The MACH2004 19-22 April 2004 exhibition had over 400 exhibitors and 21,000 visitors occupied an impressive 25,500 m2 of space. Showing the very latest metalcutting and metalforming machine tools, CAD/CAM, metrology, tooling, software, automation, robotics, welding and metal fabrication equipment. Much of this equipment was on show for the very first time.

As well as being able to see a wealth of products and technologies, new initiatives introduced this year enabled visitors to hear, first-hand, about leading-edge technologies, at the free seminars organised by MTA and sponsored by Metalworking Production and of course the ability to see OneCNC products.

OneCNC UK exibited for the first time at the Mach2004 and was represnted by Neil OneCNC UK, Peter OneCNC UK, Uwe OneCNC Germany and Bob from OneCNC Australia.

Second from right is Uwe OneCNC Germany demonstrating the new features of OneCNCXP being shown for the first time. This was the first MACH show for OneCNC UK which is sure to become a tradition from here.

Here we see Peter OneCNC UK Technical director demonstrating the capabilities on OneCNCXP to a customer.

Round table discussion with Peter OneCNC UK (left) Uwe OneCNC Germany and Neil OneCNC UK making sure they have no missed any of the new features being demonstrated.

Here is a glimpse from MACH2004

"OneCNC software allows the Leatherman model shop to work with the more complex products being developed by our design group - something we couldn't adequately accomplish with wire-frame software. Errors in machining are reduced, so we're creating models more efficiently."

"We've found that OneCNC software has a shorter learning curve than other products on the market. And most importantly, it's excellent value. OneCNC programs accomplish the same functions as similar programs costing significantly more."

"We relied on OneCNC software to help create our new Squirt multi-tool, as well as new products currently in development. We're beginning to use these programs for all our in-house tooling."

"We've found that the CAD/CAM software from OneCNC offers excellent compatibility with our other engineering programs. Also to mention is the outstanding technical support we've received from OneCNC"

Leatherman Tool Group. Inc.

USA
www.leatherman.com

Precise Components & Tool Design, Inc USA

I haven't found a part yet that OneCNC couldn't handle...Harry Benedikt

I started out consulting for an orthopedic company, and in turn bought a shop with a few CNC machines.  The facility was using another CAD/CAM system at the time, so I learned the program to take care of jobs that needed to be done. We closed the deal on this shop at the end of 2000, and really got things going in January of 2001.

I had run CNC machines for a long time, but had never programmed before.  There was one job that I remember in particular that was a complex 3D part with multiple contours, and the current CAD/CAM system in place could only take me so far, which wasn't even close to where I needed to be to make this part.

Prior to taking on this job, one of OneCNC’s representatives had called to tell me about their software applications.  Once I knew that my current system would not be able to program this part, I decided to give OneCNC a call back.  When I spoke to their technical support representative, sent over the file, the response was “"Oh this is no problem".

This was back when OneCNC had their 2000 series system, their first version.  The support representative and I programmed the part together, we stayed on the phone for a couple of hours and he walked me through how to do one side of it in OneCNC, I did the other, and the part turned out great…and that was really the beginning.  Getting rid of the other CAD/CAM system and switching to OneCNC really took me away from being a small time, mom and pop job shop; it literally was the turning point.  Once we made the investment in OneCNC, it really put me in the league with the big players.  When I worked with the orthopedics company, I had experience with Unigraphics and I was pretty surprised at how close this $3500.00 package, at the time, got me to UG which was close to $50,000.00 for everything we needed.  Honestly, it didn't have everything UG had in terms of some high end modeling and blue print capabilities, but I didn't need that.  I am not a blue print shop, I'm a machine shop.  OneCNC did everything I needed it to do very nicely and very accurately. 

The majority of my customer base is orthopaedic companies, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Orthopedics and Dental departments.  Right now we are doing a lot of parts with complex contours i.e. knees, hips, clam shell molds, prime shell fixtures for hips, etc. 

Up until last year, we had been a prototype shop-not a lot of high production.  One of our new customers had numerous high quantity jobs.  OneCNC has really helped out in the transition from prototyping to high quantity jobs.  I haven't found a part yet that OneCNC couldn't handle in terms of designing and tool path generation. 

For example, I had one part that required hand work, which I don’t do here at my facility; it was a good IGES file that I had no issues with within OneCNC.

I sent the file over to an EDM shop that uses MasterCAM, and they couldn't even open it, I had to send them blue prints.  And, here I have received and programmed many of this customer's files with OneCNC with no problems.

In all, the original small shop is now running 4 Haas Mills, 1 Kitamura, 2 Milltronics, and 5 manual machines, with new machines on order.  I have upgraded to every OneCNC version that has been released, and just recently added the new XR2 4th Axis module to my XR2 Mill Expert system.  In 5 years of ownership and use, OneCNC has never let me down.

Harry Benedikt
Precise Components & Tool Design, Inc.
201 Charles Street
Hackensack, NJ 07601 
Shop 201)342-9556
Fax: (201)342-6568