What is Quindos? Like it?

They say, once you go quindos, you never go back...

An Arabic version of Windows???

Quiznos is ok...I've eaten there a few times

How's your thread going Bill?

I need a beer to sort all this information out!!

We had it on one of our machine's about 10 years ago. I never did learn it but I still have the manuals for it. I remember being told at the time it was a great software for really complex geometry parts like cams and gears.

Here is my opinion about Quindos: I think it is fundamentally the best engineered product ever produced. It is head and shoulders ahead of every other application out there, including the Demons. It has been created by a bunch of very clever engineers.

And that is exactly where the problem lies. Because engineers, especially strong headed ones, are not the best to create user-friendly applications... So if you can bring up the patience, resources (it is expensive) and time to really learn Quindos, after some months of sheer agony, you will start to find the brilliance behind it and you will NEVER want to run anything else again, just like CMMGUY said.

Another detail: I think, but am not sure entirely, that Hexagon does NOT own the company that makes Quindos. I think it is produced by Messtechnik Wetzlar GmbH and is sold by Hexagon. Something like the bad old days when PC-DMIS was produced by a company that was not owned by B&S. Always good for sparkly dynamics...

Does anyone know what revision Quindos is currently at? I have 4 manuals from about the 1997-98 time frame and I'm wondering if they are even close to being current...

Does anyone know what revision Quindos is currently at? I have 4 manuals from about the 1997-98 time frame and I'm wondering if they are even close to being current...

Just offhand I would guess they are probably about 10 years out of date. . .

Just offhand I would guess they are probably about 10 years out of date. . .

I don't think they updated Quindos near as much as the Demon...

I don't think they updated Quindos near as much as the Demon...

Probably didnt have to...

Well, what Jan D said, just about nails it. I used version 6 for about 2 years. The learning curve is HUGE. VERY tough to learn. It has no, as we know it, graphics display window. Almost all text. Manuals read like Chinese calculus. Training from B&S is almost non-existant, there is just no need for training because nobody uses it. All that being said, it is VERY good stuff, great for gears and splines, etc. As of version 6 it is NOT windows based, its UNIX. That is an issue in itself. Version 7 is supposed to be windows based, but i don't know if it's out yet.

Like I said, GREAT stuff, just tough to learn.
The tech support guys for Quindos are top-notch. VERY smart guy(s).

.02 NTD

Version 7 is out we've had it going on two years but don't use it much. Version 7 ( to me) is a cut down version 6 with some graphics and a more user friendly interface. Many of the commands from 6 still exist in 7 but are not documented or on a menu anywhere, if you don't know the commands from 6 you won't find them anywhere. The commands are included for legacy programs. Quindos is a high overhead program - it takes time to do anything but it can do anything. If you need a high end do anything program and have the time/patience it's the best, the standard line is "QUINDOS does nothing for you.". If you're doing standard prismatic shapes with run of the mill characteristics you're better of with PCD or Calypso.
My analogy when explaining the difference to management is PCD is a kit house that you can assemble in a few different ways but everything is precut while Quindos is a toolbox and a forest. Not completely accurate but they seem to get the idea.

Jerome
PCD4.2MR2
QUINDOS 6/7
LEITZ PMMC

Q7

I was pushed to learn Q7 about a year ago after using PCD for about 5 years. We bought a new machine and needed to measure interrupted gears. So that was the only software out that B&S had at the time. The software is a whole lot more user friendly than the V6 I was shown in a demo a couple years ago, but it is a pain to find simple commands unless you know exactly where to look through the complex menus. The software as a whole is alright. You have to be able to devote a LOT of your time to be able to grasp it. I was at B&S for a week and that wasn’t near enough time to learn even the basics.

Comments from a biased Quindos user

Replying to MFCGuy, I agree 1 week is not nearly enough. In reality I´ve been using Q for over 10 years and I still don't know it all. It is so powerful, there is nothing that can't be evaluted with it. Period. Whether one, as a user, has learned those tools is a different issue. I always say, if you get stuck contact us.

Replying to Jerome, I didn't mean to come off sounding like a bear (see other thread) and I agree 100% with your analogy. With regards to the 'legacy' commands, the help texts for them (object type HLP) are still found in the HDB (help data base) of Q7 ,as well as the commands themselves are listed in the ODB (obsolete database) under object type symbol (SYM). Yes, you have to search a bit and use a bit of trial and error to see what those commands do, but the idea is that most of those command were redundant. For example the 'older' command for distance between two circles MCDCICI, is just a subset of the distance command. Again, at any time if you have questions, contact us.

Replying to John K, training is not offered/scheduled as often as PC-DMIS, but if you contact us, we can schedule a class. (Have you been to training? At Wixom? I have trained Mark B.) Quindos 6 is Windows compliant. The code behind runs in Windows. The fact that the graphical interface was running thru a Unix emulator, does not mean it not Windows, I know it's symantics, but... . It just didn´t have the Windows 'look' and feel (This was due to managment issues in terms of halting developement, read below). However, you'll be happy to know that the graphics in Q7 do use Windows tools and Quindos7 is out. One benefit is that the typical Quindos training class is not packed with 8-10 students as is with PC-DMIS. Therefore it is more along the lines of 1-on-1 training. Quindos is not as prolific as PC-DMIS in terms of seats out in the market. But I contend that it is quality not quantity. Quindos is used by some very sophisticated facilities/companies (LANL, LosAlmos National Labs, Stanford Linear Accelerator, NIST, CAT) to do complicated measurement/analysis that PC-DMIS can not. (For example, NIST is using Quindos on a Leitz machine to certify master API thread gages. Another facility is using Q to check master gear artifacts.)

To reply to rangerboat72 and Jan d, a bit of history is in order, so here it goes. Back in 1990 (if I recall correctly) B&S bought Leitz. With that purchase, they got Quindos. At the time B&S had AVAIL/MM4/MM3 as softwares. B&S decided to develop a common software, and a new division of B&S was created, called BSIS (B&S Information Services). This divison of B&S took over ownership of B&S's software, and mandated that a new software was to be developed, call XactMeasure. Thus, development was halted on all other software. Well the Quindos developers at Leitz decided to leave and form their own company, called MTWZ (MessTechnik Wetzlar). Therefore, the time frame during which BSIS controlled the softwares, there was little developement in Quindos. Well, B&S fell on financially hard times, and was purchased by Hexagon. But Hexagon did not purchase BSIS. So B&S partnered with Wilcox and Associates (WAI) to sell it's software, PC-DMIS. Eventually, Hexagon bought WAI. So as of right now, Hexagon owns PC-DMIS (thru owning WAI). It's a bit complicated, but at the same time, Hexagon owns rights/source code to Quindos, but is licensed between MTWZ. (Some of the dates and sequence may be off slightly, but that's my recollection/understanding) (Jan d. Who are you? Contact me)

To cmmguy, I like it about the 'didn´t have to' comment, funny. In my opinion, Quindos has been cutting edge. Quindos was sold on vision system over 20 years ago, long before the other software. (My understanding is that Quindos was initially develop for measuring microscopes of Leitz/Leica). Quindos has been measuring gears and blades for over 15 years, long before the other software. That's not to say that Quindos is perfect. The delay in developing CAD tools did make it appear out of date.

My comments and rantings. If you've read this far, thanks

Steven Wojciechowski
Applications Engineer
Hexagon Metrology
(401) 886-2715