release date: December 18th 2009
version: ASPAN 9.3 p0

NEW FEATURES AND IMPROVEMENTS INTRODUCED:

• compatible with the new operative system Microsoft Windows 7;
• upgraded the hard-lock key drivers included in the setup procedure;
• removed the warning message shown when entering the Nesting environment when running on Microsoft Windows VISTA/7;
• CAD
  • added keabord shortcut: Ctrl+S Save and Shift+Ctrl+S Save as;
  • added the possibility to define and apply tabs from the CAD enviroment using the menu command Tools > Tabs;
  • added a new command Path > Spiral slope;
    
• CAM
  • fixed the representation of the Saw in the machine head preview when shown from the CAM environment;
• NESTING
  • automatic creation of *.mix file for machines that uses XilogPlus numerical control. The mix file will be automatically created inside of the folder selected as destination for PGM files.
    Before using the MIX file on the machine, it is necessary to convert it using the WinXISO utility:
    
    1. Execute WinXISO;
       WinXISO program can be founded into the Bin directory inside of your XilogPlus installation folder
       (example: C:\Program Files\SCM Group\XilogPlus\Bin\Winxiso.exe);
       
    2. use the apposite icon to choose the file to convert (1);
    3. as file type select *.Mix (2);
    4. select the Mix file created by ASPAN;
    5. use the [ >> ] button to convert the file;
    6. use [ exit ] button to close the program;
    7. now the file can be read by your machine;
• SEQUENCE
  • fixed the entity selection problem encoutered with some video cards;
• introduced new MACRO commands;
• other minor corrections;

release date: September 1st 2009
version: ASPAN 9.2 p0

NEW FEATURES AND IMPROVEMENTS INTRODUCED:

• CAD
  • Erase automatically the dimensioning with the "Erase All" command;
  • Fixed the printout of the angular dimensioning;
  • Improoved the command "Path > Subtract";
• NESTING
  • added the management of tabs between nested parts:
    use the menu command "Process > Processing options" to enable tabs creation and to setup relative properties:
    
    
  • added waste management function:
    this function enables Nesting environment to take the portion of sheet not used by the Nesting process during the optimization (waste) and put it into the sheets list, in order to utilize this parts for future Nesting operations.
    
    
• MACRO
  • added the following macro commands:
    • ~Scale("isA", "idx", "value X", "value Y", "value Z", "Tcp X", "Tcp Y")
    • ~ExistLayer("layer name")
    • ~CreateLayer("layer name", "layer parameters string")
    • ~ModifyLayer("layer name", "layer parameters string")
    • "layer parameters string" = "varname_1=varvalue_1, varname_2=varvalue_2, ...." possible "var name":
      
      UNUSABLE
      VISIBLE
      BLOCKED
      PRINTABLE
      START_DEPTH
      END_DEPTH
      DIAMETER
      ASSIGNABLE
      WORKABLE
      USECAMDATA
      TOOL or TOOL_CODE
      START_SPEED
      SPEED
      RPM
      PRIORITY
      COLOR_RED
      COLOR_GREEN
      COLOR_BLUE
      
    • Fixed the use of the values like "2.400,00" in the macro fields;
    • added the parameter "Dimension Y" to the command ~TextSet
      ~TextSet(<font name>, <dimension X>, <dimension Y>, <alignment>, <additional spacing>)
      

      Example:

      ~TextSet("Helv.drf", 0, 50, "BL", 0)
      ~Text("Hallo", 0, 0, 0, 4)
• IMPORT DXF
  • added the possibility to import 3D angular holes positionated inside of the panel;
  • other minor corrections;

release date: March 3rd 2009
version: ASPAN 9.1 p3

NEW FEATURES AND IMPROVEMENTS INTRODUCED:

• improved pocket creation: now it is possible to manage a major number of emptyings;
• improved the recognition of TRUE-TYPE characters that can be used to insert texts;
• possibility to use machine coordinates also when drawing using "eploded" view;
• added new command "substract path";
  
    
   
  (menu) path > substract
  

LIST OF FIXED ISSUES:

• fixed error during DXF import procedure inside of the CAD environment;
• fixed grain management in Nesting environment;
• other minor corrections;

release date: January 27th 2009
version: ASPAN 9.1 p2

Introduced some minor fixes, compared to the version released on December the 22th, and enabled new service-disk procedure.
 

release date: December 22th 2008
version: ASPAN 9.1 p2

Released update for the rel. 9 of ASPAN, that include important improvements and fixes:
NEW FEATURES AND IMPROVEMENTS INTRODUCED

• increased the stability of the program and improved memory management;
• increased speed of part-program generation;
• new “service disk” procedure:
  Procedure required by the technicians in case of technical assistance:
  UTILITY > TECHNICAL MENU > SERVICE DISK
  
• CAD environment
  • now it is possible to execute PAN command (DISPLAY > ZOOM > PAN) clicking the mouse wheel:
    click and hold mouse wheel to move panel.
  • routings reduction:
    Added the option “Arcs reconstruction” to the command Path > Routings reduction:
    when this option is enabled ASPAN tries to transform paths composed by a series of small lines in an arc that describe the same path.
    example:
    original drawing derived from a dxf import: 28 routings (lines) that compose the letter "D" (pic. 1);
     (pic. 1)
    
    (menu) path > Routings reduction. Enabling the option “Arcs reconstruction” and setting properly available parameters it is possible to obtain a significant reduction of the number of routings used to describe the path. (pic. 2 e pic. 3)
     (pic. 2)     (pic. 3)
    
    at the end of the operation we will obtain an optimized path (pic. 4).
     (pic. 4)
    
    NOTE: routings reduction may introduce simplifications and approximations of the original path which can be accentuated more or less depending on the path and on the values used in command settings. The command operates on routes formed by straight lines, and lines must be joined in order to apply the command.
    We recommend to try different configurations of values to find the right balance between reducing the number of routings and simplification of the path, acting especially on the parameter "Maximum distance from path": using a smaller value the path will be more accurate but it will increase the number of arcs used to reconstruct it.
• CAM: fixed representation of tooling correction path.
• user interface:
  • Improved the representation of some icons;
  • Improved the representation of some dialogs;
• optional module VECTORIALIZER:
  • Improved memory management;
  • Added the support for a large number of graphics formats, included bmp, jpg, png, gif, tiff...
    

release date: July 31th 2008
version: ASPAN 9.1 p0

Released the first update for the rel. 9 of ASPAN, that include important improvements and fixes:
NEW FEATURES AND IMPROVEMENTS INTRODUCED

• USER INTERFACE:
  • Fixed the representation of some icons;
  • Restyling of many dialogs of all the environments of ASPAN (especially CAD), in order to make them more efficient and easy understanding:
    
    example 1: new dialog for drawing holes;
    
    
    example 2: new dialog for drawing arcs;
    
    
  • New Drawing list in the Supervisor environment: now it is shown only when you click the apposite icon . This make the supervisor environment more stable and efficient;
  • New dialog for language selection (right-click near the ASPAN logo in the supervisor environment);
  • Added the support for the Slovenian language;

 
• CAD:
  • Introduced the Auto Osnap feature that, when you draw, automatically catch key points of the drawn objects (start, end, center…), making more easy and quick drawing in CAD environment. The Auto Osnap feature can be easily activated/deactivated with the apposite menu command:Tools > Automatic Osnap.
    
    Auto Osnap feature is not available when drawing displaying the panel in Exploded mode;
    
    
  • Added the possibility to move entities into another layer, clicking on them with the right mouse button and choosing the apposite contextual menu’s command;
  • Now, in the 3D View of ASPAN, it is possible to move and rotate the panel using arrow keys: move panel: arrow key – rotate panel: Ctrl + arrow key;
  • Added lead-in and lead-out in generic pockets;
  • Added the command Modify > Delete > All and also the possibility to delete all the objects on a specific face of the panel;
  • Layers: added the followings menu commands:
    • Switch on/off the current layer;
    • Switch on only the current layer;

 
• CAM:
  • Introduced a new 3D simulation. The new simulation could require the installation of the Java Virtual Machine (JRE) if not yet installed on the PC.
    It is possible also to lunch the old type simulation with the menu command Process > Animation;

 
• MACRO:
  • Added commands to manage ASPAN layers:
    • ~SetLayer: add an entity to a specific layer;
      ~LET [idx] = ~SetLayer(, , "layer_name")
    • ~SetLayerProp: add to an entity the property defined for the layer in which its drawn (diameter, color, starting depth, end depth)
      ~LET [idx] = ~SetLayerProp(, , "diam_da_layer", "color_da_layer", "prof_da_layer", "profend_da_layer")
    • ~SetColor: set the color (RGB) of a drawn entity
      ~LET [idx] = ~SetLayerProp(, , "red", "green", "blue")
  • Added the parameter STEP_DEPTH that allows to specify the pass depth for a machining;

  after the installation of the release 9.1 p0, a detailed description of these macro commands can be founded inside the document "LanguageRef.pdf" located inside the directory PDF (example: C:\ASPAN4\PDF\LanguageRef.pdf)


 
• DXF import/export:
  • Updated the dialog and the documentation relative to the import processor Drill-Mate (from the supervisor environment);
  • When exporting an ASPAN drawing in the DXF format, and in the destination folder there is another DXF with the same name of the drawing, now a dialog will ask you to confirm existing file overwriting;

 
NESTING:
• Added new panel optimization methods:
  • Combination with Minor total waste (Default):
    Returns the combination that presents the minor total waste, using the first sheet type. The sheet waste is valuated giving less importance on the waste of the last sheet, ensuring a waste surface reusable for other jobs.
  • Layout with less total waste:
    Returns the combination that presents the minor total waste, using the best sheet type. The sheet waste is valuated giving less importance on the waste of the last sheet, ensuring a waste surface reusable for other jobs.
  • First layout of the optimizer with less total waste:
    Scans all the possible sheet combinations, find the sheets that give the best result, and using them to place the pieces with the combination that presents the minor total waste.
    
    The optimization method can be chosen by clicking the “Advanced” button inside the Nesting options dialog:
    Process > Processing options> Advanced
    
    If the option “Optimizing the parts on different sheets” is unchecked ASPAN use the Default method to nest the parts.
     
• Improved the nesting progress dialog:
  the dialog “Nesting progress” now shows, step by step, the progression of the nesting procedure, displaying informations regarding the material, the optimizer, the combination currently processed and the total progress of the Nesting procedure.
• Improved the recognition of free forms;
• Improved the management of free forms:
  
  • Now free forms can include lead-in and lead-out segments, that must be correctly defined inside ASPAN CAM environment;
  • Added Onion Skin support for free forms;
• Improved Onion Skin management:
  • Introduced, inside the Nesting option dialog, a new dialog for a detailed configuration of the Onion Skin including new features:
    • configure a second tool to do the Onion Skin pass;
    • enable/disable the possibility to apply the Onion Skin depending on the size of the piece (X and Y dimension or surface area);
    • possibility to apply Onion Skin to free forms;
    • possibility to complete the second passing for a piece before machining the next one;
      
• Once configured the onion skin feature, it is possible to manage the behavior of every single piece, inside of the advanced properties relative of the piece, in the pieces list.
  In this particular view has been added a box that show the piece area value.
• The Nesting option dialogs now reports also tool data, “tools RPM”, “Starting feed” and “Working speed”.
  
• Enabling the Onion-Skin feature with a tool with the diameter different from the one used for the pieces, imply that all the pieces will be spaced with the maximum tool dimensions founded (including extra tolerance).
• Improved the global statistics panel:
  to better valuate the Nesting efficacy has been added area value in all the tables of the statistics panel: net area, used area, waste area, total area, waste area.
   

 

• Added the possibility to lunch the Nesting procedure externally from ASPAN with a batch command;:
  aspan.exe /nesting /parameters

click here to download a detailed informative about this command (only registered users);

LIST OF FIXED ISSUES:

• Fixed the problem that could cause the program crash when rebuilding drawings form the partprogram editor;
• Removed the error message showing when the part-program printing procedure was terminated without printing;
• Fixed the panel comment issue that could cause the loss of the comment after importing a DXF;
• Moved the offset toolbar that could be hided on screens with a resolution of 800x600 or less;
• Spostata la toolbar relativa al comando di offset che rimaneva nascosta con computer aventi risoluzione 800x600;
• Fixed the issue that will cause the closure of the CAM environment also when choosing cancel at the dialog ask the closure confirmation;
• Fixed an abnormal functioning of the extend function in the CAD environment;
• Fixed a wrong reference to pieces number in some Nesting dialogs;
• Fixed the calculation of the drawing area when importing an ASC file in the Nesting;
• Fixed some wrong messages inside the Nesting procedure;
• Fixed an abnormal working of the “3 points” Arc function in the CAD environment;
• other minor corrections;