New KipwareM® Menus Released

In addition to all our other development ... we managed to squeak a couple of great new conversational cycles / menus into our KipwareM® - Conversational CNC Programming Software for Milling. Check 'em out ... they will be shipping standard as of Tuesday ... 3/26/2013.

Qualify Stock : In this menu users can create a cycle to machine one or two ends of a workpiece to qualify the length. Options include zig-zag cutting, climb milling or conventional milling for both roughing and / or finishing ... and users can select to machine the left side and / or the right side. Finish cutting can include cutter comp also if user selected. 

As in all milling menus ... this cut can be rotated at any angle so even though the image is left and right ... choosing a rotation angle of 90 degrees would cause the cutting at the top and the bottom.

O Ring Groove : This menu will allow users to create a cycle to rough and / or finish an O ring type groove on the top surface of the part. Options will include roughing and / or finishing ... finishing of the bottom surface ... and the ability to employ cutter comp for the finish cut.

Seems like the development is non-stop here at Kentech Inc. and we are so excited to be able to bring some great new menus that include tons of great real world machining options to KipwareM®. This is what happens when real machinists create machining software !!

Enjoy ...

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.

New Construction ... Wuts Up !!

As we reach the end of the first quarter ... we would like to take a look back and a look ahead at what's been going on and what's coming up here at Kentech Inc..

We pride ourselves on delivering the best and most "real world" software products to the metalworking industry ... as our past post illustrates ... we work very hard toward that goal. Take a look here at last years pile of work as an example : http://kentechinc.blogspot.com/2012/12/wow-what-year-heres-what-we.html

So far in 2013 ... after only 2.5 months ... here's a checklist of our development work :

• We delivered a total re-write using .NET4 for our extremely popular Kipware® CNC XChange - Fanuc <--> Okuma Conversion software ... got it all ready for the future and added a ton of new and innovative features.
• We delivered a new conversational CNC programming application for Wire EDM, Waterjet and Plasma programming ... KipwareW®. We combined our older KipwareEDM® and KipwareJT® into a new product with lots of new features and enhancements ... with an interface that mimicks our other Kipware® conversational titles so integration is easy.
• We developed two new websites that key in on our business software ... www.MachineShopSoftware.com ... and our conversational software ... www.Kipware.com. These sites will help users not only find our products quicker and easier ... but will allow them access to sites dedicated to the type of products in which they have the most interest.
• Now that we revamped KipwareM® last year ... adding new and innovative features is quick and easy for our development team. In February we released (5) great new features including RAMPING, CUSTOM EIA CYCLES, MULTI-LOCATIONS for round pocketing and helical milling ... along with an increase in the number of cycles that can be associated with a single operation from (5) to (10).

And that's only in 2.5 months !!

What are we working on now !!
Here's a peek into the development construction site and what will soon be released :

• We are finalizing a complete re-write for our KipwareXC® - G Code Conversion software. We've added a brand new state-of-the-art interface using .NET4 along with TONS ... and I mean TONS ... of new and innovative features and conversion options. Release is expected mid-April ... stay tuned.
• Y AXIS MILLING for KipwareT®. We have started importing features we already have available for milling in KipwareM® and adapting them to a new Y AXIS MILLING option for KipwareT®. This will add another level of conversational programming for turning centers that will include KipwareT® for turning ... the Live Tool option for C axis drilling and milling ... and now the Y Axis option for Y axis milling. Release is also expected in April ... stay tuned.
• We have picked up our search for additional VAR's ( Value Added Resellers ) to enable easier access to our products ... a win-win for everyone involved. If you are interested in reselling Kipware® software ... please visit our Dealer page here : http://www.kentechinc.com/dealer.shtml

And that's just what is slated for one month ... April !!!

We continue to be inspired and driven by the famous words of chef @Emeril Lagasse ... "BAM ... Let's kick it up a notch !!"

Does your software provider deliver innovations and enhancements at a pace like this?
What has your software maintenance agreement got you in 2.5 months?

And don't be fooled by simple, underdeveloped "wizards". Kipware® conversational has fought to bring conversational programming out of the world of "wizards", after-thoughts and add-ons and into the world of professional programming applications since 1986. Kipware® has the real features for real world machining.

DUMP the Wizards ... 
GO PRO with Kipware® Conversational !!


Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.

Dump the G Code Wizards !!

As a developer of conversational CNC programming software since the late '90's ... one of the things that really gets me is the denigration of conversational software into the world of "wizards" category. Conversational software has proven to be one of the best investments you can make for your shop floor programming. Our marketing theme of "CAD/CAM Overkill" is a proven fact ... for the parts made on 95% of shop floors everyday ... CAD/CAM is not required ... can slow down the programming process ... and can remove perfectly good chipmakers from the programming process.

If you take a trip around the web ... you will find a number of "companies" that market their "wizards" for creating G code programs. The closer the look you take ... you will find that ALL treat their applications as after-thoughts ... shoved in on the back page ... given away for free ( because they don't want to support it ) ... and the development is totally incomplete.

Since the late '90's ... Kentech Inc. has taken our Kipware® conversational out of the shadows of after-thoughts and wizards and taken it to the professional level. Our development of our conversational software has led to many innovative features. Realizing that not all shapes are simple and easy ... we developed a new world CAD application. Our SketchPad dumps the unnecessary complexity of CAD programs for a simple, intuitive drawing application anyone can use. PC based conversational frees you from the tether of the machine control and gives you the power of conversational programming anywhere you wish from your desktop to on-the-go on your laptop.

We invite you to spend some time at www.Kipware.com and explore the differences between "wizards" and after-thoughts and a professional, CNC conversational programming applications ... Kipware® conversational.

Dump the Wizards ... 

Go PRO ... 

with Kipware® conversational !!

Kipware® and MACH3

We have been receiving a lot of inquiries lately regarding the compatibility of our Kipware® conversational CNC programming software and machines running the MACH3 controller software. MACH3 is a hobby controller software application that is used on a wide array of machines and machine tools that are converted from manual use to CNC.

KipwareM® ( milling ) is 100% compatible with MACH3. 

KipwareT® ( turning ) conversational module is about 95% compatible with MACH3. The Kipware® SketchPad is compatible with MACH3 regarding all finishing and contouring toolpaths created through the SketchPad. Roughing toolpaths created in the SketchPad utilize canned cycles ... which the limited MAC3 does not support. However ... we have made allowances to allow the user to create long hand G code ( which MACH3 fully supports ) through conversational menus. In essence ... you can create nearly every type of toolpath you require through KipwareT® ... and it will run in your MACH3 controller.

KipwareW® ( soon to be released - Wire EDM / waterjet / plasma ) is 100% compatible with MACH3. 

We just wanted to "get the word out" to those considering Kipware® conversational for their machines running MACH3.

We also wish to invite MACH3 users to explore Kipware® conversational in-depth as the differences between the limited MACH3 "wizards" ... as well as other "hobby" developers who tout their "conversational" applications ... and Kipware® conversational are extensive and important to consider.  Kipware® conversational includes an extensive and extremely flexible conversational module for standard toolpath applications combined with a powerful drawing and DXF importation application for those non-standard toolpath requirements. Kipware® conversational is proven-in-the-trenches for both the "hobby" machinist as well as full time, industrial metalworking facilities.

DUMP the "wizards" ... and GO PRO !!

We have worked very hard over the last 15+ years to take our Kipware® conversational out of the world of "wizards", "after thoughts" and "add ons" into the world of professional G code creation software. In addition, Kentech Inc. is a corporation ... our full time business is software development ... this is not a "hobby". Call our office ... you will talk with a real person. Kipware® is a registered U.S. trademark ... we have invested in our company and our products. We are and will always be committed to our products ... our clients ... and the constant improvement and enhancement of our software applications.

Kenney Skonieczny - President
Kentech Inc.