Release Notes

Enclosed you will find the Release Notes Version 5.13: Release Notes Version 5.13 (PDF)

Enclosed you will find the Release Notes Version 5.12: Release Notes Version 5.12 (PDF)

General customizations

• Saving the sorting on the most used pages
  When sorting the table of the tool overview, e.g. by diameter, and then calling a tool, the sorting was lost afterwards. With this update, the sorting remains on many pages.The sorting is saved for the respective pages:
  • Order page
    • open
    • closed
  • Order detail page
  • customer page
  • customer details
  • Tools
    • Complete tools
    • Cutting edges
    • Holder
    • Intermediate holder
  • Infrastructure
    • Storage locations
    • Tools
    • Accessories
    • Measuring equipment
    • Tool24

Tool management and CAM

• Improved view on the tool page
  As part of our improvements to the search and filtering of tools, the first step was to improve the view of the tool page. Here, the table for complete tools, cutting edges, basic tool holders and intermediate tool holders has been adapted.
  These views are now also available for the storage locations for an improved overview.
• Improvement of the Hoffmann tools enrichment process
  When importing tools, they can be enriched with additional information if they are Hoffmann tools. The data is now retrieved "live" from the Hoffmann database. Furthermore, the overview and traceability of the data has been improved. Differences between the imported data and the Hoffmann catalog data are now color-coded. Thus, the new Hoffmann catalog is available with the update.
• Extension of the generic import
  Generic import now supports up to 3 intermediate shots. (Previously one intermediate shot). Furthermore, the Assembly Short Name field has been added. The allowed number of characters (numbers) of the T-numbers has been increased from 6 to 8. Also, the arrangement of the columns has been optimized.
• Adaptation of the tool import from Solidcam 2020
  The name of the cutting edge is now read from the "Description" field in the Solidcam tool database (previously, the name of the cutting edge was the same as the name of the complete tool). The name of the complete tool is still read from the "ID No." field.

Machine connection

• Download of all files in the machine folder
  If an operation is completed, Connected Manufacturing currently downloading all NC programs ("Complete and download all NC programs" function) to Connected Manufacturing. Thus, all NC programs (original and optimized) are available to the user.
  With the update, Connected Manufacturing (now also for machines with Heidenhain control) downloads all files that are located in the folder (Task_ID XY) on the machine control. Furthermore, it is possible to limit the download to certain file types (file extension). If you have a need for this, please contact us and arrange a service appointment for the configuration of your machine. For you as a Connected Manufacturing user, this is completely free of charge.
• Further paths for the machine folder
  In the future it will be possible to extend the NC file storage on your machine control by further folder structures.If you have a need for this, please contact us and arrange a service appointment for the configuration of your machine. For you as a Connected Manufacturing user, this is completely free of charge. New folder structures:
  • Assembky number
  • Assembly name
  • Component name
• Machine Programming
  Prior to this update, users who wrote their programs on the machine control had to send an empty NC file to the machine so that the created program could be transmitted back to Connected Manufacturing and thus the status of the operation could be displayed accordingly in Connected Manufacturing.Now it is possible for Connected Manufacturing to automatically create the familiar "folder structure" on the control and write the appropriate machine program here.This requires a setting on the corresponding machine in Connected Manufacturing.To do this, go to Settings > Infrastructure > "Machines" > Edit > "Manually set operation status".So, an operation assigned to a machine can be manually set to "Ready". This creates the known folder structure on the control and programming on the machine can begin. As soon as the NC program is in this folder, Connected Manufacturing can establish the connection to the operation.

Order management

• Orders and operations can be completed directly
  With the update, it is possible to complete an order or operation at any time, even if it has not yet been started. Previously, all operations within an order had to be completed.
  After an order has been completed, it is immediately moved to the "Completed" tab (previously "Archive"). If there are still programs in the download, this is done in the background.
  This process is only possible if no programs are currently running on a machine or if transfer processes are currently running.
• Assemblies
  Connected Manufacturing previously only allowed you to create workpieces within an order. With the update it is now possible to create and manage workpiece assemblies as well.
  One or more components and one or more operations can be assigned to an assembly. As before, components can contain one or more tasks.
  To make the navigation easier within an assembly, it is possible to scroll between the individual workpieces (top right).
• Order progress bar
  Currently, the progress of the completed operations is displayed via a progress bar in the order overview.
  If an individual order is called up, a more detailed display appears in the overview.
• Search function within an order
  At order detail level, it is now possible to search by part/assembly number or name, as well as by drawing number. This is especially helpful for larger orders with many items.

Tool management/handling

• Additional tool information
  For an improved overview, general tool information is also displayed in the side "pop-up menu" of the individual tool. This avoids switching between multiple pages.
• Improved error descriptions
  Some error messages in connection with "Link tool to a machine" have been enriched with additional information. This makes it easier to search for the cause of the error. E.g. machine memory (tool list) full
• Enrichment of technical data Hoffmann article
  During a CAM import Connected Manufacturing checks the individual components for Hoffmann articles and enriches them with additional technical information. This recognition process has been improved with this update.

Order management

• Exchange of NC programs
  Currently, it is not possible to exchange NC programs for an operation that has already been started. A cumbersome creation of a new operation was necessary until now. With the update you now have the possibility to exchange NC programs and send them to the machine tool again. To do this, edit a paused operation and add the new NC programs. These can then be sent to the machine.
  Note: Exchange can take place during a paused operation. For safety reasons, make sure that the machine tool is not in machining.
• Task with attachments
  With the update, files (e.g. drawings) can now be attached to a working task and are available at any time.
• Attachments for orders
  With this update, files (e.g. delivery bills) can now be attached to an order and are thus available at any time.
• Duplicate order number
  Already in the last update a small adjustment was made here. Now, when entering an order number, it is completely checked whether this has already been assigned.
• Workpiece blank dimensions
  When creating a part, the dimensions can now also be stored.
• Orders progress
  The order overview is now enriched with a progress bar and an overview of completed operations.
• Order position
  When creating parts, they can be assigned a corresponding position number. The default setting is in steps of 10.

Bugs

• Tool24 interface
  Previously it was only possible to reserve Tool24 items if there was at least one existing reservation in the system. This is now fixed, a reservation is possible at any time.

Additional note:
Planned for this release was a function for the general completion of orders. This function was intended to make it possible to complete all underlying components/operations with one "click" via a created order.
Due to technical rework, we will not yet publish this function in this release and will therefore probably publish it with the next software version.

Order management

• Provide orders/ components with a label
  Orders e.g. "rush orders" can be provided with a so-called label for a better overview. This label "inherits" to all underlying components and operations and are therefore visible on every page (e.g. infrastructure). Individual components of an order can also be provided with this label. These are then inherited to the operations of the component.
• Order status
  In the order overview, individual orders are given a status for a better overview. This shows whether work on the order has already started or is still in "planned" status.
  "Blue" - order already started
  "Gray" - order in status planned
• Workpiece details
  Workpieces that are created can be enriched with several additional pieces of information, including drawing number and part number. In addition, workpieces within an order receive an order item, which can be entered individually.
• Order number logic
  Currently, it is not possible to use identical order numbers with the same customer reference when creating a new order. In the future this will be possible, but the user will be informed about the duplication via a window. For orders that have already been completed and are copied (e.g. for rework), it is often desired by users to use the same order number. This is also made possible.
  Note: In the future, the check for uniqueness of the order number will happen, even for different customers. An information window will also appear here.
• Work step - note field
  Operations now have a note field
• Start operations - "Not connected machine
  In the past, operations could only be started via the "Infrastructure". In the future, these can also be started via the routing.

Tool management

• Tool overview
  The general tool overview page has now been extended to 100 elements per page by default (previously 50).
• Tool handling between "Unconnected machine" à "Connected machine"
  Direct linking of tools is now possible without prior linking to a storage location.
• Tool change messages
  With the update, messages of tool changes on a machine tool are no longer displayed. However, important messages are still displayed to the user.
• Improved wording - Renew cutting edge
  An existing tool can be provided with a new cutting edge as usual via the "Three-point menu" and via "Edit". The wording for the removal from a storage bin has been adapted and improved accordingly.
• Tool life
  If tool lives are assigned via "general information of the tool" using the "3-point menu", these tool lives will be inherited for newly created tools in the future. These can still be changed individually afterwards.
  Note: If you have already created several tools without a tool life of a tool type, you can subsequently assign a tool life for all of them via the "General tool information". Individual tools that already have a tool life will not be overwritten.

CAM Imports

• General CAM Import
  Under "Settings" and "Tools (CAM)" the import page has been adapted. Users select here the corresponding CAM system from which tools should be imported.
• SiemensNX
  With the update, tools can be imported from SiemensNX into Connected Manufacturing. Two data sets are required for this, the cutting database and the holder database.

Presetting devices

• Garant VG1 connection
  With the update it is also possible to transmit the measured value "R2" (corner radius) to Connected Manufacturing correctly.

General

• Stability improvements and bug fixes

• Adjustment data upload for parts
  Limit has been increased and also non-pictures can be uploaded now.
• Tool search
  In the overview of all tools, the search has been optimized accordingly. Free text search as well as the search for T-numbers has been improved.
• Generic CAM Import
  The import file has been extended accordingly.
  e.g. number of teeth, cutting edge length, point angle, max. point angle, max. tool life, cutting direction, thread pitch
• Tablet usage
  In many places the user interface has been adapted and improved for tablet use.
• Troubleshooting during material search
  During the material search, the selected material was occasionally displayed incorrectly.
• Mastercam
  Improvement of the import of different holder types. Holders with or without taper specification are processed accordingly by specifying the holder type in Mastercam.
• Maximum data upload
  Larger files can now be uploaded to the cloud
• Deleting/completing operations
  Tasks where NC programs could not be completely uploaded or downloaded, leaving the task status unchanged, can now be completed.
• Path indication
  Display of the path (NC program on the machine control) in the operation overview.
• Tool24
  Allocation of articles via the article number improved.