New Kipware® User Forum Started

October 20, 2012

To help better serve our Kipware® customers with news, information, tips, tricks and to give them a forum to more freely interact with us and other users ... we have started the Kipware® News and User Group forum.

This newsgroup will allow anyone who registers to have access to the following categories open for discussion and review :

• CNC Tips : We will be posting new CNC Tips every week based on our 25+ years of CNC, machine shop, programming, chipmaking, whatever experience. Regsitered users can view and follow the tips through the forum.
• Kipware® Tips : We will be sharing tips and tricks that pertain to the use of all the various Kipware® software titles.
• User Forum : Tell us what you think ... ask a question for us or your fellow Kipware® users ... read other Kipware® users Q&A ... get it all in the forum for all the various Kipware® titles.

It is just getting started ... but we will be growing and expanding as we move forward.
We invite all to register and join in !!

Here is the link : http://kipwareforum.proboards.com/

Kenney Skonieczny
President - Kentech Inc.

New Okuma <--> Fanuc CNC XChange Released

October 15, 2012

Kentech Inc. is proud to release the latest version of our Kipware® CNC XChange - Fanuc <--> Okuma G code conversion software.

Since 1986, over 25+ years, Kentech Inc. has been a pioneer and leader in G code conversion software. Since about 1995, our Fanuc <--> Okuma version of CNC XChange has been assisting manufacturers and machine tools sales organization with the seamless integration between Fanuc controlled machines and Okuma OSP.

This latest release of this version of CNC XChange builds on that 17+ years of experience with new and innovative features and a new, more powerful, more intuitive and streamlined interface built for the future. This version is also built on the power of Microsoft's .NET4 to insure compatibility for now and into the future.

We invite you to explore the Kipware® CNC XChange page at www.KentechInc.com ... or log onto our YouTube channel ( KTSoftware ) to view the complete product presentation video.

Kenney Skonieczny
President - Kentech Inc.

G Code Conversion - Why It Matters - Volume 3

G Code Conversion vs. Re-Posting Through CAD/CAM 

What do you do when you need to move a running G code program from one machine to another machine with a different CNC control?
The most often course of action for clients who utilize a CAD/CAM system for their programming is to take the drawing and re-post it ( re-create the G code ) through that system. It is an easy method ... but ripe with problems. Most likely there have been a number of tweaks made on the shop floor ranging from :

• Speed and feed alterations due to actual cutting conditions.
• Perhaps tool substitution based on a pre-defined tools availability / unavailability
• Perhaps some manual edits to enhance the cutter path.
• Offset changes mandated by the actual cutting conditions.
• .... the list can go on and on.

Re-posting the file through a CAD/CAM system basically brings you back to stage 1 ... the program prove out stage ... when the program hits the shop floor.

For users who DO NOT utilize a CAD/CAM system ... it's even worse. Manual edits costing time ... not to mention the massive potential for errors ( typos, missed code, uugghhh or worse ).


The Benefits in This Scenario of G Code Conversion software. 
In this scenario, G code conversion software from Kentech Inc. is a must. Either our KipwareXC® or Kipware® CNC XChange will accomplish the code conversion to allow the already proven code to operate on another machine and control seamlessly. The user simply takes the existing file ... already proven, edited,  enhanced, whatever ... and runs it through Kipware® which will auto-convert the code to run in another machine and control ... in seconds. No human intervention and therefore reduced risks for errors ... virtually no time loss ... and the operator does not even have to know how to program either machine because the software performs all the conversions automatically.

So STOP the shop floor bottleneck that is CONTROL INCOMPATIBILITY ... with KipwareXC® or Kipware® CNC XChange ... click this link for MORE INFO.

Kenney Skonieczny
President - Kentech inc.

G Code Conversion - Why it Matters - Volume 2

In part 1 we established the need for G code conversion software ... basically the biggest need is CNC control incompatibility ... a program written for one machine and control doesn't work on another machine and control without changing the format. And Kipware® G code conversion applications can perform all those changes automatically.

So What Kind of Conversions Can Kipware® Conversion Software Actually Perform?
As mentioned in Part 1 ... KipwareXC® can handle a variety of pre-defined conversions ... but they are all user defined. Kipware® CNC XChange can perform pre-defined format conversions ... like Fanuc ( Haas ) to Okuma OSP and reverse ... all automatically becuase all the conversion weree defined by us inside the source code.

So with Kipware® CNC XChange ... we got it all covered ... all automatically.

With KipwareXC® ... here is a quick outline of what conversion capabilities are available :

Pre-Defined Options :
Pre-defined conversions are options where the user can simply click an option button to implement. They are listed on an option page and the user simply checks the box to implement that option automatically during the conversion process.

• Circular Interpolaton Conversions : There are quite a number of options available here including :
  • Convert INC I,J,K to ABS I,J,K ... and reverse
  • Convert R ( or any user defined radius address ) to INC or ABS I,J,K
  • Axis Reversal ... take all X POS values and make them all NEG values ... reverse G02 / G03 and center coordinates call outs ... and more
  • Decimal point conversions ... either ADD or REMOVE decimal points for user defined letter addresses
  • Auto Offset Feature ... have a user defined value automatically added or subtracted from X,Y,Z coordinates in a program
  • Separate G and M codes on an existing line ... maybe the "other" machine can only handle one G or M code per line.
  • XC-Override Feature ... per user defined settings you can say add 10% to all feedrates ... subtract 5% from all spindle speeds ... scale X,Y,X coordinates ... and more.
  • Re-Sequence programs
  • Convert G code from INCH to METRIC and reverse ... with just a simple button click

User Defined KipwareXC® Macro Conversions : 
In addition to the pre-defined options ... we have developed a MACRO language where the user can define basically anything to convert. From a simple change of M90 to M910 ... to very complex conversions including multiple conversions on a single line. Each Profile can contain an unlimited number of code conversion macros ... which makes KipwareXC® extremely flexible. Some examples :

• Convert (1)X1.000W.500F20.0 to G01X1.000Z.500F20.0
• Convert X=1.00Y=2.00Z=3.00 to X1.00Y2.00Z3.00
• Break up the line T01M06 into separate lines of T01 and next M06.
• and so much more !!

The combinations and the conversion available are really limited only by the users imagination. It may seem like a mass search and replace function ... but our design options and MACRO language make it so much more than that. Our MACRO language is extremely flexible and powerful.

So there you have it ... either because we built into the source code ( CNC XChange ) or you built into your Profile ( KipwareXC) ... you can convert virtually any format of G code into another format.

In addition ... because Kentech Inc. is the creator and owner of the code ... we can customize any title or  add any features that might be specific to any application.

So STOP putting up with the CNC control incompatibility bottleneck on your shop floor !!!

Kenney Skonieczny
President - Kentech Inc.

G Code Conversion - Why It Matters - Volume 1

In the real world ... most shops contain a variety of CNC machines from different builders and with different controls. Even in the world of Fanuc controls ... different G code formatting exists between double line / single line canned cycles. This is the reality of the real world ... plain and simple.

And those shops know first hand the bottleneck that "CNC control incompatibility" causes on the shop floor. Some examples :

1. A program is created for a specific machine ... only to find out when the job hits the floor that that machine isn't open ... going back to the CAD/CAM system and re-posting can be time consuming and hold up the job.
2. Programmer is familiar with one control ... you need him/her to program the "other" control ... issues.
3. Need to run parts on another machine in addition to the one it's running on ... re-posting ... issues.
4. That older CNC ... maybe doesn't use decimal points or something quirky like that ... works well but programming it is a real pain.
5. ... the list goes on and on.

We lived on the shop floor and dealt with these and similar issues every day. And that's the reason we developed our line of Kipware® G Code Conversion Software.

We would like to take a few blog posts to explain not only the concept of G code conversion software ... but along the way the reasons why it is so important and can be such a great tool for shop floors.

What is G Code Conversion Software?
The first point to make is that our G code conversion applications work with the actual text G code files ... so you do not need any CAD or CAM files ... just the G code text file that was probably already running on your CNC machine. Our applications read through that G code file and processes through the text code ... automatically interpreting that code ... and converting it to another format all automatically.

Types of G Code Conversion Software?
Kentech Inc. has created two types of conversion applications :

Soft Coded ( KipwareXC® )
This type of application allows the user to completely customize the software ... basically the user defines the "what-to-convert-into-what". Users can develop an unlimited number of PROFILES ... and within these Profuiles the user can select from pre-defined conversion options ( e.g. : convert R to I,J,K ) and also create their own conversions using our MACRO language ( e.g. : convert G81Z-1.250R.200F20.0 into G181Z-1.250R=.200F20.0 ). The user can create an unlimited number of PROFILES ... which means that one application can be used to convert multiple formats into multiple formats ... very flexible.

Click here to jump to our KipwareXC® webpage for more information.


Hard Coded ( Kipware®  CNC XChange )
This type of application requires very limited user configuration ... all the conversions have been created within the source code. The user basically select the file to convert ... selects the direction ... and selects convert. The software performs all the conversions from one format to another all automatically.

Versions of CNC XChange have been created for specific conversions ... our most popular version converts Fanuc G code to Okuma OSP G code ... and reverse. Everything to convert these G code programs has been written into the source code. We have other versions also available ... please click the link below for more information.

Click here to jump to our Kipware® CNC XChange webpage for more information.

In our next Blog post we will delve deeper into the world of G code conversion ... stay tuned. 

Kenney Skonieczny
President - Kentech Inc.