We all have heard hundreds of times that when chatter is happening during machining, we should reduce our feed rate. The same advice we also hear for compensating for extra-long tools and unstable setups.

Let me explain why I think this is mostly incorrect.

Let’s list  the effects of reducing the feed rate:

1. Reduces tool life.
2. Reduces productivity.
3. Increases deflection.
4. Causes chatter.

Let me explain from my own experience and research I have made each of these points and a simple way to avoid chatter's adverse effects.Read More 

From this point on, all holders of valid HSMAdvisor licenses will be eligible to free Life-Time updates and upgrades to their HSMAdvisor product.
Likewise there is not going to be a big functionality jump between the version 1.99 and 2.0 like in some other software products.

This release model is called "rolling release" and it is becoming the new industry norm.
It offers smoother transition and no steep learning curve for existing users. It also helps prevent unavoidable bugs when a large amount of changes is introduced all at once.Read More 

Latest advances in tool technology make milling of high carbon and tool steels as reliable and predictable as benign aluminium alloys.

In this video a large 4140 steel component is being roughed out at 2700RPM and 600 inches per minute.
While achieving  impressive material removal rate (20 pounds of steel machined off in a matter of half an hour!) the tool life puts the old school square shoulder endmills to shame.

Yes, it could(and should) have been machined using a bigger cutter, but I wanted to put the tool to the test.
And it performed beautifully: Was able to surpass the recommended starting speeds and feeds by at least 170%!Read More 

Look for the HSM machining of the round central pocket in the beginning.
Here we have a 12mm 6 flute Coated hi-performance endmill, cutting 1" deep at 0.047" (10%) rWOC.
at 10000 RPM and 300 ipm feedrate. the chipload works out to be 0.005". Material is 4140 pre-hardened steel.

Impressive isn't it?
Those results have been achieved with uber-expensive BlueSwarf tap-test technology.

This is one video that caught the eye of one of my HSMAdvisor trial users:

Being a geek and wanting to help the user make the right decision I immediately punched the numbers into my HSMAdvisor app.

Here is what I've got:Read More 

I would like to announce the launch of a brand new product called HSMCode.

HSMCode combines the power HSMAdvisor speed and Feed calculator, its advanced Tool and Cut Database and the new functionality of HSMCode into one seamless product!

What does HSMCode Do?

HSMCode allows you to create ToolPaths from imported CAD or Solid geometry with ease.

All you need to do is pick features that need to be machined and HSMAdvisor will pick the most suitable tool, calculate proper speeds and feeds and then HSMCode will generate the G-Code for your machine

As simple as that.

You can also create additional geometry using an in-built CAD designer and Simulate your Toolpaths to verify the correctness of your work.

The sales will begin in a couple of months on June 31 2016!

Please contact me if you would like to test the early demo version, affect the development of the software and (depending on the value of your input) receive your Lifetime Subscription for free!

Cheers!

Let us kick off the first HSMAdvisor sale of 2016!

Until April 1st save 15% on all HSMAdvisor purchases over $90

You can buy a 3 year subscription for $82
A Lifetime Subscription for just $165

Offer is combinable with our standard 30% multiple seat discount!

So, you can save even when buying the 2 seats of one year subscription.

Check our web store for updated pricing: http://hsmadvisor.com/index.php?page=buy

Happy Easter and have a Good Long Weeken

It does not annoy me anymore!

Originally this part was programmed for and machined in 6061 aluminum, but when production run came, material was changed to HRS and then to SPS (4140).

Luckily reprogramming using HSMAdvisor hook for MasterCAM is a bliss.

Mere 5 minutes and all speeds, feeds, depths of cut, etc. were changed to safe and productive values.

New Material

I just have to tell.

I know, I know I should not. But I am working on a very cool feature right now and I am extremely happy and proud with how well it comes together.

Okay. I can tell you that it has a word "Cloud" in it and that I have VERY high hopes for it.....Once fully implemented it will unite all of our Speeds and Feeds products in a huge way.

Keep tuned in. Closed testing is about to start very soon.

If you would like to participate in something groundbreaking and new, shoot me an email!

Only license holders can apply, though. I don't want it to leak too early.

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