New zeroing/mapping to cost $$$$$

Discussion/questions about software used with your CNC Shark and programming issues

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crpntrRon
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2012 10:28 am

New zeroing/mapping to cost $$$$$

Post by crpntrRon »

Just got off the phone with tech support and the new zeroing/mapping software will be available in the next week or 2, no exact date available.
It will have a cost attached to it, they said, between $100.00 -$150.00
Is it just me feeling like there is NO customer service AFTER you have bought a shark?
I read about the upgrades thru email alerts from Rockler, not NWA
then I call NWA to get some insight and there not sure when or how much?????

Oh well, live and hopefully learn from this purchase.....

Ron

Tim Owens
Posts: 361
Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2010 3:51 pm

Re: New zeroing/mapping to cost $$$$$

Post by Tim Owens »

The release date for anyone that had a Black Diamond or Mako is Oct 15. A link will appear in the downloads area and you can use the code that shipped with your unit to activate the software. For anyone that would like the software will setup a purchase link in our forum and Store and you can buy it there for 149.99.
This is not only the Virtual Zero but a whole new software control panel 2.0. This has a number of new advancements including showing your bit position and the part you are going to do. We will have the manual out as well with screen shots on the site.

milo30
Posts: 553
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 9:21 pm

Re: New zeroing/mapping to cost $$$$$

Post by milo30 »

I don't understand the need for the mapping software. Maybe I am missing something. Wouldn't it be cheaper just to stiffen the table so it didn't bow and cut out all of those steps on every project? I have the pro so I just threw a 2nd sheet of MDF on it and now there is no flex. To me it is like having bad brakes on a car. Instead of repairing them we look for something to make us brake sooner so that they will stop in time. Like I said, maybe I am missing something.

Tim Owens
Posts: 361
Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2010 3:51 pm

Re: New zeroing/mapping to cost $$$$$

Post by Tim Owens »

The Virtual is not to fix any issue in the Table top but to follow the boards layout or warping.
All cnc machines have to have spoil boards that are machined to be flat (including 100K+ mulitcams). This is for 2 reasons 1 is to have something under you material in case you cut though the material but the second is that the base structure can change with the environment. Since our machine is a desktop and in contact with a table that might not be stable this can compound the problem. With this tech we have removed a lot of issues that might come up. Not only a distorting platform if that is a problem but warping of boards. On any cnc machine if your board is warped you are not going to get a clean cut even if you have a perfectly flat table. But with the Virtual Zero you can follow a path that will average out the distortion giving you a cut that would not fade or get deeper as you moved around the material.

baby15
Posts: 199
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2011 4:48 pm
Location: lockport ny

Re: New zeroing/mapping to cost $$$$$

Post by baby15 »

so we are getting 2.0 software plus virtual 0 for 150.00 right

GullyFoyle
Posts: 74
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2013 12:04 pm

Re: New zeroing/mapping to cost $$$$$

Post by GullyFoyle »

Tim Owens wrote:The release date for anyone that had a Black Diamond or Mako is Oct 15. A link will appear in the downloads area and you can use the code that shipped with your unit to activate the software. For anyone that would like the software will setup a purchase link in our forum and Store and you can buy it there for 149.99.
This is not only the Virtual Zero but a whole new software control panel 2.0. This has a number of new advancements including showing your bit position and the part you are going to do. We will have the manual out as well with screen shots on the site.
Is Control panel 2.0 free or not? My machine is far less than a year old therefore any software update to control panel should be covered.
What this sounds like is if you do not pay for the 2.0 you will NEVER receive updates and patches.
It isn't unprecedented.Many companies make the original software obsolete forcing users to continually spend money on the newest bestest version.
And newest bestest may be buggy crappy, right Microsoft.

jeb2cav
Site Admin
Posts: 1524
Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2010 7:04 pm
Location: Kentucky
Contact:

Re: New zeroing/mapping to cost $$$$$

Post by jeb2cav »

This post may answer your questions -http://cncsharktalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3101#p17811. But I'm not sure if it will in fact answer your questions. As Tim Owens stated in the quote you copied and pasted, if you purchased a Mako or Diamond, Rockler bundled this optional software into your purchase. If you didn't purchase a Mako or Diamond, then you can choose to purchase it for $149.99.

GullyFoyle
Posts: 74
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2013 12:04 pm

Re: New zeroing/mapping to cost $$$$$

Post by GullyFoyle »

That read like test marketing.
As if we will see "crippled" freeware for the majority but when we "choose" to adopt the software which has better options we need to pay.
In other words the topic was not reassuring.

jeb2cav
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Posts: 1524
Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2010 7:04 pm
Location: Kentucky
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Re: New zeroing/mapping to cost $$$$$

Post by jeb2cav »

There nothing crippled about the Shark Control Panel that comes with the Shark. It won't have the virtual table capability, it won't display your tap file on the screen in 2D. It will continue to get incremental enhancements and bug fixes within the scope of a 'free' control software. But it's not crippled.

With regard to paying for the optional software - like many things in life, it cost money to develop and field things, and to stay in business - and to be profitable - at least that's my experience. I can't speak to why NWA is going this route, but is it different than other control packages in this regard (or even Vectric's software which has a maintenance fee associated with it) - I don't see that.

You can in fact achieve every aspect of successful operation and outcome using your Shark using the 'free' version as you can with the paid for version - just a different workflow. No different than choosing to purchase a touch plate to perform zero operations than choosing not to purchase a touch plate.

GullyFoyle
Posts: 74
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2013 12:04 pm

Re: New zeroing/mapping to cost $$$$$

Post by GullyFoyle »

I can download and use the free version of NetFabb. Only certain actions can be used. I need to pay for a fuller non-crippled version that allows for complete actions.
Control panel 2.0 is the non crippled version. Why not simply release zero mapping as a separate app or an add on? Why integrate it with something called control panel 2.0?
To market "CONTROL PANEL 2.0" .
Newest and bestest because every company needs to squeeze as much profit as they can during our economic hard times.
I have no problem with honest capitalism. But at some point this will impinge on the free control panel, well not free because we all spent mucho bucks on our various machines.
I may be cynical, but you can easily test my theory by keeping this post and reminding me if I am wrong. Make that two or three years from now, so everything can settle and the business model can be in full swing.

Riddle me this, will zero mapping work without the touch plate?
If not that adds the price of a touchplate to the app.

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