Shifting into the future with OCTOPUZ Robotic Programming Software

Complex manufacturing in the automotive industry made easy with OCTOPUZ robot programming and simulation software, using Fanuc & Staübli robots. Shifting into the future!

In an ever-competitive and increasingly globalized world, the automotive industry is constantly striving for innovation. This creativity is often applied to vehicle interiors, where their design has remained an important factor for todays discerning customer, especially in the luxury market. In Germany, international part-manufacturer Oechsler recently forged a partnership with MBFZ toolcraft GmbH where the result was an impressive selection of new ceramic components for premium vehicles.


Gearshift - oeschler, toolcraft, unicam, staubliOne part in particular, the gearshift, proved especially complex to manufacture. Given its unique shape and material composition of hard glass ceramics combined with significantly softer plastics, accurate production would require a very specialized program. Oechsler and toolcraft needed robot programming software that could work with a variety of different robots, build a reliable and accurate simulation, all while being intuitive enough so they could master it within a small window of time. It was at this point that they turned to unicam Software GmbH and decided to utilize OCTOPUZ software to get the job done.

OCTOPUZ is well known for making complex projects manageable even for users who are new to the software, and this was no exception. The gearshifts requirements of sharp edges combined with a highly polished finish made it challenging, only compounded by the time pressure Oechsler and toolcraft were operating under. A prompt resolution was made possible by the fact that OCTOPUZ is intentionally designed minimize the time it takes to create the program, and subsequently, to minimize the cycle time of the production itself. The processing required for this part was completely new territory, and ended up being largely executed by a 6-axis Stäubli arm. The variety of fragile materials going into production demanded an extremely accurate program, which brought the value of OCTOPUZs highly reliable simulation capabilities to the forefront.

Given the wide range of robot brands OCTOPUZ is compatible with, it was straightforward for Oechsler and toolcraft to then output the optimized program to a Fanuc for buffing followed by a Stäubli for polishing. This collaborative approach to innovation made it that much easier to bring the production of this daunting part to fruition, aided in no small part by the versatility and power of OCTOPUZ. The project was completed in record time for Oechsler and toolcraft with outstanding results, creating a competitive advantage through this solution that theyre excited to apply in the future.


About OCTOPUZ
OCTOPUZ is intelligent offline robot programming and simulation software ideal for any path-sensitive application. Created by In-House Solutions, the company took a revolutionary approach by combining the offline programming of robots with a manufacturing process simulation. Today, OCTOPUZ provides a mainstream, versatile, powerful and effective solution for any robotic challenge.

About OECHSLER
Founded by Matthias Oechsler in Ansbach in 1864, OECHSLER is one of the leading companies in the plastics processing industry in Germany and specializes in the production and assembly of complex technical parts. As a system supplier, OECHSLER develops, assembles and supplies components for the automotive and medical sector as well as for the communication industry. Thereby, OECHSLER focuses on highest standards with regard to precision, quality and manufacturing processes as well as on innovative technologies and attractive designs. Besides two German sites (Ansbach and Weißenburg), OECHSLER corporate group today is represented at 4 international locations: China (Taicang), Romania (Lipova), Mexico (Querétaro) and Singapore.

About toolcraft
As a partner of engineers of almost all industrial sectors, toolcraft manufactures precision parts, assemblies, moulds and injection moulded parts. Industries are for example the semiconductors, aerospace, medical technology, optical industry, special machinery manufacturing as well as motor sports and automotive. Thereby toolcraft relies on innovations and invests in future technologies like 3D printing in metal as well as construction of individual robotic solutions. Part of the corporate philosophy is also an intensive cooperation with partners, such as unicam Software GmbH, YPTI Indonesia and Concept Laser GmbH.

The medium-sized family-owned company, located in Georgensgmünd and Spalt, was founded in 1989 by Bernd Krebs.

About unicam
unicam Software GmbH has been working as a systems partner in the field of comprehensive CAD/CAM solutions since 1992. The systems specialist provides top-level manufacturing support services in the fields of milling, turning, wire cutting and robotic machining. As an authorised distributor of the globally successful products OCTOPUZ, Mastercam and SolidCAM, the company helps put its clients on the right track for the future. Drawing on its long-standing experience and with its personalised service, own post processor programming solution and training sessions delivered at its business premises, unicam Software GmbH is on hand to provide its clients with comprehensive professional support.

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