Drill sorting question, please help !!!

[tecno]

Hi, I´m working with MCX4MU3 and when I do drilling, I define the order of the entities selected for the drilling as needed, I rarely use the sorting, but the problem is that when Mastercam calculates the toolpath, the tool moves in a different order as defined, when I click in the geometry icon for that operation, the entities are ordered in a differetn way as I did but the sorting is defined as off, I do not know how to void this situation, of course I can change the order of the points but when the program is regenerated, the order is changed again. The most usual pattern for the sorting generated in mastercam is like a "star", moving from one corner to the other and doing very long rapid moves.

Any help will be appreciated

[Mike-T]

Your sure sorting is turned off ?? You picked them individually originally ?

[tecno]

Hi Mike

 

Yes is turned off and I pick them in the order I want it, thanks.

[Mike-T]

So in your drill point manager, sort state is off... I have had trouble in the past with it using creation order, but not for a long time.

how many points are you dealing with ?

[tecno]

40 points

[Tim Johnson]

If you pick "entities" in the Drill Point Selection window they will sort on their own if you want to call that sorting. If you use the "arrow" or pointer and click the center of your circles the path will be in the order you clicked.

 

Edit: I haven't tried this with 40 points but you might be able to use this work around.

 

On your selection click the first point the same way you're doing it now and close. Click Geometry in the toolpath manager and click "Add". The added holes will be in the order you click them. I've only used that for maybe a 1/2 dozen holes. Usually for forty holes I just window them in and sort using the point to point button.

[bogusmill]

I've had the same problem. To remove a big chunk I will put points along a path and put each point say .375 apart. Then drill those odd number points first, then even number holes with a .390 drill so the even number holes breaks out on both sides and the chunk can come out whole. But I always have to reorder geometry to do it. I've been wondering how this could be changed so I wouldn't have to do that.

[tecno]

Hi Tim

 

Since I switched from V9.1 to X4 I use to select entities instead of points, but I was not able to fix this problem, thanks for your info I´ll try that way.

 

Regards

[BrianCNC]

Most of the time my I select entities for drill points and it usually ends up in the order I created the points instead of the order I selected.

[tecno]

Bogusmill, let´s try what Tim says.

 

Brian, yes, looks MC like define the toolpath based on the creation order of the entities. I did not notice that until now.

 

Regards

[heavychevy2155]

I've found if you are using a solid and click the edge curve for the hole center it wants to sort the toolpath for you. If you create a point in the hole centers then turn off shading and pick you points it will toolpath in the order you selected.

[Colin Gilchrist]

There is a real simple solution to this problem: Do not use the "Entities" option on the drill point selection dialog box. Pick the "Selection Arrow" button, then pick your entities (points or centers of arcs) in the order you want to machine them.

 

Mastercam will then follow the path in the order you choose. To make it easy, after I make sure I'm in selection mode, I use the Auto-cursor Override buttons to "lock" in a selection mode. Typically I use the "Arc Center" override. To put it in Lock mode, Right-click on the override. If you left click, it is a single override choice.

[DavidB]

A quick search

 

Drill seq