Jewellery Designer Doubles Production With Delcam Software

Robert van Mil Designs, Toronto, owned by Robert van Mil, has provided wax sculpture and design work to the jewellery trade since 1986. The first 18 years of that period this work was done by hand. But a few years ago, to meet market demand for his designs, he decided he needed a way to increase production while maintaining the high quality he is known for.

“To increase both efficiency and accuracy of production, compared to carving by hand, I looked at software packages and more modern production methods,” Robert said. After taking the measure of the industry, Robert invested in ArtCAM JewelSmith computer-aided design (CAD) software from Delcam, (Headquarter Birmingham UK sales and support Windsor, Ontario) The result has been a doubling of his production.

ArtCAM JewelSmith is a unique suite of software enabling design and manufacture of jewellery pieces directly from sketches, by sculpting a 3D model, or from customizable component libraries. The ArtCAM JewelSmith Solution allows designers to create 3D multi-piece jewellery on their desktop.

“I started using JewelSmith 2 years ago after seeing it demonstrated at a local jewellery supply firm, by the local Delcam rep in Toronto, Ontario Scott Ingram” Robert said. “At that time I was already proficient in modeling jewellery on a computer and looking for a way to translate this skill into a method of efficiently producing wax models. With the Delcam software, I was able to introduce far greater efficiency to my work through the Machining Wizard. I also, dramatically reduced drawing time on complicated relief work.” JewelSmith’s toolpath generating capabilities and many of its drawing tools are key to Robert’s work.

“When I saw JewelSmith demonstrated, (from Scott) I could see a way to incorporate its abilities into an efficient method of producing jewellery models,” Robert said. He reports that one of his most productive projects was in developing a method of cutting multiple models overnight. The versatility of the program and the easy transition from design workshop drawings to vectors and then 3D model has improved his efficiency significantly while allowing him to maintain the creativity and style unique to his company.

Unique designs – rapidly
Robert finds that the software’s best technical feature for his business is its ability to help create components that can be interchanged and used in a variety of settings, and to create a range of unique pieces in a very short time period, for presentation to clients. Another benefit to the software is that it allows Robert to create and send models electronically to clients for approval.

The ArtCAM JewelSmith software provides all the tools and functionality to manufacture jewellery that reflects his unique style. The fully configurable Machining Wizard allows you to go from design to manufactured part quickly and easily. You also can produce STL models for rapid prototyping or transferring across systems, including importing jewellery models from other systems to add to, edit and machine.

ArtCAM automatically calculates and produces the toolpaths for machining any 3D model from multiple directions with automatic support for tool changing and rotary index moves. Robert then uploads his data to his 4-axis CNC Model Master Mill. He can then modify the toolpaths to suit special requirements. “Using a combination of JewelSmith and the Model Master Mill I have doubled my output.

How did that happen?

“JewelSmith’s machining wizard allowed me to create very efficient optimized toolpaths resulting in strongly reduced cutting times. And the modeling tools in ArtCAM enable me to create ornamental relief from vector drawings in a fraction of the time it takes other applications. ArtCAM has proven essential on production work,” Robert said.

Robert reports that he uses JewelSmith’s machining wizard to carve approximately 40 models per week. “The shape editor is a great tool. Most useful is the ability to create relief on top of any underlying shape, especially the ability to afterwards use this relief with or without the underlying shape.”

Support and Training
Critical to the successful integration of computer-aided design (CAD) software into Robert’s business has been the excellent training and support he received from Delcam’s Technical Sales Engineer Scott Ingram, Toronto, Ontario. “Anytime you start incorporating new techniques it comes with growing pains. I have found the support offered by JewelSmith to be truly outstanding,” Robert said, “and it allowed me to realize the benefits of the Delcam software fairly quickly. The solutions provided to me by Artcam have proved to be a great investment.”

With over 13 years of development, users can be confident that their investment in ArtCAM will be rewarded with high-level, long-term commitment to support, training and future developments from Delcam. Delcam also listens to and acts on customer feedback for new developments and improvements in the software.

ArtCAM is a proven solution for the jewellery industry worldwide. It is continually tested and developed at Delcam's own in-house jewellery bureau service, which has used ArtCAM since 1994 to produce a variety of unique jewellery pieces.

Contact: Robert van Mil, Robert van Mil Designs
203 Church Street Suite 401, Toronto M5B 1Y7
Phone/Fax: 416 907 5947
robert@vanmil.ca