Backplot Cycle time accuracy

[CJH]

I was wondering if there is a setting that might be in Mastercam X4 to tweek the backplot suggested cycle time of an operation to what is actually reflected on the machine.

 

anybody know anything about this

 

We are noticing that the backplot suggested time is not reflective of the cycle time at the machine. We aren't altering anything at the machine either by doing cycle feedholds or anything like that. I've seen as much as a 25% difference with the machine cut time being slower than the MC suggested time.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Chris

[Craig Madsen from CM3D]

Just a guess, but I don't think that Mastercam does any compensation for the accel/decel profile as your machine moves. Depending on the number and length of moves, your machine may never get to the speed programmed. (It does NOT instantaneously go to programmed feed and instantly stop - it accelerates to speed and decelerates to a stop - this takes time).

 

About all you can do at this time is multiply by some factor by the time ESTIMATED and base that on known jobs versus those estimates.

 

In other words, it is using the SWAG method - (Scientific Wild A$$ed Guess).

[CJH]

I was kind of thinking that would be case. I know other CAM software has the ability to compensate for this and gives you a time factor parametr that you can adjust to get close to your physical machine cycle times.

 

Chris

[gcode]

helix milling and contour ramping of circles

is off by a factor of 2..Its a known and reported bug

[Dave.L]

Chris,

 

In your machine def you can enter rapid rates and tool change time, etc. Those can help dial in your times but I still find the times to be way off. Search the forum and you will find several threads about this.

 

It would sure be nice if this worked better.

[Chris Rizzo]

Cimco edit (the full version) has a time computation. Its just a great overall product, too.

[CJH]

Thanks for the help. I was hoping it would be something simple that I could adjust. I'll tinker around with it and see if I can come up with anything close to what the machine cycle is.