KipwareQTE® Upgrade Notice

Kentech Inc. has released the latest version of KipwareQTE® - Machine Shop Job Costing and Estimating Software ... Version 8.0.0.

New features in this release include :

• Separate MARK-UP percentages are now available for each category ... material, tooling, labor, non-machining as well as programming and set-up.
• Mark-up percentages can be saved in a database file for easy recall ... are auto-loaded at start-up and can be altered any time for any area during the estimating process.
• Mark-up percentages as entered at the time the quote is created are saved with each estimate and re-loaded as-is when the estimate is re-loaded.

For a more in-depth look ... click the DEMO link at www.KentechInc.com and view the new KipwareQTE® presentation video.

Thanks to all ....
Kenney Skonieczny
Kentech Inc.

KipwareCYC® Upgrades Complete

Kentech Inc. has released new features to our KipwareCYC® - Machining CycleTime Estimating Software. Customers have been providing us feedback and have expressed their "wish list" ... and we have done our best to incorporate their ideas and "wants" into the new version ... 3.1.0.

New features include :

• The addition of EDM and Waterjet machinery format into the Machine Database and provisions for this type of cutting parameters into the Material Database.
  
• The addition of a GENERAL category format into the Machine Database and provisions for (2) User Defined Options for cutting parameters. One based on IPR and Per Tooth feed and One based on Per Minute feed.
  
• The ability to more easily estimate cycletimes using turning centers with Live Tooling.
• The ability to include SAWING, whether with a manual or automatic saw, in cycletime estimates.
• The Database Manager now contains an extensive area for SAWING parameters including settings for :
  • # of teeth on the blade
  • blade speed
  • chip load
• The user can input (5) different parameter sets per the above each for :
  • round stock
  • square / rectangular stock
  • tubing / pipe / structural stock.
• The KipwareCYC® cycletime module contains new inputs to accomodate estimating sawing times ... user inputs include length of each piece and stock diameter or width.
• The Route Sheet format in the KipwareCYC® cycletime module has been upgraded and enhanced.

You can check out all the features and the new look by clicking the DEMOS link at www.KentechInc.com and viewing the new KipwareCYC® video presentation.

Thanks to all ....

Kenney Skonieczny
Kentech Inc.

KipwarePA® Update

KipwarePA® ... our latest software release to assist with G code creation ... was released in April and has met with good reviews from users who have told us that it greatly enhances their G code programming.

Customers seem to especially like the way in which we have integrated it into the Kipware® conversational packages. We have updated all the Kipware® conversationals to include a button on the main page to launch KipwarePA® ... which adds another level of programming capabilities and has proven to be a nice compliment to conversational programming creation.

For more info on KipwarePA® and to review it's features ... take a few minutes, take a tour and see how real world software development can enhance your shop floor programming ... click here to start.

Thanks to all ...

Kenney Skonieczny

New Titles to be Released

I am pleased to outline some of our new releases in this post for my blog. These new titles are in final testing and should be released during the summer '09 months.

We are very excited to be adding these two new titles which were developed to help add even more "real world" options to your shop floor and your personnel. Please return to the blog and to www.KentechInc.com in the near future for additional release information.

(1) NEW KipwareT® Y Axis Version

We are expanding the current C axis ( indexing type ) live tool option of our KipwareT® by adding Y AXIS PROGRAMMING OPTIONS to the software. These new Y axis options will include milling capabilities utilizing the Y axis on both the OD and the FACE. Below is a screenshot of the new KipwareT® front page and those newly available Y axis options.

KipwareT® Y Axis Option is scheduled for release in late summer '09.

(2) NEW KipwarePA® ( Kipware Programming Assistant ) Title Release

We have developed a new programming package for both milling and turning titled KipwarePA®. KipwarePA® is designed to be a point-and-click program creation package where the user uses a mixture of item selection and inputs to tell the software what lines of G code to create. The user can make selections for the type of move or operation ( drill, turning canned cycle, etc. ) using menu options ... then enters the coordinates or definitions ... and KipwarePA® will automatically create the correct line of code.

KipwarePA® is a fast and easy program creation package for both the novice as well as the experienced G code programmer. With KipwarePA®'s auto functions, the user need not be proficient in G code programming as the software prompts and auto-completes operations then automatically creates the correct G code line of code. For the experienced programmer, KipwarePA® is much fast than typing and eliminates errors through it's auto-creation capabilities. Another feature is that users can customize the one-button inputs. For example, the user could create a button and label it anything, for example, PARTS CATCHER UP, and when that button is pressed, the user defined code is automatically inserted into the program being created.

In addition to code creation, users can view the toolpath at any point while the program is being created by using the plotting feature.Once all the inputs are created, the program is then displayed in our Kipware® Text Editor for review and final plotting.

Below is an initial screenshot illustrating the basic design for KipwarePA® ... this is initial view and the final release, though incorporating some of the features shown, will have many more enhancements and options.

KipwarePA® is scheduled for release in late summer '09.

Again, please return to the blog and to www.KentechInc.com in the near future for additional release information.

Thanks to all for your interest and your support.

Kenney Skonieczny

Why Kentech Software?

As 2008 nears an end ... and with the worldwide economic meltdown still in gear ... we at Kentech Inc. are happy to report a still increasing rise in our software sales. 2008 will set a record for yearly sales volume. Thank you to all our customers and VAR's for their loyal support and efforts.

We are committed to our philosophy of creating REAL WORLD software solutions that produce REAL WORLD results ... but we wonder what it is that makes customers choose our software products over others. During sales calls, we asked customers "Why us?" ... here are some responses :

1. "Well, I think your marketing for KipwareM is true. Sometimes CAD/CAM is a little too much ... even overkill. When we need a simple program, it makes more sense to have one of the shop floor machinists create the program, and KipwareM will assist them in getting it done quickly and correctly."
   
2. "We looked at the other estimating packages and even though the cost was much higher than yours, the thing that really turned it for us was the complexity of their packages. That translated into a lot of stuff we would never use ( but were paying for ) and a learning curve that was just not acceptable in our situation."
3. "We sold a customer an Okuma machine who had a house full of Fanuc controls. One of the main reasons we got the sale was your CNC XChange software. They had thousands of Fanuc based programs that they would be wanting to run on the new Okuma. CNC XChange was the only solution on the market ... and we got rave reviews from our other offices and their customers who have used it in the past."
4. "We are primarily a casting house but customers are asking us about some simple machining on their castings to enable us to send them a finished product. Nothing complex, just simple milling and drilling, tapping, etc.. We purchased a used machining center and your KipwareM looks like the perfect solution to assist us getting it up and running ... with our limited CNC experience. Your sales rep explained that the software was designed for everyday programming of everyday workpieces .. and that's exactly what we will be doing."
5. "My buddy and I are starting our own shop and the KipwareMAX package appears to have everything we need to get started ... and the price is right!!"
6. "Another shop in town which we do some work for told us about the KipwareQTE software that they are using and are very happy with ... so we figured that was a good endorsement."
   

These are a few of the reasons recent customers trusted Kentech Inc. and our software products ... helping make their 2008 productive as well.

If your shop is searching for productivity solutions ... whether on the business side or the shop floor side ... we hope you will consider our "proven in the trenches" software solutions. Please contact us at any of the numbers below should you have any questions regarding any of our software titles.

Toll Free Voice : 1-888-754-1198
Voice : 508-754-1198
Email : Sales@KentechInc.com

Happy New Year to all ... And best wishes for your 2009 Productivity !!!

Kenney Skonieczny

Fanuc Macro <--> Okuma User Task Conversion Software

Kentech Inc. is pleased to announce the release of a new option to our CNC XChange -- Fanuc / Okuma G code conversion software.

The MU option ( Fanuc Macro <--> User Task ) is available for both the Milling and Turning versions and will auto-convert Fanuc Macro B code to Okuma User Task and REVERSE. Some of the options of this version :

• Auto-Convert # sign to VC and reverse
• Auto-Convert G65 lines and variable calls on that line to compatible CALL lines and reverse
• Converts Common Variables between formats.
• Converts System Variables between formats
• All Control Commands such as WHILE / DO loops, IF statements, Conditional Expressions such as EQ, GT, etc., and Branch commands
• This version has an unlimited number of user defined conversions to allow for System Variable differences between various Fanuc control models.

CNC XChange with the MU option is $900. (U.S.)

Visit www.KentechInc.com and select the PRODUCT DEMO link to view a video presentation of CNC XChange.

Thank You for your software interest,
Kenney Skonieczny

KipwareQTE® & KipwareCYC® Additional Upgrade Info

We are pleased to announce some great UPGRADES to our KipwareQTE® and KipwareCYC® estimating packages. We have recently added new PRINTING and USER DEFINED SETTINGS options to both packages. Some details :

KipwareQTE® :

• New printing options give users the ability to further customize the outputs available within the software such as Length & Width of the printer output ... customize the output from an 8 1/2 x 11 to whatever size output desired. This feature is available for both QUOTE FORMS and INVOICES.
• Users can now select the desired PRINTER for output from their available system printers ... output is no longer forced to the default system printer.
  
• NOTES that appear at the bottom of the QUOTE FORM ... such as "Quotation valid for 30 days" ... can now be customized by the user. (4) NOTES are available as output and can be designed and crafted by the user.

KipwareCYC® :

• Users can now select the desired PRINTER for output from their available system printers ... output is no longer forced to the default system printer.
  
• Enhanced functionality in the VIEW OPERATIONS area have been added. The VIEW OPERATIONS area allows users to re-order and delete machining sequences.

At Kentech Inc., we are committed to always listening to user inputs and comments, and will continually enhance our software to make certain that we maintain our "real world" functionality. Because we are a small company, we have the ability to move quickly and can include new requested features at a rapid pace. If you have any suggestions or comments about anything "kentech", please feel free to forward them to our sales team at Sales@KentechInc.com.

Thanks to all for your support and software interest.
Kenney Skonieczny