Quindos 7 Stability and Support

Hi BB,
I started working with Quindos V6 three years ago. I must say I was unhappy and don't count the time I spent on him. I didn't know the numerical processes of this software and programming style. Everything seemed different than other software. We have no local trainers so that helped me a lot Quindos user manual. Half of help files I have in German too. We don't solve it. For stability reasons I had to watch a blank LDB. I can't have elements of previous programs in LDB. Software always freezes. Today I can say "It is absolutely exceptional software and hang on!"

BB,

please contact us with regards to the 'issues' that you are having and we will clarify/correct. For example, the 'disappearing' values in the text boxes has been fixed. As for 'icons that don't work', please clarify as I am not aware of such.

Feeder,

without proper training, learing/using the software will be a challenge. Yes, Quindos is different than other softwares, but with proper training it can be learned. Not sure where you are located ('no local trainers'), but we offer training at a number of locations in the states, and we also conduct onsite training. Not sure why you 'had to watch a blank LDB'? Who told you to do so, or what exactly do you mean by this? As for software always freezing, please make sure you have hyperthreading turned off in the bios. Quindos6 is an old/obsolete version of the software, some versions of it pre-date the advent of hyperthreading on newer computers, so it may not be compatible with newer computers/installs, (dependent upon the Quindos6 version).

Steven Wojciechowsk
Applications Engineer
Hexagon Metrology
(401) 886-2715 office
(401) 473-5629 cell
steven.wojciechowski@hexagonmetrology.com

I guess I won't have to worry about all the issues that we are having. I was just informed that the company is going to pull the plug on Quindos due to the instability, reliability, and weak support of the product as I was told. As far as the support issues, I guess I would attribute that Mr. Wojociechowski seems to be the only support in the western hemisphere and nearly impossible to get him in-house.

To respond to BigBlock,

when you state 'the company', you mean 'your' company. It is unfortunate that such a decision has been made. Perhaps a case of where one thinks the 'grass is greener on the other side'. (Quite surprised as I've only been contacted once after the Quindos update, and the only issue I was made aware of turned out to be an 'error' in my interface program in which I activate a LDB probe that is later deleted from LDB.)
Anyway, good luck with the decision. For many, Quindos has the Gear anaylsis tools which can not be found in other Hexagon softwares (eccentricity removal, effective tooth thickness or effective space width, custom tolerance bands, auotmatic probe moves generated for horizontally mounted splines,.....).
Good luck and as always, contact me if Quindos help is needed.

Steven Wojciechowski
(401) 886-2715
(401) 473-5629

First off, your confused, it's not my company. Secondly, I asked permission from "The Company" to post this thread. If you look at the start of the thread, I am asking others for their input on "Quindos 7 Stability and Support". I was not looking for a defensive promo for Quindos. As far as the support end, I think youv'e been contacted more than once, albeit several times with half or no response and follow-ups as I am being told. And finally, I would appreciate it if you would not continue to privately email "The Company" calling me out by name regarding these threads. They are supposed to be anonymous and doing so shows unprofessional mannerisms.

To clarify and add on to Big Block


I didn’t want to get into a ******* match on line, and the time for this would be after
the change-over..but. Apparently this is the only way to get attention as I can see your now contacting everyone.

Most of the issues were within the Gear module.

Abort and stop icon don’t work, never did (have to slam the E-STOP). This is a problem when the remote is $6K+. Were on our 3rd one due to the wear and tear.

We were to have a graphed K-Chart (you tried to give us one to no avail), then no follow-ups. This was partially the reason why the company pulled 75% of the gearing away from the CMM.

Some fields on input are rounded, 1.125 becomes 1.3 (big difference, big problem).

When checking Lead and changing from tooth check to space check the error also changes from plus to minus. Values are the same it’s direction of error (don’t use space).

There can only be one GEAR line in the program that has lead / profile information.
If there is a 28 tooth gear and a 32 tooth spline on the same part two programs are needed.

Quindos mis-calculates probe tip angles, which results in a crash. Even when forced with probe numbers. This has been since initial install, and all parties were aware.
This problem only seems to occur when the teeth are offset from 90* apart, which are many. The fix for this has been four1 tooth checks which is not kosher.

My employer has asked for you’re help several times or help from anyone associated.
Reinstall of software was needed (fixed somewhat yes & no).
Probes no longer working (ref_prb) within programs made some by you (this was resolved). This is not the LDB active probe mentioned.

This is the LDB active issue. You offered a tool change for assigned probe assemblies in a gear module patch for the updated Quindos. We responded that it would be a good idea to patch this flaw. You never responded. The fact that you just didn't send one puzzles all of us here when we notified you we have a 100+ programs effected by this issue.

Asked for you to come in with the service man to check for problems between software, machine alignment, controller, program or operator (service man made it).

Having to shutdown the controller when switching from PC-Dmis and Quindos and back (we deal with it).

Quindos a very strong program BUT not user friendly at all.
After updating, no help files on or about new changes. Not alerted when bug fixes come out after latest upgrade installed by Hex. No follow-ups again after upgrades, no alerts as to what problems may have arise…On, and on…..Very lackluster on the support end.

German? Why is ANYTHING in a U.S.A. program not in the English Language, help files, manuals or error codes? You have even said you didn’t know some of the error codes, and there is no list available. Seems unreasonable not to have a list. Why have an error code then, and in German at that! We have even had to go online and translate some of the help files and error codes.

In my opinion Quindos is plaqued with problems. A day does not go by that random errors disable the system. And as a matter of fact it has gotten worse as the new versions come out.

I understand every program has issues. I understand I can use more training. I understand problems are caused from the programmer’s chair (me).

This is all just a re-hash of the on going and persistent troubles since install that we have not been able to get resolved in the last 2+ years. The latest upgrade has been the most troublesome as you were made aware. This is what looks to me as the last straw in trying to continue running Quindos from managements side. And to be honest, I don’t blame them. I’m twice as frustrated.

All of the above is mind-boggling when my employer pays the yearly SMA and software support.

EZalg

I find **** like this facinating. Is this why folks watch reality TV? Must be... it pretty much sounds like a goat**** all around. I mean you got a customer running a software they dont understand, a supplier selling software they dont want to support and a 3rd party stirring the pot for reasons we cant quite understand yet... I like it, can we get some kind of death match thing going?

Ironhoe,

There is no 3rd party here. Just an extension of the shifts involved at "The Company". And to clarify. I understand the software, it just doesn't work correctly all the time as you may have read above. This is why I wanted feedback on the stability and support end of the product.

to respond to some of the items (omitting items related to my personal 'lack of action' to avoid public confrontation);

To get feeback on support and stability of Quindos, view posting from 'GearGuy' at

(to get feedback of PC-DMIS see reply posted by 'corelex' http://www.pcdmisforum.com/showthread.php?19019-Quindos-7-Stability-and-Support )

The abort/stop buttons/icon on the Q7 screen are ‘software’ stops, not intended to be a machine stop. The way the software works, it sends commands to the controller as buffers, therefore it will send a buffer of many moves and measurements to be executed. The controller/CMM executes these moves as a buffer set, with no communication to the software, until after the last move/measurement of the buffer set is executed. For example when measuring a circle, the software may send a buffer of 10 probing points to the controller to make the CMM measure. The CMM measures these 10pts and sends them back to the software as a set. If you need to stop the machine in the middle of executing these 10 pts, the E-stop is the only way to stop. The abort/stop icon is intended to stop the program execution, not the machine movement midstream. At the same time, it is rare that a remote breaks/wears due to 'overusage' of the E-stop. Typically, the remote breaks due to dropping it.

The rounding of values entered into input fields could have been resolved in less than 10 minutes if brought to our attention.

More than one occurrence of the GEAR command CAN be used within the program. The user should enter different names for the elements for the profile and lead if the evaluations are to be done later in the program.

With regards to an error code list; There are numerous (hundreds) potential error codes. Error codes from the controller (independent of software), and even different controllers have different error codes, error codes from the software, which are command dependent. It is impossible to know all the error codes. A list of codes will very seldom help. The best tool is to look at the Quindos command lines and debug thru them.

Good luck with the switch to PC-DMIS and if Quindos assistance is needed, please contact me.

Steven Wojciechowski

to see a comment from some else relative to Quindos Gear (versus PC-DMIS Gear) see posting from WestHell at http://www.pcdmisforum.com/showthread.php?8072-What-is-Quindos-Like-it/page3