Horizontally Challenged!!

[zak]

I've racked up around 35 hrs M_Cam experience so far (all on "X"), and I'm LOST!! I'm recovering from years of SmartCam abuse, and I need a support system. I've managed to limp through a couple programs and run code on HAAS, Mori, and old Bridgeport VMC machines. I was even lucky enough make some minor edits to the post(s) that actually worked! That accounts for my first 10 hours or so. The last 25 hours were spent (and I'm still spending!) beating my head against my monitor, trying to figure out how to get a stinkin B-Axis rotation to post out correctly! I've read every post in this forum that I could find about horizontal machining in M_Cam. I've tried to follow any instructions I could find (setting T_P to front/right/etc.), and I've managed to screw up just about every machine definition/control definition/axis combination/;ldsjhfihoijadu**# that I touched! I'm not real excited about the 3/4 Axis Vertical code I've managed to puke out, but I'm confident that I can dial that in fairly soon. I'm crapping my pants about the 4 Axis Horizontal code...or lack there of, and I'm prisoner to late-'90s-technology until I can figure something out. I'm way too proud to ask for a post, I've been making my own for years (plus, from what I've read here, I'm afraid I'd recieve something organic and/or explosive in the mail!); maybe just a nudge in the right direction. If someone can respond, please speak slowly using simple words with few syllables. Sorry about the rambling; this is the first time I've posted to a forum...plus it's late...and I'm long-winded! OH! As far as the horizontals go, I have a 40-pallet Matsuura cell system(H.Plus-300), an Okuma MX-60 (OSP7000M), and an Okuma MC-500H (OSP5020M). On the Vertical side, there's 5 HAAS machines w/rotary 4th, a B.P. VMC, Fanuc Robodrill, Mori SV503, and an Okuma 6VA. Now I'm done...really.

[Flycut]

Welcome to the forum Zak.

 

I'm sure you'll find the help you need here.

I always do.

 

Not from me though, sorry.

Little out of my league.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Zak,

 

Do yourself a favor and snag the MPMaster Post for X. Start with it and you'll be a much happier camper. I promise.

 

Second, in the post, you have to tell it how you are doing your rotations; i.e. if you want Front View (relative to your WCS) as B0 then you have to have rot_on_x set to the appropriate setting (2 I believe), then Front is B0, Side is B90, etc...

 

HTH

 

Keep with it, you'll get it soon enough.

[ZAK_2]

Hey, thanks (flycut and James) for the response. Unfortunately I've already downloaded said Post...and managed to screw it up! I'm probably over-complicating this stuff. Just to make sure I'm understanding correctly - I read that my T_P and C_P should be set to FRONT (RIGHT, LEFT, etc.), and I leave my WCS set to TOP...right?...errr, correct? I started screwing with the "TILT AXIS" stuff in the AXIS COMBINATIONS settings and got turned around pretty quickly. Not much luck with the Machine Components break-down either (I kept receiving an error something like "machine def. contains no valid axis combinations and cannot be used..."). I did notice the vmc/hmc sections in the Post, but I don't think I tried to post anything after changing just those settings alone (after staring at my computer all day, the ol' ADHD kicks in and patience, well, you know). Anyhow, I really appreciate your comments.

[Flycut]

My question to you Zak...

 

Should we be expecting a ZAK_3 AND 4???

[zak]

Yeah, sorry about that... Between office and home I forgot my login info. I wasn't planning on creating a seperate profile, but I got a little excited when I saw that I already had a couple replies! No more Zaks. Do I need to do anything with the profile I created since I don't plan on using it? I'm not too familiar with forum etiquette.

[zak]

Got it. Thanks again guys.

[M. Anderson]

Zak,

 

Multiple login's - Well!

 

You need to go find "ISKY" (Iskander teh Owl), talk to him about "MPD Factor"!

 

He's the EXPERT!

 

(Do a search on MPD it should give you a laugh or two he's been rode on this for a few years)

 

You may want to keep a look out on this site - from what I understand Charles Davis's new books for X will be on this site when avaliable (or so I read somewhere).

 

Charles's books are highly rated!

 

HTH

 

OH! - Welcome to the forum!

 

Later,

 

Mark

[Harryman]

Welcome Zacs

 

Honestly, if you have the resources to obtain and run all that equipment and need to KEEP it running why not spend a few bucks and get some training?

[DavidB]

James,

Would you start with MPMaster Post for X or update the one you allready have from V9?

[zak]

Hi Harry! I've struggled with that idea...mainly because I'm not dependant on M_Cam to keep things running. I'm able to keep up with SmartCam (V11.5) and try to make the switch as I have time. Once I made it over that first hurdle (turned out to be pretty simple!), there's been plenty of info on this site to get most of my posts where I want them. Now I'm hung up on a couple toolchange/sequence number variables. I'd like to add a math function so the sequence numbers = multiples of the tool numbers (for the Okuma HMC's). I've seen similar questions posted, but nothing that I've been able to apply. Any suggestions?