Freezing regeneration

[Guffie]

I just ran into a problem recently that start to annoy my pretty much... After a while of work and regenerating 3D surface toolpaths, my computer starts freeze when it's regenerating, and always only in 3D surface machining, even it's pretty simple stuff! It always stops at exactly the same line in the regeneration, and if I shut down Mastercam and try again, it freeze at the same point again.. If I restart computer and try again it works for a certain amount of times, then freezes again..

 

My logic tells me it's lack of memory, but I have 4gig of ram.. I'm running X4 and ain't using any other huge consuming programs at the same time...

 

Anybody have a hint in which direction to look, except more memory?

[Teh Bear without Brains kinda idiot]

MAKE VERY COARSE RESolutinon and the to run simulation

If it is success try to add it slowly to get the work done

[Hardmill]

MAKE VERY COARSE RESolutinon and the to run simulation

If it is success try to add it slowly to get the work done

 

 

^^^^^ +1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PEACE

[Guffie]

MAKE VERY COARSE RESolutinon and the to run simulation

If it is success try to add it slowly to get the work done

 

Thanks for the reply! But I honestly don't really get it.. You say I should make my resolution on the screen very coarse or on the toolpath? When I make the "step over" on the part very big, it's not a problem, only when I make finish paths with small stepover (less than 1mm).. I don't have any problem with simulation, only the regeneration of the toolpath..

[Thee Rickster ™]

Sounds like bad ram or hardware

 

Try letting it run over night to see if the freezing

Let's up

[Teh Bear without Brains kinda idiot]

i MEAN TOOLPATH

btw DO YOU KNOW ABOUT BATCHING

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Batch processing lets you post a large number of toolpath operations from one or more files at one time. Batch mode lets you separate post processing from other Mastercam design and toolpath generation activities and maximize use of your Mastercam system and machine tools.

 

Use batch files to:

 

Generate the toolpath operation (that is, the binary NCI file) with or without generating the NC program.

 

Select toolpath operations for batch processing from any Mastercam file, not just from the current file.

 

Automatically submit toolpath operations for batch processing by selecting the To batch option on the Toolpath parameters tab.

 

Create, save, and rerun batch files (*.BCH), and edit batch files directly using a file editor.

 

Automate toolpath regeneration and file saves of batched operations.

 

Set time limits on batched operations.

 

Log batch processing operations.

 

To begin a batch processing job, right-click in the Toolpath Manager and choose Batch. The Batch Toolpath Operations dialog box opens, where you can create and customize the batch job.

 

When you run a batch job, Mastercam opens each file which has an operation in the batch list. You can set whether or not the operations are automatically regenerated. Each operation is posted according to the settings and preferences recorded in the machine group and machine definition saved in each Mastercam file. This means that a batch job can contain toolpaths from different machines or which reference different post processors. As each operation is processed, Mastercam will write the NC code to the file specified in the machine group properties for the operation, so that a single batch job can result in many NC files.

 

 

`````````````````

Batch Toolpath Operations dialog box

 

 

 

Use this dialog box to create lists of operations for batch processing and to run batch jobs. Batch jobs let you post operations from many files at one time without having to open every file individually. You can also repeatedly post the same set of files without having to select them every time by saving the operations list to a batch file.

 

To run a job saved in a batch file, use the Batch file: Open button to open the batch file and then choose OK to run it. Use the other dialog box controls to build an operations list, create new batch files, or set job options for processing batch files.

 

Click a topic below to learn more about each stage of batch processing.

 

Building the operation list

 

The operations that will be posted are listed in the Batch file window. Add operations to the list by opening batch files or by opening individual Mastercam files and then selecting operations in the Source file window.

 

To move an operation to the batch list, click on it to select it and then click the red arrow.

 

To remove a file from the batch list, click on it and press the [Delete] key.

 

Click here to learn more about building the list of operations for a batch job.

 

Note: Opening a new batch file overwrites the contents of the Batch file window.

 

Processing the source files

 

Once the batch file list is complete, choose how you want to process the source files:

 

You can choose to automatically Regenerate all operations in the source files. Consider using this option if the operations have been automatically tagged for batch processing and have not been regenerated within the source file.

 

Choose whether or not to save each source MCX file after it has been regenerated.

 

Posting the selected operations

 

Select Run post to post the operations and create the NC files. If you do not select this option, the source files will be opened and toolpaths regenerated but no NC programs will be created. Choose the Post settings option and button to tell Mastercam whether you want to create NC or NCI files, whether you want to edit them, and whether to transmit them directly to your machine tool control.

 

If you select Run post but do not select Post settings, Mastercam will use the default preferences saved with the control definition.

 

Each operation will be posted using the post and machine definition specified in the operation's machine group, and will be written to the NC file name specified there. You can include operations from many different machines, using many different posts, in the same batch file. If you have chosen to edit the NC files, each NC file will open in its own text editor window.

 

Working with batch files

 

The three buttons above the batch list let you open a batch file and add its operations to the list; empty the batch list; and save the operations in the batch list to a batch file.

 

Once you are satisfied with the list of operations in the batch list, you can choose to either run the job directly by clicking the OK button, or save the operation list to a batch file, so you can run the same job again in the future.

 

You can also view or edit any batch file directly in a text editor by clicking on the Advanced button and choosing Edit now. Opening a batch file in the text editor will not affect the list of operations displayed in the batch list window.

 

 

 

Click the OK button when the operation list is complete to run the batch job.

 

Click on the Advanced button to set batch processing time limits and batch file editing preferences. You will also be able to open an editing session to view or edit any batch file without interfering with the one that is currently displayed.

 

 

````````````````

YOU CAN RUN BATCHING BEFORE GOING HOME

[Guffie]

Sounds like bad ram or hardware

 

Try letting it run over night to see if the freezing

Let's up

 

I have tried several times to let it stand, sometimes up to 2 hours and it was still frozen..

 

I'll try overnight..

 

Was just somehow hoping this was a X4 bug, so I would have another reason to ask the company for an update of the maintenance...

[Müřlıń®]

I just ran into a problem recently that start to annoy my pretty much... After a while of work and regenerating 3D surface toolpaths, my computer starts freeze when it's regenerating, and always only in 3D surface machining, even it's pretty simple stuff! It always stops at exactly the same line in the regeneration, and if I shut down Mastercam and try again, it freeze at the same point again.. If I restart computer and try again it works for a certain amount of times, then freezes again..

 

My logic tells me it's lack of memory, but I have 4gig of ram.. I'm running X4 and ain't using any other huge consuming programs at the same time...

 

Anybody have a hint in which direction to look, except more memory?

 

Have you tried just changing the stopover or filter settings slightly?

 

Also deleting the regeneration files?

 

Might try turning off the toolpath smoothing just to see.

 

Also try turning off the multi threading...

[Guest]

I have seen toolpaths hang like that with a bad surface.

[BrianP.]

Ram Saver? On occasion when a file is acting quirky I run Ram Saver and it seems to help.

[Guffie]

Have you tried just changing the stopover or filter settings slightly?

 

Also deleting the regeneration files?

 

Might try turning off the toolpath smoothing just to see.

 

Also try turning off the multi threading...

 

I have tried to play with the filter / step over / smoothing.. Nothing useful..

 

I have seen toolpaths hang like that with a bad surface

 

What defines a bad suface and how to find it?

 

Ram Saver? On occasion when a file is acting quirky I run Ram Saver and it seems to help.

 

Tried that, told me that: "Database Did Not Need to be Changed"...

 

 

Thanks for all the inputs.. I'll try to let the IT take a look on it, there might be something with the hardware as Rickster proposed...

[Guest]

What defines a bad suface and how to find it?

 

If you have a solid, create surfaces on solids, if it throws up an error and asks about placing surfaces on a different level, that/those surfaces are likely the ones causing the issue. Sometimes you'll get an open edges do you want to build wireframe ion it message too. Let it do it. It makes finding those small slivers easier.

 

"Most" of the time, they are little slivers that if left out of the path hurt nothing tool path wise. If it turns out it's a larger surface that does need to be cut, rebuilding just that/those surfaces typically gets it done.

 

This typically happens when the designer needs to "blend" in areas that won't blend with the normal modeling techniques. It creates area's that don't flow properly or have small breaks in them.

[Guffie]

Thanks for info!

 

This case is a quite simple part I have made in SW2011 according to the drawing and then imported it as .x_t with surfaces, no solids...

[Guest]

Are you selecting the entire model to cut?

 

Can you just select the faces that need cutting and use a containment?

[within a thou]

Guffie I am with JP on this one as this is something I saw a lot when I was learning to model but most of my problems were holes and not necessarily bad surfaces. Try setting your depth limits to absolute and see if it will process. If it does this will tell you you have a hole somewhere and running verify will show you the gouge where your tool just tried to dive through that hole in the part.

[MotorCityMinion]

Hijacked for a brief moment. John, I often rebuild nasty intersections in SW using various tools and they LOOK great in SW. Those blends you speak of often freak out when imported. Almost impossible to create curves off the edges or rebuild those surfaces accurately in MC. As a result, I've learned to live with ugly intersections and a lot of slivered faces in lieu of good looking models. In the hands of an cosmetic perfectionist or a noob, models created in NX or Catia can wreak havoc do to advanced surfacing tools.

 

Here's the question: Do you know if MC 4 SW handles this scenario any better being that the native model never leaves it's environment?

[Guest]

Do you know if MC 4 SW handles this scenario any better being that the native model never leaves it's environment?

 

The only way I can answer that is this. In my use of it, yes somewhat limited, I have done a few contract programming jobs and some tech support on it, I have not, as yet anyway, encountered this issue in mc4sw.

[Ocean Lacky™]

 

What defines a bad suface and how to find it?

 

 

Probably the most common example of a bad surface is one where surface normal suddenly changes direction.

 

 

The easiest way to show this would be to draw two lines parallel.

Now, create a ruled surface with the chaining direction of the lines going in opposite directions.

The resulting surface should be twisted.

Use Analyze/ Dynamic to examine the surface and notice how the arrow flips direction near the twist.

 

Typically, you will find this condition on a corner of a surface. In My experience it's usually an area of .005" or less, so you'll have to zoom in really close to see it

You can use Analyze/Test Surfaces to find them and change their colors to make them easier to see.

Usually you can fix them by untrimming and retrimming the surface.

[Guffie]

Thanks for the different inputs... No matter what the problem is, the different explanations has given me a better understanding of some areas of Mastercam... So far I can't really find a good reason for it, but the IT would try change my ram and videocard just in case, just to see if it makes any difference...