Aku Shaper software

Industry Talk
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The following thread is an account of what we have been experiencing lately using the APS3000 or now AKU Shaper software. OUR SOFTWARE NO LONGER WORKS AND WE CANT GET A RESPONSE FROM AKU. WE PAID OVER $64,500 USD for our Machine almost 4 years ago. We were told that the lifetime license fee was included. The software developer told us that his fee was between 12-$14,000 USD and we would receive free updates for 24 month’s after our machine was installed after which their could be upgrade fees associated with new features…

TODAY WE HAVE NO SOFTWARE AND HAVE HAD NO ACCEPTABLE CONTACT BY AKU. WE CONTACTED THEM VIA FORM ON THEIR SUPPORT SITE AND GOT NO RESPONSE. I GOT A CALL AFTER I STARTED THIS POST BUT REFUSED TO ACCEPT IT. AT THIS POINT WE NEED DOCUMENTATION NOT VERBAL AGREEMENTS. SOME OF THE POST HAVE BEEN DELETED AND REPLACED BY SHORT SHOUT OUTS WHICH ARE A RECORD OF THE EMOTION ONE GOES THROUGH WHEN YOU LOSE THE ABILITY TO KEEP YOUR BUSINESS OPERATIONS PREDICTABLE. THEIR IS A POSSIBLE PRIVACY ISSUE THAT WE HAVE ASSEMBLED A VOLUNTARY TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS TO INVESTIGATE. WE PLAN ON POSTING OUR FINDINGS ON THIS FORUM AND WILL USE AN OUTSIDER TO PREPARE THE DOC’S. WE WANT THE TRUTH IN REGARDS TO THE RISK OF USING THE SOFTWARE. IF THEIR IS NO RISK I WOULD EXPECT THE AKU TEAM TO RESPOND. WE HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A GOOD EXPLANATION FROM AKU/APS AS TO HOW EXACTLY THE SOFTWARE WORKS AND WHAT WEAK SECURITY LINKS IT MAY HAVE IF ANY. RIGHT NOW I CANNOT UNINSTALL THE PROGRAM. IT IS FORCING ME TO CONTACT AKU FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTION WHICH COULD PUT US AT FURTHER RISK>…

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ive got the non machine one and every so often it comes up with an error message and wont open

i just delete it and install it again off the website whenever it happens

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I quit using Aku the minute he made it unreadable

in Shape 3D. I think that limiting the machines I can

cut a board on is counterproductive in any type of

production environment. The shape 3d lite is ok, could

be better.

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I’ve been using the software for months with very few problems.

I design my boards in AKU so I can play around with different shapes, rails, concaves etc.

Then I handshape off of the final design.

Every once in a while I get a board or two cut by Mike at Shooting Blanks.

I just email him the brd. files and he gets it done.

He is SUPER meticulous about his work…and he’s a really great guy!

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Is autocad/desk compatible? If these software titles were open source, it would be much easier to debug through open source supported forums.

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Yeah Mike is great. He has really taken care of me and even been kind of like a mentor in some ways.

I really value the experience of all you guys that have been doing this much longer than I have. I feel very fortunate.

Both of Mikes machines are very cool. I got to help him figure out a couple of issues we were having(he did most of the figuring lol)

cutting one of my designs. One of the issues was a mistake I made in the program.

I have only been using the free version, but here are a couple of fixes that I figured out.

You guys that are experts, forgive me if they are too obvious. I just thought I’d throw them out there.

  1. I am generally a Mac guy. While AKU will work on mac, my experience is that it is not fully functional and will cause random crashes

    as well as the files not translating correctly for any kind of transfer.

  2. On PC, there has to be enough system resources allocated to allow Aku to function correctly. I have a fairly powerfull PC but I did have freezes and crashes

    in the beginning because the program is a HOG. To many things in startup allocation or things running in the background and AKU will overload cpu capacity

    in a heartbeat.

Don’t know if any of this will help, or if I’m just taking up discussion space, but hey…at least I’m trying. LOL

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Upgrade to Shape 3D - World Wide Standard - APS 3000 machines can use the files as well as PRO-CAMM, Neptune, KKL or any 3DM machine.

MIKI uses SHAPE 3D for his machines.

Since Verison 8 the program has improved so much.

AKU Shaper is a good program it’s just not as friendly if your cutting your boards on different machines.

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aku business principles seem to follow a socialist concept as I paid for the software had 2 copies of the machine version.

That’s odd that AKU (Jimmy Freeze) would jeopardize his reputation?

Why not make the software valid for you to use?

That why I like Shape 3D. It’s flowing and the support from them is fantastic!

I’m glad you have Shape 3D. It’s sounds like you got things under control.

Sorry to hear you got ripped off!

Miki is moving forward and shape 3D is working well with his machines.

I wish you the best in your endeavors.

SD

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)))))))))))))))

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Me too, this just happened to me. I was just starting to have fun with it. I went to the site and tried again, but i never get the email with the link to the download. Bummer.

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I agree with Meanshapes in every single comment.

I will open a new thread to state my experience between cutting boards with the Akushaper, APS3000 cutting with the aps3000/akushaper software and the APS3000 cutting with Shape3D… look out for it.

Flavs

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Come out and PLAY AKU Come out and PLAY!

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Mate this thing here with these guys is eating you up. I felt the same way when I worked for a foam company and they copyed my idea, now I don’t even worry about them as it was doing my head in, I just worry about my company and making sure I do the best job for my client that I can. Just waiting to see if they copy my new CDD blank should be fun if they do. Peter

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GONNA GO CATCH ME A FEW BIRDS FOR DINNER!

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Cutting surfboards is a thankless job. It’s sad that these AKU guy’s aren’t more customer service driven?

It’s hard enough running these machines and keeping everything right. To have a software war is out of control.

I feel your pain.

Cut other items other than surfboards.

You can do boat parts for $200/hr or surfboards $25 - $75/hr.

Were’s the ROI? It’s a horrible business model (having a cuttng service).

Only Pro-Cam or KKL make a decent margin.

Having said all that it seemsthat Mr. Freeze would want to make it easier

for his customers including past clients to maintain a decent margin

in order to generate more sales of their machines?

Negative comments travel fastest than positive ones!

Otherwise who will be retarded enough to buy a machine with today’s ecomony?

Staff shapers make more than machine owners. $66 per/hr and no overhead. (3 boards/hr)

Plus they can reject the miscuts even if it’s 1/32". The fail blank gets charged back to the owner of the machine.

In the end it’s a lost cause. Shapers now day’s want the boards 98% finished. The machines get it close however

not that close. It’s really demanding. So if your reading this and want to buy a AKU Surfboard Shaper make sure

you have another $100,000 in cash for back up once you pay for your machine so you can cut boards until you run

out of money! Let the cutting services that exist do your boards. There is no room for anymore machines in California.

There are so many machines from San Diego to Santa Cruz. It’s out of control.

Economics 101 = Supply verses Demand - Plenty of capacity and little demand?

The surf industry is going through a strong correction this year. It will take sometime

to recover.

Just go surfing!

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