ZW3D Quarterly Technical Report-2020 Q1

Dear ZW3D users, I am glad to meet you here. Starting from 2020 Q1, we are going to offer ZW3D quarterly technical reports to keep you updated with the solutions for FAQ and the latest product information on ZW3D. We hope this could be helpful to you. Without further ado, let’s start. Key points of the technical report for 2020 Q1: 6 hottest questions, and also product news.

• License issue caused by windows 10 update
• The issue of starting Network License Manager
• Special character display issue
• Customization of mold-base library and part library
• The rule of Speeds/Feeds parameter inheritance
• Migration of tool library from the old version to ZW3D 2020
• Technical blog posts released in 2020 Q1
• News about the 3^rd party applications for ZW3D 2020

1.     Top Questions and Solutions

1.1 General

Question 1： I use the borrowed license from our license server, but today I cannot start my ZW3D after windows being automatically updated. Why and how can I make ZW3D work again?

Solution: The license may be destroyed by the windows update. In this case, customers can apply for a floating license to use ZW3D, and wait for the expiration of the borrowed license. It will return to the server once it is expired. For Windows 10, our suggestion for all of our users is to update manually instead of auto-updating. Return the license first before updating, and activate again after that. Of course, the floating license will not be affected.

Question 2: When I start ZW3D 2020 Network License Manager to activate our licenses, it tells that the OpenGL version is lower than 2.0. After upgrading the driver of display adapter, the NLM still fails to start. How to solve this issue?

Solution: We are still trying to figure out the reason. You can disable all the display adapters before starting NLM, and then enable it again after you finish the activation.

1.2 CAD

Question 3: When I input [~] into the text box in the ZW3D Sketch environment or 2D Sheet environment, ['] will be shown instead. How can I solve this issue?

Solution: We are trying to solve it now. Currently, users can change the font to ZW3D Simplex to avoid this problem as a workaround.

1.3 Mold

Question 4: How to customize the mold-base and standard part library? Is there a tutorial book to tell us how to achieve it step by step?

Solution: We provide training manuals for different modules, including the mold-base library customization, which can be found inside our software as the figure shown below. You can also download this tutorial here.

As for the one about the customization of mold standard part library, it is being prepared and will be uploaded soon in the coming months. Please stay tuned.

1.4 CAM

Question 5: I am new as a ZW3D user, and when I set the Speeds and Feeds parameters, I feel a little confusing. It seems that they can be set in different places. For example, I set them in the Tool Manager, create some operations, and adjust the S, F values according to the requirements of different operations. However, when I go to Tool Manager in a specific operation to change the S, F values again, some of them are changed but others are not. I just don’t understand the rules, could you please explain it clearly?

Solution: In order to enable users to access the Tool Manager and adjust the S, F values more easily, there are many entries to it. Also, there are several places to set the S, F, including the Global S, F parameters in Tool Manager, and the Local S, F parameters in the operation parameters form. Whether the change of the Global parameters takes effect in operation or not depends on where you load the Tool Manager. If you load it from a specific operation, then the update will only take effect on this operation. If you access it from Tools node in the CAM tree, then any existing operation parameters will not be changed, but the updated global S, F parameters will be applied to new operations. Here are more details about the rules.

• All the values of Speeds and Feeds are output from “operation parameters form”.
• When selecting an existing tool under the Operations node, the S, F values of this tool will be copied to “operation parameter form”.
• If you want to copy the change of the S, F parameters for a specific operation to other operations, simply open the “operation parameters form” of other operations and click the OK or Apply button.

Question 6: Recently I upgraded my ZW3D from 2017 to the latest 2020 version, and I found that the parameters in Tool Manager are a little bit different from the previous version. Speeds and Feeds are not shown together with Rough and Finish. So how can I migrate my previous tool library to 2020? Solution: In ZW3D 2020, to simplify the interface and workflow, there are only Speeds and Feeds, not for Rough and Finish respectively. However, some of you may have the above question on how to migrate the tool library. It is very easy.

• Create a new ZW3D 2020 CAM Plan, name it as ZW3D2020 Tool Library, and save it.
• Load the previous tool library and import the S, F parameters into the new ZW3D2020 Tool Library, then save it.
• Then you can use the new tool library in ZW3D 2020.

A video for your better understanding: [video width="1920" height="1028" mp4="https://blog.zwsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/update-tool-library-to-ZW3D2020.mp4" autoplay="true"][/video]

2.     The Latest news about ZW3D

• We released the latest version ZW3D 2020 at the end of last year. There are many new features as well as improvements, and we’ve shared some blog posts about them, like delving deep into hybrid modeling, 5 tips for file management, efficient cooling loop design, and happy cading-How to design a pull handle by ZW3D. We hope that they can help you get a better command of ZW3D 2020.
• In ZW3D 2020, we provide the Full Machine Simulation tool to help you enhance security before the actual machining work. This feature is available in 2X/3X/Premium version and is activated with an independent license. For more info about this function, please read this blog.
• ZW3D provides many part libraries, including the built-in standard library and the 3^rd party Apps. An advanced version of Part Solution is available since ZW3D 2020. Customers can get more information from here.
• Electrode Focus, an application for electrode design from FOV, has been successfully integrated into ZW3D, enabling more efficient electrode design. Please check here for more details.

It’s the first time that we share the ZW3D technical info quarterly. Is the above info helpful for you? Welcome to share your questions and comments.