x2 mr2 is released

[ATG]

Here we go again.......

[b_daddy]

Faster Than What?

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

I would say that on average, the X2MR2 user will find everything running slightly faster than your average MR1 user. This is based on the fact that MR2 users are more likely to have newer, higher-end computers. Speed increases over the average v9 installation will be significant, and speed increases over the average v5 installation will be phenomenal.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

quote:

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...Is mr2 will be faster ?...

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Look at the benchmark topic and surmise for yourself.

[Bruce Caulley]

Here I go, straight into the cross hairs...

 

Is MR2 faster in toolpath processing time? I have not used it since february (I will hand in my beta tester badge when Chris comes looking for it )and since then have been exposed to a different CAM package. Much as would love to make the switch back to MC I just could not recommend it at this point due to the increased processing time on large surface paths. Some of our parts are 30'x12' and require a lot of crunching. We are getting a machine in november that has 110' of Y travel so our generation problems are only going to get worse.

 

Above and beyond all the other improvements I see in MC the one that I would like to see most (except for parametric modeling, but that is another topic!) is a significant reduction in generation time. I don't want to sound like I am flaming, but I am curious why MC is slower than other packages whether they be cheaper or more expensive. I have done what I consider to be apples to apples comparisons in a few others and MC is usually slower.

 

Bruce

[mig]

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but I am curious why MC is slower than other packages whether they be cheaper or more expensive. I have done what I consider to be apples to apples comparisons in a few others and MC is usually slower.

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+1000

[andrewgore]

100000

[Don S at Barefoot CNC South]

From MC blog

 

quote:

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Q: Is there a way I can speed up my toolpath regeneration in Mastercam?

 

A: If it seems to take too long to generate, display, or regenerate toolpaths, check your Tool Display settings. Click the Tool Display button on the Toolpath Parameters tab. Check for either of the following:

 

 

If a Run Delay has been set, Mastercam will pause between each toolpath move for the number of seconds displayed in the dialog box.

If the Interpolate option has been selected, Mastercam will display the toolpath in segments of the specified step size.

 

---

[andrewgore]

Don,

Even with toying with those settings, toolpath crunch time is lengthy to say the least. Not only that, but once Mastercam starts a crunch like that, you may as well buy a yoyo and start honing your skills. Waiting 4+ hours for one toolpath is out of this world. How about the fact that Mastercam can be crunching numbers for extended periods of time, only to respond with "no valid cutting zone found"?

 

Purely based on the facts of:

A. Only 1 instance of Mastercam should be run at a time.

B. Mastercam has no "background" processing for toolpaths

C. Mastercams' poor verify speedsintegration

Mastercam falls behind most anything else out there.

 

Is mastercam the most powerful? I'm curious what oem manufacturers use. It is hard for me to fathom the idea that companies find these kinds of waiting times for single toolpaths acceptable.

 

Andrew

[Hardmill]

quote:

---

How about the fact that Mastercam can be crunching numbers for extended periods of time, only to respond with "no valid cutting zone found"?

---

 

Dont cha hate when that happens

Ive had that message several times. Usually because

I forgot to do something.

 

 

 

 

 

PEACE

[andrewgore]

Does anyone else feel this is a huge problem? The fact that one small parameter could be "off" and the potential of hours of downtime. Huge Huge problem. I'm sure others would agree?

 

Andrew

[Hardmill]

quote:

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The fact that one small parameter could be "off"

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I think the phrase should read, "One important parameter"

And yes that is all it takes, like I said its usually something

dumb that I forget to do. I put that on myself, not the software.

The verify issue has been beat to death plenty of times, guess we

just need to continue to wait. (or move on)

 

I fully understand where your coming from but all software ("ALL")

have their issues. MC just seems to work well for

alot more people than the others.

 

 

PEACE

 

[ 09-12-2007, 04:43 PM: Message edited by: Hardmill ]

[MIL-TFP-41]

quote:

---

How about the fact that Mastercam can be crunching numbers for extended periods of time, only to respond with "no valid cutting zone found"?

 

 

Dont cha hate when that happens

Ive had that message several times. Usually because

I forgot to do something

---

Not true...lately on big files I have gotten this error...I restart Mastercam & it generates just fine...

[Rick Henrickson The Boeing Co.]

I have used hsm core roughing and surface finishing ops on very large parts I have never had to wait 4 plus hours, it could be that something is not set right (one of those little parameters) and it is trying to resolve the toolpath anyway.

learn to play with the software and options and not to fight with it and you will be pleased!

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

If you're setting your tolerances down to .0001 or less, that'll add time. Having "Display Surface Plane Intersections" active will add time. Having gap settings based on % rather than a hard value will add time, bad surfaces will add time.

 

There IS a "background" process for toolpath generation, it's called batch. It's an useful tool.

 

Not saying MC does not take too long because often it does, just giving some things to help speed the processing.

[andrewgore]

Rick,

I totally understand what you're saying, and myself have found little tricks around certain situations in the different HSM toolpaths. Heck at one of my last classes I went to, I was showing the teacher other ways around doing things than what the mastercam book said. I understand I have to work around Mastercam's shortcomings. I also understand that yes, when I'm cutting a part with a .5mm or less end mill, the processing times are going to be above average. I have had though where like JMC, I can change nothing, and the toolpath will process, but the first time (after waiting a rather long time) I will get the error of no valid cut zone.

 

Not only this, but I'm curious what people do when they do go to process a lengthy toolpath, when they realize they input a wrong parameter and now are stuck with the Mastercam White screen of death? I know you should always save before you do anything "substantial" in mastercam, but having to use task manager to shutdown mastercam is never fun.

 

Andrew

[DavidB]

quote:

---

How about the fact that Mastercam can be crunching numbers for extended periods of time, only to respond with "no valid cutting zone found"?

---

I see this often.

I open a MCX file with a HST rest toolpath using a CAD file as ref. Sometimes I just go into the toolpath to look at something, dont change a thing, close the toolpath and it needs a regen.

Wait 5 min and then NO cut found WTF.

The best work around I have found is to close and reopen or create an Identical new toolpath and it generates

[andrewgore]

CNC apps guy,

Please correct me if I'm wrong here, or am using the Batch process incorrectly, but I can not do anything else in mastercam while it is batch processing. I see that as no benefit, unless you are talking about having a 2nd instance of Mastercam open. As much as I don't mind having multiple instances of other applications open, I feel the possible cost far outweigh the benefits when it comes to multi mastercams being open.

David,

We run into that rather often as well here. Weird how if you just click on parameters, you may have to regenerate a toolpath. Anyone have an idea on this one?

 

Andrew

[crazy^millman]

Well I run multi sessions of Mastercam all the time. I will do a verify which may take 15 minutes why sit there doing nothing when I can be working on another file for 15 minutes. I will also have one session of a part similar to the one I am making or a previous op up so I can compare numbers or look at something the benefits of having multi-sessions far out weigh not having them. So if you want to look at something in one file you close down the file you are in you then look at the file you then close that file and then you reopen the other file again. So if this is a big file that take 3 to 4 minutes to load and you have to do this just 10 times a day you wasted an hour a day by not having more than one session open where is the benefit in that?

 

What are the costs of not running 2 or more session that out weigh what I just posted up for starters???

[88Matt]

quote:

---

We run into that rather often as well here. Weird how if you just click on parameters, you may have to regenerate a toolpath. Anyone have an idea on this one?

---

If you click on parameters by mistake and don't want to regen, cancel out instead of ok.

[andrewgore]

crazy^millman,

Maybe mastercam has changed their ways, but the last I understood it is that when you open multiple instances of Mastercam, it doesn't start up a new unique temp file, having the potential of things being saved improperly. I'm still told by my reseller that the safest option is to have a 2nd computer running Mastercam to do other things while your other computer crunches away. Heck they even thought I was crazy for running anything else on my computer that has Mastercam running on it (winampinternetemailetc).

 

88matt,

I've canceled out and still have had the toolpath go dirty. Maybe it is more in the HST's than anything else.

 

Anyone have any other ideas on the batch process? Is there a way to batch process and still be able to do something in Mastercam (in the same instance of mastercam) at the same time?

 

Andrew

[Zoober]

Still waiting on a HSM path I started 3.5 hrs ago.......

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Now I've never had 2 sessions open whith both crunching toolpath but I have had 3 sessions open with 1 crunching toolpath, one verifying and another just doing some CAD stuff. Was my system running a little slow? Yeah, toolpath crunch and verify are pretty system intensive.

 

But yeah, I'd batch to one session and be doing whatever I needed to on the other session with no qualms.

[k turk]

I'm glad i came across this thread. I was considering posting a question about this but as a newbie I didn't want to bring up an issue that I felt might just be a problem with my system. I was looking at ridiculous regeneration times for a simple part and it took about a week going back and forth with mastercam technical help to discover what they eventually logged as a bug. I work with dual monitors and usually have multiple viewports open. What I / MC discovered is that when generating toolpaths with multiple viewports open . . . well, you may as well go on holiday. So what I have to do before doing any toolpathing is to remember to reduce down to one viewport (it can be across both screens; but it needs to be one viewport). Is this a problem anyone else faces?

 

Occasionally I might forget this, or as mentioned by others, realize that I missed some parameter; and this is what would be my second question or complaint - Why can't I simply escape from the toolpath generation? After I hit that button, my computer is dead to me until it is finished crunching. I can reduce the screen and go to something else (which I assume effects the regeneration time) but bringing up MC to review any progress only brings 'the white screen of death,' leaving me to wonder in whiteness if all is going to plan. I've worked from multiple platforms and the escape button has always been a friend. Is mastercam not aware of this button?

 

k

[Colin Gilchrist]

Guys,

 

Pressing the ESC key ONCE and waiting will ususally exit the what ever toolpath is currently crunching. Pressing it REPEATEDLY will give you the white screen. Once you hit the key it takes a few seconds, then displays a warning dialog box that says "error processing surface/solid face" and stops crunching. The only time I've seen it hang is with a very large toolpath, and if that is the case, then I don't know what to tell you.