KipwareXC® VS Re-Post VS Reposting

If you are in a real machine shop … with multiple CNC’s with multiple controls … you’ve run up against it. Control Incompatibility. The fact that G code formatted for one machine and control will not function on another machine with another control … and it causes havoc.

G code has to either be re-posted … re-programmed … or manually edited.

Most shops invest heavily in multiple CAD/CAM post processors to insure they can get G code created from their CAD/CAM system that will work in all the machines in the shop. Some try to even write their own CAD/CAM post. But CAD/CAM companies make the post processor language so cryptic and hard to figure out that eventually you buckle in and pay the price for a custom created post.

THE FACT IS … AND YOU KNOW IT … CAD/CAM COMPANIES ARE ONLY INTERESTED IN MAKING CUSTOMERS KEEP PAYING. Whether it’s yearly maintenance fees … post processor and post creation charges … THEY HAVE YOU HOSTAGE.

IT’S CALLED CORPORATE GREED !!

At Kentech Inc. we believe that EDUCATED CONSUMERS ARE OUR BEST CUSTOMERS. So we devised better ways to beat the control incompatibility issues through INNOVATIVE and PIONEERING G code conversion software like our KipwareXC® and Kipware® CNC XChange. Designed with clean user interfaces … with plain English menus … Kipware® conversion software is designed to have that educated consumer become their own boss … to take control on their own … and to succeed.

We have worked with customers all over the world including Okuma and many of their world wide distributors to add innovative and real world features to Kipware® to insure that we cover every kind of G code from CAD/CAM generated code to all-over-the-place manually created G code. And when a client needs “special” treatment for something specific they are doing … we got their back with custom development. And … if we feel it’s something that many people might need … we even code it for free … cause we know it just makes our software better.

Fed up with post processors and their cryptic languages that make it impossible for the average person to configure? Watch the video below … DUMP old school and GO new school with KipwareXC®. 

Now some people post in the forums on the net … “Why would you convert G code … just run it through your CAD/CAM system with another post.” The anonymity of online forums never ceases  to bring out the ignorance in people … so let’s set some facts straight.

Reason #1 for G Code Conversion – Converting Legacy Programs

Programs that were created years ago might not even have a CAD drawing to go back to … but most importantly ( they would know this if these people were real machinists ) … speed and feeds and even toolpaths were probably altered due to real world cutting conditions  or workholding issues or whatever. These are called “proven programs” … and are gold in a real world shop. Reverting back to the CAD/CAM system puts you back to starting-all-over-again. You lose any of the real world changes made … and more importantly time … and profits.

G code conversion makes so much more sense because nothing in the original program is changed … just the program format.

Reason #2 for G Code Conversion –
Eliminating Costly Posts

Kipware® allows users to create an UNLIMITED number of “profiles” … the definition of what-to-convert-into-what. This means that one purchase of Kipware® conversion software gives users the power to convert any G code format between multiple machines and multiple controls. You do not have to make a separate purchase for every machine in the shop. AND … because of our real world design you are in control. Make any changes or tweak the output to your liking at any time … FOR FREE !!

Reason #3 for G Code Conversion –
Unclog the Shop Floor Bottlenecks

If you live in the real world … you’ve been here. A program was created for one machine and control but because your client pushed up the delivery date or one of a hundred other reasons … you need to run that program in another machine with another control. In the CAD/CAM world you need to go back to the “CAD/CAM guy” and have him re-post it or edit it. In the Kipware® world … you simply run the program through the conversion software and BANG … ready to go.

… and we could go on and on.

But if you live in the real world and are a real world machinist … you can see and know the benefits from your own experiences.

So … is it time ???

Is it time to break the chains of the CAD/CAM company? Is it time to free your shop floor and let your productivity flow?

If so … we invite you to visit www.KentechInc.com and check out KipwareXC® and Kipware® CNC XChange. Arrange for a live, free online demonstration with one of our engineers and let us show you the real world design … and results … that you can achieve as you blow out control incompatibility in your shop.

Kenney Skonieczny – President
Kentech Inc.

New Length of Cut Calculators for CLC [ New Release ]

We have been touting for years that calculating the amount of time a tool is actually engaged in the cut is the best method to use when calculating machining cycletime. Cycletime based on things like “volume of material removed” are not as accurate as using length of cut … and we all know that if the cycletime isn’t accurate … if speeds and feeds are not based on what actually happens on YOUR shop floor … you might as well just guess the time. Your cycletime will not reflect the time that will be achieved on YOUR shop floor … so what’s the use?

Our KipwareCYC® has always been built on the length of cut feature … and the newly released version 11.1.0 of our Cut Length Calculator app for KipwareCYC® makes it even easier for users to calculate length of cut. CLC is , of course, a standard app that is included free with KipwareCYC®.

Here’s a breakdown of the new calculators :

 

#1 

We have included new 3D calculators for milling which can calculate length of cut for complex 3D milling operations as shown above. Using just a few simple inputs … the powerful calculations in CLC will auto calculate the tools length of cut.

#2

All pocketing menus now include the option to specify an island or number of islands that may be contained in the pocket. This feature is available is square / rectangular pockets as well as round pockets. After intense testing … a simple description of the outline of the pocket in round or rectangular format has proven sufficient enough to produce an accurate length of cut … without having to go overboard and describe an island shape greater than just contained in a square or rectangle or circle.

Again … the point of cycletime estimating is to produce an accurate estimate … without spending too much time or going overboard in terms of complexity.

#3

A new taper cutting feature has also been added on the turning side … to enable length of cut for tapers which the user may feel is not covered accurate enough using the various straight turning options in CLC. Again … simple inputs employ powerful behind-the-scenes calculations in CLC to produce the length of cut.

These new menu options are now shipping standard with KipwareCYC® as of this writing. Users who wish to UPGRADE to the latest version of KipwareCYC® which includes the latest version of the Cut Length Calculator … click here.

Kenney Skonieczny – President
Kentech Inc.

Conversational C Axis Polar Interpolation for Live Tool [New Feature in KipwareT® ]

August 12, 2019 – New release

Kentech Inc. is pleased to announce the release of Version 20.2.1 of KipwareT® along with Version 12.0.0 of the Kipware® SketchPad.

These two new versions have enhanced C axis polar interpolation features for live tool turning centers. Although Y axis turning centers are the newer version of CNC lathes that include live tool milling, our clients have told us that they are still purchasing older live tool centers that have C axis milling capabilities and no Y axis features.

As a result of these numerous requests for conversational C axis milling features … we have added new capabilities to both KipwareT® and the Kipware® SketchPad.

The following video example illustrates some of the new features and capabilities.

These new features create G code compatible with Haas … Fanuc … Okuma … and all “fanuc compatible” controls straight out of the box. No “post processor” or anything additional is required … as is the case with all Kipware® conversational output. Complete user configurable settings … and the ability to select DIAMETER or RADIUS programming … insure that users can further configure M codes and other machine specific functions for their specific machine and control.

We invite you to visit www.KentechInc.com for more or contact Sales@KentechInc.com to arrange a live, online demonstration to see the complete range of Kipware® conversational features.

Kenney Skonieczny – President
Kentech inc.