Trial version offered?

[Thoob]

Hi, I currently have X4 Mill Level 3 but no lathe. Does Mastercam offer a trial period to use the lathe add on? I was just wondering cause Virtual Gibbs called me trying to push there product on me and offered a month of free trial. Just wondering if Mcam does the same.

[Colin Gilchrist]

Yes, a 30-day evaluation is pretty common, but depends on your reseller. I'd recommend getting some training if possible, or maybe a good training book. Lathe is a great product for basic turning operations, but you need to know how the stock recognition and some other features work. We are always here to help if you've got questions too...

[Thoob]

Awesome. Appreciate it. I will look into it. Thanks.

[John White WLM&T]

Be careful adding this on to your existing hasp. You will be stuck paying maintanence on it just to keep mill current. Then if you don't like it or out grow it you will be charged a large amount to have it removed from your hasp. Kind of like a bad cell phone plan.

 

John

[Thad]

quote:

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depends on your reseller

---

+1

 

Thad

[Thoob]

Ok. Thanks for that info. We are getting the full add on regardless now. I will be going for some training to get it right. In the meantime I'd like to play with it and find some stuff out. If you look at this video,

#2 at 40 secs. I'd like to know how you would program the groove tool to cut like that. I actually have that tool and would like to try it out. I tried with groove cycle but it wouldn't cut along the z like in the video. Thanks.

[Colin Gilchrist]

To program that tool in Mastercam, you'll have to wait for X5 unfortunately. X5 has a new Groove/Turn cycle that was designed for this exact tool.

 

You could probably create your own wireframe geometry and use it with a Lathe Finish toolpath to get similar motion, but it would be a lot of work in X4.

[Thoob]

Ahh. Ok. We shall wait then. That should be released soon eh?

[gcode]

It might be worth a call to your dealer. They are running some pretty good upgrade deals right now and if you buy maintenance, you'll get X5

when its released.

[Tyler Robertson]

Yep

[Thoob]

We already have maintenance for Mill. I normally get the new versions right away. Was just wondering what the estimated release date is.

[John White WLM&T]

I would try it first and be real sure. You are going to get tired of maintanence for lathe real quick. Plus I would really think hard about buying a software because it will do what you want in the next version. Seems like it should do what you want now to buy it.

 

John

[Thoob]

I've already been using Mill for the last 6 years. We just got a couple lathes a few years back and have been using the conversational part of it but it doesn't allow as much control and there are some parts that you just can't do. My boss told me he was getting the lathe add on regardless cause it was only another $**** dollars. (His words, lol) and he will get me trained for it. As for the "what I want it to do now" is not the reason we will be getting it. That just happened to be coincidence that we have that particular tool and I came across that video the other day. Either way, we need something besides the conversational to run the lathes at optimal performance and we don't want to mix software's. Seeing as we already have a lot of $$ invested in Mastercam, we figured its best to get the lathe add on now. For the little time I have been farting around with it, it doesn't seem to complicated at all compared to the mill so hopefully I don't have too many issues. Thankfully there is a lot of knowledge right here in this forum that I can refer to. Thanks in advance. lol.

 

[ 09-10-2010, 10:14 PM: Message edited by: gcode ]

[jhjr]

I use lathe and mill quite a bit. Mill is an awesome piece of software IMO. Lathe, well not as much love for it. Don't get me wrong I can make any part I need to with it but kinda quirky.

[John White WLM&T]

Believe it or not there is a cost to stop using it. Have you asked how much it will cost to take lathe off your hasp if you grow tired of it?

 

John

[gcode]

quote:

---

Believe it or not there is a cost to stop using it.

---

that's becasue you got a bundled discount

when you bought it... If you want to keep mill

and lathe maintenance seperate, you need to purchase lathe as a stand alone product on

its own HASP...

If you already have lathe and mill on the same hasp and want to split them you have to give back the bundle discount

because you'd have 2 SEPERATE SEATS!!!

They same thing happens if you want to move

mill/lathe HASPS to a nethasp..

3 mill/Lathe USB HASPS will support 3 programmers

the same modules on a nethasp would support

3 mill guys and 3 lathe guys ( 6 programmers)

 

so they take the bundle discount back...

one mill/lathe USB hasp

becomes

one mill USB HASP

and one lathe USB HASP

2 seats cost more than one..

Its not rocket science.... and its not a plot

to screw you

[John White WLM&T]

"2 seats cost more than one..

Its not rocket science.... and its not a plot

to screw you"

 

I don't want two seats. Just to upgrade mill without lathe and wire.

 

The question was about adding lathe. I don't think most people understand the cost involved if you don't want to upgrade both products. It was never explained to me when I bought the software. Would anyone think it would cost more to debundle and upgrade mill to X4 than it will cost just to buy another seat?

 

John

 

 

John

[George Hardwick]

Seat belts tightened,canopy back,ready to be shot down...

Cant do it in X4 ?

Mastercam is only another tool.Use it to do what you want,if it cant do what you want,Post out what it can do and change the code,its only 2axis lathe stuff.If you cant code a plunge and a feed should you be involved with cutting metal?

A lot cheaper than 2/3 years maintenance.and more satisfying.Time to pull the ejector seat.

Be sure im not getting at anyone,just we seem to forget the basics and come to rely too much on software.

[Thoob]

You clearly do not know how we are running our shop and like I said, I am NOT getting the software to do a plunge. That was a pure coincidence that I saw the video and was getting the lathe add on at THE SAME TIME. I already stated that above. If you must know, we have one programmer (me) and I have 4 guys under me running the machines. 2 CNC lathes, 1 CNC Mill and 4 manual machines. I have been programming the mill with Mastercam for awhile now. The lathes have been being done with conversational (which is ok if everyone understands it the same as I do) but they do not. Instead, since I'm always on the PC programming the mill, I will add the lathe to it so I can keep ALL programs the same and can edit them from the computer instead of always having to load it to the machine to make a change. This also cannot be done while the machine is being run. Conversational has its perks but I've been using both Mcam and conversational for over 8 years and the software has alot more control. I can indeed write myself some cycles but guess what? Time is money and I don't have time to be sitting around writing code when the software can do it a lot faster. Sorry if I sound stuck up but your comment kind of got under my skin.

[Thoob]

I found this in another thread and it works. I am using X4. http://www.emastercam.com/cgi-bin/ultimate...t=027454#000000

 

I tried it on a sample trapezoid type groove and it worked very well. I did what Prosin Molds said. Thanks fellas.