Software drivers – your questions answered
By Wayne Hunter, Emmegi’s operations manager.
All Emmegi CNCs come with the company’s Emmegisoft CAMplus software installed as standard and users can programme the machining either directly on the machine itself or remotely from the office.
Well over a decade ago, Emmegi also developed a separate software driver which enables customers to utilise all the benefits of third-party processing software for both saws and CNCs from the likes of Business Micros and First Degree.
The driver comes as an option on all new Emmegi machines, but it can also be retrospectively fitted to give fabricators the opportunity to add third party software as they expand and effectively futureproof their investments.
While CAMPlus and the driver are easy to set up, there are still some questions which come up time and again:
Can a CNC software driver work with any third-party processing software?
The Emmegi driver is unified and standardised so that it works pretty seamlessly with machine links in BM Aluminium’s LogiKal, First Degree’s Window Designer and all the major external software options designed for PVC-U, aluminium and steel. It converts the working lists generated from within the software into a format which can be used directly at the saw, CNC or machining centre.
Is there any proprietary software provided with saws?
Emmegi saws can be simply programmed at the machine, or they can be supplied with a software driver called JOB which makes it easy to import cutting lists directly from an external source. Like the rest of the options from our Emmegisoft team, it’s cost effective and user friendly.
Can a machine optimise the working list or does that have to be done by the processing software?
Along with large scale, automatic machining centres like Emmegi’s Quadra range, many of our double mitre saws can optimise their own working lists. In fact, even our double mitre saws with more basic electronic control systems can benefit from cutting list optimisation using our JOB software. However, many of our customers with third-party software opt to use that for optimisation to maximise efficiency and minimise waste.
Can I transfer data from a saw to a machining centre?
Yes, if you opt for external software, then you can print out bar code labels at the saw and attach them to the cut profile sections. Then, the labels can be scanned at the CNC machine, and it will automatically select the piece from the worklist.
What can go wrong when you’re setting up the software driver?
Installation, set up and training are all part of the Emmegi software driver supply package, but we still sometimes get calls from customers needing help. This is almost always because they are loading the profiles the wrong way round and the machine doesn’t recognise them, or they are choosing the wrong tool for the machining they want to carry out – both are very easily solved!
How new does a machine have to be to have the software driver retrofitted?
If customers don’t choose the software driver from new or they maybe buy a second-hand machine, it’s very straightforward to add the driver at a later date. Even machines that are 10 or 15 years old can easily be upgraded to accept machine links.
What are options for fabricators using software like SolidWorks?
SolidWorks is more of an industrial application, but Emmegi can actually supply a special Driver CAD option to import 3D pieces or assemblies created using software like SolidWorks or Autodesk Inventor into our CNCs or machining centres. It can import entire assemblies or individual pieces, massively reducing the time required to programme the machine and eliminating the risk of errors being made when generating working lists.
