Help with Machine Def

[Travis_Buchanan]

1st let me say I am one of Mastercams biggest fans, been an addict since V6 but this machine def & control def is driving me crazy. These 2 machine defs are the same. X,Y,Z, machine base, aggregates, drillblocks. Why can't I replace the machine def?

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Also lets say I do a program on a 5-axis machine that is only 3-axis machining. A month later I pull up the file and try to replace the machine def with a 3-axis machine. No such luck.

 

One more question. Where can I get full chain control like in V9 (plane mask, color mask, etc.) while trying to move or mirror geometery?

 

Running X2 SP1 with all the bells and whistles.

[Travis_Buchanan]

I just figured out the chaining issue. Only, Only, Only.

[gcode]

Travis, you can associate multiple posts with the same Machine Def and switch between them with the

Edit button in the OPs Manager

[Travis_Buchanan]

Control def is different. One machine might use Absolute I&J while another uses incremental strt-cntr. I need to swap out the entire machine def.

[Jimmy Wakeford from Barefoot CNC]

Travis, Even though the 3ax is just a three ax use the five ax machine def as a base, then edit your control def and then you'll be able to go back and forth.

[Travis_Buchanan]

Let me go into this a little deeper. I created the above drawing then loaded 3-axis machine (A) def and did the toolpaths, posted the code and ran the part. I then decided to make some changes to the part and post it to another 3-axis machine (. I was allowed to replace the machine (A) def with machine ( def and post the code. I also wanted to post code for machine (A) as well but it would not let me replace the machine def back to the origional (A) machine. Should this not work? This is contour and pocket only. There is no toolpath that either machine can not do.

 

We manufactor 2 basic models, moving gantry and fixed bridge cnc routers, and support 3 different control packages. We also offer 5-axis as either fixed bridge or moving gantry. This gives me a combination of 8 different machine defs, (we only offer one control package with 5-axis). I can understand that you can't replace a 5-axis toolpathed part's machine def with a 3-axis machine def. But I need to be able to swap 3 for 3.

[Bob Hedrick]

There is a problem in the machine definition that you have selected in the screen captures you posted. The warning message indicates that the axis combination that the software wants to attach to the operation does not have a part holding component. To fix this, you need to edit the master copy of the machine definition. To do this save any work you are doing and select:

- Machine Type -> Design,

- File -> New, (why you had to save your work first...)

- Settings -> Machine Definition Manager ->

- select the Router icon and open the MD file.

 

Select this Axis combination button from the toolbar at the top of the dialog. Each axis combination MUST have the following checked off:

- At least 3 axis components

- One tool storage component (router spindle, aggregate head, drill block, etc.)

- One Part holding component (Router table)

 

At least one of the axis combinations in the machine definition is missing a checked off router table. Once you have fixed the axis combination(s), green check out, click on the 'File Save' button in the Machine Definition Manager and green check out again.

 

Once you have done this, read in the file and try to replace the machine again.

 

I hope this helps you out.

[Travis_Buchanan]

Thank you Bob,

 

Ok I found it. There was 2 axis combos in the list for that machine def. Table 1 and Table 2. I repaired the one that was incorrect. For some reason is would default to list one when picking this machine def origionally but would default to list two when try to replace another machine with this one.