Toolbars

o      More functions on the screen at one time

o      Users controls what options they want at their fingertips

o      History / MRU bar

o      Drop-down button bars

o      Dockable or Floating Toolbar placement

o      Easily Customizable based on each users preference including.

 –     Large or small buttons

-       Ribbon Bars

o      Consistent interface

o      Efficient use of space

o      Combine multiple functions for easier use

o      Active only when needed

o      Hard-locking for repetitive tasks

o      Learning mode for new users

o      Hot-keys and shortcuts

o      Configurable MRU (Most Recently Used) drop-down to select previously used values

-       Customization

o      Toolbars

 –        Portable from machine to machine

 –         Standardize all computers

o      Toolbar States

 –         An interface based on any users preferences

 –         Assigned to Machine Definitions

 –        Task specific layout

o      Key Mapping

 –        Map any function

 –        Default Keymap file matches V-9

 –         Use any combination of Alt, Control, Alt-Control, Shift-Alt, Shift-Control, Shift-Alt-Control, F1 through F12

o      Hundreds of different possibilities

 –         Multiple key maps support multiple users

o      Match hot keys from any CAD or CAM system

o      Right-click menu

 –         Customizable

 –         Place any function available for Toolbars on the right mouse button

 –        Nested fly-outs – 50 items per column, 10 columns wide

-       Drop-down Main Menus

o      Familiar Layout ease the trans

o      Text with Icon to help learning curve

o      All options always available

-       Help

o      Multi-media familiarization video

o      "How do I get here" options guide you to specific menus

o      Updated quick reference card

o      Version 9 to X map

o      Transition guide

o      Installation Guide

o      Access to reference manual

o      Automatic updates

o      Learning mode

o      Zip2Go tm – Multi-function archiving utility.  Gathers and archives files needed for Tech Support with e-mail component

-       Status Bar

o      Customization

 –         Turn off what you don't use

 –        Set the order up the way you like it

o      Visual feedback

o      Change entity attributes on the fly

o      2D / 3D mode

o      Combine C and T planes into an improved Planes option.

-       Configuration

o      Streamlined interaction

o      Easier, better organization

-       Operations Manager

o      Both Solids and Toolpaths

o      Always on

o      Doesn't obscure geometry

o      Quick toggle visibility with Alt-O

o      Product sensitive menus based on available licenses

-       General Selection

o      Quick selection options

o      Pre-selection

o      Vector select

o      Verify Select toggle

o      Integrated Solid Selection

o      Override locks

o      Masking – Only / All

 –        Visual and quick

 –         Maintain Mask

 –         Mask on or Off

 –        New options

 –        Save custom masks for future use

 –         Intelligent entity sensitive selection

-       AutoCursor

o      Customizable

o      Ribbon bar layout for ease of use

o      Doubles as Cursor Tracking

o      Axis-locking controls

o      Controls

 –        Visual cues on the cursor helps users place objects

 –         Customize what trigger points

o      New automatically recognized trigger options

 –         Angular with a value

 –         Tangent from an established point

 –        Perpendicular to or from

 –         Nearest

 –        Horizontal / Vertical

-       Files

o      Solids import now included free of charge.

o      Unified File, Open / Save dialog boxes – includes all file types

o      STEP converter included

o      NET hooks

o      EPS converter included

o      Integrated project directory functionality

o      Common Printing / Plotting interface

-       Edit

o      Cut, Copy, Paste geometry between parts

o      Unlimited Undo / Redo

-       Analyze

o      Change entities on the fly

o      Change multiple entity attributes at once

-       Config

o      New layout

o      Multiple users

-       Editor

o      Programming language specific Intelli-sense and code completion for VBScript and Post Processor development

o      Multiple file type recognition with syntax highlighting

-       New external Communications option

o      Over a hundred Machine configuration files available to get you started

-       New .NET API for custom integrated user application development

-       Improved Nesting

o      Separated Toolpath nesting from Geometry nesting and simplified parameter pages

o      Moved infrequently used parameters to a nesting config dialog

o      Easy access to batch nesting (MCLINK.INI) via a toolbar button

o      Added the ability to import multiple external MCX files into toolpath nesting

o      Improvements to Rectangular nesting including: ability to save defaults, nest to different layers, save scrap etc.

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System Requirements

-       Operating system

o      Windows 2000

o      Windows XP – Pro and Home, XP Pro recommended

o      .NET 1.1 Framework

o      DirectX version 9.0c

-       Graphics

o      64 MB Open-GL compatible card at full acceleration

o      128 MB for working with large models or shaded Solids and Surfaces

o      1280x1024 recommend resolution, 1024X768 minimum resolution

-       Memory

o      512MB minimum system ram recommended

-       Hard Disk Space

o      1 GB of free space recommended if everything is installed

-       Mouse

o      2 button minimum

o      3 button or 2 button with mouse wheel recommended

-       Network protocol

o      Nethasp requires TCP/IP

o      VPN is unsupported????   I'm not sure if we should mention this

-       Additional Support

o      Spaceball – all models

o      Dual monitors

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CAD changes

-       2 Billion Levels

-       Simplified view management

o      Improved View Manager

o      Planes options

o      Improved / simplified WCS

-       All functions redesigned

o      Live entities

 –       See what you will get before you finish

 –         Edit entities

o      Lock parameters and reuse multiple times

o      Powerful more efficient functions

 –        18 line functions in V-9 become 5 in X - simplified

 –         Most lines can be created with a single function - efficient

-       Combined Trim and Break options into a single easy to use function – Live

o      Improved Divide

o      Pick sensitive single and double trimming

-       Live entity One-touch filleting

-       Xform

o      Live Preview in Xform functions

o      New controls to get the right results the first time

o      All transform options combined in a single function

o      New Array function

 –        Remove selected instances

o      Quick flip results option

-       Surface / Solids toggle in Primitives creation

-       Surface creation now available in the base Router product and higher levels (not available in Entry products)

-       Solid to 2D boundary

o      Creates 2D profiles for turning

-       New Surface types

o      Fence Surface

o      Net Surface - Live

 –       Replaces Coons

 –       Easy to use

 –        Better quality surfaces

 –         Coons C-hook available for die-hards.

-       Stair and Door geometry creation now fully integrated into the product

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CAM changes

-       All licensed toolpath options in a single MCX file in a single session

-       Unified coordinate systems for CAM applications

-       Improved Tool Manager

-       Machine Definitions

o      Define the characteristics of your machine to affect how you use X

o      Easier Training of new users

o      Allows you to program to the machines capabilities

o      Machine compatibility checking

o      Customized toolbar states for each machine

o      Avoid mistakes before the shop floor

-       Control Definitions

o      GUI interface to simplify common Post changes.

-       Update post utility

o      Automatically create new Machine and Control definitions

o      Documents post changes

-       Version 9 converters

o      Parts – MC9 to MCX

o      Tools – TL9 to Tools

o      Operations – OP9 to Operations

o      Defaults – DF9 to Defaults

o      Router head definition files (HD9)

-      Added New conversion utility (HD9toGMD.DLL) to convert HD9 files to a component library (GMD) for easy importing into the Machine Definition Manager (MDM)

-       All toolpaths in one MCX file

o      No more separate executables to work with.

o      Jump from Mill to Lathe to Router in a moment

o      Backplot all toolpaths from a single product, even Design

-       Backplot

o      Easier to use

o      More functionality than ever before

o      Multiple options to isolate areas of interest

o      Verbose information, Cycle times, and Path length summaries

o      VCR style interface

o      Color coded operations slider / progress bar

o      Endpoint display

o      Optional stop parameters

-       Verify

o      Easier to use

o      Measurement capabilities

o      Support for a Solid as Stock

o      Verbose option

o      Stop option for after each toolpath, not just at tool changes

o      More information to tell you what Toolpath and Tool Number are active

o      Option to show True Threads

o      Option to Hide Tool after each stop

o      Ability to modify the Tool Tolerance for small parts with large tools

-       Toolpath Manager

o      Insert options

o      Powerful sorting

o      Powerful selection

o      Regen all dirty without selection

o      Powerful Edit Common Parameters

o      Unlimited Nested Sub-groups for greater organization

o      Machine Group Properties replaces global Job Setup

 –        Makes it easy to program for multiple machines

 –         Allows different settings for each Machine Group

 –         Each Machine Group has it own Tool Library, Operations Library, and Operation Defaults

 –        Improved Tool Manager

 –        Options to force the Clearance, Retract, and Feed heights to always use the Defaults instead of being modal.

 –         Solids can be used for the Stock

 –        Stock now supports the WCS and Named Views

 –         Safety Zones supports the WCS and Named Views

 –        Safety Zones work for all Mill and Router Toolpath types

 –         Multiple job setups in each MCX file

 –       Multiple stock definitions

 –         WCS support of stock

 –        Each Machine group can have itÕs own setup.

-       2D Toolpaths

o      Combine Contour, Pocket, and Drilling Router and Mill Toolpaths

 –        Tabs and Break Through are now part of Mill

-       Router Multi-Head

o      Support for Router Spindle and Router Piggyback Spindle components in Machine Definition Manager (MDM)

o      Graphic preview window in multi-head selection dialog now distinguishes Router spindle from Router Piggyback Spindle

-       Router Block drilling

o      Support for block drill components in Machine Definition Manager (MDM)

o      Ability to enable / disable specific stations on a block

o      Exposed tool / hole matching tolerance via the drill block selection dialog

-       Integrated Router Aggregate Tooling (Angled head) support

o      Support for Aggregate Tooling in Machine Definition Manager (MDM)

o      Select aggregate tooling inside operation parameters page rather than running a separate C-hook utility after the fact. 

o      Easily distinguish aggregate operations in Toolpath Manager

-       Surface Toolpaths

o      Gains because of EMM

 –        Tapered Tool Support for 3 axis machining

 –        Negative Stock to Leave greater than the corner radius, including flat cutters.

 –        Faster, Better STL machining

 –         Gouge free handling of bad surfaces with sharp corners

o      Facing options with in Rough Pocket

o      Improved surface selection management

o      New Pencil Toolpath

 –         Single

 –        Multi-pass – specific number of passes per side

 –        Unlimited pencil finishing

o      Mill Level 2 / and Router Plus

 –       Multi Surface Parallel finish

 –        Multi Surface Rough Pocket – One Way, Zig-Zag

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