X3 Mill suggestions and improvements

[Mark Baker CNC Software]

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A huge improvement in processing speed.

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If you can get me a native cam file (delcam, surfcam, ect) then I'll run some time test. We have a hard time comparing "apples to apples" unless we can get a native file to test against.

 

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2D corner rounding ( filleting of toolpath ) just like you have in the highspeed toolpaths.

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Hmm....this may come sooner than you think

 

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Improve the highspeed toolpaths so that a toolpath like pencil will climb mill the part with no exceptions.

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We don't try to have our toolpaths conventional cut so if you have an example of this send us the file and we'll log it as a bug.

 

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Allow "Q" values for feedrate.

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This can be done with a post edit

 

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2.Allow automatic feedrate adjustment dependent on amount of material being cut

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This is the "high feed" option. High feed does two things it slows down in corners so the servos don't overtravel and adjust the feedrate for the amount of material being removed.

 

 

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3.Be able to movetranslate a solid around after import even if you dont have solids option....

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You can use "WCS" to set the plane you want so there isn't a need to move the part.

 

code:

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 I would love to be able to set my speed and feeds like the cutting tool manufactures present it. ie SFM and IPT vs RPM and FPM 

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We currently have the SFM and IPT in the HST toolpaths and are seeing about working it in our other toolpaths.

 

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I'd like to see a 'lock speed and feed' switch. So that tweeked operations don't get reset when adjusting a tool definition.

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In your "Tool Settings" use "User Defined" will lock your feedrates so making a change to the tool(or tool number) won't change the feedrate.

 

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In restmill toolpath (hsm or standard)it would be good to add additional option to use only previous operations that I manually select (not only one previous operation, all previous operations...)

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You can do that now by verifing the operation (or operations) and saving it off as an STL file and Use the "CAD File" option and select the saved stl file.

 

 

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It would be good to stop or pause regenerating operations or even better to regen in backgroud and allow to creating new operations at the same time.

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Hmm...me to. Has been looked into.

[Bruce Caulley]

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If you can get me a native cam file (delcam, surfcam, ect) then I'll run some time test. We have a hard time comparing "apples to apples" unless we can get a native file to test against.

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You don't have access to a seat of anyone else's software???!?? I may be naive, but I would have thought that this sort of testing would be commonplace.

 

Bruce

[Thad]

OK, who super sized the thread? I've got a wide screen and I still have to scroll left and right.

 

Thad

[beej]

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In restmill toolpath (hsm or standard)it would be good to add additional option to use only previous operations that I manually select (not only one previous operation, all previous operations...)

 

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You can do that now by verifing the operation (or operations) and saving it off as an STL file and Use the "CAD File" option and select the saved stl file.

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that works but when you're quoting work against people who make an hourly rate of 3grams of rice per hour...it kinda sucks.

[Redfire427]

Mark Baker,

 

It is finally nice to see someone fron CNC Software chime in on some of these issues and suggestions and actually take your valued customers seriously. I have a hard time believing with CNC Softwares resources that you would not already own a copy of your closest competitions software for comparison. If you check one of my post from last year, that is actually what I personally spent almost 9 month of my time doing. Comparing different packages to find a better way. Search for " High end cam packages " for this thread as it contains some valuable info. I stopped reporting my findings as I felt it would be too detrimental to CNC Software. If you contact me directly, I would be more than willing to share my insight with you.

 

Carmen Goudey

CNC Operations Manager

[Thee Rickster ™]

surfcam gives out their software to every one.

The disc is a demo with no time limit, full blown.

 

if you install the demo you can save everything

geo and tool path, (just can't post or translate).

 

Beej beat me to it on the rest mill issue.

 

ho hum

[MotorCityMinion]

Fits perfect on a 22" wide screen.

[Thee Rickster ™]

My MC X2 MR2 SP1 software shut down on me 6

times today. (re-booted system 3 times)

 

Multiple reasons:

 

-just selecting geometry

-Hitting regen on a 2-d contour path

-copying a tool path to another group

-clicking regen again

-right click expand in ops. man.

-just selecting a line

 

The mastercam 'send problem window' popped up each

time. i did send one in but i don't even know

if it goes through since no ones replies back

to ensure me that I am not the only one or not.

 

After closing that sindow another window tells

me mastercan had a fatal exception error and

I may lose my work.

 

i have never have my work reappear after these

crashes, ever, so why is it trying to calm me

with hope?

 

Didn't get a lot done today to day the least

 

Running tool paths in the backround?

 

I cant even imagine how cumbersome this feature

will tax the limits of an already struggling

process.

 

(Zeons for everyone)

[Mark Baker CNC Software]

The problem isn't having software to use, its getting the settings to match in the toolpath is where the trouble starts. I've gotten files where "Mastercam runs to slow" and when I get the file things aren't the same. Either the stepover is set different, the filter is set on one and not the other, different toolpath tolerances.

 

Not to mention that some softwares split up the "raw passes" and "linking" steps so the raw cuts come up 40% faster with not having to link the passes together.

 

So by me getting a "problem" file that runs good in another software, then I can match Mastercam's toolpath settings up to mathc the "fast" toolpath and compare times.

[Thee Rickster ™]

Mark,

 

Like Prosin I have already done that.

 

But I don't find huge time differences.

 

But, the 10x larger file sizes, crashing issues

and MC not remembering the same folder twice,

(amongst other things as well)

probably accentuates the cutter path time issues.

 

IMO

[kunfuzed]

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Who uses center drills anyway?

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People who work for companies that wont buy spot drills.

[Colin Gilchrist]

Neurosis,

 

To project an entity to another plane, you do need to create the plane first.

 

Do this, in TOP view - Planes - Rotate Planes

 

Enter your angle of rotation about the axis of your choice.

 

Give the plane a name.

 

Now set your current WCS/Cplane/Tplane back to top.

 

Select the entity you want to project, choose Xform - Project.

 

Select the "Plane" button. In the dialog box, click the named view button. Select the new plane.

 

Still a pain because you have to create the plane first, but you won't have to create a surface any more.

 

HTH,

[kunfuzed]

This is a BIG request for me!

 

In a surface toolpath that is using a solid, when I go to "show" drive geometry I see this:

 

 

When the same toolpath is programmed to a surface model I get this:

 

 

The way the solid model renders in the first photo, I can't tell that I didn't select the surface circled in red. I would like surface toolpaths programmed to solid models to shade like the second photo when clicking on "show" drive surfaces. Anyone else like that?

 

Oh, and sometimes it's not practical for me to select the entire solid.

 

Thank you.

[3R!< W3NG3R]

Ya, kunfuzed, I forgot about that one. Annoying as H311.

[neurosis]

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Neurosis,

 

To project an entity to another plane, you do need to create the plane first.

 

Do this, in TOP view - Planes - Rotate Planes

 

Enter your angle of rotation about the axis of your choice.

 

Give the plane a name.

 

Now set your current WCS/Cplane/Tplane back to top.

 

Select the entity you want to project, choose Xform - Project.

 

Select the "Plane" button. In the dialog box, click the named view button. Select the new plane.

 

Still a pain because you have to create the plane first, but you won't have to create a surface any more.

 

HTH,

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Your right. What I am saying though is that when you project to that plane the only option is to project "normal" to that plane. I want to project geometry to that plane only normal to the current active plane. You dont even have this option unless you are projecting to a surface. You have to project normal to the plane.

[neurosis]

Oh yea, did i mention the ability to mix climb and conventional cuts in a 2d contour? Would be nice to be able to rough a step in aluminum without having to rapid back to the start point ever single pass. Or without having to create construction geometry and fake it with a pocket or face milling routine. Wasted time and more wasted time. IM just frustrated because i had to deal with this today. It took me 20 minutes of construction geometry and pocket routines to do what would have taken two minutes if there was a mixed climb/conventional cut in 2d contour.

[Bruce Caulley]

Neurosis,

I am pretty sure you can do this now. Use contour ramp and I think selecting plunge as the ramp type does exactly that. It will run the contour at a depth one way, then plunge and do it the other way.

 

Bruce

[kunfuzed]

Sounds like what he might want is a zig zag at one depth only. I think that could be kinda handy... still I would rather have my shaded surface selection thingy fixed... see above.

[Guest]

I'm still waitin' for it to get me a cold beer or 6.

 

Pete Rimkus built in the functionality but 'til now has refused to share it

 

[kazmir44]

How about a toolbar with a big red EASY button.

one click = program done.

 

I would also like the cold beer option.

[neurosis]

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Neurosis,

I am pretty sure you can do this now. Use contour ramp and I think selecting plunge as the ramp type does exactly that. It will run the contour at a depth one way, then plunge and do it the other way.

 

Bruce

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I am talking about zig zag at one depth. You can do this in Cimatron very easily and losing that function moving to mastercam was a big hit. I made two programs last night. One in mastercam and one in cimatron to remove material and the time spent programing was about 1/4 in cimatron just because of the ability to do this one simple function. If you want to look on the ftp site i placed a file that shows what I am trying to do. You can tell me if I am going about it the wrong way. Maybe Im just making more of a problem out of this than it really is.

 

/Mastercam_forum/MCX2_Files/zigzag.MCX

 

[ 02-14-2008, 08:15 AM: Message edited by: Neurosis ]

[3R!< W3NG3R]

Neurosis, I looked at your file and am not sure what it is you are after. Are you talking about milty passes or depth cuts?

[neurosis]

Well, z steps are easy in a 2d contour. If you ignore the z depths I am talking about the multi passes. I should have left the zdepths out to keep it from being confusing i suppose. Basically I am looking for the easiest and most efficient way to remove that material with the least amount work and more importantly, the least amount of construction geometry (none would be best) but it doesnt make sense to just use a 2d contour and have the endmill pull up and rapid back to the start point every time since 2d contour only allows climb "OR" conventional cutting and not mixed.

[neurosis]

Oh yes, and one more thing... The ability to create a drill cycle operation with multiple depths. Im doing a job that has several holes that are the same size but need to be drilled at different depths. The part is about 30" long and the holes are spaced out all over the place so I am having to create an operation that travels the whole length of the part for one depth of hole and then another operation that travels the whole length of the part again for another depth of hole and again and again. To create three different depths of holes the machine is traveling over the span of 90" of part length because I cant set more than one depth per operation. Lots more wasted time.

[Guest]

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I cant set more than one depth per operation

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Sure you can,

 

create points at the depth you wish to drill to and use a depth of Incremental 0, it'll drill to the point depth