No I,J,K in xy, xz planes...

[Randy Replogle]

...but there are in the X, Y plane. Is is a MasterCam or a post setting?

Thanks,

Randy

[DavidB]

Can you give some more info Randy?

Change the display color in backplot for CW and CCW arcs to a different color other than your Linear moves (11) so when you run the backplot the arcs will stand out.I have my CW and CCW moves set to two diiferent colors.

Is Filter on?

[Randy Replogle]

I mean not in the xz yz planes.

RR

[P_Scott]

Randy Replogle,

 

Most likely it's a post setting that isn't activated. There are several "General output" settings towards the top of the post file. Look these over and read the notes that are printed to the right of the "#" sign. Before making any changes, copy the post file and modify the copy. Usually it's better if you change the name as well. That way you'll never lose the original post. HTH

[DavidB]

There is a question in the post..

helix_arc : 2 #Support helix arc output, 0=no, 1=all planes, 2=XY plane only

 

and...

arcoutput : 0 #0 = IJK, 1 = R no sign, 2 = R signed neg. over 180

[Randy Replogle]

helix_arc is set to all planes.

 

I don't seem to have arcoutput. Can I add it? where?

 

Time to leave work now. Back tomorrow. Thanks for all the help so far.

 

Randy

[Hing CM]

Are you use the surface machining? You should turn on the filter ratio in the total tolearnce.

But the arcs output will be depended on the curveture of your part. May be you need to let us know more about the type of problems you face.

[Randy Replogle]

Hi all,

My problem is that I'm getting facets on the surface of a cylinder. I'm using "finish/parallel" which I think should be creating arcs in the XZ plane. The facets are around .050" in length. I've looked for something which is set to .050" but don't see anything. Before asking here I read the archives and tried filtering with no luck. I don't have the line in the post for "arcoutput". My machine is a Miltronics MB19. Maybe it can't do XZ or YZ arcs which might explain the missing line in the post? I didn't realize I could change the color of the arcs and lines in backplot, thanks. What other info would you like?

Thanks,

Randy

[P_Scott]

Randy,

 

quote:

---

I don't seem to have arcoutput.

---

Every post processor has it. It may be located in another section. Does your control accept helical arcs in the code? There seems to be a little break in the logic of what you're post is set to and what it's output looks like. Was the post ever modified from the original post that was supplied with the software? What post are you using? What control is it for? A little more information can go a long way to understanding what's going on. HTH

 

I just read your last reply. Use toolpath filtering found in the "Total tolerance" button located on the last tab of the operation. I typically start off by using a Filter ratio of 2:1, where the filter tolerance is twice the size of the cut tolerance. This allows Mastercam to eliminate small linear motion with arcs. This is why you're not getting the "XZ" arcs and instead are getting the "facets". The surface toolpaths in Mcam are automatically broken down into linear "point - point" motion. The Filter acts as a way to reduce the size of the code by replacing many lines with as few arcs as will fit in the same space, give or take a 0.001" or so. That's why it usually works better when the filter tol. is double the size of the cut tol.

[Randy Replogle]

Hmmmmmmm.....

It seems that when I was setting the filter ratio before, it was reverting back to something other than 2:1 and not saving the change. I found that after selecting 2:1 I need to click somewhere else in the window which changes the color in the ratio selection "box" and then seems to save my selection. Backplot shows arcs now. S'pose you all knew that!

But really, using "find" I can't find "arcoutput" in my post. I can find it in different version of the post that I had tried once.

 

Anyway, I'll try cutting again. Thank you very much.

 

Randy

[Randy Replogle]

Yep, that ratio menu is really touchy. I check and recheck to see if my selection stuck. Half of the time it doesn't the first time or two. When it works, however, problem solved!!

 

RR

[Avs_Fan]

Hi Randy

A good post to refer to for the Milltronics MB19 is the "MPCENT5.PST" dated 5/28/2003. I had just been looking at it earlier today.

Your post about the "No I J K" really caught my eye. Our modified Milltronics posts had been using "R" (arcoutput=1) instead of "I,J,K". I encountered a problem yesterday that I narrowed down to the "R", & just finished tweaking one of our posts to output "I,J,K". I think I'll make a new forum post (so I don't hijack this one ) about using "R" versus "I,J,K" with G2/G3 on Milltronics.