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2022 Analyze Contour


sharles
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A lot of times I'll use the surface to create the wireframe boundary I want to use for a tool path. But our surfaces often have small gaps between them. In 2019, I could use analyze contour and then hit "chain" and it would chain until it got to a gap. Then I could select a color and mastercam would apply that color to that part of the chain, then I could hit 'chain' again and it would continue on until it hit another gap, and I could select a different color, and it would apply the new color. I would continue to work my way around the entire chain, coloring all the partial areas with various colors. Once I was done, I'd kick out of Analyze Contour and then go and fix all the gaps that were shown by the various colors I had applied.

But, now in 2022, it doesn't seem to let me apply different colors unless I close Analyze Contour each time it comes to a gap. It's a real PITA. I've tried to hit various features on the dialogue box for chaining, but so far none of them seem to allow me to apply a different color to each section of the chain...sigh..

Am I missing something? Of is there a different feature that would allow me to do the same thing?

Thanks

Scott

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5 hours ago, sharles said:

A lot of times I'll use the surface to create the wireframe boundary I want to use for a tool path. But our surfaces often have small gaps between them. In 2019, I could use analyze contour and then hit "chain" and it would chain until it got to a gap. Then I could select a color and mastercam would apply that color to that part of the chain, then I could hit 'chain' again and it would continue on until it hit another gap, and I could select a different color, and it would apply the new color. I would continue to work my way around the entire chain, coloring all the partial areas with various colors. Once I was done, I'd kick out of Analyze Contour and then go and fix all the gaps that were shown by the various colors I had applied.

But, now in 2022, it doesn't seem to let me apply different colors unless I close Analyze Contour each time it comes to a gap. It's a real PITA. I've tried to hit various features on the dialogue box for chaining, but so far none of them seem to allow me to apply a different color to each section of the chain...sigh..

Am I missing something? Of is there a different feature that would allow me to do the same thing?

Thanks

Scott

  1. Analyze Chain in 2022 > puts you immediately into "Chaining mode" + the Screen Prompt says "Analyze Chain 1, select an entity to start a new chain."
  2. click on the start entity of the chain > it will chain from the start point, to the first break in the chain. This section is now "selected" and shows up as such.
  3. leave the Analyze Chain dialog box open > now right-click in the 'graphics display', but not directly on the geometry. This will launch the Attributes Toolbar + Right-Click menu.
  4. use the Wireframe Color Drop-Down menu, and pick a new color for the selected chain.
  5. Now, you want to see your color change, so use the little "unselect chain" button, to de-select the 1st broken section. You will notice that the color changed, and you are still inside the 'Analyze Chain' menu. Now, pick the entity on the 'far side of the 1st break', and you'll select a new "first chain".
  6. Repeat the process for chaining colors, of each chain section. I was able to color a chain with 10 different sections, pretty quickly, by just remembering to use the "unselect chain" button.

One other tip I'd recommend is to modify the "selection options".

File > Configuration > Selection >

Disable 'Use glow highlighting'

Disable 'Use stipple on solids/surfaces/meshes'

Disable 'Use dashed on wireframe'

That will make 'selection' seem much more like previous versions of Mastercam (X9-ish).

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Hey Scott, one more thing > have you been using the 'Find Overlap' Function? (C-hook)

It only works on lines and arcs, but I find it to be pretty useful when cleaning up a 2D path.

By the way, are you aware of this enhancement to the Mastercam workflow for creating edge curves:

  • Recently, a change was made that allows a user to "create curve" directly off a solid model, where Mastercam now respects the state of the 2D/3D switch.
  • If you're in '2D' mode, and select the solid edges, Mastercam will project the edge curve to the current Z-Depth of your Construction Plane.
  • This can save you some steps, by not having to first "create the wireframe in 3D space", and then having to project the chains to the Construction Plane.
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no I wasn't aware of it: "find overlap" sounds like it could be helpful sometimes. thanks for the tip. 

As for the 2nd one, I try not to deal in solids anymore than I have to even though our engineers output everything in parasolids format. I like to be able to move all the non-essential surfaces off to another level so I can visually verify my toolpaths are doing what I intend. But I'll try to keep in mind what you said in case the need for that would arise.

Thanks again!

Scott

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5 hours ago, Colin Gilchrist said:
  • Recently, a change was made that allows a user to "create curve" directly off a solid model, where Mastercam now respects the state of the 2D/3D switch.
  • If you're in '2D' mode, and select the solid edges, Mastercam will project the edge curve to the current Z-Depth of your Construction Plane.
  • This can save you some steps, by not having to first "create the wireframe in 3D space", and then having to project the chains to the Construction Plane.

This is something I have been doing since coming back to Mastercam 3 years ago, although there are times I forget to switch  which is often followed by a few 'polite' words and some clicking of the back (undo) button.

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38 minutes ago, AHarrison1 said:

This is something I have been doing since coming back to Mastercam 3 years ago, although there are times I forget to switch  which is often followed by a few 'polite' words and some clicking of the back (undo) button.

Remember that "on the fly", you can simply click the "3D" on the bottom blue bar, in Mastercam, and that will swap from 3D to 2D. That way you can stay "in the function", create your wireframe, and then exit the function before deleting the 3D geometry if needed.

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