First Look: Speed and Feed Calculations Go Mobile with FSWizard

FSWizard starting view.

Zero-Divide's FSWizard speed and feed calculator is the latest professional-grade mobile calculator to hit the i0S and Android stores.

For those who aren't happy with the accuracy of the speeds and feeds generated by their CAM software, FSWizard may be your solution. Like a Swiss army knife, it also includes a toolbox of essential charts and standalone calculators to make life easier for machinists.

FSWizard is a pared-down version of Zero-Divide’s standalone Windows application, the HSMAdvisor speed and feed calculator. Although FSWizard didn't inherit all of its parent's features, it does include more than enough data entry points and calculating power to do a respectable job.

The FSWizard takes users step-by-step through the data entry process nested within four drop down entry tabs.

All entries are interactive and as data is entered, a final tool path calculation summary is updated and shown in a green tab across the top of the screen and displayed in detail when the tab is expanded. This lets users experiment with different parameters while instantly being able to see the results of their changes.

Four Steps to the Perfect Tool Path

Select a material,
Select and define the end mill,
Adjust the end mill's engagement, depth and width of cut (the tool also allows users to select chip thinning or HSM machining when the width of the cut exceeds the diameter of the cutting tool),
Adjust the cutting speed and chip load in terms of percentage and define the spindle's maximum RPM.

Finally, expand the green summary tab to see the detailed results of feeds and speeds and to change display units.

To get started quickly, watch the video on the app's download page. The app's help section also provides information about each data field with explanations.

Free and PRO Versions

To see if the FSWizard will do the job for you, grab the free app for your iOS or Android device and give it a whirl. The fully functional free version, FSWizard Lite, is designed to let users become familiar with the tool and comes with just a handful of materials, while the FSWizard PRO ($29.95) comes loaded with more than 150 of the most commonly machined materials ranging from wood types to exotic metal alloys.

Bonus Apps Included

FSWizard comes with a variety of useful charts and calculators that machinists use daily, including drill and tap charts for both imperial and metric systems plus triangle, fillet, bolt hole, true position and a scientific calculator.

Even if you never use the free app to calculate feeds and speeds, the bonus charts and apps will put a productivity rocket in your pocket and a smile on your face.