Being as vast and as complex as it is HSMAdvisor Tool Database may seem overwhelming for many users despite all the benefits of using it.

To address this issue I have just added a new category to our HSMAdvisor on-line Help resource called Tool Database & Tool Inventory

Here is a the opening article of that category:

In all there are 5 articles in there already describing many of its functions in detail.
Please check them out if you are not sure what the Tool Database does and how to use it.

And as always: when in doubt - ASK :)

We have just released a pretty important HSMAdvisor v1.217 update!

I strongly encourage everybody to go ahead and install it as it contains some big improvements.

What is new and improved in this update:

• New Tool Database Status Indicator:
  Status Bar Indicator showing whether the Database file is being written, up to date or if write has failed
• A Warning now shows up when HSMAdvisor is closed with DB changes not saved.
• Now you can not close HSMAdvisor until Database file has been written to the disk
• A local backup copy of Shared database is now created on each computer for cases when connection is unavailable.
• Fixed the problem when new Tools and Cuts were not added to the shared database
• Fixed some (./,) locale-related problems.
• Fixed the problem of some settings not being saved.

I would like to explain one new feature here - The Tool Data Base Status indicator:

On the status bar of HSMAdvisor screen you can now see The Tool Data Base Status indicator (later DB Status) icon.

Read More 

HSMAdvisor the Hook for MasterCAM x9 has had massive changes since the last update

• Completely redone Operation Import/Export functionality
• Added "Insert Operation" command (Add it to MasterCam toolbar through Customize->Toolbars->HSMADVISOR->select item,select toolbar-> Add..)
• Reworked MC Toolbar Icons
• Better tool Recognition
• Added support for ALL milling (2d, 3d, HST) operations. 
• Fixed a huge number of problems including those with coolant, tool numbers and some unsupported operations.

HSMAdvisor hook for MasterCAM currently supports only MC x9.

Due to large amount of work I have done on x9 hook I decided to not port it to support x8. I simply have no time resources to do so. I only have one life you know!

Later versions of MasterCAM will, however, be fully supported.

Every month we are getting a good amount of feedback and suggestions.

Everything is getting prioritized and eventually implemented. Urgent stuff is getting done fast. And other "nice to haves" are getting pushed down according to their usefulness / difficulty (yes, everyone secretly wishes my program could also edit and create HSM g-code :)).

It is amazing, but almost half of HSMAdvisor's features were originally suggested by our loyal users!

The latest update HSMAdvisor 1.213 addresses some of the feedback I have received last couple of months.

So the New features are:

1. Smart Depth and Width of Cut (DOC/WOC) suggestion (user suggested)
2. Compressing of Shared Tool DataBases
3. Display of Stock status on Tool DataBase tables (user suggested)
4. Various little improvements like new Heli-Coil reference, better DOC/WOC calculation better multitasking, etc. (mostly based on user feedback)

Let's go over the most important ones here:

Read More 

I would like to thank each and every person who has helped us out on our many projects this year.

I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Thus I am kicking off the last sale of this year. It will run until January the 4th.

You can save 15% on all purchases over $90!

Cheers.

See you next year!

PS. I have just uploaded an update to address the latest feedback. Thank You and Enjoy.

There has been changes to HSMAdvisor CNC Machinist Speed and Feed Calculator Licensing Options!

From now on All new HSMAdvisor license purchases include access to FSWizard PRO for your mobile devices.

When a 1 or 3 year HSMA Subscription License is purchased, the FSWizard License will be issued for the same 1 or 3 year length of time.

When a Permanent HSMA license is purchased, your FSWizard PRO will be a permanent type as well and will never expire.

Happy Upcoming Holidays!!!!

Cheers from the whole Zero-Divide Family!

I personally use HSMAdvisor at work every day and trust its results 100%

I have to say my program now knows about machining more than i do. I certainly can not remember cutting speeds and feeds, reduction factors, depth of cut and a ton of other information for every material I have ever cut.

Now add to that the various possible combinations of tool/material/coating and it becomes a no brainier, that a good speed and feed calculator like HSMAdvisor saves a ton of time and money by improving your tool life and productivity.

It is not only good for HSM (High Speed Machining) but also for general machining, drilling tapping, you name it.

The algorithms it employs are far superior to what other calculators are using. Take for example the real-time depth of cut/deflection optimization, that other calculators do in a separate window and take a few seconds to complete.

Here is a quick video lesson where i show the steps involved in creating a simple contouring toolpath in MasterCam x9:

And here is the video of machining the actual part:

Sometimes I get asked whether hsmadvisor CNC Machinist Calculator is reliable enough out of the box.

I and many others test it at work every day. This 2"x1.5"x1.25" 4140 PH piece was programmed on masterscam with hsmadvisor speeds and feeds with all overrides set to default.

Worked out fast and awesome. As usual!

14497779489640.jpg

I regularly follow practicalmachinist.com forums.
Especially the cnc machining section of it.

I notice when CNC Speeds and Feeds questions come up people often suggest my HSMAdvisor Machinist calculator.
A referral by a satisfied customer is the best referral in my opinion. Thank you to everyone doing this great favor to me and my prospective users!

Other times users of HSMAdvisor question speeds and feeds it generates and instead of going to me, they ask on forums.
Which is always fine, because extremely often "wrong" results mean something wrong in users expectations or the data he feeds the calculator

In the process of discussion it usually turns out that the calculation results were correct, but because user decided to use a depth of cut or tool length, larger than he should have, HSMAdvisor compensates and gives a very conservative feed rate.

Just like in this forum post over here: Engraving with a 1/32 ball mill machinist wanted Read More 

Tool Inventory Control has been added to HSMAdvisor as a free feature for our customers.

Here is a quick video explaining how to use this new feature.

Should you have any questions or recommendations please let me know via email or support forums.