Translate to plane issues.

[Mark one]

Good day all, been 16 years since I fired up this account.  Hope you are all well. I hope I'm in the right area to ask this question.

When a part is imported into 2023 Mastercam in an isometric type view, (just the way we receive some files x.t), I would always use Translate to plane and in the "Source plane" function area, I would choose 3 points and click the places on the flat plane, of the part, that I would like to have translated to the Destination plane "Top" view. Then Having one face of the part set on a flat plane , I could rotate the geometry, and set origin. Usually easy. The issue that we are having here is, When prompted back to the part on the screen to choose anything,( flat plane, line, 3 points, dynamic... Nothing works. The cursor recognizes nothing on the part, like its not there,  not allowing me to pick any  geometry. I have opened a few other files and the same thing occurs. Its like those functions are turned off. Any input here would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[David Colin]

I remember it's been reported broken in 2023 (here or on official forum but i can't find post and i don't remember if there is a work around). I didn't try if it's been fixed in 2024.

I advise you to use Dynamic transform instead.

 

[Mark one]

Thanks for the reply! I also tried dynamic, same thing, as it will not allow me to anchor the gnomes to anything on the part, to try rotation.

It's also difficult to accurately set the part planes using Dynamic, when the file comes in with all axis of the part in different unknown angles. This is where 3 point or face options shined. Perhaps this is a 2023 version bug, I've not experienced this previously. Inhouse could advise.?

[gcode]

2 hours ago, Mark one said:

The issue that we are having here is, When prompted back to the part on the screen to choose anything,( flat plane, line, 3 points, dynamic... Nothing works.

Welcome back !!!

 

Does this work if you are not in the Translate to Plane function?

Perhaps this is a auto cursor issue?

When I'm using this function for a translation that is not a simple 90° move

I build a "From" plane and draw a "From" point before using Translate to plane.

[Mark one]

1 hour ago, gcode said:

I build a "From" plane and draw a "From" point before using Translate to plane.

Yup, I've tried this as well. I've also drawn 3 points on the face plane corners I want translated (to top), to no avail the cursor doesn't see anything. Even when I lock  on cursor point, I cannot click these 3 points I've just created,  when prompted to. 

[David Colin]

2 hours ago, Mark one said:

Thanks for the reply! I also tried dynamic, same thing, as it will not allow me to anchor the gnomes to anything on the part, to try rotation.

It's also difficult to accurately set the part planes using Dynamic, when the file comes in with all axis of the part in different unknown angles. This is where 3 point or face options shined. Perhaps this is a 2023 version bug, I've not experienced this previously. Inhouse could advise.?

With dynamic you should be able to mimic transform to plane command even if your part is in any orientation. 

Check you are in 3D mode though. 

You just need to pick your solid face to locate xy plane, orient your gnomon as you want it on your part then transform your part automatically to any plane you want using view manager/dynamic buttons in panel.

Dynamic can basically do it all if correctly used. 

[David Colin]

@Mark one Post documentation is available to download on official mastercam here https://my.mastercam.com/communities/3rd-party-developers/post-processor-resources/  

[sharles]

On 7/30/2023 at 8:00 AM, Mark one said:

Good day all, been 16 years since I fired up this account.  Hope you are all well. I hope I'm in the right area to ask this question.

When a part is imported into 2023 Mastercam in an isometric type view, (just the way we receive some files x.t), I would always use Translate to plane and in the "Source plane" function area, I would choose 3 points and click the places on the flat plane, of the part, that I would like to have translated to the Destination plane "Top" view. Then Having one face of the part set on a flat plane , I could rotate the geometry, and set origin. Usually easy. The issue that we are having here is, When prompted back to the part on the screen to choose anything,( flat plane, line, 3 points, dynamic... Nothing works. The cursor recognizes nothing on the part, like its not there,  not allowing me to pick any  geometry. I have opened a few other files and the same thing occurs. Its like those functions are turned off. Any input here would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Hey, Mark,

if you haven't used mastercam in 16 years, they've gotten MUCH BETTER about the WCS working. We never ever move our parts because future engineering changes wouldn't overlay the current part if we moved them. I can remember 10 or more years ago, when Mastercam was so geared toward world coordinates rather than custom WCS's that for the multaxis swarf program ONLY, I would have to move my part to mastercam's X0,Y0,Z0 homes or I couldn't even limit the angles and other things I wanted to do.

But that's not the case any more. So, you might want to give the custom WCS a try.

As for Translate to Plane, I'm typically using it just the opposite direction. We've got fixtures and stuff that come in at Mastercam X0,Y0,Z0, and they always, perfectly move using the Named Plane button I circled below and I set that to Top, and then make sure the Destination Plane field says your WCS, and then at the very bottom, the Destination button, takes you back to the graphics screen and mastercam allows you to grab the WCS origin even if there isn't any geometry. It never fails...So, if you really MUST move your part, then I would suggest you make a custom WCS, give it a name, and then still do what I said...but using the custom WCS rather than Mastercam's Top wp in the source field and then change the Destination plane to mastercam's Top wp. I would think it would work since it always works for me the opposite direction.