CNC Software Inc. developers of CAD/CAM software specialist Mastercam has entered into a partnership with the American Precision Museum (APM) and Haas Automation. APM displays a world-class collection of historic machines with an original 19th-century water-powered production facility. The facility explores industrial history in the context of modernization, innovation, and the impact of precision manufacturing on American history and culture.
An enormous water wheel, situated in the basement which drove a drum that conveyed belts up through the ceiling to the overhead line shafts on the factory floor powers the APM factory. Smaller belts that powered the machines were turned by those shafts. APM is collaborating with Mastercam to reconstruct a waterwheel to have an exhibition in the museum indicating the way in which running water was converted into power to drive the building.
Megan West, the CEO of CNC Software praised the initiative by APM to show the history of the changes that mass production made in the world and the way in which shaped America. APM is seeking to reconstruct a waterwheel and Mastercam is privileged to be a part of the project. She added that the objective behind such displays is to ignite and motivate young generations to get interested in manufacturing.
A working, scaled-down edition of the original waterwheel found at APM was designed by the Applications Engineers at CNC Software, Inc. To re-make it as closely as the original, the model design was inspired by a 2009 study of the original factory and wheel. For SOLIDWORKS®, the assembly was designed in Mastercam; and Mastercam software was used for programming and machining the assembly. The drive gear assembly of the model version is working, and for exhibition, purposes are powered by a small pellet stove gear motor, rather than water.
Steve Dalessio, the Executive Director of APM, stated that utilizing modern manufacturing techniques to rebuild a device from 1846 is a way to show how production methods evolve. The exhibit will be used to connect science, history, and manufacturing by the education program. The new exhibit will be made public for Manufacturing Day 2020.
For more details, visit https://www.mastercam.com/
