A Major Hidden Cost Missed When Quoting

We developed our KipwareQTE® quoting and estimating software from our real world experiences on the shop floor and running a variety of different machine shops. Over the years, one main category when quoting that is often misunderstood, under quoted and even completely ignored is perishable tooling.

Do you include perishable tooling in your costing and quoting?

If your quoting a part that needs 100 holes drilled … do you include the cost of the drills and center drills?

Our experience from talking with potential clients shows that 80% of estimators DO NOT include perishable tooling in their costs and estimates. A major mistake … that is directly effecting their bottom line … negatively !!

KipwareQTE makes it easy to include perishable tooling into your estimating process. How?
Two ways.

ONE – users can create a database of perishable tools and their associated costs. Then adding tools costs to the quote and estimate is simply a matter of pulling down a drop-down list and selecting the tools that will be used in manufacturing.

TWO – Using an estimated tool life … KipwareQTE® will perform all the calculations to include the complete cost for each of the tools and also calculate the number of each tools required for inclusion in the Bill of Material creation. That way the shop will be prepared when the job hits the floor.

Estimating

Beyond the feature.

We like to think that thoughtful and important features like this illustrate what sets Kipware® and Kentech Inc. apart from our competition. A simple design, a meaningful feature … that can make the difference between making and losing money … and isn’t that what it’s all about.

We invite you to explore our Kipware® Business Software titles … and discover the difference that REAL WORLD MACHINE SHOP SOFTWARE can make.

Kenney Skonieczny – President
Kentech Inc.

Why CAD/CAM Post Processors Are Old School And Obsolete

There is no denying that going from a CAD drawing through CAM and then to the output of the final G code program … a post processor is an essential tool. And if you wish to output that G code to multiple machines and controls … then you must need multiple post processors. Right ???? And if your shop has multiple machines/controls … I’ll need multiple posts for all the machines. Right ????

Well … if you still want to think and believe old school … then yes, that’s right. If you looking for a better way … a less expensive way … a  more flexible way … a way that also has other UP sides … then the answer is NO. And we are here to tell you why and show how.

Here’s a hint … G code conversion using KipwareXC® and Kipware® CNC XChange.

Conversion

Post Processors are OLD SCHOOL …
Re-Posting

Post processors … taking for granted that you are even using a CAD/CAM system … are really only good once … at program creation. After that … they really are useless. Running back to re-post for other machines/controls is time consuming and inefficient … and that is taking for granted that you even have the CAD file. If the program has been on the shop floor for a while … chances are good edits have been made … speeds, feeds, toolpaths, etc.. Re-posting eliminates all that and basically makes you start at program-prove out stage again … not efficient. What if you could simply take that proven G code and have a G code conversion app auto-convert that G code to any other format you would require? That’s NEW SCHOOL … that’s KipwareXC® and Kipware® CNC XChange.

Post Processors are OLD SCHOOL …
Multiple Posts for Multiple Machines

Of course you must buy multiple posts for the multiple types of machine / controls on your floor … RIGHT??? Or have you ever thought about not buying other machines/ controls because it would mean all the “getting a new post” headaches and costs. OLD SCHOOL THINKING !!! What if you could simply output your code using the same proven post you are already using … and have a G code conversion app auto-convert that G code to any other format you would require? That’s NEW SCHOOL … that’s KipwareXC® and Kipware® CNC XChange.

Beyond Post Processors …
Only Program Machine/Control’s You Know

Let’s take a look at programming beyond the CAD/CAM system … like manual programming. The OLD SCHOOL thinking says that the programmer must be familiar with the machine and control he is programming. New school thinking says … not any more. What if I am familiar with Fanuc programming and have to program a Fagor control. What if I could write my program in Fanuc format … and run it through a converter that would auto convert it to Fagor format. That’s NEW SCHOOL … that’s KipwareXC® and Kipware® CNC XChange.

Tired of cryptic post processor languages that make it impossible for the average user to configure? Watch the video below to see how KipwareXC® and it’s clean user interface with plain English menus can help you go new school.

Need a better look? … how about a video. The video below illustrates how KipwareXC® can be used instead of a post processor to auto-convert a modern day Fanuc program into a yesterday’s format required for a GE1050 control.

The video and points outlined in this article are simply a starting point. I am sure you and your shop have similar scenarios in which the above points might apply in some way. If so … we invite you to contact us at any of the options below … and let us show you how NEW SCHOOL thinking with KipwareXC® and Kipware® CNC XChange can eliminate the multiple forms of “control incompatibility” from your shop floor.

Our Website :
Kipware Conversion Software

Kenney Skonieczny – President
Kentech Inc.

Manually Editing G Code Created by Your CAM is SOOOO Yesterday

When we talk to programmers who are using a CAD/CAM system … and we love to do that BTW … the major complaint we hear is regarding their post processor. There are basically TWO TOP compaints …

  1. The G code generated always needs to be “tweaked”
  2. They have to purchase posts for various machines / controls

The next question is inevitably … Does Kipware® have a solution?

The Answer is DEFINITELY!! … and for both scenarios !!

KipwareXC® for G Code Tweaking

With tools like KipwareXC® and Kipware® CNC XChange … manually tweaking G code is SOOO yesterday. Like any good process … the more you can automate it and remove the “human factor” from the process … the more rock solid that process can become. Whether you are performing simple edits on the shop floor or complex changes including variables and line coordinate changes … KipwareXC® can automate the process … and once set-up, will allow anyone to perform the changes … even non-programmers.

KipwareXC® is a completely user defined application where the user can use a mixture of pre-defined conversion options and our cutting edge macro variable language to basically tell the software what-to-convert-into-what. This combination allows the user to automate virtually any G code conversion required. From simple stuff … like M51 to M75 … to complex line conversions involving multiple addresses on the line such as converting G71P—-Q—-U—-W—-D—–F—- to G85N—U—W—D—F—.

Pre-defined conversions are conversions that are defined inside the source code of the software … just pick it and it all gets done automatically. Some pre-defined conversions are :

  • ADD or REMOVE or REFORMAT decimal points
  • Convert from INCH to METRIC or METRIC TO INCH with a single mouse click
  • Tons of circular options like convert INCREMENTAL I/J/K to ABSOLUTE I/J/K … and reverse … or convert R to I/J/K.
  • Convert X from DIAMETER to RADIUS … and reverse … for turning G code.
  • Invert X coordinates … reverse G2/G3 and all related I/J/K information.
  • Convert Fanuc SINGLE line canned cycles to DOUBLE LINE commands … and reverse.
  • … and SOOO much more.

KipwareXC® allows the user to create an UNLIMITED number of Profiles ( the what-to-convert-into-what statements ) … that means you only need to purchase the software once … and ALL the machines in your shop are covered.

In addition … the cutting edge, real world design of KipwareXC® allows users to piggy-back Profiles … which adds a whole ‘nother layer of flexibility.

For more info on KipwareXC® …. CLICK HERE.

Conversion

Kipware® CNC XChange for MASSIVE G Code Conversion Between Different Machines

Whereas KipwareXC® is completely user-defined … CNC XChange is almost completely defined inside the source code. This means basically that we have done all the work … the user does have options for non-standard code conversion like M functions … but for the most part all the code conversions have been defined inside the source code.

We build CNC XChange for specific G code conversions … our most popular is our Fanuc <–> Okuma version will auto-convert G code created for Fanuc controls into G code formatted for Okuma controls … and reverse. We do also have other versions available … for a complete list please CLICK HERE.

So if you have multiple machines on your shop floor … and suffer from the “control incompatibility” issue … re-programming for every machine / control … Kipware® CNC XChange has you covered. Just ask PETE …

So where a software sales guy might praise the features of their G code editor … we say, “editing G Code manually is sooo yesterday.” If you are making the same edits over-and-over again … or you have multiple machines and controls on your floor and suffer from “control incompatibility” … we invite you to explore KipwareXC® and Kipware® CNC XChange … and kick your shop floor efficiency into the next level.

Kenney Skonieczny – President

Kentech Inc.