X4 MU3 problems depth of cut values

[Gramby]

Ok I switched from X3 to X4 about 3 weeks ago and have 2 issues. One very bad the other annoying. The annoying issue is approx half the time the coolant selection button is greyed out. I can not change it from what the tool was saved at in the library. If I finish the operation close it then reopen it to do a modification it then is no longer greyed out and allows me to make a coolant selection changed.

Ok now the bad issue that is about to make me switch back to X3. Seems to be happening about 75 % of the time and I can't pin point when or why it will happen. When I am filling in defination fields for contours or pocketing operations and leave the field for inputing Depth Cuts or Multi passing it defaults back to values that I never input.

Any example is if I want to step down .100 cuts then have a .010 finish pass I input that continue down the tree to input other info then if I return to look at the depth of cuts it will change to something like .500 deep cuts and a .05 finish pass. The only way I can get it to hold my values is to fill in the depth of cuts very last and accept the operation by clicking the green check. Shouldn't have to do that. The major issue is when I want to use depth of cut and Multi pass in the same operation. I can't close and accept the operation with both these fields open.

So why isn't this holding my depth of cuts and Multi pass values? I have imported and updated my X3 tool library twice now into X4 to assure that was not the issue

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

[Joe788]

Gramby, just hit the "Apply" button after you input your values for that page, and before you navigate to another page.

 

I have no idea why it's set up this way. That apply button shouldn't even be there.

[Gramby]

Humm thanks Joe it does seem to work by hitting apply. Having to do that seems ridicolous I must say.Is everyone out their having to do that or just a few of us?

Any idea why the coolant button is grayed out half the time?

[G10X0Y0Z0]

that apply button is the dumbest enhancement in mastercam. why do you have have to click 2 buttons for your values to stay. was not there before X4. bites me in the a$$ every time.

[frostfritt]

Yea, I realy hate that apply button.

It have been up here before. What have CNC to say obout it today? What is the future for that "trap" button?

 

/Frostfritt

[Gramby]

So is their only 4 of us having issues with using the apply button? It seems I have to use apply button to hold my values on depths of cuts and multi passing, but nothing else. This has been a pain in the xxxx to keep remembering to use apply only on these 2. I find myself wasteing time going back and looking to see if my value stuck. Meaning did I hit apply and did it hold my value.

Is their only a few of us having issues or is everyone. Is it mastercam causing this or is it windows? Are we all only having issues with mastercam holding the values for depth of cut and multi passing or are others having issues with other fields? What is the cure?

Have not been very impressed with X4. Issues such as above and other issues. But the speed in which it runs is disapointing. The speed to open and modify operations is terrible. In the 3-4 weeks I have used it I feel I am a slower programmer.

[horsepowered]

I am having some of the same problems. I can set a chain in an operation to leave .010 stock per side and if I create a new operation using the same tool # that finishes to size the previous operation reverts my .010 stock to leave back to zero. I have not been clicking the apply button, but why should I have to. My opinion the new interface sucks and make more work. Also leaves more opportunity for errors.

[Gramby]

Horsepowered we seem to be having different results. Mine will hold the .010 stock to leave from operation to operation and I never hit apply button on the Cut Parameters page.

Like I said it is the Depth of Cut and Multi Pass values that will not hold even in one operation with out hitting blue Apply button.

By the way I am refering to a Contour Operation.

[Jim Evans from CNC Software]

What version of X4 are you guys using? I thought we had fixed this behavior and I will follow up on the specific version we did so in.

 

The problem stems from when the edit field gets validated. It should get validate (value accepted and retain) when either using Enter to exit the field, Tab to move from one field to another or even clicking on another page in the interface. Obviously the Apply button would validate the entire page as well.

 

I can't remember the exact steps to cause the problem, but that is why you don't see it every time as it is tied to either enter/tab and then switching pages. Like I said I'm pretty sure we fixed it and i will need to go through the versions and log to figure out if we did and what versions.

[Gramby]

Hi Jim I am using X4 MU3 mill level 3. I loaded X4 MU2 then 1 day later MU3 came out which I then updated to MU3.

Yes your validation explention makes sense and I agree that is how it should work. But it is not working on my Depth of cut fields or Multi Passing fields when doing contours. I think drilling fields work fine. I cant recall if pocketing fields work. I would have to do some testing.

This software makes me so nervous I am constantly going back and double checking to see if my values stuck.

Another issue is occasional my coolant selection field is grayed out and I can not change it. I cant find a pattern as to when it happens. But if I close the operation then reopen it will no longer be grayed out. Thus allowing me to make a change if necessary. Not as big of deal as the above problem but annoying. Usally the coolant type needed is saved with the tool. But a couple times a day I find myself needing to change it.

[Gramby]

ok I just did a pocket operation to refresh me on which values fields will hold or not hold. It seems all fields hold but for one and that once again is the Depths Cuts fields.

Hitting the enter key or tabbing thru the fields will not make them stick. Only hitting the blue apply button. Once you leave that field screen it defaults back to the the orginal values.

I am beginning to wonder if I should download the MU3 patch again and reinstall.

[Gramby]

Just did a fresh download of MU3 and installed it. Its still acting up and not holding values as before. We have 4 computers all doing the same here. Not holding Depth Cut or Multi pass without hitting apply button.

When I installed the MU3 patch it does have two selections to choose from. #1 the default which i choose is Repair "Reinsatll all program features installed by the previous setup" #2 Remove "Remove all installed features"

like I said I choose #1 Repair the default.

[horsepowered]

X4 MU2 for me. I have not installed Mu3 yet. I always wait to see what kind of results others are having before I jump into an upgrade.

[Jim Evans from CNC Software]

Gramby,

 

I'm trying to duplicate this in MU3 right now and can't. If I remember correctly the Depth cut order radio button was one of the items not retaining it's setting but it seems to be working for me, but as I stated earlier it does depend on your steps.

 

Please list the steps you are performing in order so I can follow the exact same steps.

[Gramby]

It doesn't seem to matter what order I fill in the fields in the contour operation. It just wont hold the Depth Cuts and Multi pass. Also I have gone to 4 different computers in the shop and it does the same. Were using X4 MU3. We have 2 programmers running Mastercam all day. We have Mastercam loaded on computers on the shop floor for back plotting, verifying and simple programming for the operators.

For a check I simply drew a straight line on the screen. Did a contour of the line. Started at the top of the operation field and started inputing data. From top to bottom. Starting with selecting a endmill and working my way down.

I just went and played around filling in the fields in a different order. It makes no difference. We use comp in machine and comp in control changing those made no difference. Its not the file because this has been going on since I converted to x4 and work on multiple files a day. Also I started with a new file it only being one straight line on 4 computers here as a test. Wanted to verify that its just not my computer.

Bottom line is it won't hold the values in Depths Cut or Multi pass without selecting the blue apply button. Contour or Pocket operations.

[Jim Evans from CNC Software]

Gramby,

 

How are you going from field to field - Enter, tab, mouse???

[Gramby]

I had suspicion it could be related to still having X3 loaded on my computer and the MU3 patch was not updating X4 properly. But I limitated that possibilty because the other programmer here deleted his X3 before installing X4 and he has the same issues as me.

[Gramby]

I go from field to field using a combination of tab and mouse. rarely enter. I use tab if I only need to move to the next field or two but if I need to make a big jump to a field i use mouse

[Gramby]

I go from field to field using a combination of tab and mouse. rarely enter. I use tab if I only need to move to the next field or two but if I need to make a big jump to a field i use mouse

[Jim Evans from CNC Software]

I've been using Tab and the mouse as well and still not able to see the problem in MU3. I'll keep playing with it to see what I can dig up.

 

Iw as able to see the problem at one time, but like I said earlier I thought we addressed this in one of the X4 MUs.

[Jim Evans from CNC Software]

I think I might have found the culprit here. I can duplicate the problem only if I turn on "use tools step, peck, coolant" option on the tool settings page of your machine group. If this is toggled on, then the change does NOT stick. With it off it is working fine.

 

Check your setting and try it and let me know what happens.

[Gramby]

you're correct unselecting "use tools step, peck, coolant" option does make my values stick without having to select Apply.

But now I dont know what the worser of two evils is. Unselecting a button I have used for a few years. Which I beleieve is allowing me to call up tools from my library that are stored with peck values and coolant choices.

Or keeping that button selected and having the pain to rememeber to select the Apply button.

Not looking forward to neither. Would this problem be considered a bug and will it be addressed?

In X3 I had that "use tools step, peck, coolant" option selected and never had issues.

My work day is about over but I will play around Monday with that unselected and see how it goes.

I do appreciate looking into this for me. Thanks

I suppose this also may be graying out my coolant button? Weird thing is it is not always grayed out. Strange

[Jim Evans from CNC Software]

From a quick test in X5 this looks to be fixed, but I will dig into our bug database to make sure and ask the QC group to run through our tests to make sure.

 

Not sure on the coolant issue yet, but I'll work on that one now.

[Gramby]

Wow I couldn't help but to do a few toolpaths with this "use tools step, peck, coolant" option unselected. I have to tell you I hate it.

We are a Tool and Die shop that does one run off parts with many programs being done. We have a very detailed tool library that is saved with the proper Coolant functions, drill cycle style, peck amounts etc. These values are very rarly modified while we are doing a operation.

Are extensive list of speicalty drills amoung other tooling are saved with perfect data so they preform the best. Once the tool libaray is set up we never have to think about the peck amount or cycle style or coolant style.

When I unselct "use tools step, peck, coolant" option all that information is ignored and the programmer has to manually type it in. No way do I have all those memorized.

Yes a default can be set up. But the default is not the same for all tooling.

The bottom line is that "use tools step, peck, coolant" option really needs to stay on.

In my opinion Mastercam needs to make a patch to fix the problem. Disconnect that realtionship to make it run like X3 did.

[G10X0Y0Z0]

jim the point is why do we need another button to push. i can go back to V9 and create my program faster than i can in X4 MU3 less buttons to push and less chances for error. i have to agree that the new tree style interface in X4 sucks, all it does is slow down my production. i sometimes write my programs in V9 and bring it into X just for the tool path enhancements and it it still faster than working completely in X