Vericut

[Kyle Waters]

Hey all, we are going to get a demo on Vericut sometime next week. I would like to know

 

1. If any of you guys with a Macturn or a Mori MT/NT are using the simulation module. Good/bad?

2. Is anyone using the optimization module, or is anyone running old NC files thru to update them?

3. What kind of time frame are we actually looking at to get it going

4. Have you had good experience with support if any was needed

5. How is the integration with MCX? X2 supported already?

Sorry for taking up so much time, just want to make sure I don't have any blind spots.

 

Thanks for all your time folks.

[DC Gorn]

1.) I do not have those machines but I can not imagine a machine Vericut could not simulate very well. You can simulate almost any movement. You could even add aftermarket automation to simulate robotic load/unload of parts.

2.) I don't have that module but I saw it run on G-code programs that where brought into class by other students. For die's it was amazing. Took almost 12 hours off a 36 hour program just by evening out the chipload.

3.) That will depend on few things. If you contract Vericut to create your machines/controls the way you want them and take the train class and forced yourself to use it everyday. You could be feeling good about the software in a month or so. Like mastercam "setting up a machine" is a advanced user function. I think many users overwhelm themselves buy trying to come back after one week of training and try to create machine definition. Because they do not have them they don't use the software. It never gets used.

4.) Great thru their board or by phone.

5.) If the integration with X is an indication then don't hold your breath for X2. Expect 6-12 week from release none beta X2 (IMO)

[Kyle Waters]

Hey thanks DC, nice addition on point #1, we are looking at adding a robot to the shop floor. It would be a wonderful thing if we could fully integrate that thing. As far as the integration I was mainly talking about tooling. I don't really enjoy making custom tool holders in X, and I was hoping that the pain would ease a bit.

[Jack Neelands™]

I used Vericut in Australia with our 5 axis machines and the robots there...took a while to set it up (3 weeks) but once it was done it, showed us practically every thing that could go wrong before we even got it to the machine

load the stock file and watch her go

 

Good Luck

[Kyle Waters]

So if I understand correctly, the majority of the work is in getting all of the "machines" formatted? I assume that a training class would touch on this?

[DavidB]

As others have stated once Vericut is setup it's a must before running on the machine first.

 

Ask about the Mastercam to Vericut chook to it transfers stock and tools into Vericut.

 

Always Verify the G-code in Vericut this is the advantage over Verifing the NCI file.

 

I never put anything on our 5-axis machines before running it in Vericut and I (touch wood) have never had a crash. Even a simple program change I put through Vericut it's worth the extra few minutes and lets me sleep at night when night shift are working

[Kyle Waters]

DavidB, do you know if it's backwards compatible? Can I take an old NC file, set up the tools in Vericut and have an NCI file to re-post on another machine with all the variables intact from the Vericut settings?

[DavidB]

Kyle,

Sure you can take any NC file setup the tools in Vericut and run it to Verify the program.

 

If you want to run this program on another machine you need to post it in Mastercam to your machine/control definitions.

[Kyle Waters]

Good Deal. Thanks for the info. Now, would you happen to know about getting files for tools(holders and otherwise) and impoting them into Vericut? The rep said that Iscar's entire catalog is built in, I am wondering if other companies have this data readily available. It sure would make it great if we could already have everything installed, then just building assemblies of tools and holders.

Thanks Again for the info. By the way what time is it in Australia?

[DavidB]

Kyle

 

What I have done is create a master Vericut file for every machine I have here.

 

Within that file I have a tool file.

 

Vericut has a machine file, control file, and a tool file.

 

So I open my Master Vericut file add to the machine the fixture and stock.

 

I have all my holders defined in each master Vericut file.

 

Example I open my Makino 5-axis Vericut file.

 

I add fixture, and stock.

 

It alreadys has all the holders I have in the Makino 5-axis Vericut tool file.

So I just add these holders to what ever cutter I want.

 

I drew each holder myself its not hard.

You can import dxf or stl files.

 

HTH

[Bruce Caulley]

If you have everything setup right a new user can be shown how to verify a programme in less than 20 minutes. Be organised with the tool libraries and such and it is really simple. I know next to nothing about setting up the virtual machines themselves, but just finished running through a 6 axis job. My total vericut training runs to about an hour.

 

Bruce

[Kyle Waters]

This is getting better by the minute! Now all I have do is get the cost justification numbers around, and they CAN'T say no. I bet that in the last year, we have spent almost $30,000 just on machine crashes, and that doesn't count actual machine downtime.

[Joeyls319]

I feel it doesn't take long to justify the cost. Especially if it's a complex or expensive part.

 

I run all my 5th axis parts through it and I have caught many stupid mistakes but costly mistakes if it were on the machine.

 

I would highly recommend going to their week long training class.

[DavidB]

I have a mate that runs 22 makino A55's. They crashed a machine and it needed a new spindle $60,000 plus the machine was down for a week another large some of money lost.

Thats enough justification for Vericut or any Verification software that checks posted G-code!!

[Kyle Waters]

Are there any specific questions I should be asking?

[Kyle Waters]

Okay all, I just finished the demo, very cool stuff! My only question is, if Vericut outputs an .apt file, is there a converter out there to change the file to .nci and re-post on a different machine?

[Chao]

Is Vericut able to simulate two turrets (upper and down) or two spindles (main and sub)turning centers?

 

thnaks.

[Kyle Waters]

I just watched a model of an MT2000SZ running complete with sync codes and all. That machine has 2 turrets(upper 42 tool ATC, lower 12 station VDI-40), 2 spindles, with a parts catcher, web site says unlimited axes supported...

[Chao]

That would be a great benefit for us if so.

[Kyle Waters]

From the looks of things, it seems to be a fairly open system, as far as variables and modifications for specific needs as well. I did a search and upon further digging I found the that the producer of nci2apt.dll also includes apt2nci.dll, I gotta quit being so lazy!

[Colin Gilchrist]

Hi Kyle,

 

Give Steve Kidd at Cimtech Inc. a call if you are interested in NCI2APT.

 

253-922-8770

 

And yes it does do the conversion both ways.

 

By the way, you can get Vericut to output straight G-code if you would prefer that to APT. I just finished the Machine and Control building class down at CGTech. It was awesome! I'm in the process of getting our machines setup right now. We are switching from Delmia's VNC to Vericut and the process is going pretty well so far.

 

Colin Gilchrist

The Boeing Company

MR2 and Beta test site

[Kyle Waters]

Hey Colin,

 

Does that mean that it will "post" to new machines? I was thinking of running our old programs thru, getting the apt, converting that to nci, then running that back thru MCX to get a program for a different machine. Am I completely off base here?

[Kyle Waters]

Oh, I forgot. Colin don't you guys use a Zoller? If so, do you have any open information on integration? We are trying to get all this going kind of at the same time, and we don't have an IT guy, we only have 5 guys on the floor(including me) and the boss is a solid believer in multi-tasking...any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Colin Gilchrist]

Yes, theoretically you should be able to take a newly generated NCI file and post it for a different machine.

 

The only problem you might run into would be toolpaths that are not compatible with the machines control like helical arc settings or coolant options(mcodes). Barring anything that isn't compatible between the machines, you should be able to convert and repost for any machine on your shop floor. That being said, the NCI2ATP chook will not generate actual mastercam toolpaths, just NCI files (kind of like a solid with no history).

 

You will not be able to edit the converted NCI data using the toolpath dialog boxes. Not that it would be a problem necessarily, I just want you to be aware of the limitations. If you are trying to do this with legacy NC files for which no Mastercam toolpaths actually exist you might have issues (I can't say for certain).

 

To post them to a different machine you would need to open Mastercam X, Load the correct machine definition, use the "Import NCI" option in the toolpaths menu to import your newly converted NCI files and then post them out for your new machine.

 

As for the Zoller, I'm not quite sure how we do our tool presetting. I know you can import your tool data into Vericut using several different methods, but to be honest, we are very automated in the types of machining we do. We have a standard tool list of about 100 tools (all preset to a standard tool length) and thats pretty much all we use. For example we have a standard endmill, Tool # 24 that has a set length of 4.500 inches. It is always set up with that set length and never changes. Same with the rest of our tools. I'm not sure what it would take to integrate the Zoller tool data into the Vericut simulation, but I know the man who can tell you. His name is Gerry Prete and he works for CGtech.

 

Be sure to tell him what your situation is and that you are evaluating Vericut. He is a great guy and should be able to answer your Vericut questions more specifically than I can.

 

Gerry Prete

Technical Support Engineer

Vericut

9000 Research Drive

Irvine, California 92618

(949)753-1050

 

 

Hope that Helps,

 

Colin Gilchrist

The Boeing Company

MR2 and Beta test site

[Kyle Waters]

Colin,

Thanks a bunch for the info, that does help a great deal. As far as the toolpaths go, we have a couple of older machines with 3+2 axes, and if we can run that thru Vericut, get an nci file and run it back thru Mastercam via our custom post processors, my job will get alot easier. I will be contacting Gerry Prete as well as In-House Solutions to be sure all of this will work as seamlessly as possible.

Again, thanks for the help.