PC DMIS Demo?

[Ceeph]

Does anyone know if there is a demo version of PCDMIS available anywhere? I am in the process of upgrading from 3.2063 and I wanted to get a head start and look at all of the changes. It doesn't have to actually run a cmm I just want to look at the user interface and menu options.

[bw_bob]

NO.......No such thing as demo.

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

NO.......No such thing as demo.

There USED to be, way back in the DOS days, but I don't think that will do you much good to see what the new versions will look like!

[Ceeph]

I had one on a really early version 2.6 or something like that. Came in a cd case with a nice pretty cover that said PCDMIS DEMO on it. Was basically a sales pitch disc nothing functioned but you could look at the interface.

[jjewell]

In my humble opinion, upgrade to ver 3.25MR3 and then stop there.

The user interface changes totally in any version after that for one.
The newer interface takes more time to drill down and find things as the one you are used to. The new "tools" added into the new versions, while pretty and kinda neat, really do not speed up your programming.
Every time there is a new version, "guess" where the bugs are and what doesn't work correctly now?? B&S will tell you to upgrade to the next version if you want this or that to work.

Just my 2 cents, using ver 3.25MR3 for the last 4 years with COMPLETE satisfaction.

[JIM HARRIS]

If you go to the wilcox site under the user area there is a demo there of the software.

[jjewell]

No there isn't a demo on Wilcox site....

[craiger_ny]

3.2063 rules. I still need to give 3.25 a shot. I am running 3.7 right now and some of the improvements are from my wish list but to be honest I'm not ready to say that the improvements make up for the hastles. I'm glad they are there but the things that are a pain realy are a pain. Some of the "improvements" are actually throwbacks. I hate the set search path. It is worthless. Why do they let you set a search path for part programs if PCDMIS is just going to ignore it and go to the last used directory anyway? That is lame. There were some cool code additions but at the same time some very uncool code anoyances added to boot.

Play with higher versions (I am running 3.7 on 2 machines production wise) but I bet your programming on 3.2063 (or 3.25 I can't testify) will be slicker than snot on a doorknob compared to 3.7.

Like Jim said the interface is wierd. I can see where they were going with some of it but over all they made it more of a mess.

[Wes Cisco]

3.2063 is a very good stable version. The thing 3.7 and up have that I absolutely love is the enhanced graphics. I can see all the hits an autofeature is going to take before I tell it to go measure. I can see the vectors. I can drag and drop individual hits, which I need to do often enough that this feature alone made the move up worthwhile for me, but if you are used to programming in 3.2063 and you do not use CAD models intensively, you will probably be happier right where you are or as Jim said 3.25. HTH

[Ceeph]

I do use CAD alot. I like 3.2063 but I don't have a choice to not upgrade. someone at our corporate office thinks there is a bug in the calibration routine as it relates to 180 degree rotation of the renishaw head. Therefore they are requiring that I go to 3.7 or higher.

[Wes Cisco]

4.0 and up is supposed to have some nice new CAD capabilities, maybe James or Jan can jump in here on that. I would suggest 4.2 as there are known issues with 4.0 and 4.1. HTH

[bw_bob]

I do use CAD alot. I like 3.2063 but I don't have a choice to not upgrade. someone at our corporate office thinks there is a bug in the calibration routine as it relates to 180 degree rotation of the renishaw head. Therefore they are requiring that I go to 3.7 or higher.

A bug....What do they base their hunch on..I like someone in corporate office too.

[jjewell]

"I do use CAD alot. I like 3.2063 but I don't have a choice to not upgrade. someone at our corporate office thinks there is a bug in the calibration routine as it relates to 180 degree rotation of the renishaw head. Therefore they are requiring that I go to 3.7 or higher."

WTF are they talking about ???

Good luck with that ??

[craiger_ny]

I'd sure like to hear about htis "bug". I am a little skeptical as this is the first I've heard of it.

[#2#]

Does anyone know if there is a demo version of PCDMIS available anywhere? I am in the process of upgrading from 3.2063 and I wanted to get a head start and look at all of the changes. It doesn't have to actually run a cmm I just want to look at the user interface and menu options.

You say "I am in the process of" what does that mean exactly? Are you sure you are getting it and it is going through the $$ dept.? Have you talked to someone about a quote for ugrading?

If either of those are the case and you are seriously thinking of upgrading, you should be able to contact your local rep. and they should be able to arrange a demo for you.

Note that should is in red - that is because I have never tried to get a demo and so maybe they don't do those because that would be akin to customer service and we all know hexamagon isn't too good at that sometimes.