"Dangerously _________" .... REALLY? LOL

[Aeroguy]

Mine does.

 

Sorry, But I have never seen that before in my life. And I have posted out programs with the same tool number for totally different tools before a few times too.

[Bill Henderson]

Sorry, But I have never seen that before in my life. And I have posted out programs with the same tool number for totally different tools before a few times too.

 

Well now you can set it. Should help you a lot.

[Russh67]

I've been using master cam since like version 5...a long time...I am not making the wicked parts alot of people are making here, I make lot of small plastic and aluminum parts, only 4 mills, 1 lathe, all OEM work no job shopping. I have ALWAYS had the edit option on and look at the gcode before sending gcode anywhere. There has always been issues when upgrading every version. especily the transition from the dos based master cam to the windows x versions, everything was different. Master cam has come a long way.

 

I make a habit of always looking at the gcode before sending to any machine. This after a more than one train wreck.

 

I guess you can't make everyone happy.

[Chris In-House Solutions]

Well before saying anything I'm going to jump into my flame suit.

 

I have been doing Tech Support specifically for Mastercam for the last year. Prior to that I trained and wrote books. Prior to that I actually used the software in a shop to manufacture parts.

 

I fully under customers complaints about on going bugs and issues because I hear about them almost on a daily basis.

 

I also hear the other side of things that being from the software developer in this case CNC software. The common complaint they have is that bugs or issues are not being documented properly. A user will send them an email and say this doesn't work and then offer no explanation as to how they are trying to utilize the function or command.

 

I get it, everyone is busy and yes it does take time to properly fill out and send in a bug report or issue you are having. I have spent upwards of 45 minutes typing an email to send to CNC software to describe an issue. However if this is done properly it could potentially save you time by showing or demonstrating to CNC software what the issue is so they can fix it.

 

We use a screen recording software here which allows us to create videos of examples of issues when we find them and send them into CNC software. I find writing something the problem or issue may not be described properly or misinterpreted. If a picture is worth a 1000 words then a video maybe worth a million. Plus I find creating a quick video is usually faster then typing out a huge email and really shows what you are trying to do.

 

If we want these issues fixed we need to document the issues so CNC software actually understands what the problems are, can re-produce and fix the issues.

 

Okay hopefully I don't take too much heat for writing this. Hope you all have a great weekend.

[BenK]

We use a screen recording software here which allows us to create videos of examples of issues when we find them and send them into CNC software.

 

If the software is free I could see people using it but if no one is going to pay for it just so they can send it to CNC Software. Maybe it would help if you could send in your log file with your bug report.

[GoetzInd]

Well Put Chris. But what about the known, logged bugs that have been around for multiple versions? It seems like there is a little lack of effort. As for screen capturing software, I've been toying with the idea of capturing a whole MC session in lathe or Mill using holders so I can show them what a mess I'm getting. But like Ben said, gonna be a tough sell to the guy writing checks.

 

Mike

[Tyler Robertson]

Not only is it free, but it can automatically upload the video online (if you want) at which point you can send the link for someone to watch. we use the paid version, but the free is virtually as good

 

http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html

 

very easy to use - and faster than taking screenshots etc. Only thing to watch is the sensitivity of your parts

[?Mark]

" Only thing to watch is the sensitivity of your parts"

Yeah, it's all ITAR here and CNC Software will not sign NDA anymore...

[neurosis]

Well Put Chris. But what about the known, logged bugs that have been around for multiple versions? It seems like there is a little lack of effort.

 

Mike

 

 

What he said.

 

 

That was well put Chris and I am not sure why you think that would warrant a flame suite.

 

But! the bug that started my original topic and then this one has been around since X2 or longer. It has been logged and has been brought up SEVERAL times on this forum over the last six years. There have been SEVERAL people that have offered post modifications to help solve the issue. Even by CNC themselves as you can see here in this thread. It is obvious that they are aware of this problem and do not appear to be doing a thing about it unfortunately.

[K2csq7]

IMO, they get enough from us, surely not for every little problem sent into them, but for the big ones..... PA LEEZE...

 

 

This software needs some serious housecleaning.... I'd bet we wouldn't have nearly as many issues if there were less "nooks & crannies" for the bugs to hide in.....(how many places can tool offset numbers be set/adjusted? TOOOO MANY!!!

What is X6? The 15th or so version of the software?

My company is going to pay you (then keep paying every year) for this software, and after 15 versions I have to worry / check / double check / implement checks in the post / warn operators.... about tool offset #'s not coming out as I intended....

Complete horse **** .

As a machinist I have spent tons of time trying to fix parts that were non-conforming.... at some point you have to draw a line in the sand, bite the bullet, and admit that the part is scrap.... Don't bend it up and ship it off to your customer hoping they won't notice.

[Joe788]

 

My company is going to pay you (then keep paying every year) for this software, and after 15 versions I have to worry / check / double check / implement checks in the post / warn operators.... about tool offset #'s not coming out as I intended....

 

 

Keith, are you changing the offsets or tool numbers a lot? This is one of those things that surprises me to hear, because I have never, ever, not once, had the H or D number come out wrong. Typically the D will be the same as the H, but on some parts I'll use 5 or 6 D numbers for the same tool to manage a few different tight tolerances. Even then, none of them have ever come out wrong. I'm curious if I'm doing something different that's giving me such different performance. (This is on mill, not lathe).

 

In the control def, I have "add to tool : 0 0 " set. I just had to change a tool from 60 to 5 a few minutes ago, and it changed everything with no problem.

[gcode]

where the problem comes in is if you change machine defintions from a machine that need D+0 to a machine that need D+20. ( or back)

 

You should be able to just change machine def's and post, but it doesn't work..

You have to open EVERY operation and reselect the tool.. then it will post correctly.

That's no big deal if you have a file with a couple of ops.... but if you've got 2 or 3 hundred

it gets time consuming and dangerous as you may pick a wrong tool or trash hand set feedrates

as you rush through the 300 ops

[neurosis]

where the problem comes in is if you change machine defintions from a machine that need D+0 to a machine that need D+20. ( or back)

 

You should be able to just change machine def's and post, but it doesn't work..

You have to open EVERY operation and reselect the tool.. then it will post correctly.

That's no big deal if you have a file with a couple of ops.... but if you've got 2 or 3 hundred

it gets time consuming and dangerous as you make pick a wrong tool or trash hand set feedrate

as you rush through the 300 ops

 

 

Thanks for explaining that gcode. I have a hard time transferring thoughts to text some times so I would have made it more confusing.

 

G-codes method of changing the offset values is the most reliable. It works EVERY time without a glitch. Most of my files have 200+ operations. You can imagine how long it takes to do what he is saying. Now think about the files that have 600+ operations which we have several of as well. I have used several other methods of converting the numbers but the more convenient the method, the less reliable. (excluding post mods obviously).

 

 

The two machines that are going out the door next week are the last that use different D and H values. Hopefully this will be a distant memory for me within the next year. It would still be nice to see this issue get fixed!

[K2csq7]

Lathe

[GoetzInd]

Lathe

 

 

Mike

[Thee Rickster ™]

Gcode, what if you delete the Mach and control defs ,

save as_[new Mach/def].mcx-6, then close mc.

 

Open that file, the select the new machine def accept and save,

and see if that is a new work around.

 

I use the same one so I can't give it a try.

[MrFish]

Thanks for explaining that gcode. I have a hard time transferring thoughts to text some times so I would have made it more confusing.

 

G-codes method of changing the offset values is the most reliable. It works EVERY time without a glitch. Most of my files have 200+ operations. You can imagine how long it takes to do what he is saying. Now think about the files that have 600+ operations which we have several of as well. I have used several other methods of converting the numbers but the more convenient the method, the less reliable. (excluding post mods obviously).

 

 

The two machines that are going out the door next week are the last that use different D and H values. Hopefully this will be a distant memory for me within the next year. It would still be nice to see this issue get fixed!

 

 

Wow 200+ or even 600+ operations - thats insane - you either work on some very large, or complex parts and/or you programming is very inefficient

 

Ive never done anything over 100 on some realtively complex molds and that makes my brain hurt. big ups to you.

[BenK]

We get a fair amount of parts that have 200+ operations, It's not that hard when you have 80-100 tool required for a single program and I'm just doing horizontal programming.

[Aeroguy]

We get a fair amount of parts that have 200+ operations, It's not that hard when you have 80-100 tool required for a single program and I'm just doing horizontal programming.

 

80-100 Tools for a single program ?? Good gawd man, what are you working on, an entire airplane?

[Newbeeee™]

^^^ my thoughts would be manifolds.

 

Mind you, 1/8 end mill, FBM, click the 'make complete' button, MIGHT cut down on your tool use