An integrated multi-technology environment for tube processing devised as a unique process instead of sequences of independent programming steps for each technology. For bending and end-forming.

Cantù, in November 2015. The BLM GROUP system programming, simulation and production management and monitoring tools, traditionally focused on single technologies and specific production steps, have been developed in an exciting new way. Artube for laser CAD/CAM, VGP3D for programming bending, Partviewer for checking programs, Protube for managing and planning production and Composer for interfacing with ERP are now available collected in the BLMelements software suite which implements a common logic of use.

Artube3

The most advanced specific CAD/CAM system for tubes can manage single parts and multi-technology frames (for example made using a combination of laser cut and bend parts). The fully refreshed graphic interface now implements a context-based approach and shows only the pertinent functions for each step. This simplifies operations and makes programming faster.

VGP3D

VGP3D is no longer a separate tool for designing parts and programming tube bending machines. It can now exchange data with Artube3 and with Protube for setting up production faster and monitoring advancement state.

Partviewer

A sophisticated tool for viewing and simulating machine programs allowing also to estimate part costs and times very accurately. A remarkable additional feature is the possibility of editing and managing machine options and immediately observing the consequences of each action in terms of resulting productivity.

Composer

Making families of reciprocally similar parts in which only dimensions and relative positions change is more simple by defining work sets as objects which can be saved and retrieved at a later time. Selecting and applying previously saved jobs is simple using an external ERP, with which Composer can be easily interfaced.

Protube

The Express and Enterprise versions of Protube both receive the necessary information directly from the CAD/CAM and automatically create the production orders by setting the correct parameters for each machine (including different technologies).

Webapp

A new remote machine monitoring feature has been added to the BLMelements suite. Webapp uses production data made available by the machines on the network and the Protube data. The app can be used to monitor the operating state of all BLM GROUP machines, the advancement of each production batch and all other information needed for diagnosis and preventive interventions directly on a mobile device.

The result is one logic and one operating environment concentrated on the tube as the focus of the entire process instead of on single machines or technologies.