{"id":280,"date":"2016-06-09T13:40:36","date_gmt":"2016-06-09T13:40:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kentechinc.com\/kipware_blog\/?p=280"},"modified":"2021-09-16T14:27:08","modified_gmt":"2021-09-16T14:27:08","slug":"pc-based-conversational-vs-conversational-cnc-controls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kentechinc.com\/kipware_blog\/pc-based-conversational-vs-conversational-cnc-controls\/","title":{"rendered":"PC Based Conversational vs Conversational CNC Controls"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the creators of the industry’s premier PC based conversational CNC programming software \u00a0… Kipware\u00ae conversational<\/a> … we hear the question quite often “Why should I consider your PC based conversational software over a CNC control with conversational built in?”<\/p>\n

It certainly is a valid question … and we would like to take this post to explain what we consider to be the TWO MAIN<\/strong><\/span> 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.<\/p>\n

FIRST … Consider the PC vs the CNC Control<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"cnc_vs_pc\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The first consideration is to start at the basics … the hardware. A CNC control is designed around\u00a0it’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 !!<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Professional CNC controls are NOT computers …\u00a0in the vain of “personal computers”.<\/strong><\/em><\/span> The harsh shop floor environment means the exclusion of features we take for granted every day with our PC … that make it’s\u00a0operation 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 \u00a0features like using the handwheel or arrow up and down keys or cryptic F keys to maneuver around.<\/p>\n

Screen size and resolution along with the lack of “standard” computer hardware and lack of real “computing power”\u00a0further 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.<\/p>\n

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”.<\/strong> <\/em>In some respects\u00a0that is good … because the programming is output\u00a0being 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?<\/p>\n

The CNC CONTROL HARDWARE makes operating conversational programming on a CNC machine less intuitive … less powerful … slower …\u00a0more error prone … and more time consuming when compared to operating CNC programming software on a PC.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Conversational\"<\/a><\/h2>\n

SECOND … Portability<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"portability\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Second … consider the fact the your CNC conversational programming is locked and tied\u00a0to the machine. That means ALL of the\u00a0programming MUST be done at the machine … on the shop floor.<\/strong> <\/em><\/span>Oftentimes … that means the machine is NOT cutting chips while programming is being done … or\u00a0if 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.<\/p>\n

Consider that PC based conversational like Kipware\u00ae conversational <\/a>\u00a0comes with multiple “real world” shop floor features.<\/p>\n