Digitizing machine knives and punching tools with the CADPen

Digitizing Machine Knives and Punching Tools with the CADPen

Application: Reverse engineering and redesign of existing knives and punching tools
Workflow: DXF → CAD → Tool design & manufacturing

For the design and planning of new punching tools and machine knives, existing components can be digitized directly as native CAD geometry using the CADPen. Instead of manually measuring and redrawing, contours are captured as lines, arcs, and splines directly on defined sketch planes with the CADPen.

The captured geometry can be opened as a DXF in the CAD system within seconds and used immediately. Edges can be offset, adjusted, combined, or parametrically modified to develop new components based on proven shapes. The captured contours thus form a precise starting point for:

• optimized knife geometries

• variant tools for new materials or formats

• spare parts that must precisely fit existing machines