Mastercam Feature Suggestions

[Rotary Ninja]

Threadmill should be one of the pre-defined tools, so you do not have to draw it.

 

I've always just drawn my own. Mainly because I use a single point and we only use a few sizes. The tool profile usually has close clearances so I have them all drawn up and saved as a custom tool in my library. A pre-defined tool wouldn't really work for me in most cases.

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

You only have to draw it once.... Twenty thread mill manufacturers will have twenty versions of the same tool.

 

Those twenty versions are the reason I have to keep redrawing it. If one is .280 dia and the other is .265 I can't just scale it or the pitch and LOC will be off.

[Grievous]

1-On every operation page close to OK/CANCEL/APPLY/ HELP buttons will be nice to have a button for g-code, which will post the actual operation even if you’re inside the operation.

2- On every operation page close to OK/CANCEL/APPLY/ HELP buttons will be nice to have a button for Backploting and verifying the current operation (of course will result in regenerating the operation with the current parameters). After the Backploting or verifying is done the operation page will come back to screen.

3-On the right click menu from Operation Manager will be nice to have also the option for backploting or verifying, so when we can select some operation(s) in the Operation Manager then right/click and Backplot /Verify. Also an option for posting the selected operation(s) will be nice.

4-As we know, once you select some operations and start to backplot/verify them, you need to exit the verification mode so you will be able to backplot/verify another one. Will also be very helpful once you’re in backplot/verify mode to be able to change the selection of the active operation(s) which is backploted/verify by simply selecting them from the operation manager without exiting the backplot/verify mode.

5-On every operation page 2 buttons UP&DOWN for navigating to the previous/next operation (with regeneration if it’s required of course) without exiting and opening them from the Operation Manager.

6-I don’t remember in which previous version Of MCX on a Multiaxis toolpath we were able to change the strategy even after the regenerating. Right now this option is not available anymore. I ask before about this and I’ve been told that because how the new operation page is structured this availability is lost. It can be done, I’m sure of that, but maybe they should hire some good programmers to tweak Mastercam interface.

7-I really hope they will integrate further more Mastercam in Solidworks. I’m using it and I love it. It misses some functions (especially for geometry selection) but I’m sure in time they can go further.

[Rotary Ninja]

Since I now know there actually is a forum for suggestions this can be moved if need be

[Thee Rickster ™]

Since I now know there actually is a forum for suggestions this can be moved if need be

 

Email or P.M. webby for access to it then you can post all kinds of enhancements for X8.

[Newbeeee™]

Email or P.M. webby for access to it then you can post all kinds of enhancements for X8.

By the time Tyler gets around to giving him access he'd have missed the boat

Still, there's always X9...

[Rotary Ninja]

I have access. I don't think I did when I started this thread though.

[Redfire427]

Here's one I can't believe hasn't been added over the years.

 

When you want to transform/translate a chain ( or group of chains ), have the chaining manager launch so you have some control in picking the chain.

 

Currently you have to select each entity separately. What I would like to see is:

 

X-form / translate / select chain function from the current drop down box / Once you click "chain", the chaining manager would launch which would give you control to choose 2D / 3D chain, partial, etc.

 

Seems like it would be easy to implement.

 

 

Carmen

[Rotary Ninja]

Here's one I can't believe hasn't been added over the years.

 

When you want to transform/translate a chain ( or group of chains ), have the chaining manager launch so you have some control in picking the chain.

 

Currently you have to select each entity separately. What I would like to see is:

 

X-form / translate / select chain function from the current drop down box / Once you click "chain", the chaining manager would launch which would give you control to choose 2D / 3D chain, partial, etc.

 

Seems like it would be easy to implement.

 

 

Carmen

 

This is one I've always thought would be nice to have as well. And if that's your car in your sig... I'm jealous. Even though I like the Saleen's better, I still like the Roush.

[LancoUSA]

Could Mastercam add a telepathic link to the engineers. This way the machinist could know what they really want? Just kidding.

 

 

It would be nice to have a way for a CAD package to communicate with Mastercam on tolleranced features. We use metric tolerancing here. usualy holes are a 12mm -0,-.018 for instance. Ofcourse it is drawn at 12mm on the money. The chances of using the same tool for something that is a 14mm +.01,+.06 are pretty good. So to get this hole in tolerance I end up using another D comp.

 

I have asked them to draw everything in the median of their tolerance, but this is an up hill struggle.

[Rotary Ninja]

The reasoning for that is say you have a .5000" pin. You want a slip fit, but a little slop is OK. Not ideal. But OK. So they tolerance it like this .5002" +.0002"/-0.0" If they said .5003" +/-.0001 you'd be trying to make them a "less than ideal" part.

[Thad]

Here's one I can't believe hasn't been added over the years.

 

When you want to transform/translate a chain ( or group of chains ), have the chaining manager launch so you have some control in picking the chain.

 

 

You mean like it used to work in V9? I agree and have complained about it myself, to no avail.

 

Download the free X+ and you can pull up the chain manager any time you want for pre-selection. That's what I use and couldn't live without it. I can't for the life of me see how CNC Software thinks that the chaining tools that they implemented in X (in the ribbon bar) are better than the chain manager. Unbelievable!

[pip]

Redfire427

 

If you install X+ there is a chain selection option where you can select chains like you normaly would in mastercam, then, perform your xform. Cant live without this function now..

[K2csq7]

Also, you can hold the shift key as you click the 1st entity to start chain selection, that will highlight the entire chain, if you only want a partial chain, don't release the shift key until after you select the last entity of your partial chain.

[Thad]

Also, you can hold the shift key as you click the 1st entity to start chain selection, that will highlight the entire chain, if you only want a partial chain, don't release the shift key until after you select the last entity of your partial chain.

...assuming there are no branch points.

[Redfire427]

This is one I've always thought would be nice to have as well. And if that's your car in your sig... I'm jealous. Even though I like the Saleen's better, I still like the Roush.

 

Yeah, that's my car ................ all 575 Hp. '07 Roush 427R

[Thee Rickster ™]

...assuming there are no branch points.

 

if there are branch points then the next thing you do is click in between the branch

points, in concession, until the chain is fully selected.

[Newbeeee™]

As I'm always so busy, can I please have the one button which says 'program complete' with no apply just the ok. I'll live with the 2x mouse clicks

[Thad]

if there are branch points then the next thing you do is click in between the branch

points, in concession, until the chain is fully selected.

 

Hey Rickstrap, this topic is about feature suggestions, not workarounds.

[Bob W.]

Add miscellaneous integer value inputs in tool definitions. This way, when I am using a roughing specific end mill my post could be configured to automatically output the M255 M-code to put my machine in roughing mode, same for finishing. It could also be used for configuring tool breakage probing routines for shell mills, custom tools, etc... This way, these settings could be tied to the specific tools. For example, drills and taps would always trigger the post to output breakage checking for them and checking inserts on a 3" shell mill would call the correct routine for that.

[K2csq7]

Add miscellaneous integer value inputs in tool definitions. This way, when I am using a roughing specific end mill my post could be configured to automatically output the M255 M-code to put my machine in roughing mode, same for finishing. It could also be used for configuring tool breakage probing routines for shell mills, custom tools, etc... This way, these settings could be tied to the specific tools. For example, drills and taps would always trigger the post to output breakage checking for them and checking inserts on a 3" shell mill would call the correct routine for that.

You have the ability in the tool definition to tell mcam (and your post if you pull the parameter) if the tool is for roughing, finishing, or both.

You could also pull the parameter for the type of tool (i.e. drill, tap, face mill) and use it in the post for whatever you want....

 

[Thee Rickster ™]

Hey Rickstrap, this topic is about feature suggestions, not workarounds.

 

So soddy...

[K2csq7]

So soddy...

Ya Rick, quit posting workarounds....

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

I have asked them to draw everything in the median of their tolerance, but this is an up hill struggle.

 

A lifelong battle.

 

The reasoning for that is say you have a .5000" pin. You want a slip fit, but a little slop is OK.

 

The way I see it, and the way I was taught inspection, either a part is good or it's bad. There is no "better" or "worse". If you'll accept the part at the same price out to the limits of the tolerance, then I aim for the center of the tolerance. All modelling and dimensioning should be done at the midpoint of the tolerance zone. Asymetrical tolerancing is asking for problems all over the place.

[Bob W.]

You have the ability in the tool definition to tell mcam (and your post if you pull the parameter) if the tool is for roughing, finishing, or both.

You could also pull the parameter for the type of tool (i.e. drill, tap, face mill) and use it in the post for whatever you want....

 

 

Right, this would cover 95% of the scenarios for probing but there seem to always be exceptions. With misc integers it would give the programmer complete control on a tool by tool basis. I would probe my 1.25" indexable non-center cutting end mill differently than I would probe my 1/8" MA Ford end mill for example. I'd hate to back myself into a corner with a bunch of logic hard coded into my post. It would be nice to have the ability to assign probing routines to a tool similar to how we assign coolant, feed, speed, and step over information.

 

The way I run my horizontal is when I put a new tool in the pocket I manually enter a length offset value of 15.0". There is a macro that checks this value during tool changes and if it sees 15.0 it will automatically set the tool before cutting with it. This works well for 75% of the tools but the larger end mills, shell mills, and saws I need to do manually. I am trying to figure out a system that would work better for all tools and make it more automated so I don't have to interrupt the work flow to set these tools. When removing tools I set the length value to 10.0 and if the control sees either 10.0 or 0.0 it will alarm the machine, kind of a safety feature I built in.