Looking for DNC communication software for your CNC machines, Robots, or PLCs for your shop? Kremin can help you narrow it down. We recently picked up Cmico DNC-Max to gain more control over our programs, as well as clean up our electronic mess. Not going to lie, we’re a little impressed with the results.
Video Transcript:
Between carrying memory sticks back and forth, file organization, and just a general electronic mess, our Swiss Department was really struggling. We acquired software to help us clean it all up, and I’m going to show you that today. We brought Simco in to solve some of our electronic messes. For a long time, we moved program files back and forth using different styles and memory sticks. We had to organize all of our files using whatever method we came up with in Microsoft File Explorer, and it became really cumbersome. When you’re using Microsoft File Explorer, you have to already know what file it was put in and how it was named. This organizational method can be particularly challenging for new employees, who have to learn all these details.
To address these issues, we brought in Simco and their DNC Max software, which not only allows you to edit but also organize your files in a much simpler way than what we had before. For example, as a machinist at the machine, instead of grabbing a memory stick and bringing it back, I can just call up a window on the machine itself and ask for a program. We now name programs via the part number, which is part of the code within the program. This naming convention is consistent across all of our programs, regardless of the different styles of naming conventions used by different machines.
With Simco, if I hit the explore button, I can access the entire database and look for anything I need. We have organized our programs by part numbers, and other columns provide details such as the description, how it was imported, and which machine it’s on. One important detail to note is that if you write a program for an A20 machine, you can’t just use it on an L32 without making some subtle changes. This adds another layer of complexity when searching for programs, but with Simco, it’s much easier to manage.
Now, with all this information stored within the programs and easily searchable by Simco, I can find any particular program I need. If I know the part number, I can search for it without worrying about which machine it was originally run on. All fields are searchable, allowing us to find a program without needing to know its exact location or file name. It’s like having a powerful search engine for our files.
When it comes to sending and receiving files, we do everything electronically now, which is fantastic. The machinist no longer has to walk back and forth with a memory stick. Additionally, it allows us to track revisions. For example, if a machinist updates a program to make it run faster or better, they send it back, and it goes into a queue. I can then review the changes, decide whether to keep them, and ensure we always have the latest version of our programs.
An added benefit of getting the DNC Max is that we no longer need another program for all of our programming for the Swiss machines. We can do everything in Simco, including writing new programs and creating macros to save time. These features have significantly improved our efficiency and organization.
If you are a small to medium-sized shop struggling with file transfer and organization, especially if you run Swiss machines, I highly recommend giving Simco a look. They solved many of our issues and were incredibly helpful along the way. If you have any questions about the software, leave a comment below. Otherwise, please like and subscribe—it makes Mike and Trevor so happy, and I need them to stay happy.