new coordinate system errors

[Bob W.]

Occasionally when I create a new coordinate system to machine a second or third setup MasterCAM screws up several of the previous toolpath operations. Is this a known bug or am I doing something wrong?

 

Thanks,

Bob

[Guest]

I use the WCS to do all ops in one ALL the time, this is likely something you are doing wrong.

 

How are you setting up your addition OPS?

 

Do you move your solid or geometry at all, if you do this is a problem.

 

How do you create your new origins?

[Bob W.]

I create new origins and I do so by going into the view manager, selecting 'geometry', then clicking on two lines that correspond to the corner I wish to use. I then click through the various orientations until I find the appropriate one.

 

90% of the time all is well, but on occasion several of my previous operations show that they need to be regenerated because they have somehow changed. It is very frustrating.

[Bob W.]

Also, when I move on to another setup (new origin) I always create a new toolpath group to keep those ops together.

[Guest]

Every once in a while I get one that shows it needs regen, I had one today. If it is only one path, being confident in my use, I usually just regen it and move on.

 

Now if I get a whole OP that goes dirty, I'll take a second to look why.

 

Can you call it a bug, I dunno.

 

There is no rhyme or reason to it. I would say if you can find something that you can recreate it every time, send it into QC.

 

Mine are setup like this

 

[Colin Gilchrist]

I find this happens quite often if you program your operations using a solid as your drive surfaces. I overcome this by creating surfaces from my solid and using the surfaces for my toolpath geometry. This also gives you the ability to extend the surface edges where necessary before machining. You can also create limit and boundary surfaces. It all comes down to personal preference I guess.

 

HTH,

[Guest]

Colin,

 

I have seen this with wire frame geometry as well.

 

Can't put a number on it but if I guess I'd say 60/40 - solids/wire

[Bob W.]

I use wireframe geometry and it is always an entire group that goes bad. It appears to have an effect on the previous origin that was in use because the verify is off in left field (upside down, etc...). Using the edit parameters for the dirty group and re-setting the origin also does not help.

 

The solution that usually works is to delete the corrupted origin, recreate it, and set the dirty operation group to it. It is a real PITA and it usually happens when I really need to get work out the door.

[Colin Gilchrist]

True John, but the problem with a solid is that if there is a change ALL ops that reference that solid need to be regened. This can be a pain if you have lots of surface roughing and finishing. With surfaces you are more likely to affect only a couple of operations.

[Guest]

Bob,

 

The simplest suggestion I can make is try using ONLY the 2 line method of creating a WCS.

 

Create 2 lines like an L, one pointing the X+ direction and the other in the Y+ direction.

 

Create WCS < pick the X line first and the Y line second, set your name.

 

Using this method 99.999% of the time I get the correct WCS the first time.

[Bob W.]

John,

 

The two line method is the only way I have ever done it. Also, I have noticed that since installing X2MR1 sp1 it will occasionally NOT present the correct origin orientation I am looking for (when clicking through the combinations). Have you run accross this issue yet?

 

Thanks,

Bob

[Guest]

NO I have not. Like I said doing it the way I do I hit it right almost, if not every time.

[3R!< W3NG3R]

Bob,

 

I too heve had entire groups made dirty after creating another origin. I think it is a bug, but it is hard to re-create on a consistant basis, so CNC will have a hard time fixing it IMHO.

 

I do find however, that a simple regen is all it needs, as nothing changes. If it is long surface paths I usually just re-load the file and try again. (I save lots).

[Jim Evans from CNC Software]

I'll take a guess on this one.

 

First remember that starting with X all views/wcs/tplanes are now named views. so say I am using top WCS and tplane. i create some operations with the standard 0,0,0 tool origin. No I do a new op using the top wcs and tplane still, but I change the tool origin well what you are actually doing is changing the tool origin of the named view and because the top view is already used in other ops it has now been changed for the original ops marking them dirty.

 

In V9, when you had system views, a new view was created for the user every time they needed one without affecting the old ops.

 

Solution - consider a view or plane any change in orientation AND/OR Origin and make a new named view when needing to change origin even if orientation of the view remains the same.

 

Now I'm just guessing as to this being your problem. Not sure it's a bug as this is how named views have always worked since introduced, but I will bring it up to the powers that be and see what they think.

[MLS]

I define WCS using 2 line Geometry. Had this very thing happen the other day. Set up my third Operation WCS and a dozen or so toolpaths went dirty in the previous ops.

 

+1 John

Shrugged, regenerated and nothing changed.

 

I don't know about X2 because I haven't been using it long, but MC9 would do this very intermittently too, although I was never sure if it was related to the WCS or something else. It seemed in 9 that if the new WCS or toolpath were using the same parent surface or same geometry, then the problem showed up, but I could never isolate it and reproduce it consistently.

 

I never use the predefined WCS or planes...always create one for every Op, and every tool plane.

[Rick Henrickson The Boeing Co.]

try creating a poit and using that as your selection. this is an old habit but I dont ever seem to have this problem and it holds the associativity for sure.

I have a point fot each c/t plane unless it is about rotation either vertical or horizontal then I just use the one But I select it for each view I am doing

[Cuda84]

I almost never use world origin (Top view, 0,0,0). I set up a workplane for my jobs, so they don't move from where they are created. I use a three point method instead of the 2 line method, (pick center point, pick X point, pick Y point)orientation is correct 99.999999%of the time.

 

When I do fixed angle 5-axis work, (I guse you call it 3+2)I creat my angled planes the same way. These angled planes have the same origin as my main workplane. I too have a problem with ops going dirty when I change toolplanes. Dose not happed every time. Dose not effext entire op groups, just some ops. Only need to regen and everything is fine.

 

[Doug Gabbey]

Hijack!!!

John,

How did you change the color of the toolpath manager background?

Best regards,

Doug

[Guest]

X+ setup sheet gives you the option of color and font in the OP manager

[Doug Gabbey]

Thanks John,

Doug