Case Study: The Gill Corporation achieves faster dynamic nesting and programming with Hexagon ALPHACAM

ALPHACAM dynamic nesting for composite aircraft panels

The Gill Corporation, a manufacturer of composite panels for commercial aircraft based in the UK, was facing efficiency challenges. Their process of converting 3D customer models into simplified 2D shapes for nesting and machining was time-consuming and inflexible, leading to lengthy reprogramming for small orders and replacement parts. To address this, they turned to the automation capabilities within Hexagon's ALPHACAM software.

Hexagon's solution involved implementing ALPHACAM’s full suite of automation tools, including 3D modelling, Feature Extraction, Auto Styles, and dynamic nesting. This allowed The Gill Corporation to move from static to dynamic nesting, dramatically speeding up programming and enabling them to machine individual panels or full nests with ease. The measurable impact was significant: projects that once took six weeks to two months to program can now be set up in about a week, and running 1,000 parts through a program now takes just ten minutes, greatly improving responsiveness to customer orders.

The Gill Corporation

Jason Curran

Technical Manager