PC Based Conversational vs Conversational CNC Controls

As the creators of the industry’s premier PC based conversational CNC programming software  … Kipware® conversational … we hear the question quite often “Why should I consider your PC based conversational software over a CNC control with conversational built in?”

It certainly is a valid question … and we would like to take this post to explain what we consider to be the TWO MAIN facts that anyone considering purchasing a CNC machine based on the fact that the control includes conversational programming should consider. There certainly are others … but we consider the two outlined here to be the most important.

FIRST … Consider the PC vs the CNC Control

cnc_vs_pc

The first consideration is to start at the basics … the hardware. A CNC control is designed around it’s ability to RUN the CNC machine and it’s axis. That means that it’s components … screen … keyboard … processor … are designed and created to make the axis move with speed, precision and accuracy. After all … that is the main job of the CNC machine. And … it’s designed to withstand and handle the harsh shop floor environment. Those factors dictate the features and capabilities included in the CNC control. The main point of the CNC machine and therefore it’s controller … IS TO BE A MACHINE !!

Professional CNC controls are NOT computers … in the vain of “personal computers”. The harsh shop floor environment means the exclusion of features we take for granted every day with our PC … that make it’s operation seamless and easy. A mouse … full QWERTY type keyboard … screen resolution … file storage and retrieval … and so on. Conversational CNC controls are forced to use cryptic, backward operational  features like using the handwheel or arrow up and down keys or cryptic F keys to maneuver around.

Screen size and resolution along with the lack of “standard” computer hardware and lack of real “computing power” further restrict control based conversational. The ability to import a DXF file … for example … for program creation of non-standard type shapes is often lacking. And if present … is severely restricted by the screen size and resolution … often allowing for only the simplest of file importation.

Because the CNC conversational is married to the particular CNC machine … the conversational interface is restricted by the CNC machine capabilities. Menus are often cryptic … with simplistic images and prompts. The conversational layout and design often feels like an extension of the CNC control rather than a “programming system”. In some respects that is good … because the programming is output being 100% machine specific. But again it’s locked to that machine … the output is only good for that machine … and the programming must be done at that machine. Lack of portability means lack of expandability … and who wants to stay stationary in their business life?

The CNC CONTROL HARDWARE makes operating conversational programming on a CNC machine less intuitive … less powerful … slower … more error prone … and more time consuming when compared to operating CNC programming software on a PC.

Conversational

SECOND … Portability

portability

Second … consider the fact the your CNC conversational programming is locked and tied to the machine. That means ALL of the programming MUST be done at the machine … on the shop floor. Oftentimes … that means the machine is NOT cutting chips while programming is being done … or if programming and machine operation are done simultaneously, the operator is performing two tasks at the same time. Come on … seriously … that’s a recipe for disaster.

Consider that PC based conversational like Kipware® conversational  comes with multiple “real world” shop floor features.

  • The ability to move the programming from machine to machine … making ALL your machines conversational. Your shop can program multiple machines with one PC or laptop. Loading PC based conversational like Kipware® onto a laptop … or today on a Microsoft tablet … adds new and powerful programming options to the shop floor. The tablet makes the “programming system” portable … being able to be moved from machine to machine … or into the office for some “quiet time” programming. Smaller shops can even take the laptop / tablet home for programming offsite.
  • Since you are using the same laptop / PC and the same software … all conversational programming for all machines is done using the SAME interface. Professional conversational software like Kipware® conversational uses the same interface for both milling and turning programming. This means that users spend less time learning the software and more time creating programs that cut chips … and make profits.
  • Professional PC based conversational like Kipware® has power that allows for the program creation for machine with different controllers. For example … Kipware® conversational can create G code programs for Fanuc … Haas … Okuma and any other “fanuc compatible” controls standard, out-of-the-box. For non-fanuc-compatible machine / controls … our powerful KipwareXC® option allows Kipware® conversational to handle them as well.
  • File storage and retrieval can be done off the machine … even on a server … which means safer and more secure data. Repetitive programs can easily be recalled and edited and updated … and done using the same conversational interface if using Kipware® conversational. Most CNC controls do not have the capability to recall a conversational program or cycle … which means family of parts or similar parts must always be re-created from scratch. Professional conversational software like Kipware® … and you can compare this feature on other “hobby software” … can recall any cycle created through the conversational menus. This means that if you are programming a part similar to a part you programmed one month or one year ago … you can simply recall that cycle … make a few changes using the conversational, fill-in-the-blank form … and create a completely new cycle in seconds. Kipware®‘s unique cycle recall feature even allows you to maintain the same, proven speeds and feeds used in the original cycle.

AND … we didn’t even mention cost !!

Almost always on professional CNC controls … conversational programming is an OPTION ,,, and an expensive option. Consider this … for less than $1,000 you can ADD conversational programming to multiple machines on your shop floor through a Microsoft tablet and Kipware® conversational software !!

As I mentioned earlier … these are only two of the many factors that really make PC based conversational software a much more powerful … efficient … profitable option than CNC control based conversational software. If you are contemplating making a purchase of a CNC machine … and the fact that the control has a conversational programming option … we invite you to take a look at Kipware® conversational … arrange for a live, online demonstration … and let us show you why a PC based, professional conversational application like Kipware® conversational is the smarter option.

You can use any of the links below to get additional information … or to arrange a live, online demonstration of Kipware® conversational.

Our Website : www.KentechInc.com

Arrange a LIVE – ONLINE Demo here :
http://www.kentechinc.com/Webex_Request.html

Thanks so much for exploring our Blog !!

Kenney Skonieczny – President
Kentech Inc.

New Release – KipwareT® Ball Turning Menu

As we mentioned in our previous post … we are announcing the release of (3) new conversational menus for our KipwareT® – Conversational CNC Programming Software for Turning.

The previous post … SEE HERE … outlined the new OD-tapered-radius groove … and this post we would like to outline and explore the new BALL turning menu.

As with all the great features inside KipwareT® … this new menu comes with tons of real world and very cool features. Let’s take a deeper look.

KipwareT_menu1

As you can see from the menu screenshot above … the form gives the user the ability to configure and type of “ball” machining required. Using he fill-in-the-blank form … users can configure :

  1. the WIDTH of the ball
  2. the RADIUS of the ball
  3. the FRONT and REAR diameters
  4. the OFFSET where the center of the ball is not on the part centerline
  5. as well as tons of cutting parameters from X depth of cut to finish allowance.

POWERFUL Features Included – Standard

Ya ya ya … those are features you would expect from Kipware® conversational … but let’s look at some really powerful features that you would expect to pay more for … or not even find … on other “hobby designed” conversational apps.

KipwareT_menu2

The first option allows the user to select the type of tool to be used. Options include a standard turning type tool … 55 or 35 degree diamond … or a bull nose type grooving / turning tool. Obviously if the radius on the ball is small … a standard turning tool could rub when machining the back side of the ball. A bull nose type tool gives the user much more machining options. The option to select different tool configurations is huge in the real world … and quite a complex option to include … but there it is … a STANDARD feature in KipwareT®.

KipwareT_menu3

The second feature has become to be a standard in Kipware® conversational … allowing the user to create a cycle that includes ROUGHING or FINISHING or BOTH ROUGHING and FINISHING. This feature gives the user to complete the machining with a single tool or multiple tools.

This menu goes a little further and allows the user to select a SINGLE PASS finishing cycle … where the tool start at the front of the ball and machines to the back of the ball in one pass … or a DOUBLE finishing pass where the tool start at the front … turns to the middle … backs away and the returns to start at the center of the ball and machines to the rear of the ball. So the “blend” can be controlled at the center of the ball. I think most would agree that the one pass is more ideal … but the real world has shown us that the double pass option can be advantageous for some materials. Again … there it is standard in KipwareT®.

Below is an illustration of a roughing cycle created in the new menu … plotted over a DXF import of the part in our KipwareTP® application … another standard included with KipwareT®.

KipwareT_Ball_Machining

If you ready to STOP THE CAD/CAM OVERKILL … but want a real world application not a limited hobby designed so called “wizard” … we invite you to explore the industries PREMIER conversational CNC programming software … Kipware® Conversational.

KipwareM® … for milling
KipwareT® … for turning

Conversational

Kenney Skonieczny – President
Kentech Inc.