Prototrak post

[Gordon Dawson]

I need a post for a prototrak smx 3 axis; I can't find one; any suggestions.

[Guest]

yup your reseller

 

Since I work for one you can't tell me they don;t have access to a post for that control

[crazy^millman]

Do you have a post and are having problem with it? Like maybe you need the Feedrate at the end of each line???

[Gordon Dawson]

I tried one of the mprotmx3 post, but it does not work. I don't even know if it is the correct post.

[Trevor Bailey]

gordon.....can you send me a sample gcode file that does work?

[Colin Gilchrist]

The mprotmx3 post has worked great for the proto traks I've ran in the past. The EZTRAK post also worked great. What isn't working for you? What version are you running? If it is for Mastercam X(2) do you have an old V9 post? Your reseller should be able to help...

[Paul Decelles]

Your dealer can grab it off of our extranet. I know, I put it there.

[Gordon Dawson]

Trevor, I have never run g code in the machine, only conversational.

[Trevor Bailey]

that is the one i sent him paul.

 

gordon, i will need to see the error messages you get and something has got to be in a manual that expresses how gcode should be set up fop that machine. if you can, bring the manual to the user group tonight.

[JNO]

quote:

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Since I work for one you can't tell me they don;t have access to a post for that control

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That may be true now JP, but they didn't have one for a SMX last yr. I know I asked, and all they had was an old Prototrak post.

[Guest]

quote:

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Your dealer can grab it off of our extranet. I know, I put it there.

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He didn't ask "last year"

[Josh T™]

MAN!!!! You ol' timers are getting soft!

 

Asking for a post an no chants of "crucify him"?

 

This is a sad day.... and I had a fist full of rocks

[heeler]

quote:

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Trevor, I have never run g code in the machine, only conversational.

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I don't know of a post that will do the conversational stuff. I think that you have to use a modified fanuc post, and use a .cam file extention. We use the protomx3 here with no real problems other than drill cycles which we changed to just post long hand code for.

 

Hope that clarifies some issues.

 

Glenn

[crazy^millman]

Well Gordon is someone Trevor knows and might be someone I directed to this forum from another forum with about the same question so I let that be the bases for my reaction.

[JNO]

quote:

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MAN!!!! You ol' timers are getting soft!

 

Asking for a post an no chants of "crucify him"?

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He didn't ask for a post. He said he can't find one and asked if anyone had any suggestions.

[Gordon Dawson]

Trevor, did you ever get a post that works with the Prototrak SMX? The post you gave me worked fine in the older Prototrak, but not the Windows based SMX.

[Steve Biehl - Cimquest Inc]

Gordon, what doesn't work for the SMX? The old and new Prototrak are so close, it should be no issue

[Trevor Bailey]

i have a smx post that i just installed at general atomics. i will send that one to you. send me an email please, with the output you need to see and the version of MC that you are working in.

[Dan Schnars]

I use to have to change the file extension on my prototrax stuff to .CAM in order for the control to read it off of the disk... never had any problems with the mastercam post... that was an mx3 series though... don't know if that helps or not...

[Paul Decelles]

File extension information (from the Generic Prototrak 3X Mill.pst header):

 

code:

---

# --------------------------------------------------------------------------

#File Extensions:

# The default file extension for this post is .CAM which is recommended for 2-1/2D programs.

# When the customer loads the file as a .CAM, the control software converts the program to the .PT4 format.

# This will allow the user to view / edit the programs thru the Program Event screen.

# 3D Programs require a .GCD file extension. This tells the ProtoTRAK control that you want this file to

# run directly, without converting.

# If uploaded as a .GCD, the Program / Event screen will be disabled. In order to edit the program,

# use the G-Code Editor in the Edit Mode.

# When running the program, the controller will buffer in a few lines at a time from the memory device.

# If the customer is okay with this, then he/she can use .GCD to run 2-D programs.

 

# --------------------------------------------------------------------------

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You can change the NC file extension in the Control Definition as needed. The post will work fine for SMX, SM, VM and MX3 controls.

[Gary]

.cam for conversational

.gcd for gcode

Ours is windows 95 based and works fine.

sm control I think

Not so much for 3-d though no xyz output on same line.