Wellington Institute of Technology (WelTec), School of Engineering delivers courses from trade to diploma level for engineering and product development students. Students in these courses become proficient in the use of SolidWorks for developing their engineering design projects. Other packages available to students are AutoCAD Inventor and Pro-ENGINEER. All CNC processing is done exclusively through EdgeCAM.

EdgeCAM is fully associative to all major CAD systems, allowing the user to load files directly into EdgeCAM and utilise more of the intelligence within the model to generate efficient machining strategies. EdgeCAM’S ease of use and ability to post process drawings from other packages into NC Code has proved to be a huge plus for teachers and students alike.

WelTec has set up a Centre for Smart Product, a Manufacturing Application and Education Centre for manufacturers and those who aspire to be one. It is a smart initiative to assist New Zealand companies that design, make and sell innovative products internationally.

The Centre is developing partnerships and projects to help these businesses turn their great ideas into internationally competitive products faster than their competitors around the world.

“r&d jumpstart” is a programme which has been developed in association with Industrial Research Limited (IRL) and involves WelTec staff and students in research and development projects for small to medium enterprises (SMEs), under the guidance of staff from IRL.

These projects give staff and students the chance to gain real life experience working in cross-functional, and often virtual, project teams on projects that are based on actual business needs. In return, the SMEs gain the additional capability and resources they require to complete significant R&D projects.

WelTec first purchased EdgeCAM from Pathtrace in 1991 through the New Zealand distributor CadCam Services. Paul Mather, Director of the Centre for Smart Product, comments “The ongoing support from both Pathtrace and CadCam Services has ensured that it remains our preferred CNC processing software”.

WelTec has recently installed a Daewoo Machining Centre in a newly developed CNC laboratory. This machine has 4-axis capability and utilises the latest Fanuc 21i MB Controller. Any projects that require CNC machining are processed through EdgeCAM, allowing the programmer to ‘talk’ to all the CNC machines in the laboratory with one single package – NC code can be sent to either an Okuma CNC lathe, Fanuc Mill/Drill or the new Daewoo CNC Machining Centre.