Tool Holder Definition

[litnin]

Hi all

 

Great to finally see that the tool holder definition is now available in all 2D toolpaths .

Just wondering if or when it will be available in the 3D toolpaths ie. surface finish parallel, flowline...etc.?

Slightly disapointed to see it isn't there yet.

 

Litnin

[Lars Christensen]

I would send of a email to [email protected] for a enhancement request, more request will push it further up on the list.

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

Please request it. I have already done it a few times. Tool Holder support is extremely important.

 

As Lars says, the more the better.

 

Thanks

[Bruce Caulley]

A bit strange that the holder is defined in the toolpath and not the tool itself though.

 

Bruce

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

Hello Bruce,

 

I agree. The tool holder is part of the tool definition.

[Guest]

We NEED to be able to define Tool/Holder combination's that can be saved to the library and ALWAYS referenced so that every use of a tool in a path does NOT require a new holder definition.

[litnin]

Totally agree John. Frustrating having to attach a holder to a tool for every toolpath created.

I really thot this would've been sorted by now!

Come on guys give us some real tool libraries

[Dave.L]

Since we are talking about tool holders and tool libraries, please allow me to add a comment related to the tool library:

 

I am sure the tool library is very old and probably has not gone thru any major changes in a while. However, it’s just a database, not a big deal but I cannot understand why CNC software cannot improve this. First, each tool defined should have an ID number that is the primary key. So, when you want to edit the tool you can. How many of you have duplicate tools in the library? The use of tool ID’s would solve this.

 

Then, each tool should have a material table associated so that different speeds and feeds (preferably by SFM and CPT) could be stored. It does not make much sense to need to maintain the same tool geometry data in different libraries for different materials.

 

Last but not least, you should also be able to assign the tool holder to the tool.

 

This is pretty simple to do and I know everyone could benefit from it, the question is will it ever get attention?

[Guest]

quote:

---

How many of you have duplicate tools in the library?

---

NONE, because I know HOW to use it

[Dave.L]

quote:

---

NONE, because I know HOW to use it

---

With no KEY field I don't know how to avoid this when making changes to the tool. So, please fill me in on your knowledge

[FP1]

No duplicate tools here either. If I say yes to "do you want to add another tool", I will also alter the name of that tool. ie. 1.0 flat endmill and 1.0A flat endmill.

[Dave.L]

If you add a tool to your current file from the LIB. and then make a change, the only way I know to get it back into the LIB is "save to lib" and this creates a duplicate.

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

Dave,

 

The Tool Manager would really help you out.

 

Thanks

[Dave.L]

Mike,

 

I must be missing something coz everthing I am doing is in the Tool Manager.

 

-Dave

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

We may have a misunderstanding. Sorry if it's me.

 

Go to the top menu and select Toolpaths > tool manager.

 

Mike

[Dave.L]

Yes Mike, that's what I am using. If you edit the tool while in the LIB. it's not a problem. My point is that if you edit the tool outside the LIB (in your current MC file), the only way to save it back to the LIB (that I know) is "save to LIB" and that will create a duplicate. duplicate in the sense the the old tool before mod is in the LIB and the new tool with the mod. If the tools had ID's, then you could modify anywhere without this happening.

 

Thanks for you help though I appreciate it.

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

OK..

You can use the tool manager and arrows to copy tools back and forth from part/library. You won't get dups that way.

 

Thanks

[Dave.L]

If you make a change in the MC file and try to use the arrow to move it back to the LIB you get "a similar tool exsists, add another" something like that. So, you need to add another and then delete the original.

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

I understand. Well, at least it warns you..

[FP1]

Dave, I understand what you are saying now. The reason I do not have any dups is that I never save a tool back into the standard Mastercam libraries. I use the standard libraries only as templates. I copy one up into the upper part of the tool manager screen, and then make my edits there. Next I create or call up one of my own libraries and copy the edited tools from the top down to my library so I have them for other jobs later.

 

I may have 4 different 1.0 inch end mills in my library, but they all have different names. 1.0A,1.0B, etc. One might be carbide, one might be HSS, one might be indexable carbide, corn cob rougher, short flutes, long flutes, etc. This method floats my boat, for some people it may not.

[JLUSA]

Well I hate to say it but the tool holder definition is pathetic. I have been using Mastercam for 15 years. All this time I have waited for them to implement tool holder definitions. And out of all the toolpaths they apply it to in X4 it would be the 2D. Who cares about in the 2D I need it with the 3D toolpaths like parallel and flowline and blend. Sorry if I sound like I am Ranting but I am! I do a lot of horizontal programming with 3D toolpaths and I need Holder definitions on a per tool basis. All I can say is that we have to stick together and complain to CNC Software. All their competitors have had holder definitions for quite a while. I would rather see them spend their time on holder definitions rather than some of the other basically useless enhancements they have come up with. POWER TO THE USERS!!

[Watcher]

That´s why I love Pro/E now...

 

I hardly believe that I used to curse it in the beginning of my learning curve...

[Mark Baker CNC Software]

quote:

---

Just wondering if or when it (tool holders) will be available in the 3D toolpaths ie.

---

The answer is yes, the other 3D toolpaths will support Tool Holders. The bad news is that I think its going to get pushed back. I'm not sure where it stands but its on the "to do" list. Once the toolpaths are updated to the "tree structure" then we'll have the tool holder defination and the CLPT and SFM parameters.

 

quote:

---

Great to finally see that the tool holder definition is now available in all 2D toolpaths

---

This barely got in for X4, there was a lot of work done at the end of the release to try to get this out to you folks.

[peon]

Watcher, I've been using Pro/e for around 6 months. What a joke. The only thing I liked about Pro/e was the processing speed. MCX4 totally resolved that issue.

[Mark Baker CNC Software]

code:

---

 If you add a tool to your current file from the LIB. and then make a change, the only way I know to get it back into the LIB is "save to lib" and this creates a duplicate 

---

There has been a lot of work to the "Tools" section of Mastercam. Durring the re-write, a lot of these issues should be resolved (I understand the fustration). There are some big things coming that I think will be a "bit hit" (if everything goes according to the plan) . I can't go into details, just that the tool libraries are getting some attention and are being worked on.