POST PROTO TRAK MX3

[BERNIE]

I AM HAVING A PROBEM WITH PROTO TRAK MX3 ?I DONT KNOW IF I SHOULD PUT CUTTER COMP. ON CUTTER LEFT CUTTER RIGHT OR CUTTER ON CONTROL ? ALL SO CUTTER SMALLER OR BIGER? I HAVE TRIED .24 DIA. EM AND PUT .01

IN THE CONTROL IT WORKED BUT NOT THAT GOOD :confused

[email protected]

[KMaynard]

Hi Bernie,

 

We used to use the MX3. Now we only have the MX2. Which version of M.C are you running? If your using 7 or 8 and want cutter comp set the left or right in control and off on the computer. If you put both on it will create cutter comp and tool path based on a .000 tool which to the best of my knowlege wont work with the prototrak.With Ver 9 M.C set your offset side (left or right) and in the other panel set it to control.

 

As far as lead in and lead outs you'll need to set those on 100% or shut them off as the prototrak will error out with anything less. Any other question feel free to email .. I'm not to far from you..

 

Kev

 

[ 09-10-2002, 07:18 AM: Message edited by: KMaynard ]

[chris m]

I'm not really sure that I understand the gist of your question; but I'll give it a shot:

 

1) with a machine like a ProtoTRAK, I would use comp in control only (comp in computer OFF) because when you program at the machine it wants the real cutter diameter, not a wear amount, and I'm not sure how sophisticated the control is.

 

2) I'm not sure what you're programming, but those machines are pretty easy to program conversationally while standing in front of them; do you really need to do it with MasterCAM?

 

3) If you're curious about post output; I'd program milling of a simple coutour at the machine, save the data to a floppy, and print it out. Then I'd program the same EXACT contour with MC and post it, compare them, and see what I got.

 

4) Southwestern Industries has off-line software for their TRAK AGE controls (like the one on my DPMs) that mimics the look and feel of the machine on a [low-end] PC. If you are doing a lot of off-line ProtoTRAK programming, you may want to see if something similar is available for your machines. This would prevent you from using features and cycles that are available in MC, but not in the machine.

 

HTH

 

C

 

[ 09-10-2002, 07:49 AM: Message edited by: chris m ]

[heeler]

We have many of the TRAKDPM. We have the best luck to always use the computer for the offset. We also do alot of DNC with it. If you read the manuals there is alot of info on the do's and don'ts for cam and dnc. The mastercam post does do very well for us. If I can help email me.

[KMaynard]

Having the computer do the offset works but it doesn't allow you to compensate for the tool wear.

[chris m]

heeler; I need to pick your brain!

 

How does the control handle comp with the [comp-in-computer] "centerline" programming? I have been around these machines for awhile and never seen them programmed with a CAM system so this is new to me; do they take "wear" or "reverse wear" like real CNCs do? If I undersatnd how they work with CAM data, maybe I'll stop standing in front of the machine stabbing softkeys!

 

C

[KMaynard]

Chris,

 

I'm not heeler but No they don't take wear compensation. The 2 prototraks we have had do not allow for negative #'s in the offset page. you either have to use full compensation or run the toolpath on the geomerty (ie:in computer)

[Keith Graydon]

The Prototrak system automatically compensates for tools that are defined in the tool-list of the current program in the protorak.

Mastercam generated programs dont use the tool-list (offset table) within the prototrak system. What u progrram is what u get. You can get around this by using NO compensation in the computer, Compenation in the control, and define all the tool diameters in the tool-list.

An earler post did say that you CANNOT use (-) negative offsets. This is true, and unfortunate

[Charles Davis]

Make sure you start and end all contours on the prototrak with a small line move.

[heeler]

Chris,

 

You can use wear comp. You will just have to put in the wear value for the cutter dia(maybe X 2). I'll check out about using a - value. If you have a part to do email me and I can see how our wizards would do it. We have learned by the seat of our pants, so sometimes we learned a way to do something because no one told us that we couldn't.

 

The book also being able to have a custom post to output a file in the A.G.E. format. Might be worth a try.

 

We also use the DNC capabilities alot for surfacing ect.

 

Email me at [email protected]