Almost everyone who takes an interest in our Kipware® Conversational CNC Programming software inevitably has the same question … “Will it work with my CNC machine and control?” So we thought best to take a blog post and spread some of the good news !!

1st … Kipware® Conversational is different than CAD/CAM

In addition to not having to create a drawing to create a G code machining program like CAD/CAM … Kipware® conversational also makes creating G code output for a variety of CNC machines and controls REALLY EASY. We designed Kipware® conversational’s G code output to be “fanuc compatible” out of the box … as well as having an easy set-up for Okuma machines. That means you don’t need any post processors like CAD/CAM … because isn’t that just a way for them to get their hands in your wallet anyway ??. ”

So out-of-the-box, Kipware® users can create G code for ANY machine that accepts “fanuc compatible” G code … as well as Okuma OSP G code.

Almost every CNC control maker out there tries to make their G code compatible with Fanuc controls. Examples are Haas, Mitsubishi, DMG Mori ( these machines controls are ALL fanuc compatible) and many more. The reason … Fanuc is the most popular maker of CNC controls in the world … having their CNC control on about 95% of the machine tools on the market. So if you want people to buy your machine and control … gotta give them something they are used to … something they probably are familiar with … gotta make your control “fanuc compatible”.

Fanuc compatible G code is the same G code that is used in :

• • • ALL Fanuc model controls … ANY machine tool builder
    • Centroid
    • Daewoo
    • DMG / Mori Seiki
    • Doosan
    • EMC2
    • Fadal
    • Fagor
    • GSK Controlled CNC
    • Haas
    • Hurco
    • Hyundai
    • Leadwell
    • Linux CNC
    • Mach3 / Mach4   ( KipwareXC® option required for KipwareT® (turning) )
    • Makino
    • MAZAK ( Matrix and Smart )
    • Milltronics
    • Mitsubishi
    • Okuma
    • Siemens
    • Tormach ( Mach3 and PathPilot )
    • Toyoda
    • Yasnac
    • actually many more … too numerous to mention

When we designed Kipware® conversational … milling or turning … we made the output “fanuc compatible” out of the box. No mess … no fuss … no post processors required.

Now of course there are some minor differences when it comes to machine tool builders and their machines … so we took that bit of code out of the auto-creation and gave the user the ability to customize that code output using a simple text editor … and the user can create an unlimited number of these custom files for as many different machine tool builder as required. Block of code like … start of the program … start of the tool … end of the tool … end of the program … can all be created using a the simple Kipware® conversational POST editor … and these blocks of code will be auto-inserted into the G code output when the program gets created.

So in essence … it’s the best of both worlds. Auto-output for the G code side … customized output for the non-standard side.

2nd … KipwareXC® is there if you need it.

As you can see from the above … we’ve got most of the CNC controls and machine already covered out-of-the-box. But there still will be clients who have a “non fanuc compatible” machine / control. We got that covered too … with the KipwareXC® option.

Since 1986 … Kentech Inc. has been a leader and pioneer in the world of G Code Conversion. The art of taking a G code program formatted for one machine and control and auto-converting into a format compatible for another machine and control. Our KipwareXC® G code conversion software makes a perfect tool and solution for those non-fanuc compatible scenarios.

KipwareXC® allows users to continue to program … regardless of the machine or control … every scenario in the familiar Kipware® conversational interface. When the G code program is completed … simply run that G code through KipwareXC® and it will be auto-converted for whatever machine and control you require. KipwareXC® allows the user to define the what-to-convert-into-what for an unlimited number of machines and controls … meaning you can run your standard Kipware® conversational G code program through KipwareXC® and have it auto-converted into the format your machine / control requires.

And the best part … KipwareXC® will work on any G code program … whether created in Kipware® conversational or not. Think of the possibilities for your shop floor !!

So … if you’ve gotten to the point where you’re considering Kipware® conversational for your programming … you can rest assured that the output will be compatible with your equipment … either out-of-the-box or by employing the powerful KipwareXC® option.

If you have any additional questions or concerns about Kipware® conversational … please contact us at any of the options below.

Kenney Skonieczny – President
Kentech Inc.