Software Development Report - December 2014

At Kentech Inc we're proud of the fact that ... 

we don't just TALK THE TALK ( blog & tweet ) ... 

we WALK THE WALK ( develop ... invent ... enhance ... create ).

Because there are a lot of so called "software companies" out there who spend a lot of time TALKING ... and not much time DOING. 

All the software developers here at  Kentech Inc. take great pride in our continued and constant development ... enhancements ... and creation of all our CNC and machine shop software titles. We are always marketing some of the little unknown items users should check when buying software ... things like Version #'s that tell the amount and scope of development and enhancements being implemented by software companies. High Version #'s illustrate a companies commitment to develop and change and enhance ... which all usually take a lot of development time, cost and commitment ( our list is proudly displayed below ).

Many software users talk about the cost of "maintenance agreements" ( which Kipware® has never had BTW ) and how hard it is to find more than color or button position changes changes in major software yearly "upgrades". Leading users to wonder what they are truly getting for those hefty yearly maintenance fees.

For us ... it's time to put it out there. Time for our yearly Software Development Report to inform users and potential users what we have been up to this past year ... to demonstrate the kind of PARTNER you will find in Kentech Inc.. As was last year ... this has been another aggressive year in 2014 ... details are below. ( If you missed last years review you can find it here. )

KipwareM®
Current Version # 16.4.1
Conversational CNC Programming Software for Milling

1. An additional 4th Axis conversational menu was added to our already robust 4th axis KipwareM® lineup in April ...  TAPER SLOTTING. This option allows users to create G code programs to machine single or double taper slots using only the conversational, fill-in-the-blank forms.
2. DXF import of hole locations was released also in May. This feature allows for quick and easy programming of multiple hole locations by allowing for the importation of hole locations through a DXF file.

KipwareT®
Current Version # 17.2.1
Conversational CNC Programming Software for Turning

1. We added  a new KNURLING conversational menu in January
2. Our major Y AXIS conversational programming option was completed and released in March. KipwareT® now has conversational programming options for a variety of milling operations to be performed with live tool and Y axis capabilities including pocketing, boss machining, thread milling, helical milling and much more.
3. In November we released enhancements to the OD and ID THREADING menus. New and improved algorithms result in a much smoother toolpath and allow for more user options ... including LEFT HAND THREADING. In addition ... cycles can now more easily be created for plotting in KipwareTP®.

Kipware® SketchPad

Current Version # 10.1.2
Conversational CAD/CAM

1. We continue to enhance the capabilities of the Kipware® SketchPad and in May released new EDITING options for ELEMENTS contained in Kipware® Sketches. This new feature allows users to easily alter and edit previously drawn elements or elements that may have been imported through a DXF file.  
2. In August we released two new EDITING features for the SketchPad ... AUTO-TRIM and FILLETING ... allowing for even more editing capabilities for previously drawn elements or elements that may have been imported through a DXF file.
3. In October we released a massive enhancement to the DXF import capabilities of the SketchPad. Per the requests and with the assistance of one of our users who was working with very complex DXF files ... we now have a greatly improved and much more powerful DXF import capabilities for both milling and turning drawings.

KipwareCSF®
Current Version # 2.0.0
Machining Speed and Feed Wizard for Kipware® Conversational

1. KipwareCSF® was released in February allowing users to create a database of speed and feed parameters that lead to auto-calculation of RPM and feedrates along with auto-import of those calculated speeds and feeds into Kipware® conversational cycle forms.
2. KipwareCSF® was completely integrated into both KipwareM® ( milling ) and KipwareT® ( turning ).

KipwareTP®
Current Version # 9.4.0
Toolpath Plotting & Editing Software

1. We improved the integration between the KipwareTP® EDITOR and PLOTBOX with a new release in May. This improved integration allows for better and easier communication between the on-screen plotting PLOTBOX and the full featured KipwareTP® Editor.

KipwareQTE®
Current Version # 13.1.1
Machine Shop Job Costing and Estimating Software

1. Completion of our translation of KipwareQTE® and release of the Chinese version of KipwareQTE® was completed in February.
2. In August we completed development and released a user requested feature for KipwareQTE® ... SCRAP and RE-WORK. Using simple user inputs combined with powerful "under the hood" calculations it is now quick and easy to insure these often missed costs can be auto-included in your costs and estimates with KipwareQTE®

KipwareCYC®
Current Version # 6.0.0
Machining CycleTime Estimating Software

1. In March we released integration between KipwareCSF® ... the speed and feed wizard for Kipware® conversational .... and KipwareCYC®. This allows users to utilize the SAME speed and feed parameters used when estimating machining cycletime with those used when creating cutting programs in Kipware® conversational.
2. In April we released a new enhancement to the CUTTING DATABASE in KipwareCYC® that doubled the number of Sub-Categories under each material's Main Category from (5) to (10). For example : a milling cutter defined in the database under ROUGH MILLING can now have (10) sub-definitions rather than the previously allowed (5). This greatly improves the flexibility and power of KipwareCYC®

KipwareXC®
Current Version # 14.0.1

G Code Conversion Software

1. Many of our enhancements come as a direct result of an end user request. In November one of our KipwareXC® users needed the ability to replace G code commands with multiple lines of new code. As a result we developed an enhancement for KipwareXC® that allows user to configure "trigger codes" ... codes for the software to look for ... and insert BEFORE or AFTER that line either a SINGLE LINE of user defined code ... or with the complete contents of a user defined TEXT FILE. This is a very powerful feature that will benefit users in many scenarios.

Kentech Inc. Business News

News Regarding All Things Kentech Inc.

1. We are proud to continue our business relationship with our NEW VAR in BRAZIL ... RG Assesoria. In September we released the BETA version of a new version of CNC XChange built for the Brazil market ... ROMI MACH9 < -- > Fanuc - Turning Version. We are continuing our development for this version as well as other G code conversion titles applicable to their market and look forward to many new releases in 2015. 

Just one more thing .... With enhancements and development like this, shouldn't you become a member of the Kipware® family ?

It's not too late to make an IMPACT PURCHASE for 2014 ....

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

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.

Is CAD/CAM Making Your Shop Dumber?

A few posts ago I went on a rant about how true artisans are being replaced by Artificial Intelligence and how manufacturing may have summoned the demons by over-utilizing complex and "intelligent" software to completely replace the "human factor" ( read that post HERE ). Well on Saturday ... November 22, 2014 ... we were vindicated by the Wall Street Journal ... of course much more eloquently.

Here is the complete Wall Street Journal article ...
Automation Makes Us Dumb 

This post is dedicated to some of the ideas and messages highlighted by that article ... intermingled with reasons why we feel our Kipware® software is such a great option to combat the "dumbing down" of America.

Have you "drank the CAD/CAM kool aid"? ... or in this case embalming fluid?
( You knew a DUMB and DUMBER reference would be here somewhere !! )

"Dazzled by our new machines ... we've been rushing to hand them all sorts of sophisticated jobs that we used to do ourselves. But our growing reliance on computer automation may be exacting a high price. Worrisome evidence suggest that our own intelligence is withering as we become more and more dependent on the artificial variety. Rather than lifting us up, smart software seems to be dumbing us down." 

Let's take a look at this point referencing manufacturing. It seems that software developers are really keen on making their software more and more complex ... and more and more capable of removing the human interaction ... after all, that's what brings in the big bucks. Instead of simply helping the artisan (machinist) step away from the drab and cumbersome tasks ... CAD/CAM has striven to take ALL the thought and "human factor" out of the part programming and manufacturing process. The goal of modern software developers is to grow the automation more and more ... but these often result in a "lazy and uneventful design that are void of intellect, imagination and emotion" says architecture professor Jacob Brillhart.

When CNC machinery first came along, it was celebrated for it's ability to make the machining of complex shapes ... take an arc for instance ... possible. Creating the G code to machine that arc was still in the hands of the artisan. By keeping it in the hands of the artisan, it lent itself to the human interaction ... which more often lent itself to new and innovative shapes ... more things could be done with that arc. As CAD/CAM has striven to replace ALL human interaction ... it has also removed more and more of that "human factor". More and more, these new and more powerful software are leaving users only with the drab, mindless, less demanding tasks ... and the human innovation and human creativity has been removed with the "skill" being built into the computer.

"Yesterdays machine operators are today's computer operators."

As the WSJ articulates ... take for instance the modern pilot who actually may be losing his edge thanks to the cockpit computer. We have taken so many tasks away from the pilot and shifted it to the "autopilot" ... we have started a "skills fade". In 2007, British aviation researcher Matthew Ebbatson conducted an experiment with a group of airline pilots. He had them perform a difficult maneuver in a flight simulator ... bringing a Boeing jet with a crippled engine in for a landing in rough weather. When he compared the simulator readings with the actual aviators flight records ... he found a close connection between a pilot's adroitness at the controls and the amount of time the pilot had recently spent flying planes manually. In other words ... when we are forced to perform tasks manually we are more likely to sharpen our skills and our know-how. When software takes over ... manual skills wane.

Why is Kipware® Different ?

My belief ... in manufacturing ... complex software that performs ALL the tasks automatically are to blame for today's "dumber" shops ... and possibly the skills drain that shops are experiencing. Human-focused software ... like Kipware® ... engages the operator with lots of prompts and pushes people harder to think, act and learn. Our skills develop and get sharper only through practice when we use them regularly. In our recent article I made the point that ... programming a rectangular pocket or the roughing of a multi-step shaft is not rocket science ... but it is tedious. Kipware® can assist by creating this simpler G code quickly and easily ... but it's imperative that the user have the ability to create that G code manually if he had to. The message ... " I could do it if I had to but it's faster and more efficient this way." ... must be valid. If the user can't do it ... and is relying on the computer to perform a task he is incapable of ... that's a problem. The pilot having the ability to land the plane if he had to ... is a lot different than him relying exclusively on the auto-pilot because he doesn't know how to land the plane.

Our software design philosophy and our Kipware® titles reflect a certain feature ... that software plays an essential role but is actually secondary to the human operator. It takes over routine functions that a human operator has already mastered. Kipware® becomes the users partner ... not the users replacement. Kipware® often relies on the users strengths and interaction ... allowing them to bring their ideas and experience to the process ... and allows them to enhance the results with the use of the skills and experience. The simple act of knowing how to save a file on the computer ... for example ... can oftentimes be a stepping stone to bigger and better things. I often hear the question ... when I save a file where does it go? With Kipware® ... it goes where you tell it to go ... not where the software decides it should go with automation that keeps you out of the process. You have to think ... act ... understand ... process. All our Kipware® titles are guides ... sure they can automate tedious tasks ... but they can also be expanded by the human operator and can take them both to places they could only go with an interactive partnership.

Everyone in manufacturing is in awe at the power and scope of the computer software available that will do the various manufacturing tasks ... and we should be. And there certainly is a place for the complex CAD/CAM applications in the manufacturing environment. But our marketing slogan ... "Not every job requires CAD/CAM." ... rings true here. We believe that putting every job ... even the simplest ... through a CAD/CAM system ... as outlined here ... is making your shop dumber. We should not ... and must not ... underestimate the value of our own talents when partnered together with technology. Even the smartest software lacks the ability to replicate the human insight gained through years of real world experience and hard work. "If we let our own skills fade by relying on automation, we are going to render ourselves less capable, less resilient and more subservient to our machines." 

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.

New KipwareXC® - G Code Conversion Software Features Released

Version 14.0.0 of Kentech's KipwareXC® - G Code Conversion Software has been released with more new and innovative features for converting G code programs from one format to another.

Version 14.0.0 contains new and powerful INSERTION functions allowing users to designate a TRIGGER CODE and either a SINGLE LINE of information or complete TEXT FILES that can be inserted prior to or after the trigger code is detected during the conversion process.

A SINGLE LINE scenario example might be :

(1) Original G code can send the Z axis to the tool change position automatically when an M6 is read ... whereas the desired format requires a physical command line to return the Z axis prior to the tool change. Using the SINGLE LINE KipwareXC® insertion command :

• Trigger Code = M6
• Insertion format set to BEFORE the trigger code line
• LINE for insertion = G00G191G28Z0

 

A COMPLETE FILE insertion works similar where the user can specify a TRIGGER CODE and the filename for insertion along with a setting BEFORE or AFTER formats. Some common scenarios where this feature can be employed :

• Multiple lines are required to specify a "return to tool change" sequence.
• Automatically inserting the actual contents of a SUB PROGRAM instead of the simple sub-program call.
• Program or individual tool "start up blocks" that are not contained in the original code.
• .... many more.

(3) separate options are available for both SINGLE LINE and COMPLETE FILE options ... adding more flexibility and power to these new features.

For more information on KipwareXC® or to set up a personal live, online demonstration of any of our Real World machine shop software ... please visit us at www.KentechInc.com.

Kenney Skonieczny - President

Kentech Inc.

Custom Machine Shop and Manufacturing Software Development from Kentech Inc.

In the 25+ years of our existence, we have created hundreds of custom software applications from custom G code conversion applications to custom conversational CNC programming applications. In September 2013, due to increased customer demand for custom machine shop and CNC applications, we created our C.S.D. Strategic Business Unit to better concentrate developers and their resources on these custom applications. With this new SBU, we can insure your custom machine shop and CNC applications are developed professionally and intelligently and brought to your shop floor in the quickest and most efficient manner.

Our over 25+ years of metalcutting, CNC and machine shop experiences enable us to "see" the shop floor and our clients problems with a clarity unmatched in manufacturing based software development. Our focus lies with our strengths ... in manufacturing ... in metacutting ... in CNC programming and in G code and G code creation. If you have ideas that you feel would benefit your shop ... we encourage you to contact the Kentech Inc. C.S.D. unit today and turn those IDEAS into INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY !!

The Kentech Inc. C.S.D. unit operates on the philosophy :

If you can DREAM it ... We can CODE it !!

For additional information, capabilities and to find out what the 

Kentech Inc. C.S.D. Unit can do for you ... 

please visit the C.S.D. website :

www.KentechInc.us

Kenney Skonieczny - President

Kentech Inc.

Musings of an Artisan ... Have Manufacturers Summoned the Demon?

I recently came across an article highlighting the thoughts of Elon Musk ... one of my heroes ... regarding artificial intelligence as he was addressing a symposium at MIT. In the article he compared the use of AI to the "summoning of a demon" and called it one of the "biggest threats to humans." "With artificial intelligence" Musk states, "we are summoning the demon. In all those stories where there's a guy with the pentagon and the holy water, it's like yeah he's sure he can control the demon. Didn't work out."

I'm not sure I fully agree with Mr. Musk ... but it certainly got me thinking about manufacturing and the path it's taken and what we have lost along the way as manufacturers summoned their own demon. I have already written about how the term "hobby machinist" disgusts me personally ... read the article here ... and has cheapened the artisan known as a machinist. The more I thought about where I started in manufacturing and where manufacturing is headed now ... the more frightened I became not only about manufacturing but about society in general. How generations are losing the ability and skills so needed by the world to "make things" ... and how they are missing out on all the human emotions that accomplishing those tasks bring to life.

No one can deny that the pure art of making things is certainly a dying trade. We can go back to say something like a sword in medieval times ... where the blacksmith heated up the metal and used a hammer and his inspiration and skill to create beautiful works of art that were not only beautiful to the eye but functional to the highest extent possible. Can the generations being raised today fix anything? ... build anything with their own hands? In today's throw-away society ... if something breaks, the first thought is to replace it ... and often times the way they are designed, that is the only option ... they can't be repaired. But even if they could ... today's generations do not have the skills to make those repairs ... those skills only belong to today's fathers and grand-fathers.

Thoughts of my own world ... becoming a machinist ... where I used manual machinery to create gears, shafts and other parts. Using my hands and skill to work with simple tools like a scraper to fit parts together by hand. And even the evolution to CNC programming ... where I created G code by hand to make the CNC machine move as I desired to create even more intricate parts that were otherwise impossible to machine using a manual machine. But for me ... here's where the problem really begins.

With the advent of CAD/CAM ... the whole art of making things started to slip away. Instead of creating the G code manually ... we could simply tell the computer through the CAD/CAM system ... basically make a program to machine this shape I drew. The computer decided everything.  Creating G code manually still kept the machinist in control. Choosing the machining process ... knowing what operation to perform before the others ... knowing speeds and feeds and being able to adjust those factors during the cutting by hearing and seeing the chips being produced. The artist was still involved.

Manufacturers began summoning the demon.

With CAD/CAM ... the skill level and the artisan aspect became less and less important. One could argue that their was still skill involved to design the part ... but for me that just illustrates where the artist was being stopped ... his influence and experience required removed from the process. As CAD/CAM grows in capabilities ... even the design input by the artist is gradually being removed. The computer performs more and more of the tasks automatically ... and the human interaction is less and less.

Now we are moving to 3D printing where the artist is being pushed further away from the art of creating things. No machining is involved ... no skill set required ... the computer is virtually in complete control. For me ... this is the last act before the demon is completely unleashed. You can almost see the demon being created inside the 3D printer.

I believe that those that are not skilled ... not versed in the art of making things ... who are advocating for these types of processes in ALL things ... are truly summoning the demon. They are depriving generations to come of the many powerful human emotions that the art of "making something by hand" truly brings to life. The cries for things that are "natural" and "organic" need to move beyond just what we eat ... it is also needed in many other aspects of life. 

Why are we not creating things that can be repaired ... instead of just discarded. If the vacuum cleaner breaks ... why can't we fix it? ... why can't it be designed so we can fix it? If the toaster breaks ... why can't we fix it? why can't it be designed so we can fix it? Think of the vast amount of "junk" we could reduce ... and thus the positive environmental impact we could have. Moving back to metal and away from the scourge of everything plastic. Bring back the shops where repaired household items are bought and sold. And bring back the artisan that repairs those items ... those that make the replacement parts for those items. And bring back the many human emotions linked to it all. Just starting with household items ... vacuums, toasters, irons, lawn mowers, stoves ... we can imagine the positive impact we could have on the earth. And move that to other areas ... WOW !!

Unfortunately, the journey ahead is being charted not by the artisans ... but by amateurs, non-skilled people who have never experienced the joy of making something ... what I call the demolishers. Little do they realize what they are removing from society as they remove the many types of artisans from the world with their various forms of AI.

It is certainly something to think about. But is it all too late to put the demon back in the bottle? To teach our new generations the art of making things? Only time will tell. This is my call to all the artisans out there ... the artisans called MACHINISTS. Let's call the younger generations to join our ranks. Teach machining at every opportunity. Bring light to the trade wherever you can. Fight back the "hobby machinist" and bring the dignity back to the vocation of machinist. SLAY THE DEMON ... at every opportunity.

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.

Enhanced DXF Import for the Kipware® SketchPad

Kentech Inc. has released the latest version of the Kipware® SketchPad ... Version 10.1.2 ... that contains enhanced DXF import capabilities as well as new algorithms for the auto-connect feature.

Version 10.1.2 enhances the ability of users to import DXF files and then create G code toolpaths to machine those DXF shapes through the SketchPad's Machinist Mode and also through the auto-connect feature in the SketchPad.

In addition to the enhanced DXF import capabilities ... improvements and enhancements have also been released to the auto-connect feature through which the SketchPad connects elements in the sketch to create a connected contour toolpath. Using this feature ... the user selects the first and last element in the contour ... and the SketchPad calculates and auto-connects all elements that make up the connected contour between that first and last element. DXF files ... being somewhat un-precise as far as the decimal precision of the files exported ... can often make the job of connecting elements extremely tough. New algorithms and calculations contained in this new release give the SketchPad enhanced capabilities when finding elements to connect.

Additional information on Kipware® conversational and the Kipware® SketchPad can be found on our website ... www.KentechInc.com.

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.

ROMI Mach9 <--> Fanuc Conversion Software Released for Brazil

Kentech Inc. has released a new BETA version of Kipware® CNC XChange that can convert G code turning programs created for ROMI Mach9 CNC controls into Fanuc format ... and reverse. This new release is now in BETA testing by our VAR in Brazil ... RG Assesoria.

ROMI Mach9 has been an extremely popular CNC control for many years in the Brazilian market ... and clients are now looking to auto-convert their multitude of existing Mach9 programs into Fanuc format to be compatible with the new CNC control options offered not only by the newer ROMI CNC machines but other CNC machines now making their way into the Brazilian market.

Important features included in this version of CNC XChange include :

• Canned cycle conversions both from Fanuc format to Mach9 as well as Mach9 to Fanuc ... including turning cycles, facing cycles, grooving cycles as well as threading cycles.
• Conversion of all tool change commands
• Conversion of ABSOLUTE ROMI I / K commands to INCREMENTAL Fanuc I / K ... and reverse
• Conversion of all sub program calls and format
• ... and more.

As with all versions of Kipware® CNC XChange ... many user definable options are also available that enable the user to customize the conversion for items and codes outside the realm of the "hard coded" source code. It is this mixture of hard coded conversions and user definable options that make Kipware® CNC XChange the leading G code conversion software in the world. Since 1986 ... Kentech Inc. has been a pioneer and a leader in G code conversion software ... and is now making their presence felt in the Brazilian and Latin America market as well.

For additional information on Kipware® CNC XChange ... or any of our Real World software titles ... please visit our website at www.KentechInc.com ... or contact Kentech Inc. at Sales@KentechInc.com

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.

New Release : Auto-Trim and Filleting for the Kipware® SketchPad

Kentech Inc. is pleased to announce the release of Version 10 of the Kipware® SketchPad - our Conversational CAD/CAM application that is available either as a stand-alone application and is also included standard with all Kipware® Conversational titles.

Version 10 is released with many new features "under the hood" ... but also a couple not so hidden ones as a response to client requests. If you follow us on Twitter ( @Kipware ) Facebook or through our Blogs ... you know that no machine shop software developer works harder to bring new features and new development to market more than Kentech Inc.. We are constantly publishing blog posts outlining our tons of new releases for all our software titles. As we continue the development of the Kipware® SketchPad into a more powerful drawing package ... we are also balancing the ease-of-use into our development. That thoughtful development has led us to two powerful and sought after features in a drawing package into this Version 10 SketchPad release.

TRIM : The new TRIM feature allows the users to simple select the (2) elements from the Element List box ... and have the SketchPad automatically determine the intersecting point of (2) entities and trim the excess from those entities at their auto-calculated intersecting point.

FILLET : The new FILLET feature works similar to the TRIM feature outlined above ... except will not only trim the entities but will also add a user defined radius between the (2) entities.

You can watch a video presentation of these new features on our 

YouTube Channel : KTSoftware

These new features are shipping standard in the Kipware® SketchPad ... which is included with all Kipware® Conversational titles ... as of August 18, 2014.

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.

Don't Be Fooled by limited, under-developed, so-called G Code "Wizards" ...

Go Pro with Kipware® Conversational !!

New Release : Enhanced Scrap / Re-Work Calculations for KipwareQTE® - Machine Shop Estimating Software

Like it or not ... scrap and re-work is an integral part of the machine shop life. The importance of including the cost of scrap and re-work is essential when creating your cost estimates and quotations. Version 13.0.0 of our KipwareQTE® has been released and includes some very easy but powerful enhancements to the scrap calculations and formulas of the software.

We have included new inputs into the ESTIMATE INFORMATION tab where users enter their estimate reference information. New inputs and fields include :

1. Scrap Percentage ... where users can enter a percentage of the total estimate base quantity they would like to include for scrap or re-work.
2. Costs Associated with Scrap ... where the user can select which areas / costs are to be associated with the scrap or re-work. For example ... they can select to include only manufacturing costs such as material and tooling in the scrap cost calculations. Full options include material, tooling, labor and all non-machining costs.

These inputs and fields are quite simple ... but make it very easy to include the often over-looked scrap or re-work costs that are associated with real life on the real machine shop floor. Like the many other "real world" features included in KipwareQTE® ... like perishable tooling costs ... scrap and re-work cost inclusion will insure that your estimating and quoting with Kipware® is assisting with not only winning more work ... but winning more profitable work.

Version 13.0.0 with the new and enhanced scrap / re-work feature is shipping standard as of 08-04-14 with KipwareQTE®.

Kenney Skonieczny - President

Kentech Inc.

Guidelines for Calculating Machining Hourly Rate

We tout this fact all the time in our marketing ... at Kentech Inc. we are MACHINISTS ... we cut chips, we programmed, we ran shop floors for years ... then we became software engineers and designers and built software products we saw were lacking during those years. What we refer to as Real World Machine Shop Software. 

As a result, many of our clients come to us to take advantage of that experience ... especially those just starting out. Since quoting and estimating is one of the first tasks a new shop needs to get right ... we get asked quite a lot of questions about these areas. Our KipwareCYC® ( machining cycletime estimating software ) and KipwareQTE® ( cost estimating / quoting software ) titles are two of our most popular titles. One of the "hot" topics we encounter during online presentations of these titles is often concerning the cost to charge for a machining or a shop rate. So we thought it was a good time to add a blog post with some guidelines we feel are simple enough ... but important enough ... that can get you to an accurate figure.

Since many shops will utilize an hourly rate as a basis for charging for machining time, this post is dedicated to some helpful guidelines on how to calculate that machining hourly rate. Below are some points we consider important when calculating the hourly rate for a particular machine. The areas requiring calculations include :

Equipment – Cost Per Hour of Operation ... a common formula :
(machine purchase cost + expected lifetime maintenance cost) / expected hours of operating life.

Direct Labor Cost per Hour ... a common formula :
(total annual labor costs + taxes + benefits + paid time off) / (total annual hours worked – breaks and training time)

Overhead Cost Per Hour  :
Any costs not directly involved in machining a part is overhead. These include costs for administrative staff salary, equipment, furniture, building lease, maintenance and office supplies. Calculate the annual costs of these, then divide by total labor or machine hours for the year. This will be your overhead cost per hour

Once the above costs are calculated … you can use the formulas and guidelines below to arrive at either a
“general” shop hourly rate or an hourly rate based on a specific piece of equipment.

General Machine Shop Hourly Rate ... a common formula :
Average overall shop rate = (average machine cost per hour + labor and overhead cost per hour) x markup

Machine Specific Hourly Rate ... a common formula :
(specific machine(s) cost per hour + labor + overhead cost per hour) x markup

Somewhat simplified ... and usually a work in progress as factors may change. It is important to gather all the figures in the formulas above as best you can ... as accurate as you can ... and to keep tabs on any factors that may change along the way.

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.

You can check our all our Real World Machine Shop Software at our website :

www.KentechInc.com

Programming with Kipware® Software - Press Parts to Tesla Parts

As we have stated many times ... we are extremely proud of the fact that thousands of machine shops around the world have found a productive, efficient, steady and reliable solution to their manufacturing needs through our Kipware® software. We love to hear about those real world situations where Kipware® software is making a difference.

Last week we had the privilege of working closely with two of our clients who were in the middle of those "gotta have it tomorrow" projects ... creating CNC programs for two very different machining projects.

Problem #1 - Creating Parts for a Tesla Automobile
Simultaneously while working on the issue below ... we also had a client contact us who was in the midst of a rush programming project .... programming a contour to machine a part that would eventually be used in the Tesla electric car. Although they had been using the conversational module of Kipware® conversational for years to program their "standard" parts ... this particular part required a no-traditional contour be programmed ... and required the use of the Kipware® SketchPad. Not having too much experience and in a rush to get their parts made ... we stepped in and up.

The Solution :
The client emailed a DXF file of the contour ... and using our Kipware® SketchPad we created the G code program to machine the parts. It was great to have the opportunity to utilize the software we created to create a real world G code program to machine a real world part. And the coolest part was that it was for Tesla car ... although Elon Musk's SpaceX is already a member of the Kipware® family with (40) seats of Kipware® in their Hawthorne California manufacturing facility.

Problem #2 - Small Part Programming
As mentioned ... while working on the project above ... we were also called into action to support another small manufacturer client who was working to create a one-off specialty item for their customers. They were creating their program using Kipware® conversational ... and found the machine doing some strange movements when executing the G code program. Unable to diagnose the issue ... it was something they never experienced before ... they submitted a Support Ticket through our Helpdesk and asked for our assistance. The problem was new to us as well ... and required we talk directly by phone to get more information and lend some deeper assistance. It turned out that the client was new to CNC programming ... had been using Kipware® conversational for quite a while and getting all their programming done with Kipware® quite nicely ... but were now experiencing a little more complex part and programming that was getting a bit more complex ... mainly dealing with cutter compensation. Long story short ... their machine had some specific requirements and the program being created by Kipware® using standard cutter comp programming was causing the generation of some errors by the control.

The Solution :
We worked with the client suggesting some alternative G code programming solutions ... explaining how to create the revised G code and why ... to try a few different scenarios to diagnose the issue. Once the issue was diagnosed and an alternative G code model created that worked ... in less than (2) hours we had revised Kipware® to include a new, user selectable alternative option for cutter compenstion output ... and had an UPGRADE installation ready and available for the user to download. It was great working hand-in-hand with the client ... both teaching and helping them program ... and creating some newer features for our Kipware® conversational based on their real world inputs.

As you can see from the scenarios above ... Kentech Inc. is more than committed to our software support ... we are committed to our clients. This is just a small sample, a couple of scenarios from one week in our business life. These types of scenarios are repeated quite often here ... and we're always happy to jump in and assist in any way possible. And it's especially rewarding as we get to go into the "real world" ... on the shop floor ... and help make some chips !!

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.

New Brazil Distribution for Kipware® Announced

Kentech Inc. is pleased to announce our partnership with Mr. Ricardo Alexandre de Godoy and RG Assessoria for exclusive distribution of all Kipware® titles in Brazil.

RG Assessoria currently distributes and supports a variety of CNC related products including DNC software, simulation software, TopSolid CAM and GOelan products. We are very pleased that Ricardo and his team have included our Kipware® products into their lineup and look forward to a long and healthy future for Kipware®, RG Assesoria and all CNC clients in Brazil !!

For more information on RG Assessoria ... you can visit their website at www.rgaonline.com.br.

Pet Peeve : The Term "hobby machinist"

Sorry ... but I can't really hold it in any longer.
NOTE: The views expressed here are my personal opinions ... and do not reflect the opinions of the entire Kentech Inc. family.

Can you be a "hobby plumber"?
... Or a "hobby carpenter"?
... Or a "hobby electrician"?
... Or a "hobby engineer"?
... Or a "hobby nurse"?
... Or a "hobby dentist"?
... Or a "hobby soldier"?

I think not.

Over the past 34+ years I have worked hard at my career as a machinist. In addition to being an accomplished CNC programmer who learned that part of my trade in Japan and as an Applications Engineer for Mori Seiki USA among other prominent machine tool builders ... I can operate manual and CNC lathes including VTL's ... manual and CNC milling machines including both vertical and horizontal mills ... OD, ID, surface and cylindrical grinders ... open side planers ... manual boring mills ... drill press ... basically, if you stick me in front of a metalworking machine, I can make you what you want. I can grind and create the cutting tools I need to machine the metal and I can accurately measure the metal I am machining using the measuring tools of my craft.

Picture of my grandfather ...
working at his craft.

Like my father before me, and his father before him ... I am a skilled craftsman who earned the title of Class "A" Machinist through hard work and the perfecting of my craft. I am skilled at my craft because I was taught by machinists ... labored hard ... and learned my craft. I EARNED THE TITLE OF MACHINIST AND WEAR IT PROUDLY. I BUILD THINGS ... QUALITY THINGS ... OUT OF METAL. MACHINISTS MAKE THIS WORLD MOVE.

It appears however, that people would like to degrade my craft ... to allow anyone who tinkers with cutting metal ... to label themselves as a "hobby machinist". I'm flattered that you take pride in the term "machinist" so much that you would like to flatter yourself with that title. However ... IF YOU STRAP A ROUTER TO SOME HARDWARE AND CUT SOME MATERIAL IN YOUR BASEMENT ... YOU ARE NOT A MACHINIST. AND YOU CAN'T SOMEHOW PLACE YOURSELF IN THE SAME CATEGORY AS A MACHINIST BY SIMPLY PLACING THE LABEL "HOBBY" IN FRONT. Just like if you put a band-aide on a cut you couldn't call yourself a "hobby nurse" .... or just because you floss your teeth, that doesn't make you a "hobby dentist".

In the same vane ... you may be a programmer of CNC machinery if you play with G code programming ... but if your CAD/CAM writes the program for you and you have no or little understanding of what the G code means or does ... YOU ARE NOT A CNC PROGRAMMER ... you're a CAD/CAM operator.

So please ... if you have not EARNED the title of MACHINIST ... don't use it ... don't degrade the craft ... don't place yourself in a group without EARNING your place in the group. You can certainly be labelled a metalworker if you work with metal ... or a woodworker if you work with wood ... but that doesn't make you a MACHINIST ... not even a "hobby machinist" ... whatever the hell that is.

... IN MY HUMBLE OPINION.

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.

New Release : Enhanced Integration for KipwareTP® - CNC Toolpath Plotting Software

Kentech Inc. has released version 9.2.0 of our KipwareTP® - Editor and CNC Toolpath Plotting software.

Along with enhanced performance features ... this version includes a tighter integration between the full KipwareTP® text editor ... and the Plotbox where the G code to be plotted to the screen is stored. One of the unique features of KipwareTP® is the ability of the user to edit / alter the G code to be plotted directly in the Plotbox ... editing the G code "on the fly". When the full Editor is being used ... previous versions required the user to SAVE the edited file before loading it into the Plotbox. Version 9.2.0 includes a new option in the Editor that will automatically send the current contents of the Editor directly to the Plotbox in one step ... saving of the file is not required first.

KipwareTP® eliminates all the fluff, hassle and inconvenience of full blown simulation software and offers the Real World CNC programmer a fast, efficient and effective tool for G code verification. KipwareTP® is sold as a stand alone application and is also included free as a companion application with all Kipware® conversational software.

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.

Dump the Limited, Under-developed, Not Supported so called "G Code Wizards"

Go Pro with Kipware® Conversational !!

New Releases for KipwareM® and Kipware® SketchPad

Kentech Inc. is pleased to announce the release of new features for both KipwareM® - Conversational CNC Programming Software for Milling and the Kipware® SketchPad - Conversational CAD/CAM Software.

Kipware® SketchPad :
New feature released regarding the Element List Box that include :

• Ability to scroll through the elements in the listbox and have the element highlighted out in the drawing during scrolling.
• Ability to highlight an element in the listbox ... press the E key ... and then edit the element for revision.
• You can review these features in video format by CLICKING HERE or by going to the Kipware® Video Training webpage.

KipwareM® :
New DXF import feature released :

• Added the ability to import point / hole locations from a DXF file into the hole locations in the conversational HOLE menu.
• All POINT entities in the DXF will be auto-imported as X/Y hole locations and will be auto-added to the list of holes to be included in the G code program / cycle.

All features as listed above are shipping standard for KipwareM® as well as the Kipware® SketchPad as of 5/9/2014.

Kenney Skonieczny - President

Kentech Inc.

Don' be fooled by simple, limited, under-developed

G code "wizards" ...

Go Pro with Kipware® Conversational !!

It's Not Always Rocket Science

If you have visited our website ...  www.KentechInc.com ... at all you'll recognize the saying that is the title of this blog post. It is the mantra here at Kentech Inc. ... born from the decades of living and surviving on the machine shop floor ... from living and working in the "real world". When we talk with customers or conduct online demos with clients for our software ... they emphatically agree. But for those with whom we cannot connect directly ... we wanted to take a post to outline our visions and software design philosophy in depth ... to explain why we feel and what we mean by " ... it's not always rocket science."

Is this you with your CAD/CAM or MRP / ERP software?

For most machine shop and CAD/CAM software developers today ... it seems that the flashier the pictures and the more complex the user interface ... that would equate into the most innovative software. For most users of these products however ... the experience is best described as trying to get a drink of water from a firehouse. It's all just overkill .... there is just too much "fluff" there ... most of it is lost or never used ... and the bottom line results are never realized.

Take CAD/CAM for example ...

No one can deny that CAD/CAM is a great tool ... no doubt ... and most of the designs we use in the world every day would not be possible without at least the CAD portion of CAD/CAM. But one fact is clear to anyone living in a production world ... if a machine shop puts every job through the CAD/CAM system ... through the CAD/CAM programmer ... they are inevitably losing money. The simple part programming ... the programming actually done in 95% of shops in the real world every day ... does not require a CAD/CAM system ... nor a CAD/CAM programmer. Giving additional chip makers the capability to quickly and easily create G code programs for these simpler workpieces ... gives the shop a much higher level of efficiency ... faster finished part output ... and in the end a better bottom line. It's a simple fact. Of course not every workpiece can be accomplished with a simple programming tool ... those complex jobs will still require something equivalent to a CAD / CAM system ... but with other chip makers handling the simpler programming ... the "CAD/CAM guy" has more freedom and more time to devote to the complex programming tasks ... and the work flow and finished output is greatly enhanced.

Innovation is not always the most complex solution.

OR take MRP/ERP systems for example ...

Again ... no one can deny that these complex systems have their place ... and can positively effect a companies bottom line. The problems we encounter is that there a way too many "features" ... and as a result they are either missing the important "real world" features ... or these features are so under-developed the results they produce do more harm than good. It seems the developers are so concerned with the number of bells and whistles ... they never adequately develop the truly needed features. For example ... quite a few of the big $$$ MRP and ERP systems denigrate machining cycletime to a simple user input ... no auto-calculations ... just a field for a user input. WHAT ??  Anyone living in the real world knows that building a cost estimate based on an inaccurate time to machine the part is a recipe for lost profits. And anyone living on the shop floor knows that consistency and accuracy along with the ability to insure that cutting parameters used in cycletime estimates can be reproduced on THEIR shop floor .... is the key to machining profitability.

KipwareCYC® ( cycletime estimating ) and KipwareQTE® ( cost estimating ) are applications devoted to the tasks for which they were developed. Proven in-the-trenches for over 2 decades ... helping our clients around the world to not only win MORE work ... but win MORE PROFITABLE work. And after all isn't that the key ... winning work that is profitable ... not having the shop busy producing parts that are losing money.

Kipware® =  a more logical approach

Using real world tools like Kipware® conversational or Kipware® business software is the equivalent of turning down the flow of the firehouse ... more of that water can be captured and used for it's intended purposes.

CLICK HERE for more information on Kipware® software

Kenney Skonieczny - President

Kentech Inc.

New Release : Expanded Cutting Database for KipwareCYC® - Machining Cycletime Estimating Software

Kentech Inc. is pleased to announce the release of Version 6 of our KipwareCYC® - Machining Cycletime Estimating Software.

We completed a major overhaul and upgrade of KipwareCYC® in 2012-2013 that created a source code base and foundation designed and built for the future. Now we have the ability to concentrate on new features and innovation to build on that strong foundation.

We are pleased to be able to address some of our users requests beginning with the expansion of our Cutting Parameter Database module. Users now have DOUBLE the capacity to add user defined sub-categories and cutting parameters for each individual machining operation. 

For example : The number of sub-categories under Rough Milling for example has been expanded from (5) to (10) ... allowing for greater flexibility, speed and accuracy in the cycletime estimating module. This new expansion combined with the already UNLIMITED database capacity of the Cutting Parameter Database gives KipwareCYC® a new and more powerful layer of accuracy and flexibility. Each main machining operation now can have up to (10) sub categories. The (2) user defined machining operation also now have this expanded sub-category capability.

Previous versions allowed for (5) Sub-Categories under each Main Category.

This feature has been expanded to (10) in Version 6.

Version 6 is now shipping with this expanded database feature standard.

Version 5 users also have the ability to import their current ... older style databases ... into Version 6 with just a click of a single button ... making for a quick and easy UPGRADE.

For additional information on KipwareCYC® and all our machine shop software titles ... 

please visit our website at www.KentechInc.com

Kenney Skonieczny - President

Kentech Inc.

New Release - 4th Axis Taper Slotting Menu

We continue to build on our strong foundation of 4th Axis Conversational Menus in our KipwareM® - Conversational CNC Programming Software for Milling. The latest conversational menu release comes by way of a current user who was seeking an easier way to program taper slots for lightening rifle barrels. We had previously developed and released STRAIGHT and TWISTED SLOTTING menus ... and this new release allows for straight slots that are tapered in the Z axis while cutting along the X axis.

This new menu contains many options allowing for greater flexibility including :

1. Single or Double Tapers are available.
2. Zig-Zag or One-Direction cutting can easily be selected.
3. The user can include any number of slots along the OD periphery ... all from a single menu.
4. Roughing and / or Finishing can be included in a single operation ... or split into two operations.

As with all the 4th Axis Conversational Menus ... this new menu is also included FREE with all KipwareM® purchases.

CLICK HERE for additional information on KipwareM®

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.

Don't Be FOOLED by the underdeveloped so-called G CODE WIZARDS ...

GO PRO ... with Kipware® Conversational

Software Version Numbers ... And The Story They Tell

Although there is no "law" in the software industry pertaining to Version Numbering ... nor what convention requires following ... most major software developers follow the "standard" system of X-Y-Z or Major.Minor.Patch.

Most often you will see software with version numbers such as 3.1.2 or 5.1.0. As mentioned above the FIRST digit is the MAJOR version number ... SECOND digit is MINOR version number ... and THIRD digit is the PATCH or sometimes referred to as the BUILD version number. So what does it all really mean?

MAJOR version numbers change when something significant is rolled out ... new features ... major enhancement ... etc.

MINOR version numbers change when minor changes are made to a release ... minor feature release ... the title basically stays the same with some minor feature enhancements.

PATCH version numbers change when a bug fix or patch is released to repair or correct a bug for a previous version that has been released to the public.

What Story Can Version Numbers Tell to the Consumer?
As far as a consumer is concerned ... version numbers can go beyond just indicating what "model" of the software they are about to purchase or that is in their possession. Version numbers also tell the life story of that software title. As a consumer ... what could they mean for you? Some examples :

(1) Low MAJOR version numbers probably indicate that not a lot of work or enhancements have been developed for the title. If the title has been on the market for say 5-6 years and the major version is still 1 or 2 ... that means there has been less than 1 major release every 2-2.5 years. Not much movement there. Either not many new ideas or not much interest in moving forward.

(2) High MINOR version numbers most likely also means that there are no new ideas on the table. Development has been devoted to slight improvements in the product but no new cutting edge ideas have been developed that would trigger a major release. Again ... the length of time the title has been on the market and the MINOR version number will work together to indicate this inside story.

(3) High PATCH version numbers can tell a deeper tale. Obviously ... if the patch version numbers are high the title has had a lot of issues and the developers have had to release multiple bug fixes and patches to fix those issues. Sure they may be fixing the issues ... but it doesn't project an air of confidence in either the development or the testing.

Just a note on BETA testing as well. BETA testing is performed on a software title prior to release to the public. This is the general way smaller software companies put a title out there so BETA users can use it and report back bugs or other issues that need to be corrected. Smaller developers use this method because most likely they don't have the staff to perform in-depth BETA testing in-house ... or perhaps they are creating software outside the realm of their market experience. In our business ... non-machinists developing software for the machinist. In reality ... the longer the title is in BETA testing ... the bleaker the outlook for a quality product release. Is it because the design is all wrong to begin with? Too many bugs causing release delays? Can't get the features right? Whatever the reason ... long periods of BETA testing usually indicate issues that will follow the title to release and beyond.

How About Kentech Titles and Development?
Here at Kentech Inc. we do follow the Major.Minor.Patch version numbering system. We invite you to take a look at the version numbers for our software titles ... and see the reflection of the pace of our general development .... the pace of ground-breaking major releases ... and the number of patches or builds that accompany those releases. Below is a listing of some of our MAJOR titles ... their life span and version numbers.

KipwareM® - Conversational CNC Programming Software for Milling
Initial Release Date : 1999
Current Version Number : 16.1.0

KipwareT® - Conversational CNC Programming Software for Turning
Initial Release Date : 2001
Current Version Number : 17.0.1

KipwareQTE® - Machine Shop Job Costing and Estimating Software 
Initial Release Date : 1996
Current Version Number : 12.3.2

KipwareCYC® - Machining Cycletime Estimating Software
Initial Release Date : 2007
Current Version Number : 5.2.3

In addition ... here are couple of links that outline our development and releases for the years 2013 and 2012 where you can get a quick report on all the releases for that calendar year.

2013 Development Report :
http://kentechinc.blogspot.com/2013/12/yearly-development-report-wow.html

2012 Development Report :

http://kentechinc.blogspot.com/2012/12/wow-what-year-heres-what-we.html

Conclusion ...

We are proud of our achievements ... many have been ground-breaking in our particular market sector. And we are proud to lay out those achievements for all to observe. In both this BLOG and in our software titles and version numbering system as well.

I hope that this short article has assisted you in becoming a little more of an educated consumer pertaining to your software purchases. Because at Kentech Inc. we live with the motto made famous by a local New England clothing store ... "An educated consumer is our best customer."

Kenney Skonieczny - President

Kentech Inc.