Trial Reset For Everybody!

I have just uploaded another update to HSMAdvisor. You can download the updated version over here -> http://hsmadvisor.com/index.php?page=Download

This update resets trials on ALL unlicensed computers.

In it i addressed some of your concerns  regarding readability of the screen.
A qualified committee, consisting of me and my lovely wife, who no-doubt has better taste than me, decided upon the new screen layout.

Behold:

Basically i am returning to the old layout where controls are grouped in blocks and not in rows like in previous version.

Please let me know if you have any feedback and want something improved upon!

Other new things in this update include 2 new high performance coatings - nACo and nACRo.

Also in this update i improved licensing by granting floating license holders a grace period when they are unable to connect to the server.

I listen to my customers.

A lot of people really favoured the old interface. At first i thought it was more about getting used to something new. But i myself had hard time getting into the workflow after a few days of away from my program.

The last straw was when i accidently opened a screenshot of the old interface.

I saw how clean and simple my original design was.

Whole last week i spent re-aranging things around. Those of you who liked the old interface will surelly love what i have done.

To let people whose trial has run out try the imorovement, i am resettimg trial counters in the very next update.

Keep checking here for the update announcement!

Whats New:

• Update Notification Added
  (when a newer version is available you will see a notification on the bottom of the HSMAdvisor window)
• Number of Flutes and Corner Radius now display on the Tool Drop-Down list

Whats Improved:

• Chamfering tools improved significantly. Almost everything has been redone and works very solid.
• High Feed Mills Tool Display has been changed and internal model has been improved.
  Tip Diameter now specifies the maximum Diameter of the mill.
• A typo has been fixed in the material list. Now It displays 15-5 Stainless steel instead of 15-8

Here is how  Update Notification looks:

Since you will be downloading this very update it will say you are up to date.
But next time i upload something, you will know right away!

Also Big changes happened to chamfering tools:

Read More 

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.

I have recently published an update for both Android and Iphone versions.

Mainly i have fixed radial chip thinning for ballnose endmills.

I also added Axial, Radial and Compound Chip Thinning factors display in both cut depth/width panel, as well as Result panel.

So now you can see how parameters, you are entering, are affecting your thinning factors.

Observe the attached screenshots and download the update it you have not already!

Cheers!

Cut Panel Result Panel