February 24, 2020
Version: 2020.0.6
Build: 202083
Release Notes - OptiNC 2020.0.6 Full
www.optinc.tech
In a continuing effort to provide high-quality products, this update introduces new fixes or addresses issues relating to the release. This document contains information about the fixes contained in this update.
General
- Added a new option in the finishing and roughing toolpaths forms that allows to definie the upper limit when creating the toolpaths.
- Added a new option in the of finishing and roughing toolpaths forms to select model surfaces by undercut.
- Added a new option in the plugin settings to check if updates are available.
- Fixed a bug that caused the feed and spindle speed to be set with decimal places.
- Fixed a bug that caused the plugin to crash when moving the feeds & speeds form during parameters loading.
- Fixed a bug that caused the default component thickness not to be correctly applied to selected toolpaths (Powermill 2020.2 or later)
Blown Block
- Added a new option that allows selecting a boundary as a limit to calculate the blown block.
- Added a new option that allows to define the tolerance when creating the blown block.
Finishing toolpath
- Added a new option that allows to calculate the boundary before calculating the toolpath.
Multiples parts machining
- Added a new user macro that is executed at end of gap’s positioning and setting, allowing higher customization in machining parts and electrodes.
- Now, it is possible to select the model and activate the block with a double mouse click on the texts P1, P2, etc.
Writes NC Programs
- Added a new user macro that is executed after writing each NC program, allowing higher customization when writing NC programs.
Ignore/machine Levels
- Now, it is possible to select levels, sets and clamps surfaces with a double click of the mouse on the name.
Creating NC Programs
- Now, when creating the NC programs, the plugin changes the output workplane of the existing NC programs according to the workplane selected by the user.
Setup Sheet
- Now, when creating the setup sheet, the plugin changes the output workplane of the NC programs according to the workplane selected by the user.
- Now, tool type is displayed in the correct language in the tool list.
- Fixed a bug that caused the image of the tool in the tool list to be in an inclined position.
- Fixed a bug that caused the block stay tilted on the setup sheet when changing the NC programs workplane output.
Drilling Wizard
- Now, when clicking on "Tag", if one or more holes are not recognized, the focus is changed to the "Add" tab.
Fixture import
- Fixed a bug that caused the vise and chuck settings to not to be correctly loaded when the Windows language was set to Turkish.
- Now, it is possible to configure a self-centering vise, with two positions for parts.
- Added 3 new vises on the database of vises and chucks.
Customer Error Reporting (CER)
- Fixed a bug that caused the OptiNC plugin to crash when selecting the material, when the Powermill project had been moved from the directory. (CER #284)
- Fixed a bug that caused the OptiNC plugin to crash when trying to import a “trode” file before the end of the exporting by Powershape. (CER #289)
General
- Added a new feature to select toolpath segments, limiting selection by segment length.
- Now, is possible to define the movement type in the start and end of the toolpaths in the plugin settings.
Drilling toolpaths
- Now, the thread pitch is automatically loaded (when "Auto load cutting depths" is enabled on the Powermill).
- Fixed a bug that caused the thread pitch to be multiplied by the number of tap flutes.
Hole feature sets
- Added a new feature for editing hole top and bottom coordinates: Absolute, relative to the block, and relative to the start or end of the hole.
Toolpath Wizard
- Fixed a bug that caused some toolpaths created by the Toolpath Wizard to use the wrong boundary.
Multiples parts machining
- Now, when creating/calculating toolpaths using the multi-part machining form, the plugin automatically corrects the "Bad Surfaces" error, if there are some.
- Now, when creating toolpaths using the "Z Limits" option, the GAP value is automatically compensated.
General
- Now the "corner radius (3D)" option is disabled when creating a new toolpath by the plugin. (Powermill 2020.0 or higher)
- Fixed a bug that caused the plugin not to initialize properly after a power outage and/or unexpected computer shutdown.
Create/Edit workplane
- Added a new feature to create workplanes on the part sides.
Hole feature sets
- Added a new feature for aligning through holes to the Z axis of the active workplane (in single and multi-axis hole feature sets).
- Added a new option to recognize holes in "both directions" in the active workplane.
- Now, when negative chamfers are deleted (in hole feature sets recognized with the "workplane active" option), the previous component is automatically extended.
Toolpath Wizard
- You can now control the threshold angle used by the finishing strategies in the Toolpath Wizard. Command:
PLUGIN {FBE6C44C-6B95-4708-870C-96B75F26A0F2} WIZARD_THRESHOLD_ANGLE 30
Customer Error Reporting (CER)
- Fixed a bug that was generated when trying to calculate a center drilling toolpath while Powermill was "busy". (CER # 237)
- Fixed a bug that caused the OptiNC plugin to crash when selecting an electrode/part at position 24 on the pallet. (CER # 243)
General
- Added the Spanish language in the user interface.
- Now, when calculating a toolpath through the plugin, if the calculation fails, the plugin will display a message stating the reason.
- Fixed a bug that caused the OptiNC plugin to crash when pasting invalid characters into alphanumeric fields.
Setup Sheet
- Now, custom images (toolpaths and NC programs) are no longer deleted when creating the user setup sheet.
- Added two new user macros that run when starting and ending each configuration setup sheet, allowing the configuration setup sheet an additional customization.
NC program verification
- Now, if possible, opening the NC program verification form, the plugin automatically selects the "Machine Tool" and "Model Location".
Multiples parts machining
- Added a new option that allows to compensate Z when applying GAP during multiple parts machining.
Boundary & Pattern
- Now, using boundary or pattern transformation forms, you can apply edits only to selected segments.
- Fixed a bug when scaling a boundary or pattern caused the scaling origin not to coincide with the active workplane.
General
- Fixed a bug that caused the OptiNC plugin not to initialize properly in Powermill 2020.1
- Fixed a bug that caused the replaced entity to be locked when editing toolpaths in batch (workplane, tool, pattern and boundary).
Writes NC Programs
- Now, when writing a NC program, the hole cycle output is only enabled if the toolpath cycle output is active.
- Fixed a bug that was generated when opening the NC program creation form in computers with i5 or i3 processors.
Create/Edit workplane
- Fixed a bug that caused the workplane name not to respect the value imputed by user.
- Fixed a bug that caused the workplane to be created misaligned when creating a workplane aligned with geometry.
Multiples parts machining
- Now, pallet configurations can be created with just one position.
General
- Added a new option in the plugin settings form that allows the user to choose whether to have the main plugin panel open floating or fixed in the Powermill vertical plugin window.
- Fixed a bug that caused a confirmation message to be displayed when activating a fixture if an active toolpath existed (message was only displayed in Powermill 2019.2.0 or later)
Hole feature sets
- Added a new option for compound hole recognition.
- Now, simple hole recognition is on average 60% faster.
- Added a new feature to edit existing hole feature sets (delete chamfers, undercuts etc)
Create/Edit workplane
- Now, it’s possible to create geometry-aligned workplanes when the "X" surface has an angle.
Block
- Added a new feature for multiple blocks creation by levels.
Toolpath Verifications
- Added a new toolpath check option that lets you create tool copies and adjust the overhang for each tool.
Speeds & Feeds
- You can now edit tool and toolpath coolant in the feeds & speeds form.
Naming toolpaths
- Now, when naming toolpaths, the strategy names are created according to the language in which Powermill is configured.
- Now, by marking/unmarking a toolpath as "attachment", the toolpath name is kept.
Drilling toolpaths
- Now, when creating a center hole toolpath in single hole feature sets, the plugin ensures that holes in the same position are drilled just once.
Toolpath Wizard
- Fixed a bug that was generated while capturing the colors of selected surfaces in the model.
General
- Added a new feature "Drilling Wizard" for drilling automation (Available for Powermill 2018 or newer).
- Added a new feature to replace selected toolpaths patterns without opening the toolpath form.
- Now, after some features execution, the plugin runs user-customizable macros, allowing a higher customization. (Creation and writing of NC programs, Setup sheet creation and Toolpath Wizard)
- Improved algorithm logic that identifies toolpaths stepover and stepdown.
- Fixed a bug that was generated when using single quotation marks in the project name.
- Fixed a bug that caused plugin crashing when opening multiple instances of the Powermill in a short time.
Hole feature sets
- Added a new option to delete undercut holes.
Toolpath Wizard
- Added a new option (Z limits) to limit finishing toolpaths in the Toolpath Wizard.
- Added a new option (Selected surface) to limit finishing toolpaths in the Toolpath Wizard.
Multiples parts machining
- Added a new feature to automatically distribute parts/electrodes on the pallet.
Setup Sheet
- Fixed a bug that was generated when setup sheets was created when there were no toolpaths in NC programs.
Speeds & Feeds
- Fixed a bug that was generated when opening Speeds & Feeds forms if a method toolpath existed in the Powermill explorer.
Blown Block
- Fixed a bug that caused the blown block thickness to be wrongly created when the "bottom workplane" option was active.
General
- Now, in the plugin settings, you can increase or decrease the scale/size of all plugin forms.
- Added a new feature for editing notes and description of NC programs and toolpath in batch.
Finishing toolpath
- Added a new strategy in the finishing toolpath form creation: Chamfer milling
Drilling toolpath
- Added a new strategy in the drilling toolpath form creation: Chamfer single peck
- Added a new strategy in the drilling toolpath form creation: Chamfer profile
- Added a new strategy in the drilling toolpath form creation: Deep Drill with intersections
Toolpath Wizard
- Added a new option in the toolpath wizard that allows the user to choose whether or not to calculate the constant z and constant spiral z considering the cusp.
Setup Sheet
- Added a new option that permits to choose whether NC program images and toolpaths should be created automatically when creating setup sheets.
- Added a new feature that allows to create a single setup sheet for each project.
Multiples parts machining
- Now it’s possible to create the toolpaths and perform the calculation on the multiple part machining in the form.
Writes NC Programs
- Fixed a bug that caused the NC program extension to be wrongly created when the option "Write a file for each toolpath" was enabled in the Powermill settings.
Create/Edit workplane
- Fixed a bug that was generated when creating a workplane in the center of a hole in projects with fixtures.
- Fixed a graphic bug that was generated when creating a geometry-aligned workplane.
General
- Added a new feature to ignore/machine levels in batch.
- Added a new feature to create multiple toolpaths copies.
- Improved speed calculation when editing lead-ins and lead-outs using the plugin's predefined shortcuts.
- Some buttons position have been changed in the main panel in order to improve workflows. Don’t worry, no feature has been removed.
- Fixed a bug that was generated when an empty model existed in the project.
Create/Edit workplane
- Added a new feature for creating multiple workplanes align with geometry.
Writes NC Programs
- Fixed a bug that caused the NC program not to be correctly copied to the DNC.
- Fixed a bug that caused the toolpaths rapid moves to be recalculated when writing NC programs, making writing slower.
Blown Block
- Fixed a bug that was generated when creating the blown block on selected surfaces when surfaces were set to 'ignore' in the default component thickness.
Fixtures
- Fixed a bug that caused the vise to be wrongly positioned when the user entered a non-zero rotation value and used the jaw position as a 'block'.
Setup Sheet
- Improved the creating speed of tool list in the setup sheet.
- Fixed a bug that caused the fixture not to be correctly displayed on the setup sheet when the user used the output workplane as 'global'.
General
- Default settings used to create the roughing strategies was changed. Now the roughing time is considerably shorter.
- Added a new feature to change the feature sets of the selected drill toolpath, without the need to open the toolpath form.
- Now, in the plugin settings is possible to define the distance of the radial and axial clearance in rapid movements.
- Added a new shortcut button on automated toolpath creation forms to open the active toolpath configuration form. (Roughing, Finishing and Drilling)
- Added a new shortcut button on automated toolpath creation forms to exclude the active toolpath . (Roughing, Finishing and Drilling)
- Now, if necessary, the block size is automatically adjusted when creating a roughing model profile.
- Now, when the plugin displays the message that there is no active block in the project, the block creation form is displayed automatically.
- Now, to facilitate revoke and license activation, the last valid serial key is saved and automatically displayed on the activation tab.
- Fixed a bug that was generated when editing leads and links in toolpaths that did not have tool.
Hole feature sets
- Added a new feature that converts the active multi-axis hole feature sets into 3-axis hole feature sets.
Boundaries
- Added a new feature to automatically replace boundaries of all project toolpaths.
- Added a new feature to calculate boundaries in batch.
- Added a new feature to send all uncalculated boundaries to the calculation queue.
- Added a new feature to invalidate selected boundaries in batch.
Speeds & Feeds
- Now, when importing tools from database or by template, the plugin automatically applies the user parameters, if they are saved in the user parameters.
- Fixed a bug that was generated when the "Speeds & Feeds" form was resized when updating the toolpath parameters.
Writes NC Programs
- Added a new configuration option that allows the user to manually choose the output path of the NC program.
Blown Block
- Added a new option that allows the calculation of the blown block considering the plans 'top' and also 'bottom'.
- You can now select model surfaces to calculate the blown block only in the selected region.
Finishing toolpath
- Added a new option in the finishing toolpaths form that allows the user to choose whether or not to calculate the constant z and constant spiral z considering the cusp.
- Fixed a bug that caused the offset flat finishing do not respect the limits selected in the model when the 'use existing boundary' option was active.
Fixtures
- Improved the speed at which the fixtures are displayed during the activation and deactivation of fixtures.
- Added a new feature that allows the user to disable fixation in the fixture manager.
- Now, in projects with only 1 fixture, by activating an opposite workplane, fixture is automatically disabled.
Setup Sheet
- Fixed a bug that caused the setup sheet image to be displayed incorrectly when the project had fixtures.
Multiples parts machining
- Fixed a bug that caused the electrode block (.trode) to be wrongly created (rotated).
General
- Now, when performance optimization is enabled in the plugin settings, OptiNC shortens the toolpaths form opening time on the Powermill.
- Now, if your computer is connected to the internet, the OptiNC license date is updated automatically in contract renewals.
- Fixed a bug that was generated when typing a value with multiple decimal separators in Datagrids. (User Error Reporting #60)
Fixture import
- OptiNC now validates the fixtures configuration xml file and informs the user if the configuration is not valid. (User Error Reporting #57)
- Fixed a bug that caused the parallel to be positioned wrong when importing vise.
- It is now possible to define jaws with different reference face heights for the same vise/chuck.
Toolpath Wizard
- Added a new method (insert model) to limit finishing toolpaths in the Toolpath Wizard.
General
- Added a new feature to view all toolpaths that use the active tool.
- You can now define in the plugin settings the output of a single NC Program for each setup sheet.
- You can now define an image of the machine tool in the Post-Processor settings.
- Now when the tool has no cut parameters configured, the Powermill default speeds and feeds are used.
- It is no longer necessary to write the NC programs before creating the setup sheet.
- Fixed a bug that caused the value of the maximum diameter in which holes should be capped was not respected.
- Fixed a bug when creating the NC programs when the workplane defined in NC program preferences does not exist in the project.
- Fixed a bug that was generated when importing user parameters and the user's base did not have parameters saved.
Multiples parts machining
- Added a new feature that allows you to separate the toolpaths created by folders.
- Added a new feature that allows you to reorder the toolpaths to get the smallest possible amount of tool change.
- Added a new feature that allows you to ignore the holder used to fixture the electrode/part.
- You can now choose the method for recognizing the lower bound of the block.
Toolpath wizard
- You can now define the block boundary (center or periphery) in processes.
- You can now individually calculate finishing strategies during editing/creating processes to test the result of the current configuration.
Speeds & Feeds
- Now you can activate/deactivate tools/toolpaths with a double click of the mouse.
- Now active tools/toolpaths are highlighted.
- Added a new option for pre-visualization of the tool.
- Added a new feature to update toolpath speeds and feeds using tool speeds and feeds.
Setup Sheet
- You can now use the user setup sheet (beta).
- Fixed a bug that caused the tool lists to be wrongly created when using the "list of tools per setup" option.
Create/Edit workplane
- Added a new feature to copy the active workplane.
Rename toolpath
- Fixed a bug when trying to rename a calculated toolpath with zero segments.
Hole feature sets
- Fixed a bug that was generated when the set of figures was empty during hole recognition.
General
- Now when there are no surfaces in the model with the colors defined in the process, the path is set to "batch off".
- Fixed a bug in the automatic creation of the stock model.
- Fixed a bug when creating user boundary on projects with fixtures.
Finishing toolpath
- It is now possible to limit the "Corner finishing", "Multi-pencil corner finishing" and "Pencil corner finishing" strategies by selected surfaces.
Multiple parts machining
- Fixed a bug in updating the number of active positions.
Create/Edit workplane
- Now the features for creating workplane do not consider the fixtures.
General
- Added new feature. Now is possible to define the skim feed rate for each postprocessor.
- Fixed a bug that happened during the stock model block replacement (when the block was not calculated).
- Fixed a bug that happened during a previously saved backup opening.
- Fixed a bug that happened during the stock model references automatic association (in Powermill 2019).
- Fixed a bug in automatic stock model management (in Powermill 2019).
Drilling toolpath
- Added new feature. Now is possible to define if cycles will be used in each drilling toolpath form strategy.
General
- Fixed a bug that caused numeric values to be displayed as "scientific notation".
- The number of decimal places of the numerical values has been set to 6.
- Numeric values are now correctly displayed in the Datagrid's.
- Now the thickness of the roughing form are updated correctly when the user changes the standard parameters in the plugin settings form.
- Now when you activate the plugin with a Powermill project already open, the part material is loaded correctly (if any).
- Now the "Roughing Face Milling" and "Model Profile" strategies when created by the roughing form, the feeds are set to "roughing" correctly.
Speeds & Feeds
- Fixed a bug that caused the speed & feed to be loaded with decimal values.
- Now the plunge feed is correctly updated when importing standardized and user parameters.
- Now the plugin does not return an error when user types a small value for the plunge feed and skim feed.
- Added new feature for plunge feed and skim feed batch editing.
- Now the user parameters are exported considering the "Identifier" of the tool and no longer the name.
- Fixed a bug that caused the machining times of the toolpath to be displayed in the wrong way.
- Data is now set to integers after user editing.
Blown Block
- Fixed a bug that caused the tool length to become too large after using the "Blown Block" feature.
Model Analysis
- Fixed an invalid data bug in model analysis - minimum radius.
User parameters
- Fixed a bug that caused user parameters not to be loaded correctly.
Setup Sheet
- Fixed a bug that caused special characters to be displayed incorrectly on the setup sheet.
Fixtures
- Added a new feature for creating user's setup.
General
- The installer now makes sure that the Powermill is not open during the install / uninstall of the OptiNC plugin.
- Added an option to disable additive manufacturing plugin during OptiNC startup (Powermill Ultimate 2019 or higher).
- Fixed a bug that caused the message "New version of the plugin available for update" to be displayed even after updating.
- Improved the logic algorithm for creating the project preview image.
- Added some information in the setup sheet.
- Fixed bug that caused the plugin to crash when the active workplane had a very long name (in projects with fixtures).
- Added a new feature to optimize Powermill calculation time. This feature reduces calculation times up to 5%.
- Fixed a bug that caused the plugin to crash during startup when the Windows user type were "Guest".
Electrode (.trode)
- Fixed some update bugs when importing electrodes (.trode).
Multiple parts machining
- Fixed a bug that caused reference parts / electrodes not to be erased when performing the calculation.
- Fixed a bug that caused the block dimensions to be wrong in the descriptive text.
Create/Edit Workplanes
- Fixed a bug that caused workplanes to be created in the wrong way when there were hidden models.
- Fixed a bug that caused workplanes to be created incorrectly when the selection method was "DRAG".
User parameters
- Fixed bug that caused the plugin to crash while deleting user base tools.
Writes NC Programs
- Fixed a bug that showed an algorithm bug instead an error alert, when trying to write NC program without success.
Transform pattern
- Fixed a bug that causes the active pattern to be disabled when "Transform pattern" form were open.
General
- Added option to disable robot plugin during OptiNC startup.
- Added to the installation folder the tools used in training.
- Fixed a bug that makes the plugin returns an error message during the calculation of some features (when toolpaths were queued processed).
- Fixed a bug that makes the Powermill 2019 to crash when creating setup sheets before writing NC programs.
Toolpath wizard
- Fixed a bug that makes process values do not be updated during user editing.
Multiples parts machining
- Fixed a bug that makes the final block size was wrong when creating a pallet (inch).
Create/Edit workplane
- Added a button to transform global space model for the active workplane.
Toolpath Verifications
- Added form to display toolpath status after collision/invasion check.
Create/Rename NC Programs
- Added the prefix field in the form.
For further information about OptiNC and its system requirements please visit
OptiNC Overview.
We thank all our customers who identified these issues and reported them to OptiNC. These reports give us the opportunity to improve the product and provide you with the best solutions for manufacture automation. OptiNC also thanks you for your continued support and feedback regarding the content of this update release.
Respectfully,
OptiNC Product Team
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