Dolphin Users - Please read and reply

[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]

Originally Posted by 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.

+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.