We have finally reached version 1.00!

Here is a list of new and improved features:

What's New

• Material Drop-Down list now shows 'X' on the row when the current Library Tool has Custom Surface Speed and Chipload settings.
• Load Tool dialog box now has Tool Type Icon. The same column shows a readable Operation Type Icon for finishing, roughing, etc.
• Drilling Tool Types now allow user to enter a custom Pecking value
• Milling Tool Types now have Editable Plunge RPM and Plunge Feedrate
• Milling Tool Types' updated Circle/Ramp Dialog now allows to specify whether ramp settings apply to Plunge feedrate of Milling feedrate

What's Improved

• Custom Speeds and Feeds tab on Edit Tool Dialog was improved with new buttons to reset custom Surface Speed and Chipload settings
  Glitch with certain diameters in metric mode being missed is fixed
• Load Tool/Cut Dialog box' Search was improved
• Load Tool/Cut Dialog box now features much improved tool and cut list with better readability and usability
• Ballnose Tools have been improved to better show changing effective diameter for different depths of cut.

Now, because a picture is worth a thousand words, here are some screenshots as well.

Updated and Improved Load Tool/Cut Dialog:

Note new Tool Type and Cut type Icons in the third column.Read More 

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!

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 

Version v0.735 has just been released.

We now have 2 new tool types: Counterbore and Chamfer Mill.
They were added to match with similar tools in most CAM packages

Also we now have tool simulation graphics in the Results' area new Tool tab.

Here is a simulation of the new Chamfer Tool type:

Capture Wizard now has Tab Name field that allows Wizard to only capture the Target window when selcted tab is active.

Also Detault Tool Type, Tool Material and Tool coating fields were added.
you can now specify which tool will be picked if Wizard fails to recognise the tool type.

Oh pardon me!

Forgot to mention: We now have Surfcam 5.2, BobCAD-CAM v25 and v26 integration profiles.
you can load those from Profile manager tab on Capture Wizard form.

On a side note somebody from SprutCAM has asked me to create a profile for their package.
Looke like they have demo available for download, so i will probably do that very soon.
As far as I know, I do not really have any customers using that CAM.

But hey, Things change!

We all love getting positive feedback on anything we do.

For example hearing "good job" from our bosses. Or "nice work" from our co-workers....
Okay, Okay bosses do not normally tell anyone "good job", but anyway that would be nice!

I also like reading e-mails which people all over the world send thanking me for my work on FSWizard and HSMAdvisor calculators.
Telling their success stories and suggesting new features.

Most seem very surprised when they send a question on weekend and receive an answer withing a couple of hours.

Often people send pictures of their work and links to their own web sites.

It is nice that more and more professional machinists are using my software, but seeing it help create a work of art is a special feeling.

One of recent customers Daniel Gentile, uses HSMAdvisor to calculate cutting parameters for his custom knife production business.

Here is what he has to say:

HSMAdvisor enables me to efficiently do the math that saves me not just a lot of time as I can confidently often use higher speeds but also a lot of money, as I tend to break less of those expensive 2 and 3mm carbide tools that see a lot of use on my folder production. Also because I work with a dozen different materials - from D2 steel to Titanium to Bronze - and a lot of different cutter types and finish requirements it's just nice not to have to work with "guess-work" for the feeds and speeds.

Daniel Gentile, owner of FERRUM D Gentile, custom Knives & forging classes.

Here is a link to his web site.
https://www.dgentile.com/

Here is a link to his portfolio page filled by pattern welded forged blades and katanas!
https://www.dgentile.com/portfolio.html

If you are a fan of old school forging, custom knives and basically anything to do with knives and blacksmithing, you have got to check it out!

Another week another update!

A few days ago a topic popped up in CNCZone's BobCad-CAM forums regarding why speeds and feeds in above mentioned BobCAM were so crazy and unworkable.

Users were complaining and raving about such a "simple" thing like a good speed/feed calculator being missing from there.

This is actually a trend in pretty much any other CAM software package.

They sell tool to create toolpaths.
Many give tools to create 2D geometry and even real solids.

But very few CAM packages offer anything that even remotely resembles working starting cutting parameters.

It does seem bizarre and strange. But every CAM program "knows" type of material being worked on. It knows type of tool, its diameter and length.
It even knows flute length, cutting depth, width, ramp angle... pretty much everything.

But given all that they are unable to combine all this data and produce Speed and Feed that would not either break the cutter or melt it into the work-piece!

Anyway. Back to the topic.

Someone on that forum thread mentioned my old FSWizard.
It sparked quite a lot of interest, and i popped in and dropped a link to the latest version of HSMAdvisor, so that they actually try and see what a good calc can do.

As a result i have received a ton of emails filled with suggestions and thank-yous.

Apparently many did not even know anything about it and were surprised how well it worked for them.
One guy who just bought a license even said that his copy already paid for itself several times over within the first couple of days of using it!

To thank for enthusiasm, i quickly implemented some of those suggestions and i am now releasing them in this version 0.710

New thing are

• Adjustable font size and style. (in Settings) Allows to adjust global application font.
• Adjustable default values for Speed&Feed Overrides, Tool Productivity, Deflection and Torque Limits. (in Settings) You can now set values to which overrides reset by default.
• New Plunge Feedrate field shows up for milling tools.
  Non-Center cutting tools like Indexed endmills etc. will have plunge feed equal Zero.

Thanks everybody for support and suggestions!

As usual you can download the latest release on the Download page.