[Dolphin USA]

We are always looking for suggestions from our valued customers. What would you like to see most in our future releases?

This question applies to everyone. As much feedback as possible would be great. Even if you don't chat much on the forums, let's hear you're thoughts!!

[rodjava]

V carve features!
Ability to custom make tool bit profiles like 90 degree v bits.

Thanks for asking.

Rod
San Francisco

[mrcodewiz]

automatic tabs would be awesome!

[sqatch]

Courser location readout would be a nice feature and a way to shut off error messages in D-cad. You know the one that pops up when you miss when selecting, its a bit annoying to have to shut it down and try again when I already know I missed the mark.

[Teyber12]

Whenever i import a .dxf from autocad, i always get problems when making nc contours saying its not closed, or im-properly reads the file. no big deal but if it could be fixed it would be nice.

I also have not gotten z axis profiling to work.

[dblox]

The ability to designate a section of contour as a "shelf", or open area where the cutter moves past the center point, without interfering with other portions of the contour, for the machining of pockets or slots which have one or more open sides.
If all portions of the contour were designated as "open", an area clear would face off a part, while still allowing islands to remain. Imagine facing off a wheel but leaving the hub at the correct dimensions.
Or any other method of eliminating the need to draw these overshoots in manually on the CAD side.

[mrcodewiz]

The ability to designate a section of contour as a "shelf", or open area where the cutter moves past the center point, without interfering with other portions of the contour, for the machining of pockets or slots which have one or more open sides.
If all portions of the contour were designated as "open", an area clear would face off a part, while still allowing islands to remain. Imagine facing off a wheel but leaving the hub at the correct dimensions.
Or any other method of eliminating the need to draw these overshoots in manually on the CAD side.

+1 - I frequently have to draw a 2nd shadow outline of a piece to get it to face properly.

[Teyber12]

+2 on that

[Ron Dunn]

As someone who evaluated Dolphin then chose another product, I'd like to have seen stronger compliance with a Windows user interface. Too much of the Dolphin interface was "weird".

If Dolphin is a user's first major Windows application they'll never know the difference. But when you live with software 7 days a week the differences stick out like dogs' testicles.

[mrcodewiz]

Just curious - what was an example of what you found 'weird'?

[Ron Dunn]

I'd have to do another install to give an accurate opinion, but from memory it was the object selection method, and the way the toolbars worked.

I'm on the wrong side of 50, so make allowances for fading memory

[dblox]

Have a setting for lead in / out feedrate as a percentage of the main feedrate. This would allow the cutter to completely engage the work before the full feedrate was commanded, I hear it improves tool life.
You can do this currently but only if your lead in has a Z axis motion too (unless I misunderstand something?).

What I would really like to see is a smart drilling function which leads into the hole at a reduced feed, completes the canned drilling cycle as specified, then reduces the feed while breaking through the material on a thru - hole. This is for controlling the entry and exit burr without compromising cycle time.

Although far above all other suggestions, I would really love Dolphin CAM to reduce the feedrate of a cutter while approaching an inside corner of a pocket. Some sort of algorithm which dropped the feedrate to 70 percent exactly one radius of the cutter away from a change of direction.

[harley4ever]

Iges import

[klrskies]

Your 2-1/2D CAM package and tech support is really pretty good for light duty and entry level applications, but many users will eventually need more capability...You need to offer a good 3d CAD and CAM package.Make it possible to draw in 3d and cut in more versatile 3d with an interface thats similar to your current 2-1/2 D format.

Your CAD is a CAD....if you didn't have a CAD package at all, it lets you draw...but not very powerful, friendly, or 3d.

I bought a seat of the BOBCAD v23 because I need more 3d capability. I'll choose one to continue on with... whichever package serves me best.
regards,
Ken

[Teyber12]

you should be able to create cnc profiles/contours with the geometry in the cam module not cad, it would save time when importing .dxf et cetera

[ImanCarrot]

I find Dolphin CAM spot on for what I want to make (doing 2 D milling)- very intuitive and easy to use- does everything I want.

Dolphin CAD I find difficult, but that's only cos I'm used to ACAD, so I export from ACAD to Dolphin CAM

You customer support is supperb *tips hat*

[dblox]

I run Dolphin as my primary CAM system for my everyday parts. I use Sprut when I absolutely have to do complicated 3d work, but I'd rather use Dolphin - it's just so quick and easy to get the right toolpaths.

Of course nobody tries to use the CAD system for anything but preparing geometry for the CAM system, so instead of having a few CAM features integrated on your CAD program, why not integrate the few CAD features which are used regularly for geometry preparation in to the CAM module?

I.E. import the DXF, set datum, define drill points & contours.
If these functions were on the CAM side, I'd almost never need to open the CAD system.

Except if I need to rotate or mirror something.

[Teyber12]

I.E. import the DXF, set datum, define drill points & contours.
If these functions were on the CAM side, I'd almost never need to open the CAD system.

exactly

[dlenardu]

While I have had dolphin for a little while now I haven't really been able to use it all that much, so what I'm suggesting may be possible easier than I know how but I haven't found it out yet. Anyway, one of the things I would like to see would be to "chip away" at a profile and not using full cutter diameter engagement. For example, You have a block of aluminum that is 12"x6" and you have an irregular profile that is approx 11x5 with angles and radius' that you need to cut out. I would like to be able to cut from the outside around the block toward to profile and then do a go around the profile for a finish pass. The only way that I have been able to do it is using an area clear and avoid the profile but then you end up having full cutter engagement. The only other way that I have been able to do this is doing a profile go around and adjusting the clearance around the profile. The problem with this is the radius sometimes will not allow it.

[dblox]

Normally I have a DXF and create contours, then use the area clear commands and tweak things how I want them.

For the first time ever I used the area clear functions in the "Command" tab just to do a quick shape a customer wanted on a small part (a square and a circle).

When I generated these toolpaths I noticed that the circle used spiral machining from the inside out, and the square had beautiful little lead ins and lead outs between each of the radial passes.

Normally when I program an area clear, DCAM likes to send the cutter diagonally into a corner, resulting in a far greater cutter engagement width then programmed and intended with the "swathe" variable.

Because of this I have to program using a feedrate and depth designed for the maximum cutter engagement during this overlap, and not the optimal feedrate desired during the other 90% of the machining operation.

However, if DCAM is able to do leadins and leadouts for simple pocket routines as described above, is there a way for DCAM to perform leadins and leadouts for complex area clear routines as well?

This is a feature I'd love to see in a future release of DCAM. Also, a different feedrate for leadins and leadouts.

This would reduce cycle times / improve cutter life.