Integrated CAD/CAM/CNC chain for medical engineering

These demands mean that the manufacturing technologies must have perfect control of the entire chain of high-precision machining of the workpiece. Equally as crucial is comprehensive data storage, together with the capabilities of tracking production orders and interconnecting machine systems.

Siemens Drive Technologies Division will exhibit its complete high-speed cutting process chain at the forthcoming Metav International Fair, together with solutions for the manufacture of medical implants and prostheses.

Medical engineering applications are first and foremost based on perfected cutting technologies. The manufacture of medical implants and prostheses demands, above all, high-precision machining with short machining times that have to produce perfect surfaces. Such high-precision, high-speed cutting is based on an integrated, high-performance CNC solution. This covers the creation of the CAD/CAM data, straightforward programming, setup on the CNC, suitable probes, and high-precision milling with innovative tools.

High-speed cutting is technically very demanding, precisely because of the high speeds involved. CNC machines for these types of milling tasks have correspondingly high spindle speeds and feed rates. These are necessary in order to manufacture high-quality medical products, such as tooth and bone implants, bone screws, and hip prostheses. At the Metav 2010, Siemens Drive Technologies Division will be exhibiting CNC solutions for creating CAD/CAM data with NX CAM, together with the system platform for high-speed cutting. This features the Sinumerik 840D sl controller, the Sinamics S120 drive system and high-performance motors. Sinumerik Safety Integrated enables highly effective operator and machine protection concepts to be implemented.

The interactions between its many and varied functions enables the Sinumerik to be adapted flexibly to meet the changing demands of CNC production. These functions include the straightforward measurement or calibration of multi-axis kinematics, and the coupled motion of the tool orientation. Innovative technologies enable medical engineering products to be matched precisely to a patient's individual requirements. This has led to an increase in the number of small batches in the production. So that manufacturers can react quickly and easily, Siemens offers a wide range of setup functions for retrofitting a machine. All the important tool-related data are saved, and they can be recalled later in a single step. Jerk limitation, precontrol and the perfected “lookahead” function support the operator during tool and mold-making.

The Siemens Industry Sector (Erlangen, Germany) is the worldwide leading supplier of environmentally friendly production, transportation, building and lighting technologies. With integrated automation technologies and comprehensive industry-specific solutions, Siemens increases the productivity, efficiency and flexibility of its customers in the fields of industry and infrastructure. The Sector consists of six divisions: Building Technologies, Drive Technologies, Industry Automation, Industry Solutions, Mobility und Osram. With around 207,000 employees worldwide (September 30), Siemens Industry achieved in fiscal year 2009 total sales of approximately €35 billion.

The Siemens Drive Technologies Division (Nuremberg, Germany) is the world's leading supplier of products and services for production machinery and machine tools. This includes standard products but also encompasses industry-specific control and drive solutions. Integrated technologies along the entire drive train with electrical and mechanical components offer highest potential to reduce energy consumption in industrial plants. The services provided by the Division include mechatronics support in addition to online services for web-based fault management and preventive maintenance. With around 36,000 employees worldwide (September 30), Siemens Drive Technologies achieved total sales of €7.5 billion in fiscal year 2009.

Reference Number: IDT2009122310e