Arc Center Selection

[Gramby]

Is their a better method of selecting circles for doing drill toolpaths? In ver9 I would use the drill/manual/center option and click away. It would leave a point crosshair in the center of the circle as I go, which was an excellent visual to me indicating that I clicked it and had not forgotten one.

Now using MCX I have a problem. If I use Autocursor/arc center option it leaves the point crosshairs I like, but once every 2 weeks I get burned. What happens is when I am clicking away on numerous circles I every slow slighty move off center and I have done a sketch point close to the circle center "Not Good". What I need is for it to snap to arc centers or nothing at all.

Ok now if I do a drill toolpath and don't use

the autocursor option but rather go up to the ribbon bar and right click the center option to lock it and start clicking away I have another problem. Useing this method will not leave a point cross hair to indicate I have selected it.You have 20 - 100 holes you can't tell if you forgot to centerdrill one.

Please tell me the next MCX release will cure this problem. Is everyone elses acting this way?

[Guest]

go to autocursor and enable power keys, this will let you use the elder methods "C", instead of the new fangled better way of doing but legacies for the old dogs

 

 

BTW,I DO USE autocursor, set to center.

 

And IMNSHO, it don't need no fixin', old dogs need to learn a couple of new tricks

 

[Gramby]

Thanks John that is a little better. Seems as though you have to hit "C" once for every selection. What make me happier is if I could lock it on to "C" and not hit it every time. I just tried a few holes and lost my rhythm after 10 or so. Guess I'm old school. but not quite the one room school house you are.

[Cuda84]

When picking holes I use the Hole table Chook. It makes a list of all hole by size. Then when selecting holes I use all >> Diameter = (size). I never miss a hole. The Chook also gives a hole count so you can be sure you have them all.

[Cuda84]

I also do drill programs with large numbers of holes. 100 to 200 holes per plate. I would hate to have to pick them all individually.

[Pete Rimkus from CNC Software Inc.]

What about using the 'Entities' choice in the Drill Point Selection dialog?

[Beardog]

right click arc center. it will lock it

[Cuda84]

Yes entities is the way I do it with small drill programs. You just pick the arc and it automaticly picks the center.

[Gramby]

Cuda84 Sounds good but what do you do when you have holes that are the same size but different styles. Example .375 dowels and 3/8 tap, .500 dowels and 1/2 tap, or .750 clearance hole and 3/4 tap. These holes will analyze the same on my graphics.

If you do a mass selection of a particlar size isn't it grabbing many of the holes uneeded?

I want to know more about how your doing this.

[Guest]

gramby,

 

If your holes are the same size but different definitions, pin/tap, you could alter the color and use a color mask. Myself, if I am drawing in MC I always model the minor Ø of a tap. Then this tends to happen less, if at all.

[Cuda84]

Where I work, when modeling we use tap drill size for tapped holes and standard size for reammed or clearence holes. Haveing worked in the shop for 12 years before programing, I know most tap drill sizes.

[Cuda84]

By the way there are some odd ones. We try to avoid 5/16" reamed holes.

[Gramby]

Pete I just gave Entites choice a try and it is probably closest to what I been use to. At least it highlights it to indicated I selected it. Wheter highlighting or showing a point in the center is best I don't know till I give it more time. I have never given the Entites choice a try till today.

I am anxious to try some of these other methods people are using for mass selection also.

 

Thank You

[Cuda84]

1 to 1 1/2 hours to program a plate with 100+ holes, 24+ tools.

[Todd Tracey from Fastech]

Pro Drill

[Cuda84]

Last I checked Pro drill still did not support UG Geometry. Without that it realy was no better then MC. We had a trial version, would not cut any time off the jobs we do.

[Gramby]

Pete I was tickled that you may have guided me to something good with "Entites selection" I am trying to use it on this job and it "Stinks". No matter the order in which I select the circle geometry or whether I use point sorting or not you can't control the motion. It is jumping all around the screen in a inefficient motion. I am guessing it is following the direction in which it may have been created. Which I can not control coming form the design dept. Is this the way it is working for everyone else?

What I want is for mastercam to leave a selection point for visual reference when you right click and lock "Center Selection" on the ribbon bar. It does this if you use Auto cursor.

[Thad]

quote:

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Is this the way it is working for everyone else?

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Yes. Selecting points by entity puts them in order of creation.

 

Thad

[Cuda84]

I use sort options to set motion. (Drill pattern)

[Gramby]

Cuda84 I stand corrected you are right point sorting does work. I was using the point to point mode which is the most lower left bottom point sort mode. This one will not work the others do.

[peon]

Beardog is right. Just right click the center option rather than left clicking. It will lock that selection. I use it all the time

[Colin Gilchrist]

Hi Guys,

 

In MR2 as soon as you right click on the Arc Center option in the Autocursor menu, the "Only" button also becomes active. That means you can lock the centerpoint selection option and use a diameter, color, or level mask at the same time. So for example you might right click on arc center and then turn on the diameter/length mask and set the diameter mask to .531 and the color to green #10. This should greatly simplify your drill point selection.

 

You can also use the AutoDrill and Solid Drill toolpaths with great success if you are trying to set up a series of sequential operations on a set of holes (spot drill, drill, bore, ream). You can read up on both of these features in the Reference Guide and in the Mastercam help file.

 

HTH,

 

Colin Gilchrist

The Boeing Company

MR2 and Beta test site

[terry5357]

I used to build vacuum form molds for the medical, food and packaging. these tools would sometimes have up to 600 + holes 95% being the same dia. but different depths with as little as .06 difference in depth. I would take the time to color each depth and then create points of the same color then use mask and window points. I had a great deal of success using this method.

 

Since the files were SolipWorks files the wire frame would allow me to see the different depths in front or side views and window those (in box) to set the colors. I could sort out and program as many as 600 holes in 45 mins. to an hour. If some of you are having to predrill vacuum holes. this proceedure worked like a champ and was really efficient. I will say this check and recheck to be sure you don't drill through the cavities. Yes I have done that, fortunately it was $400 piece of aluminum and not a $9,000 piece.

 

The first time I saw a 24 cavity with 20 to 30 of these holes I new I had to come up with something that would work and work good. In this case the "blind Hog" found the acorn.....lol

[Gramby]

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Quote:

 

Beardog is right. Just right click the center option rather than left clicking. It will lock that selection. I use it all the time

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Yes I use it also. The complaint is if your selecting holes it "mastercam" does not mark the hole in anyway to show it has been selected such as a temporary point or highlighting. This is a good visual as not to forget a hole. MCX autocursor marks the hole with a point while selecting and Ver 9 drill/manual/center marked the hole with a temporary point.

I am very interested in the many methods people use to select holes for drilling.

[Gramby]

Collin Quote

 

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In MR2 as soon as you right click on the Arc Center option in the Autocursor menu,

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I been trying to mess with this and see what your trying to say. Think I got it. Don't you mean right click Arc center in the "Ribbon Bar"

Any way the "Only" option appeared to be available if I did it this way in a drilling toolpath. Downside is it still doesn't lable my selections with a temp point or highlight.

If I did a drill path and used Autocursor for my selection I Did Not get the "Only" option availibility. But it of course will leave a temp point.

I hate Autocursor because every few weeks I miss the arc center and it snaps a sketch point instead. So I find myself slowing way down on my selections being sure it snapped the center. MCX suppose to be faster then VER9 not slower, I bet I am 3 times slower doing drill paths then I use to be.