Arc data is stored as double, at least when retrieving it from the API http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/643eft0t

under "Cut Pattern" there's a "Projection" at the bottom of the screen. Change that from Normal to Plane, to Normal to Surface, and set the value very small (0.001" if you already projected your 3d curves onto the surface). the problem is like JP said, both surfaced are getting your pojection. The Normal to Surface projection distance can stop the toolpath from 'finding' that second surface. If no toolpath forms, make your projection distance higher, like 0.005" and so forth

Can you attach your starting geometry. The distance from your geometry to the sphere is going to affect how it's wrapped. Depending on the size of your laces, the size of the laces and the distance away from the centre of your sphere will have to be proportional to the radius. it may still end up waterfalling in the plane direction

Up until last week though it seemed to generate around the same speed as the 'old' path? If you want to attach the file click on "More reply Options" next to the Post button, and then there's a big paper clip. or go to something likw www.wetransfer.com and then post the link

ah! haha gotcha.

yes something like that would work too (I would consider a plane to be a 'geometrical', but I'm just trying to backstep here). There would have to be an instance of reference for the trim to happen, and that trim could be associative, absolutely - because it could just act as an operation occurring after the toolpath is created. In that case, isn't Mastercam's trim associative since if you change the toolpath and you use toolpath trim, the trim is regenerated when you regenerate the path? I think we're talking about two different things - trimming, and editing. Trimming needs a reference, like a plane, a piece of geometry or some kind of entity to reference. Editing means selecting a series of points, or dictating some points you want to delete. With editing, the reference could change with the stepover etc. so I don't see how that could be associative in any software without creating a potentially dangerous path

The only way a cam system could make a trim associative is if geometry was used for the trim. If you change your stepover you would lose your place of reference that the trim happened at ... bad bad things would happen if the software decides where it thinks you trimmed things

One 5-axis machine with turning capabilities? or just lose the lathe altogether. because if the first case is true, good luck!

UR as in Universal Robots? if so, see attached - just made a really simple program. Can't attach because of the file type, but the contents are: def urtest(): !Start of Program() movej([0.000000,0.000000,1.570796,1.570796,1.570796,0.000000],v=3.141593) movel(p[0.671300, 0.163891, 0.380474, 0.000000, 1.570796, 0.000000],v=1.000000,r=0.01) movel(p[0.759937, 0.163891, 0.380474, 0.000000, 1.570796, 0.000000],v=1.000000,r=0.01) movel(p[0.759937, 0.163891, 0.380474, 0.000000, 1.570796, 0.000000],v=1.000000,r=0.01) movel(p[0.759937, 0.163891, 0.607950, 0.000000, 1.570796, 0.000000],v=1.000000,r=0.01) movel(p[0.759920, 0.163891, 0.607981, 0.000000, 1.570824, 0.000000],v=1.000000,r=0.01) !This is the end of the program() end

Can you refresh my memory on that setting - I'm not seeing it anywhere in this toolpath

If it's a series of steps without a specific requirement this is pretty easy to write as a nethook/chook. ie: if you always open a model, change the color of everything, change the planes of everything etc. it's when you start to realize the individual things you do on an incremental basis but you do every time (ie: only change the colors of certain geometry, change the plane to a different setting depending on where the model is) etc. it starts to get hard to assign a macro/add on to it. You also then need to maintain it as versions of Mastercam go forward. More automated / less flexible

I've used stock model on all kinds of complicated/organic shapes

I think he's saying it's what people say, but you CAN do

This happens a lot - I ask the management what the IT guy has for a computer, and how much CAD he works with.

I think what this means is that X9 is going to become the release we will no longer be able to shake for 10+ years