STL File problem

[Go Navy]

I am trying to set up a stl file from stock previously machined but my setting won't save.

 

I have saved an stl file and went into the verify config page and selected file for stock and ensured that the proper stl file was selected then clicked ok. My stock displayed isn't the stl file that I chose but, my raw stock from previos operation. when I go back to the veify config page the box value is preselected for me. I know that I must be missing a step but I'm pulling my hair out trying to find it.

 

By the way I did go and look at my stl file using the file converter read file and it looks good from there just seems that mastercam isn't saving my settings or I'm missing a step.

 

Thanks in advance!! everyone in this forum rocks.

 

have fun

Al

[Go Navy]

Still no luck getting stl to work. Any ideas would be great!

[Tim Johnson]

Did you read your stl file in to move it around or did you use Xforn file? You need to use Xform and it's a bit tricky the first few times. Look up transforming stl files in your MC help menu and that should get you started.

[Go Navy]

I don't really need to transform my stl file all I'm doing is trying to get a visual referance of a completed part in the verify. The part we are manufactering begins as angle iron. So I set up my original stock square stock and made a dummy operation to machine all the material out to make my angle then I saved that as my stl file. but I can't seem to make the stl file my default stock. We are going to use this same angle in many differant programs so I wanted to just make it default material for the time being.

 

thanks in advance for all the help

al

[CAM-mando]

Did you re-click the "file" radio button under shape in verify config ? In otherwords is the field with the file name greyed out or white ?

[Go Navy]

I clicked the file radio button which turns the file block white, then I selected my stl file and clicked ok.

 

which takes me back to my verify screen but it still shows the square stock. when I click the verify config button to check my settings the box button is selected and the file is grayed out? is that normal or is our mastercam messing up??

 

Thanks

al

[Brendan P]

It should be the other way around.

The box should be greyed out

[Charlie Pierson]

I used an STL file for stock this AM.

I shut down Mcam and then came back to it this afternoon and the stock setting in Verify was re-set to Box w/ the filespec of the stl in a greyed-out box. I clicked the file radio button and now my stl is back as the stock.

Then I switched to a different part , came back , and the stl was still there.

Exited Mcam , came back to the part w/ the stl and it was re-set to box.

[Brendan P]

I've also had some funny things happen when 'true solid' was not checked "on"

[Go Navy]

finally got it. I don't know why but when Mastercam created the stl file it also created a file of the same name with a .lwn extentions. I finally deleted all of the files with this extension and that was all she wrote. Works like a charm.

 

Thanks again for everyones help

have fun

AL

[Don LePore from CNC Software]

There were a couple of items in this thread that could be clarified for you.

 

First, the issue of the radio buttons to define the stock (box, cylinder or file). When we implemented the STL file option, some users would leave that option set, but change parts or go to a new part, go into Verify and have to sit there while it loaded a large STL file. And they weren't happy. So the compromise was that Verify would remember you stock type of "file" as long as you were in the same Mastercam session. Shut down Mastercam and then rerun it, if it sees that it's set to "file", it reverts back to "box". It only takes a couple of seconds to reselect "file" and the file name is retained.

 

As for the "lwn" files: These are copies of the TrueSolid model that is saved behind the scenes when you select the "Save as STL file" button. The content of these files is as accurate as the stock was when you saved your file. The STL file created is only a close approximation. When you select a file to be used as stock (i.e. "results.stl") and there's the companion lwn file in the same directory ("results.lwn") and its modification date is ever so slightly newer than the STL file, we know you haven't tried to modify the STL file so the lwn file gets loaded automatically.

 

As to why you were having problems that were cleared up by the removal of the lwn files, I'm at a loss. If you can recreate the problem, please report a bug.

 

Hope this helps.

[Go Navy]

aaah it makes so much more sense to me now! I have sent our file to our reseller and they were going to forward it on to see if we can find out why this happened but, all seems smooth now. Thanks again for all the help.

 

have a great day

Al