printers
and MFPs simplify collaboration with next-
level features and mobile printing capabilities
to meet this blended reality and print what-
ever and wherever AEC professionals need.”
The HP DesignJet T830 MFP is the
industry’s most affordable, compact and
transportable integrated large-format MFP.
Half the size of competitive large-format
MFPs, with the same footprint as the HP
DesignJet T730 Printer, the MFP offers a
damage-resistant design able to withstand
challenging job sites, a built-in scanner and
a front panel that can be extended and oper-
ated from a tablet.
“Architectural drawings are at the heart
of what we do as contractors, and getting
them to the site quickly is key. However,
outsourcing our large-format printing was
causing delays and costing money,” says
Neil Geraghty, surveyor, Duke Construction.
“With the HP DesignJet T830 MFP, we
are able to quickly and affordably produce
high-quality, large-format prints in-house,
while HP mobile printing makes choosing,
editing and printing files easy to do from any
location.”
a manufacturer can be assured that
the tool path accurately represents the
original design concept. This reduces the
time it takes to cut the first production-
worthy part.
AUTO-DIFF also reduces the time
it takes to prepare an NC tool path.
Programmers check for gouges or excess
material while working on the program.
Problems are then identified and cor-
rected before machining.
Solid or surface models from most
popular CAD/CAM systems can be used.
AUTO-DIFF also enables one to compare
the cut model with another VERICUT
simulated model. This function is useful
for comparing different operations such
as roughing cuts and finishing cuts.
VERICUT Auto-Diff reduces the time it takes to prepare
an NC tool path. Programmers check for gouges or
excess material while working on the program.
CNC machining: verify, simulate, optimise A surface, a set of surfaces or the
skin of a solid model can be compared
with the simulated part. The surface is
overlaid on top of the simulated part,
and gouges and excess material are
displayed. Large amounts of data from
very complex tool paths can be quickly
compared. The design model does not
need to be watertight, nor does the entire
part need to be included.
AUTO-DIFF generates a comprehen-
sive error report including information
such as type of error, tolerance value, all
tool path records out of tolerance, error
location, and a summary of the AUTO-
DIFF results.
VERICUT is supported in South Africa
by TDM Solutions.
with a non-jointed appearance when
the open-ended panels are joined,” Van
Rooyen explains. “The banding of pan-
els is eliminated by using the OES and,
because there is no welding, corrosion is
significantly reduced. Customers there-
fore benefit from both cost effectiveness
and simplicity of design and installation.”
Mentis Rectagrid is the result of
the unique Andrew Mentis process of
compressive locking of bearer bars and
transversals, which ensures permanent
locking and accurate bearer pitching,
producing the industry’s safest avail-
able grating. Rectagrid is manufactured
in compliance with the international
ISO 9001 quality management system.
Andrew Mentis offers the advantage of
an open-ended system (OES) on its RS40
Rectagrid floor grating panels. Rectagrid is
formed using compressive locking of bearer
bars and transversals.