Mastercam Direct and SolidWorks Intergration

[Guest]

This feature just does not work like it is supposed to. I have brought in a couple of fairly easy models from SW2006 and features are getting dropped. Simple features.

 

This is not good, especially when I am getting more and more "Does Mastercam maintain associativity back to the original model" and I have to keep answering no and Oh BTW, the direct translator does not work properly either.

 

I am wondering if there are any plans what so ever from CNC to offer some sort if intergration with Solidworks.

[MMT-USA]

Make sure that the other surfaces didnt move to a seperate level. I've had similiar problems with importing files.

[Guest]

No they didn't Mike.

 

It's literally dropping extruded features completely or in sitaution where the extrude in SW was "Up to next" it's is not completing the extrude.

[Kelly Burns]

I agree with John, seems like there are some issues here; I dont know if they are bugs or operator error. Sometimes I can try 10 different things to bring a file into MCX, and it doesnt want to gel with what Sldwks is offering. So I end up bringing in the solid brick the old fashioned way. So much for feature recognition.

 

Kelly

[Pete Rimkus from CNC Software Inc.]

John,

There are problems that we are aware of regarding some SolidWorks feature types/options, and yes, some of the extrusion methods are among them. We don't support all the options (extrude "up to next", for example) that they do, so we need to try to resolve it on the way in. Ditto for linear and circular arrays. And hole features. Since these are things that we don't support in our solids tree, we try to convert them to something we can handle.

I'm always willing to take a look at specific files and instances where we're letting you down. The Mastercam Direct tool has always been a work in progress. Please send them to me ([email protected]) and/or [email protected].

[Guest]

Thanks Pete,

 

Is tying in associativity with Solidworks and Mastercam files on the board or in discussion at all?

[Guest]

:bump:

[DGreeves]

Hi John

I am importing a fairly detailed model into MCX and there are gaps in the geometry and surfaces. Are these some of the problems you are having if so this makes it difficult to put tool path on it.

[Guest]

Sort of, I think,

 

I can open a file directly into MC, opening the .sldprt file, all comes in fine.

 

When working in SW however and trying to use MCDirect to import the file straight into MC, I lose features sometimes, it comes in incomplete. I've have even had a couple not come in at all, I willl send those in to Pete when I find them again. If some of those gaps a features that MC does not recognize, then it may well leave them out. Thus creating the gaps you see.

[Pete Rimkus from CNC Software Inc.]

John,

I got your files, and I'll take a look at them today.

To answer your other question, there are currently no plans here to build a version of Mastercam that runs in SolidWorks (if that's what you mean by associativity). We are doing some things for X2 that involve CAD file change recognition and we're developing a helpful tool for updating an existing toolpathed Mastercam part with the geometry changes. It's not SW-specific though.

The MCDirect is as close as we are now to doing somthing custom just for SW-users. I'd be curious to find out more about what you're looking for as far as "associativity" goes.

[Guest]

quote:

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I'd be curious to find out more about what you're looking for as far as "associativity" goes.

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It would be nice if when you opened into or used MC Direct an .sldprt file that some sort of link was maintained back to the original file. SO that if the original .sldprt file was REV'd that when you opened your MCX file, you tool paths that were affected by the change would go dirty and require either a regen or an update to bring them up.

[Bruce Caulley]

quote:

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there are currently no plans here to build a version of Mastercam that runs in SolidWorks

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Bugger.

 

Pete,

Will parametric modeling and assemblies be included at some point in the future? Alibre is about $2k so the technology is there for an equivalent price. I know integrating something like this probably isn't as easy as it sounds, but I would personally be willing to give up a few point releases of toolpath updates in order for this to be concentrated on. JMHO

 

Bruce

[Pete Rimkus from CNC Software Inc.]

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"...Will parametric modeling and assemblies be included at some point in the future? ..."

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Bruce,

Could be. We've been discussing 2D contraints lately, but no firm plans and no estimates. We have not had any serious discussions in house regarding implementation of solid assemblies.

On a slightly separate note, I would like for us to be able to import SolidWorks assemblies, since we can bring them in from other CAD packages, but there have been technical difficulties that I hope to conquer in the near future.

 

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"...It would be nice if when you opened into or used MC Direct an .sldprt file that some sort of link was maintained back to the original file. SO that if the original .sldprt file was REV'd that when you opened your MCX file, you tool paths that were affected by the change would go dirty and require either a regen or an update to bring them up...."

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John,

For the benefit of others (I've already sent you this information) I will say that X2 will contain almost exactly what you're asking for. Coming soon to a Beta release near you...

[gcode]

Where I'm currently working, the choice of what Cad/Cam sysem to use is made by the engineering deptment. Mastercam is perfectly adequate for the Cam side of things here, but we are being forced

to migrate to NX4.

The design engineers were using SolidWorks and the decision to move to NX4 was driven by the

lack of associativity between Mastercam and SolidWorks. I'm seeing more and more of this

and it is only going to get worse.

In my view associativity to a parametric modeling

system is a critical issue that should be a top if not #1 priority.

[beej]

quote:

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For the benefit of others (I've already sent you this information) I will say that X2 will contain almost exactly what you're asking for. Coming soon to a Beta release near you...

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Wow, Pete, thanks for that heads up. That's pretty exciting news!

[DC Gorn]

The big boys at CNC need to understand how improtant this for their future. I don't just mean Solidworks. Almost all large companys Have lean projects going on. I have no desire to get into the argument about the value of lean. But based on the lean teachings and non-value added work, like the redrawing of a part or a fixture, needs to be fixed now. They will not look at future fixs. It really lends itself to your ProE, NX like software.

Once again I am not saying I agree with it I am just saying it is.

[CAM-mando]

G,

 

I agree. BTW, what happened to "No Mastercam No Gcode" ?

[gcode]

quote:

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The big boys at CNC need to understand how improtant this for their future

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Yes, I'm working as a temp for a large corperation

with 15-20 seats of Mastercam nationwide. If the migration to NX4 is successful, it will be very hard to get a budget for next years maintenance.

[Guest]

quote:

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hard to get a budget for next years maintenance.

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With the cost of NX maintenance, that'll put a big dent in any companies budget.

[Bruce Caulley]

A proper parametric modeler or at least model ascociativity has to come soon. I am sensing a trend at the moment and DC Gorn hit it on the head.

 

Most of our customers send us Catia models and we have a tentative plan underway to migrate from MC to Catia in about 2009ish. If model ascociativity can at least be incorporated we may not have too. Three or four seats of catia with full machining options will run to big$$$ We may not be able to avoid the switch due to the volume and value of the work coming to us in Catia format, but the desire to have a fully integrated package is starting to move "down the foodchain" so to speak (No offense intended to the jobshop/toolroom) I reckon a lot of MC's top end of town users will switch to NX, Pro-e, Catia for this reason AND that when smaller companies start moving to a lean structure in order to compete or die against cheap foreign labor that even small shops doing short run jobs will make the switch too. Not because the toolpathing will be better, but because an integrated system is a much better pre-production planning tool.

 

Bruce

[Guest]

Bruce,

 

We were having a quite similiar discussion today about how we will be adopting our 3D enviorment throughout the company and it was stated when asked about our vendors that they will get on-board with where we are going or there are others that have or will.

 

THAT, is the 3D climate in a nutshell and where it is going.

[DC Gorn]

Bullet proof translators are CNC only hope. IMO Mastercams tool path is as good and more flexible then some of the big names so if there are not problems with solids convertions then there is no money sayings to justify higher end software.

[Guest]

quote:

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PLANO, Texas – UGS Corp., a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software and services, today announced the launch of NX™ CAM Express – a new computer-aided design (CAD) neutral, Numerical Control (NC) programming application that can be used independently or as an integral part of the popular UGS Velocity Series™ portfolio of PLM solutions for the mid-market. As the leader in the computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software market with over 35,000 seats installed globally, UGS brings world-class digital manufacturing functionality to small to mid-size manufacturers with NX CAM Express.

 

“UGS is leveraging its market leading position in CAM software to develop an aggressive program to address the needs of mid-sized manufacturers,” commented Alan Christman, chairman of CIMdata and an acknowledged expert on the CAM market. “NX CAM Express is targeted to provide in depth capability for clearly defined key areas of machining, such as mold and die or mill-turn machining, in software that is easy to deploy and to use. Ready access to key elements such a library of post processors as well as pre-configured software with industry best practices will make it easier and faster for customers to become productive and to do so with lower costs.”

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UGS Press Release

 

Companies are going to get agressive in offering this kind of technology. The question may eventually become why buy a stand alone CAM AND a CAD when those capitol investment dollars can be spent intergrating and entire system.

[gcode]

We had NX guys in for school today. They were talking about this press release. They said that is the old Solid Edge cad system and they are adding some lite toolpathing to it.

 

[ 06-07-2006, 08:33 PM: Message edited by: gcode ]

[Saultspics]

quote:

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We are doing some things for X2 that involve CAD file change recognition and we're developing a helpful tool for updating an existing toolpathed Mastercam part with the geometry changes. It's not SW-specific though.

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This sounds good, because We use PRO-E for design. When a part is changed I must reprogram it or reapply all of the toolpaths to the new model.