Auto picking center of arcs for drilling

[Jimmy_2004]

I know that you can use manual/center for picking up drill holes in 2d using the auto cursor, but is there a method that allows you to just predd on the arc and it automatically picks the center other than constantly hitting the manual/center command, thanks.

[Andy]

Use a Chook called drillpt. It will put a center point on all the circles. Then window the points in the drill routine.

[DavidB]

Use mask on arc.You select an arc and Mastercam will select all arcs the same diameter within a tolerance you specify.

HTH

[Guest]

toolpath, drill, entities. Then pick the arc and it will select the center of each arc.

[robk]

+1 to DavidB... Just increase your tolerance when prompted.

[Kannon]

Unbelievable!

I just tried the suggestion DavidB gave and it works great.

 

I use to think I was good til I found you guys!

 

Brian

[Davidm]

I've had some trouble with mask on arc when I later tried to threadmill those holes. If the arc I selected was the tap drill size, threadmill op automatically threadmills that size. Box to specify actual thread dia gets blanked out and can't be changed. To avoid problem I always put in points either manually or with c-hook if I also need to threadmill.

[Mike Mattera - TFM]

In Mastercam you select things by Color, Entity type (line, arc, point), Line style(hidden, center, phantom), Level, Size, or any combination of these items. These let you Include or Exclude holes.

 

I usually do Drill - Mask on arc - select the arc - match the size by .001", then say All - Arcs.

 

Mike Mattera

[indianaroadracer]

Hmmm, these are the closes search results I have found..... I'm trying to drill some holes and everytime I program I get the following error.

 

"R Command is in a block that is not a 2D arc"

 

I'm picking the holes to drill from a imported CAD file and having to rearrange the drill sequence to make it linear instead of mastercam's desire to cut the outer holes 1st.

[Kannon]

What version are you using?

[Goldorak]

does cplane and tplane are the same???

 

does arc are perpenticular with the tool plane ???

[indianaroadracer]

I'm using X2 (11.0.3.25)

 

I'm not only a newbie to the board but new to the CNC world. Recently the computer I used as well as the network was changed and I have been having issues ever since...

 

 

I finally figured out my post is adding a retract command thats causing the error. Looking back at some of my old programs there was no retract command and hence the difference between sucess and failure. At least I have a customer, sales guy, customer service, and now plant manager asking for updates every 5 minutes... as we all know this really helps with the progress...

[Ocean Lacky™]

quote:

---

I'm picking the holes to drill from a imported CAD file and having to rearrange the drill sequence to make it linear instead of mastercam's desire to cut the outer holes 1st.

---

There's a sorting option. You can make it go almost any way you want.

[indianaroadracer]

Well I was thinking it was the post got changed somehow but I confirmed I am using the original post.

After comparing my program for my proto part made in June and the revised program I am failing to create I noticed the G code is different. Not only is it adding a retract command to the Drill lines but it is also adding the follwing at the start of each command line.

 

N120

N130

N140

etc.

 

I guess its probably just a setting that I probably made in my training on my old PC and needs to be made to my new puter....

[Kannon]

This might help take care of your N numbers..

[Colin Gilchrist]

The other method you can use to pick your arc centers:

 

Leave the point selection set to manual (button with the selection arrow), then Right-Click on the Arc Center override option on the Autocursor drop down menu. Then you can just click the arcs in the order you want to drill them. This saves time over the automatic methods because you don't have to re-sort the points. Its great if you don't have too many holes...

[indianaroadracer]

I figured out some setting was wrong but couldn't find it to correct it... so I called Mastercam Technical Support. They walked me through setting up my machine configuration as my new puter was using defaults instead of the .control, .RMD, files Thermwood requires.

 

All is good again , thanks for the responses!

[Kannon]

quote:

---

so I called Mastercam Technical Support.

---

how dare you! j/k

glad you got it.

[Justin Beebe at Folsom Tool]

Colin,

 

One method that works well for me is to leave selection to manual then disable all auto cursor features except for arc center. That way when I move my cusror over any arc it can only snap to arc center. Is that the method you are suggesting?

[Colin Gilchrist]

Justin,

 

Basically the same, except instead of using the Autocursor settings dialog box (with all the checkboxes), you would go to the autocursor override drop down menu, and right-click on the arc center option. This saves you from having to re-configure your autocursor settings when you are done. Right-Clicking on an autocursor override option to "lock" it was introduced in X2 MR1 I think (although it might have been earlier).

 

HTH,

[Justin Beebe at Folsom Tool]

That makes more sense. Where do I find the autocursor overide drop down menu. I looked but could not find it. I am using X2MR2.

[Thad]

Justin,

 

It's just to the right of the "!" on the ribbon bar.

 

Thad

[Colin Gilchrist]

It's on the Autocursor Toolbar, past the XYZ data entry fields, to the right of the "!" button. Click the little black drop down arrow, and then you will see the entire list of Overrides. Left-clicking sets that override for a one-time use. Right-clicking locks that selection mode.

 

Beware though, if you lock a selection mode, you must press ESC or click the override button to unlock it before you can exit the current command. Its not a big deal as long as you know about it.

 

HTH,

[OTOMMYO]

I have X2 now but when i was using 9. i would select point option then press the c button and click near an arc and it would find the center of the arc for you. Does anyone know if this can be used in x2?

[OTOMMYO]

got it thanks guys.

Yous are so smart