A Help section for HSMAdvisor is something a lot of people have been asking for quite a while.

So this weekend i made a major push forward in that direction and completed several sections.
This also required me to modify the template a little bit to make it look easy to navigate and convenient.

I think i did a good job with it.
It is nowhere near finished. But it is a good start and already there is something to be learned form it.

This couple of days  i covered such topics as: License Types, Tool Type, Materials, Coatings, OS and Hardware Requirements. etc

Check it out HERE!

In the latest update to HSMAdvisor i have added Machine Definition Import and Export.

To bring a new machine in to the active machine list

• Click on "Edit" button next to machine list on FSWizard screen
  Machine Definition manager opens up and there you click on "Import" button.
• A standard windows file-open dialog appears prompting you to select a file that contains the machine you wish to import.
• After selecting a file and pressing OK, you will be asked to choose which machine you would like to import from the file.
  This is necessary as each file may contain many definitions.

To Export a machine or many to an outside file

(to share it with your friends, coworkers, or maybe even me)

• Click on "Edit" button next to machine list on FSWizard screen
  Machine Definition manager opens up and there you click on "Export" button.
• A dialog appears where you are prompted to choose which machines from your current list you would like to export.
• After choosing your machines, click OK and select a file where you would like to save your machine list.

I know you guys have created your own machines for your self.

If you could use this new feature and send me your machines, that would be super sweet!

You can also upload them onto our support forums by creating a thread.
If there will be enough interest i will create a forum sub-category where users would be able to share their machines with each other.

This weekend was very productive

I have finished work on floating license scheme and volunteers have begun testing it.

Licensing like that requires a lot of work on both the web side AND the client side. So a lot of things can go wrong and hopefully testing exposes all of the possible problems before a paying customer has the opportunity to face any.

Aside from cleanup here and there i have added the material search feature.

"Material" panel is now expandable and it is hiding a search field.
When you type anything into that field, material list right above will filter out items that contain the text being searched.
To clear search results user can just click the red x button to the right of the search field.

Here is how it looks:

You don't really need to click on the magnifying glass button as searing and selecting of material is done in real time as you type text.

In fact in many cases simply typing things like "D2" will select the material you need.

What's New:

• Material Search Feature
• Added several new machine profiles to the default machine list
  (When you install over existing installation, use machine import function to add them to your current machine list)
• Finished floating license module (pending testing)

What's improved:

• Added Aluminum 6061-T4 to materials list
• Fixed missing Aluminum 6061-T6
• Added floating pop-up box to pretty much all fields on the FSWizard screen
• Cleaned up various things.

Whats new:

• New "Reference" Tab now hosts all old Tap and Drill charts along with 2 new interactive Fastener Head Clearance tables (For SHCS and 82Deg FHS).
• New additions to Aluminum, Copper, Stainless and Steel material groups.

Fixed:

• Manufacturer Chipload loosing default value in metric mode condition fixed.
• Improved Plugin Download workings in "Plugins" page. Now external links do not get broken. Also it works a lot faster too.

So, Let's see what new goodies we got here.

As you see i re-arranged some stuff around.
All data tables are now in "Reference" tab. and all geometric calculators are not in "Geometry" tabRead More 

Another week - another HSMAdvisor update!

Yesterday i uploaded a newer version. You can download it already.

Major change is only one: I have finally come around to implementing a Turning surface finish calculator.

After selecting any Turning Tool type, a "Scallop" button on Comp. panel will open a separate Turning Surface Finish dialog.

As usual you can change the units of measure by clicking "Units in/mm" label in top right corner.

Default units will be the units of chipload.

Also a corner radius is needed for calculator to work.

Changing Feed per Rev. or Corner Rad. values changes Surface Finish and Scallop and vise-verse

After you click "Apply", proper feed override is applied to the final result to get the surface finish you desire.

Aside from this new feature a couple of things got improved and fixed as well

• First of all, i believe i have finally fixed a plagues that most of software running under Windows:
  Scaling issues under DPI greater than 96 were addressed and i think from this point on i should get much fewer reports about things being cropped off in wrong places.
  Still, if something looks odd on your system, please let me know!
• A new "Stickout" column was added to the Tool Drop-Down List
• Turning Cuts with mixed in/mm data saved in them used to have conversion issue.
  It has been fixed in this update.
• Also collapsing panels that used to close when another panel is being opened now operate independently.
  Many people as it turns out like ot have ALL of the panels expanded at the same time.

The current "15% Off HSMAdvisor" sale will run until August 4th.

Which here in Ontario is a statutory holiday.

I am not really sure what we are celebrating, but hey, as long as i get paid for staying at home, i don't care.

Just wanted to thank everyone for great support, for investing into YOUR software and for telling your friends and colleagues about it.

I strongly believe our pricing and conditions are VERY competitive and more and more of you agree with me on that every day. I am not even talking about the part that should You need anything improved, fixed or questions answered, i am always available.

I also wanted to let you in in what is coming regarding HSMAdvisor Speed and Feed software.

• The next course of action for me will be adding surface finish calculators to the FSWizard page.
  I have received a few requests for that, and about to start rolling those out.
• I will revisit myCut DB page.
  Tool database will have filters, that would allow users to only see the tools they need.
  You will be able to choose what tool table columns you want to see.
  I will add tool manager window that will allow to quickly show which tools need to be ordered. And create a purchase order right on the spot. Which you would be able to either export to excel, Word or just print out right away.
• I am still bearing the idea of a so-called group knowledge.
  I am not going to discuss what exactly i am thinking about. But this, if implemented would radically improve decision-making when it comes to machining.
  This last part is going to be the hardest one and involve great deal of plain hard work, so i am going to put it on a back-burner for now.

As you see we have lots more to come. And we are not even on to version 1.0 !

And the best part is, if you pitch in now, you will be able to enjoy all the updates and features i am talking about for free!

Take care.

Have a save work week!

For a limited time purchase any HSMAdvisor license at more than 15% discount.

We hadn't had a sale in quite a while, so i thnik it is time for one more to mark.....eh.. the very middle of the Summer!

It is July 15, and i just realized we are past half-way point and it is not long before summer is over.

Invest into software that takes "guess" out of your machine shop work!

One of the latest additions to HSMAdvisor speed and feed calculator is the ability to set manufacturer-recommended speeds and feeds for work-piece materials and groups of materials.

Here is a YouTube video walk-through showing how to add S&F tables into the program https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJOgWfgy99U

HSMAdvisor uses Brand Name and Series Name to assign speed and chipload tables to tools.

A new "Speed and Feed Source" (S&F Source) indicator has been added to quickly tell user which speed and feed table is being used right now.

Read More