Fanuc <--> Okuma Conversion Software Now Available by Subscription

Our Kipware® CNC XChange - Fanuc <--> Okuma G Code Conversion software is one of our most popular software titles. This application has helped hundreds of clients remove the control incompatibility issue and all the bottlenecks and associated problems off their shop floors.

But sometimes ... Kipware® CNC XChange is only required for a short period of time. One of most common scenarios  we hear about is when the client is purchasing a new machine to replace an older machine ... and simply needs to convert a number of previous created G code programs to the new machine format.

In response ... we are rolling out our new Subscription Purchase for Kipware® CNC XChange as well. We have recently instituted this option for some of our other popular titles ... and after review we felt it was a great fit for some scenarios for Kipware® CNC XChange as well.

Here are the details :

1. The subscription period is for (90) days.
2. Subscriptions are available for both the Fanuc <--> Okuma MILLING and TURNING versions.
3. Subscription price includes ALL available options for the title and ALL periodic UPDATES and UPGRADES.
4. After the subscription period, the customer has a (15) day period where they can upgrade to a full version and pay only the difference between the subscription price paid and the current full version price of the title ... so you can fully "try" the software on your conversion project ... and if you don't finish in the (90) days or feel you need the software on a permanent basis ... you can upgrade to a full version with no monetary penalty.

The Subscription Purchase is a great option for one-time or short term G code conversion scenarios. You get all the available options for the title at a reduced price with no software restrictions or limitations ... other than the subscription time period.

For additional information and pricing .... please visit the Price List page at www.KentechInc.com.

Happy New Year !!

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.

Last Minute Gift for that Special Metalworker

No one will deny that the gift of knowledge is an invaluable one.

If your still looking for that special gift for your CNC guy / gal ... machinist ... programmer ... you can still give them the gift of knowledge by giving KipwareEDU® - CNC Programming Training and Reference Software.

KipwareEDU® is a very reasonably priced package ... priced from $175 to $575 ... and comes in a variety of different versions :

• Milling
• Turning
• Multi-Axis Turning
• Manufacturing Engineering
• Fanuc Macro
• or get it all in the KipwareEDU® Studio Package
• Check out all the details here : KipwareEDU® - CNC Programming Training and Reference Software.

So if you are still looking for the perfect gift for your shop floor ... your personnel ... or a personal pal ... don't forget the gift of knowledge ... KipwareEDU®.

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.

Kipware® for Android ?

We are in discussions among ourselves about the best way to move into the tablet and smartphone arena ... or whether or not there is even a place for us there.

After some time spent "soul searching" ... it does look like come January of 2013 we will begin moving and re-designing some of our application for the Android marketplace.

We are interested in your thoughts as well about what type of applications you feel are important to metalworkers. Among ourselves, we feel the following will be the first tools to look at :

(1) Machining CycleTime Estimating
(2) Cost Estimating
(3) Shop Floor programming types apps.
(4) Toolbox type software for shop formulas ... trig functions ... point plotting ... etc.

Although not etched in stone ... we think this may be the preliminaries for the path to take.

What do you think?

Please feel free to drop us a line at sales@kentechinc.com ... or ... visit our Kipware® News and User Forum and get into the "Thoughts on Manufacturing" forum and express your thoughts there.

Thanks to all.

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.

Kipware® Conversational vs. On-The-Machine CNC Based Conversational

Many of today's machine tool builders have finally seen the light ... the light that has been guiding us at Kentech Inc. for years. The light that leads to the understanding that conversational programming for those simple everyday parts ... the type of parts machined on about 95% of real world shop floors everyday ... is a powerful tool for productivity and efficiency.

Their problem ... the only way they can provide this to end users is on their CNC control ... the control that sits on their machine on the shop floor. Why is this a detriment?

• Most CNC controls like Fanuc controls are not true PC's ... and they lack all the features of a PC like power to build a strong and potent user interface ... storage capacities ... and so many of the other features we take for granted on our PC's.
• Kipware® conversational takes full benefit and uses the latest and greatest PC technology for a more powerful and more robust application than any CNC based application.

• The CNC control is on the machine ... which means that creating programs takes place on the shop floor with all the noise, chip cutting, distractions, etc. ... NOT TO MENTION THAT THE MACHINE NEEDS TO BE PRIMARILY CUTTING CHIPS IF IT'S GOING TO MAKE THE OWNER ANY MONEY !!! ... Hello !!
• Kipware® conversational can also be on the shop floor ... just put a PC or laptop on the floor.

• Expanding the note above ... If you want to make a program, you need the machine.
• Kentech inc. provides (2) seats standard with all Kipware® conversational applications. Most clients put one on their shop PC's and one on a laptop which they can take and create programs anywhere. Or provide (2) seats to personnel so (2) people ... or more by purchasing additional seats ... can be knocking down those needed programs.

• The fact that the CNC control is not a full PC hinders the creation of the user interface and as a result commands, button, etc. end up being cryptic and hard to understand and work with ... and this ends up requiring specialized training just to operate the application.
• With the full backing of a powerful operating system like Windows ... Kipware® conversational has the look and feel familiar to PC users ... learning the software is intuitive and easy.

• CNC control conversational is tailored to the machine and control on which it is installed. And the G code output can only be used on the machine where it is installed.
• Kipware® conversational can be configured and through the use of KipwareXC® can create G code output for virtually any machine and control.

I think you get the picture.


If you're thinking about purchasing a machine tool just because it has a conversational control ... of course we would suggest you at least give the points outlined above and Kipware® conversational some consideration.

If you have a machine with conversational and you now realize some of the things outlined above ... we would love it if you give Kipware® conversational a look as an alternative and / or companion to your CNC based conversational.

Thanks for taking the time to explore our blog ...
and Happy Holidays from all of us at Kentech Inc. !!

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.

WOW .. What a year !! Here's what we accomplished this year in a Nutshell.

We had one of our most aggressive years regarding development and enhancements in 2012.

We hear it all the time regarding our competitors where customers tell us "I pay $xxx dollars a year for a Maintenance Agreement ... and I maybe get some minor updates and bug fixes a year. But nothing like what I'm paying for." Kentech Inc. has no maintenance fees ... all our UPGRADES are in the $95 to $145 range and we never stop working hard for our customers ... advancing our real world software.

We invite you to scroll through the list below as yourself this question : What has my "Maintenance Agreement" with Big Software Company Inc. gotten me this year? I'll guarantee it's nothing to match what you'll see below !!!

First though ... I would like to emphasize a couple of points

1. Kentech Inc. is a full C corporation. We are not a hobby ... we didn't tinker with a hobby idea and put it out there with no support. Call us ... you'll talk with a real person. Email us ... you'll have a response not in 24 hours but probably within 2 or 4 minutes normal business hours or 2 to 4 hours on off hours.
2. We do charge a realistic fee for our software because we stand behind it. There's plenty of "free" software out there ... mostly the reason it's free is because those that wrote it figure that is they don't charge for it they are not responsible to support it or even if it works correctly.
3. We are committed to our products and our customers ... we have been in business for almost 27 years. This list below I think makes it crystal clear ... You can count on us for the long haul !!

• January : We completely revised our website ... www.KentechInc.com ... with a new enhanced and improved user interface to make everything "kipware" easier to find and navigate to.
• February : We released a completely revised and enhanced version of our KipwareTP® toolpath plotting and editor software with tons of new features and with a new and enhanced user interface built for the future.
• March : We released a new and enhanced version of our Kipware® SketchPad - Conversational CAD/CAM with powerful new features ... a completely new user interface ... which took our conversational drawing and CAM ideas to the next level.
• June : We released a new and enhanced version of our KipwareTRK® - Quotation Tracking and Analyzing Software. With a complete redo ... KipwareTRK® is a state of the art tracking and analyzing software application whose uses are really only limited by your imagination.
• July : We added a ROTATION feature to our KipwareM® conversational CNC programming software for milling. The NEW KipwareM® was released in late fall of 2011 and now users can auto-rotate many features in KipwareM® with just a single input ... that means engraving at any angle and tons more !!
• August : We released a completely redesigned and enhanced version of our KipwareT® - Conversational CNC Programming Software for Turning. With the success of the NEW KipwareM® ... we worked hard to incorporate all the new features and user interface from KipwareM® into the new KipwareT®. This insured that both applications would have the same look and feel for ease of learning ... and to insure KipwareT® would also be just as powerful.
• September : We went through and updated our complete video library accessed through our Youtube channel ... KTSoftware ... as well as through our website to make all our video presentations up to date. We also updated our Training Videos to bring all of them up-to-date as well.
• October : We released a new and enhanced version of our Kipware® CNC XChange - Fanuc <--> Okuma Conversion Software with tons of new features and a new and enhanced user interface. Since 1986, Kentech Inc. has been a pioneer and a leader in G code conversion software ... and our new release of Kipware® CNC XChange insures that that will continue long into the future.
• November : We created the Kipware® News and User Group to enable our clients to interact with other Kipware® users to get answers to their questions ... make comments ... suggest enhancements ... and to plain old have a central location for all things Kipware®.
• December : To assist with the "fiscal cliff" and the downturn in manufacturing in general ... we instituted a yearly Subscription Purchase option where clients can put quoting software ... cost estimating software ... cycletime estimating software ... conversational programming software for milling and turning with all the goodies ... in their shop for as little as $0.34 a day ... $125 a year !!

Now that's a year !!! 

To quote a famous phrase :

"BAM !!!! We really took it up a notch !!!"

So proud to write this post ... 

So proud of what we accomplished ... 

So proud of our developers / web designers ...

So proud to ask YOU .... With enhancements like this, shouldn't you become a member of the Kipware® family ?

It's not too late to make an IMPACT PURCHASE for 2012 ....

A purchase that will really have a positive impact on your bottom line ... on your shop floor ... A Kipware® Purchase !!

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.

Learning Lesson from my Dad ... funny? ... true?

My Dad, who was a second generation machinist, was a genius ... unknown to me with my "I know everything" young punk attitude ... and the most amazing machinist I ever saw. He could literally do any job that came his way in a day ... back in the 60's-80's ... when machinists were real machinists ... manual machinists. Running manual lathes, millers, boring mills, planers, shapers, OD / ID grinders ... and he ran them all to perfection. When a job needed to be done and done right ... "Skunny" was the guy to give it to.

When I was in my late 20's and looking for my place in the world ... he took me under his wings and got me a job in the shop where he was a supervisor and taught me all the machines. I had come out of school with an Associates Degree in Mechanical Engineering ... ya, I knew nothing about the real world of cutting chips. He taught me turning ... milling ... grinding ... everything. Years later when I went to work for Mori Seiki and started living in the world of CNC ... it all played a role in my life ... every lesson.

Including this one ... his phrase still rings in my ears.

I was working on a radial drill in the early years and was drilling some holes in plate. Using my "I know everything" attitude ... I set up the job and started drilling. Everything was going great until I took the plate off the drill table ... and realized I drilled 2 of the holes not only through the plate .. which was the job ...BUT THROUGH THE DRILL TABLE AS WELL !! To my horror ... there were 2 gaping 1/2" holes right through the drill table.

Well ... with my tail between my legs I set out to find the old man ... I didn't know what to do and thought for sure this was it ... big trouble.

He walks over the to the table and looks down ... and gives me that phrase that still echoes in my head "Well, one of the signs of a good machinist is one that can hide his mistakes. Let's fix it."

We proceeded to make a couple of cast iron plugs with a press fit ... pounded them into the holes and then machined them and polished them flat to the table surface. It helped that the shop we worked in was actually a machine repair / rebuilding facility. We rebuilt machinery so taking the table off and machining the table was pretty much normal work for us.

When we were done ... it was perfect ... you could never tell what happened.

As life turned out ... years later I went to the factory of Mori Seiki in Japan for training. Long story short ... we wrote a practice turning program ... loaded it into the machine and were test running it. Well not so good ... the tool turret scraped against the chuck as we were doing some boring ... and scored the face of the turret a little. Watching the tool and not the clearance. Well ... my Dad's phrase echoed in my head as we took off the turret and sent it to the grinding department for a touch up.

Whenever these types of instances happen ... I guess you could call it a self inflicted "screwup" ... my Dad's words still echo in my head. What do you think? True statement? Is the sign of a good machinist the fact that  he can virtually make anything ... when it comes to his trade of metalworking?

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.

Kipware® Update / Upgrade Information

In an effort to keep the latest news on software UPDATES and UPGRADES easily available to our clients ... we have re-located this information into our Kipware® News and User Group forum.

Now our clients have easy access at any time to all the latest UPDATE and UPGRADE information for all Kipware® titles. Now you can see all the changes and revisions that have been made along the way in an easy and organized manner.

We also have a board there that outlines information that pertain to UPDATES and UPGRADES including eligibility and steps to use to request a new build for a specific software title.

Please log in and register to access the Kipware® Update / Upgrade Board on :
http://kipwareforum.proboards.com/

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.