Tag Archives: conversational cnc software

New KipwareM® Release – Tapered Trough 3D Menu

KipwareM® is the only conversational CNC programming software on the market that gives users the ability to create standard 3D shapes through the use of conversational, fill-in-the-blanks menus.

As illustrated below, the KipwareM® 3D options include :

  • Tapered Cone
  • Tapered Hole
  • Tapered Square / Rectangular Boss
  • Tapered Square / Rectangular Pocket
  • Horizontal & Vertical Troughs
  • Male & Female Bending Dies
  • Curved Surface
  • Bowls
  • Radius Edge
  • Tapered Radius Edge
  • Straight Radius Edge

…. and we are pleased to announce the addition of the newest conversational menu … Tapered Horizontal Trough.

This menu allows for the creation of G code to machine a trough along the horizontal axis where the radius at the two ends is different. Our HORIZONTAL and VERTICAL trough menus handle troughs where the radii on both ends are the same … this menu accounts for instances where the radii on both ends are different.

This groundbreaking and innovative TAPERED HORIZONTAL TROUGH menu is now shipping standard with the 3D OPTION for KipwareM®.

KipwareM®’s groundbreaking and innovative 3D menus allow for the quick and simple creation of G code programs to machine standard 3D shapes without the need for CAD models nor CAD experience. Just answer the questions … and KipwareM® creates the G code in seconds.

For more information and video presentations of all our REAL WORLD machine shop software … please visit our website at www.KentechInc.com

Kenney Skonieczny – President
Kentech Inc.

New KipwareT® Release – Auto-Tool List Generation

We are pleased to announce the release of our auto-tool list creation feature for KipwareT® – Conversational CNC Programming Software for Turning.

As the name describes, this feature will create a tool list for tools used in the currently developed program and includes for every tool in the program :

  • Tool #
  • Offset #
  • User’s note for tool description

This information is critical in set-up and users have the ability to have that tool list created :

  • And inserted directly into the G code program as text blocks at the start of the G code
  • Displayed in the KipwareT® EDITOR where it’s contents can be edited / added to directly in the Editor and also to have the ability to print the Tool List from within the Editor.

Below is a video link that illustrates this new feature in action :

Auto tool list creation is now shipping standard with all new KipwareT® orders … and is available in all KipwareT® UPGRADE purchases.

Kenney Skonieczny – President
Kentech Inc.

New Fusion360 Pricing … Here We Go !! [ If you’re not designing, DUMP the CAD … KEEP the CAM with Kipware ]

As of this writing … end of September 2018 … the eventual has become the norm. We all knew this would happen … and the constant uptick of pricing has begun for  Fusion 360 users.

An announcement has just been made the pricing level of Fusion 360 for the will jump from $310 to $495 … and that is PER YEAR !!  That’s not a forever, buy it once and your done price … that is $42 / month or $495 per year.

We all knew this would happen. Once they got users hooked using their “cheaper”, introductory pricing  … got you to do all your drawings and store all your data in their environment … that they would eventually have to increment up pricing to keep making profits and stay ahead. And it is happening. And as any business owner knows … it will keep ticking up little by little … forever.

If you’re not designing …

DUMP the CAD … KEEP the CAM !!

Look let’s be honest … if you are designing and creating new products … Fusion 360 is probably a good deal. IF ON THE OTHER HAND … YOU ARE LOOKING TO GENERATE G CODE FOR MACHINING … KIPWARE® CONVERSATIONAL IS A MUCH BETTER ALTERNATIVE … PERIOD. CAD/CAM was NEVER designed to be a G code generating tool first and foremost … it is primarily a design tool … made especially for users designing and creating new products on a constant basis. Thus … everything starts with a drawing. If you are looking to primarily create G code to machine a workpiece … why do you need to start with a drawing. It is time consuming (wasting) and requires CAD skills which may preclude some good chipmakers from even getting involved with the programming process. For a shop owner … limiting the people who can create CNC programs means limiting efficiency and limiting output … limiting profits !!

Take a look at the video below … agree ??

Go Simple … Go Real World … Get Productive !!

One of the things that Fusion 360 touts with this new pricing is that the new subscription will include ALL Fusion 360 “features”. Great … they just added MORE COMPLEXITY to the package. If you are trying to create G code for say a simple turned part … you’ll have to weed through menus for live milling, Y axis, and others. WHY ??

If the video above makes sense to you … we encourage you to think twice about jumping on the Fusion 360 ever-increasing bandwagon and to take a deeper look into what “shop floor programming” and Kipware® conversational can mean for your shop … your productivity … your profits !!

Get more info HERE at www.KentechInc.com

Kenney Skonieczny — President
Kentech Inc.

New Drill Nibbling Menu Released in KipwareM® [Plunge Milling Means Decreased Machining Time]

Have you ever had to machine a slot but didn’t want to mill the slot out completely with an end mill?

Looking for a quicker way to remove material from slots or other linear type patterns?

We just completed what we call a new “drill nibbling” or what others might call a “plunge milling” conversational menu in our KipwareM® – conversational CNC programming software for milling. For the machining described above … why would you pull out your complex and expensive CAD/CAM system or run to your overpaid CAD/CAM operator to create this G code ?? … when you could pull up KipwareM® … answer a few questions … and bang out some awesome G code in a matter of minutes.

The details …

Here’s a look at some of the screen and results.

plunge milling CNC conversational

The DRILL NIBBLING conversational screen has a number of unique features like :

  1. The ability to select the step over amount and number of plunges to make per location. This gives the user complete control over the cutting conditions.
  2. The ability to enter the “slot” center locations either manually or through a direct DXF file import.
  3. The ability to use any standard drill cycle … spot, peck, peck with complete retraction or drill with dwell. Again … alowing for complete control over the cutting conditions.
  4. The number of “slot” locations is not limited … any number of slot or pattern locations can be input.
  5. The pattern can be drilled along the X or the Y axis … so vertically or horizontally.

plunge milling with CNC example

You can create efficient plunge milling G code in a matter of seconds with KipwareM® … no drawing … no complex and expensive CAD/CAM system required. Just answer a few questions and BANG … G code.

As this capability demonstrates … Kipware® conversational is NOT a G code “wizard” creating underdeveloped and simplistic toolpaths … but rather a robust, shop floor programming system that can tackle the everyday CNC programming quickly and easily because it IS a powerful, complete CNC programming system.

If you are ready to STOP the CAD/CAM OVERKILL and reap the benefits of shop floor programming … we invite you to explore Kipware® conversational in more detail at www.KentechInc.com.

Kenney Skonieczny – President
Kentech Inc.

KipwareM® UPGRADE – Rigid Tapping Support

Kentech Inc. is pleased to announce the release of Version 17.0.0 of our KipwareM® – Conversational CNC Programming Software for Milling.

This version contains new support options for RIGID TAPPING in all conversational hole menus in KipwareM®. The first area to set-up would be in the SETTINGS page …

… where the user can define the PRE-COMMAND G code … and then select whether or not to include the S command on that line as well. Some controls … like most Fanuc controls … require a command prior to the G84 tapping canned cycle command line … and some require the appropriate S command to also appear on the line. For example … the standard Fanuc command for rigid tapping is :

M29 S1500
G99G84 X— Z— F—

Some controls … like Okuma … require the pre-command but do not require the S command.

With this new upgrade … KipwareM® will format and output the code according to this SETTING … and will carry the appropriate S command value and place it on the pre-command line if desired.

Also … on all hole menus … a new field has been added for the user to define the PERCENTAGE of calculated FEEDRATE to use when generating the G code program. All feedrates calculated through KipwareCSF® will now be output using a 100% value for the feedrate calculated.

Previously … we had a built-in factor of 90% to accommodate non-rigid tapping … where the standard 90% of actual feedrate is used to allow the compression holder to pull out just a little to avoid bottoming out the tap when tapping using a compression holder. We have removed that 90% factor … and all feedrates are now calculated to a 100% factor. This field on the form allows the user to input a desired percentage factor if not employing rigid tapping … or to leave the default of 100% if employing rigid tapping.

With almost all of today’s CNC machines having the capability of using rigid tapping … these new features in KipwareM® will keep pace with this trend … and allow both older CNC and current CNC users to employ rigid tapping … or not … quickly and easily with any KipwareM® program created.

UPGRADE pricing is available on the www.BuyKipware.com website through the link below :

Kipware UPGRADES

Kenney Skonieczny – President
Kentech Inc.