Advanced Computing in the Age of AI | Friday, March 29, 2024

One-Man Machine Shop Boosts Productivity with CAD/CAM Workflow 

Delcam's FeatureCAM system enables even the smallest of operations to move to 3D machining.

It used to be that Bruce Waugh, owner of Waugh Machine, had to turn down jobs involving 3D parts because he was unable to program them. But since adopting Delcam's FeatureCAM system, Waugh can produce any part that fits within the capabilities of his two Haas Minimills.

A machinist for 35 years, Waugh runs his one-person machine shop out his garage in Camp Verde, Arizona. Not only has the CAM software expanded the capabilities of his business, but it has reduced the time required to program typical 2.5D parts from one hour down to ten minutes.

A common misconception in the manufacturing industry is that only large companies can benefit from software-based tools. Mr. Waugh's success story demonstrates that even the smallest outfit can achieve increased capability and productivity using computer-aided manufacturing software.

One of Mr. Waugh's customers, a medical-device manufacturer, supplied the impetus for him to make the switch when the company informed him that it would begin providing him with CAD files instead of physical drawings. Waugh saw this as "the writing on the wall for 2.5D programming."

He made the decision to upgrade to FeatureCAM with its feature-recognition and 3D-surfacing modules and hasn't looked back.

"FeatureCAM has changed the nature of my business," reports Waugh. "Because I can now do more complicated parts, I have been able to raise my rates while running my machines at full capacity. My customers are more than happy to pay my new rates because I am able to deliver a higher level of quality on more difficult jobs."

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