Imported ops have incorrect height and diameter settings

[Smit]

Has anybody else experienced this? When I import ops from a different file the tools will come in with the correct number, but with incorrect diameter and height settings. 3 seems to be the most common number regardless of the tool.

 

I'll usually turn off the automatic tool sequencing when I import ops because I want to maintain the original numbers.

 

This is a big deal. I've sent a few programs out to the machines because I didn't think to check. The machinists get pi$$ed, and I don't blame 'em.

 

If it's a bug I sure hope it's going to be fixed soon...

 

Thanks!

 

Mastercam X MR1 (10.1.3.34)

[Thad]

Operations that have been copied to another Machine def (I think it was) have been known to renumber. That's the only issue I can think of.

 

I import ops from other MCX files on a fairly regular basis and I've never run into this. Does this ever happen when importing from a library?

 

Thad

[bestguest]

Smit,

I run into this all the time.There is no consistent pattern of behavior that I have been able to put my finger on.The thing that really blows is even if you correct the settings in the tool manager and regenerate the dirty ops you must open each op and reselect the tool for the changes to take effect.Maybe I am missing something but I can not seem to get it to come out right regardless of what I set my machine defintion settings to.If you fiqure it out let me know please.

 

Later

[bestguest]

Thad,

The answer to your question is yes.It does not matter if you have "assign tool #'s in order" checked or not.

[Smit]

Thanks for the replies guys. Thad, I almost always import from other files (at least that was my MO in MC9. I'm still developing an MO for MCX. So I don't know if it's an issue when importing from a library. It's still something relatively new to me so I'm trying to figure out a pattern.

 

This time I opened an MC9 file, saved it as an MCX file, and then imported the operations. I don't know if that's part of the problem or not. I do know the numbers were correct in the MC9 file.

 

Bestguest, it's good to know I'm not the only one experiencing this problem. I hope somebody from MC will pop in here and shed some light on this issue.

[bestguest]

Smit,

Almost every detail I program here is derived from a simular detail.I see no reason to reprogram a feature if I programmed it a week ago on a different job.In my opinion this is the true power of MCX and versions before it.Once it is programmed I can always pull it for an old job.

I also over the years built an extensive custom tool library and custon operations library for common features such as cap screwsa dowels and even some surfacing .I use this day in and day out.Now every program I post I verify the tool# matches the D & H # at the top of my program in the tool list.If that is good it will run fine.

[Ray Culver]

Okay - I'm a poppin' in.

 

Are you importing into a file that already has operations and tools in it?

 

I'm thinking maybe there's some conflict with existing stuff...

[bestguest]

No,

Just a solid and 2d geo.

[Smit]

Me too. Just a solid,wireframe and machine definition.

[Ray Culver]

What kind of operations?

 

Which "diameter" is changing? The tool dia?

[Smit]

It appears to happen when the tool setting box (operation manager) assign tool numbers sequentially is unchecked and the disable check for duplicate tools is unchecked. It looks to me like it is dropping tools (if there is a similar tool, say, a roughing and finishing face mill) and that's messing up the height and diameter offsets. Badly. In the file I just imported, everything after tool 1 is set to length and diameter offsets of 2. Tool 2 was an identical tool I used for finishing that was dropped. The assign tool number box is probably irrelevant, but I'll experiment with it further to find out for sure.

 

I'm guessing, and I'll check it further Monday because I'm outta here for the weekend right now, if there's a way to set the default for importing operations to disable the check for duplicate tool setting it might fix the issue.

 

Ray, it's all operations (drilling, 2d swept, contour, facing, scallop, flowline), and it's not the diameter of the tool that is changing, but the tool length and tool diameter offset numbers in the parameter page of the operation manager. Thanks for taking the time to look at this.

[Smit]

If anybody wants to know, I've verified that it is a combination of having the assign tool numbers sequentially option turned off, so that tool numbers are maintained upon import, and not turning off the duplicate tool checking in the operations import dialog box. In this case the duplicate tools are not imported and Mastercam does not apply the correct offsets to the tools. Mastercam will apply the offset numbers of the first dropped tool to the rest of the following tools.

 

If assign tool numbers sequentially is turned on it appears to work fine. If assign tool numbers is turned off and duplicate tool checking is turned off it appears to work fine.

 

So my next post will be on how to change defaults on the file import dialog box. The down side to turning the check for duplicate tools box to default to off is much smaller than leaving it to default on and forgetting to change it.

[Smit]

Nope, that didn't fix it. Crashed a tool holder last night, fortunately didn't scrap the part. Credit to my machinist.

 

Disabling the duplicate tool check box merely imported multiple tools of the same type. H and D offsets still came in scrambled. There doesn't seem to be any pattern to it.

 

I'll report this to Mastercam, hopefully a fix will be coming soon.

 

This is a fatal error, IMO. I shouldn't have to program everything from scratch if I have similar parts to draw operations from.

 

Although there are some things I really like about X, it's not nearly as stable and reliable as V9. So I'm returning to V9 until MR2 comes out. Then we'll try again.