MCX3 - don't save toolpath data (nci)

[Don Trust]

for the life of me, I can't figure out how to save the MCX file WITHOUT all the toolpath (nci) data. I do want to save the toolpaths, naturally, but not the nci data. Makes for way too large files.

 

I can save the file, reload it and save it again (without regening the toolpath) to get the MCX file without the nci data, but that's an extra step that shouldn't be necessary.

 

I know storage is cheap, but there just isn't any need for storing a 50MB file when it only needs to be 2MB.

 

Is this just that way MCX3 works, or is there some switch to turn off that I haven't found yet??

 

Using ver. MCX3 mu1

[calnet42]

you could use "save some" and select all geometry.

That should strip all toolpaths.

[Ocean Lacky™]

"Save Some" won't save tool path data

[pip]

doesnt NCI=toolpaths

Strip out the NCI and you dont save any of your toolpaths.

[Don Trust]

Maybe I didn't say that right.

 

I have programs that have very small stepovers (.0005 per pass on a scallop path for instance). These are very intricate electrode programs for punch faces.

 

If you define the toolpath and regen it in preparation for posting, the data generated (that I thought was called nci data) on these programs can exceed 50 megabytes in size. You can see this when you look at the toolpath size in the operation manager.

 

If I then save the file (the MCX file) the resulting disk file will be huge.

 

For example, on a typical program I just checked, after defining the toolpath and regening it, the toolpath size (in operation manager) is 73,618K. thats 73meg, basically. If I save the file and look at the properties on disk, it is 75,271K bytes in size (75 meg). If I then load the file back into Mastercam and immediately save it, the resulting file on disk is 1653Kbytes (about 2 meg).

 

This is because the toolpath hasn't been regenerated and the operation manager shows the toolpath size as zero K (0 Kbytes) when I save it to disk.

 

What I am trying to accomplish is this final result without having to reload the file and resave it. It seems to be an extra step one shouldn't have to do. The final result is a file with all toolpaths defined and ready to regenerate later if necessary, but a small size for archival storage.

[André Lapointe@In-House Soluti]

You might want to play with the options in the following windows:

settings/configurations/toolpath

and look at the regen file section, make sure you don't keep anything and maybe it will get you to what you want.

HTH

[MLS]

In other words you want to force your toolpaths to be dirty.(red X'd out)

 

The only thing I could even think of is going into the tool manager and adjust the settings for that tool ... changing something irrelevant like the number of flutes, then updating it so it X's out all the toolpaths then save it. I'm still not sure how much of the NCI data that would kill.

 

[gcode]

I don't think there is any way to

do what you're trying to do..

If file size is that big an issue

just zip them before storage..

your averave MCX file will zip

tp 15-20% of its uncompressed size

depending on the ratio of NCI

data to solids and surfaces

It wouldn't surprise me to see that

50 meg file you're using as an example

zip to under 10 meg

[Don Trust]

Andre: Tried looking at those settings. no Joy there. Thanks, though.

 

MLS: Yea, tried that in the past. As you thought, it doesn't get rid of all the nci data though.

 

gcode: Yep, been zipping all our source files for years, stored by an internal code number and cross-referenced 8 ways to sunday with a custom program I wrote in a past life:-)

Even so, that 10 meg file can really be less than a meg, so I still like to store as little as possible, even with today's rediculously large drives. Just a personal thing with me I guess. I think you're right in that there is no way to do what I want in one step. I am going to take this up with CNC software to see what they have to say. Maybe it'll be in a future release as an option??

 

Thanks all for the suggestions. If I find an answer, I'll pass it along.

 

Don

[cobra95kev]

I think this might be a good enhancement request.

You can certainly do it easily in CATIA by right clicking the operation and removing the toolpath.

 

I guess it boils down to which is worth more to you, the storage space on disk vs the time it takes to recompute the toolpath when you need it. I am guessing the 70 meg toolpath took some time to compute? I guess maybe the time to use this is when the parts on done running and the program goes in to storage mode?

 

[Don Trust]

Yep, the 70 meg path took something like 10-15 minutes. I actually save that compressed in a zip file for later use also. Which is why I don't need the toolpath data in the MCX file.

 

Chances are that If I need to regen it again sometime in the future, I'll have to change cutter sizes slightly. The toolpath definition itself will be valid, but the actual NC code MAY have to be different because the teensy, tiny ball cutter I'm using (.010ø) may be .011ø or .0095ø the next time. I just never know for sure until the time comes.

 

Bottom line is I don't need to have the nci data stored with the source code, so being the anal person that I am, I don't want to take up the space. :-)

[3R!< W3NG3R]

In config>>files>> uncheck the "restore entire toolpath data in file open.

 

I never tried this, but maybe you could save it, then go to file and reopen the current file. The NCI data will not come in. Then save it again like that.

[MLS]

Out of curiosity what kind of toolpath are you using typically in which you find yourself with huge files?

[Don Trust]

MLS - WE use mostly parallel, scallop, flowline or blend toolpaths.

 

They are for high precision punch faces with typically over 300 surfaces, and we need a .0005 stepover for the small .010ø ball cutters. some of these cover a 2" by 4" surface area maybe .050 deep. Much variation, many tiny letters, all rounded, tiny corner radii down to .005. Takes maybe 15 hours to cut.

[Rob @ Target Machine]

I don't understand why you would want to force a regen at a later time for toolpaths so big.

 

I lock my ops so I don't accidentally have to wait for a regen.

 

Pocket re-machining 50 or 75 pockets gets real annoying when you hit regen. LOL

 

Maybe you have a really fast computer, but a 50 Meg file sounds like close to 20 minutes to regen, even with a fast computer.

 

My thoughts are that the price of a 1 Tb hard drive would be cheaper than paying someone to regen all of those files.

 

[ 03-23-2009, 06:11 PM: Message edited by: mastercamguru ]

[MLS]

Well maybe you could change your stepover to something extremely high(100 or something) after you are done since you are going to have to redefine it anyway when you change the cutter the next time. Then you may get only a couple passes, but the file size would be much smaller and still preserve the other settings in the toolpath.

 

That's all I got.