X7 Lathe Tool Manager Problem

[Jeff T]

Anybody having problems with X7 custom tool builder in the lathe tool manager. I have not been able to bring in tools that I have built in X6 nor have I been able to build a tool in X7.

[Chris In-House Solutions]

J man you need to update your tool libraries from X6 to X7 in-order for your old (X6) libraries to work in X7. Can you elaborate on what you mean when you say you have not been able to build a tool in X7? Are you drawing custom lathe tools? Or are you attempting to select new inserts and a holder?

[Jeff T]

I am drawing custom lathe tools. I have done a update from X6 tool libraries to X7. Also I have tried to build a tool in X7. It will show the tool as made but when you try to use it, there is no tool found. I have built tools in past X programs without problems.

[gschlen]

I had this problem as well. The default file extension when updating is .tooldb. The libraries need to be updated to a .tools-7 file extension, so I had to start over with the Advanced Configuration update folder setting disabled. I was told the problem is that the tool manager doesn't support lathe tools.

[Jeff T]

Did you then have to run a migration or is there a better way to update the tool libraries?

[gschlen]

I used "update folder" to update from X6. I think that as long as the confiuration is not set to give you a .tooldb, the migration or update folder will give you an X7 library with the .tools-7 extension.

[Jeff T]

I tried both migration and update and the custom files did change to tools-7 but tool geometry did not come with it. But it getting closer.

[Jeff T]

I have it working but I am still not able to custom make a tool in X7. I'm sure there is a way. But this helps, Thank you.

[tedly]

i did a little research in help. It has to meet iso 13399 formats for x7 to recognize it. I am still trying to find what is iso 13399 and how it works.

[crazy^millman]

Nope it does not have to meet those standards, from what I understand. Yuo can still do custom tools liek you have in the past. I just did a bunch in lathe and mill. If they are custom tools they should be saved as a file and then updated that way. IF they reside in a datbase it may not keep the geometry like you would epxect. I prefer the I got what I konw and know what I got using files for custom tools. Start dumping things into the database and might expect to see issues until that whole things is worked out.

 

The only thing I have seen in X7 that is different is having the center line will not work, besides that everything else is like it has been since I started messign with Mastercam back in V7.

[Jeff T]

It looks like Gschen is on the right track on X7. Here is how it is supposed to work. And always worked until X7.

 

 

Defining geometry for a custom lathe tool

 

The Lathe Tools dialog box lets you define custom tools. These are tools that cannot be defined using any other tool types. To do so, you must be able to select geometry which represents the profile of the custom tool. This geometry can be located in either:

• a separate Mastercam file
  
• a separate level in the current Mastercam file.
   
  

If the file is located on a level in the current Mastercam session, then the tool insert and holder geometry must be the only geometry on that level.

The geometry must meet the following requirements. It must:

• consist of two closed boundaries: one for the insert and one for the holder
  
• consist of only lines and arcs
  
• The insert must be drawn in one color, and the holder must be drawn in a different color.
   
  

Once you have the insert and holder geometry saved to a file or to a specified level, you can begin to create the custom tool using the Lathe Tools dialog box.

Important: It is strongly recommended that you use the default insert and holder colors. The default colors are: 14 (insert up color), 138 (insert down color), and 116 (holder color). Select Settings, Configuration, and choose the Colors property page to set the default colors.

Notes:

• If you are defining a custom tool that is mounted at an angle in the turret, the tool geometry should represent the tool mounted at 0 degrees. You can then define the tool angle in the Lathe Tool Setup dialog box (choose the Setup Tool button).
  
• When defining a custom boring bar, you should use orientation 4, not 8.
  
• When creating the profile geometry for a custom round shank turning tool, make sure you create it in two separate sections; a closed rectangle for the shank and the profile for the head of the tool. The closed rectangle is necessary because Mastercam requires a dividing line between the shank and the head of the tool (as shown below) in order to revolve the rectangle into a round solid for the shank.
  
   
  

See also...

[johnhansen]

What I have been told is that service pack 2 is supposed to address this issue. We use many custom lathe tools and the geometry has to be in the same folder, not subfolder, as the tool library. You can select the geometry and it will stay with only that program, does not update the library.

[Glenn Bouman]

The original question of this topic is in regards to converting a X6 lathe tool library that uses the tooldb extension with custom tools into X7.

 

It does not work, it is broken, it needs to be fixed.

 

The work around that worked for me:

1. Create a toolpath in X6 that uses every tool in your library.
   
2. From the Lathe Tool Manager create a new tool library in X6 with an .tools-6 extension.
   
3. Drag the tools from the part to the new library.
   
4. In X7 with the Update Folder function convert the .mcx-6 custom tool profiles to X7
   
5. Open the .tools-6 file in the X7 Lathe Tool Manager
   
6. Make any minor edit to a tool and when you exit the Lathe Tool Manager it will save it to a tools-7 file.
   

[Mick]

I can't believe that something as simple as this is broken going from X6 to X7

[Joey King]

I am having a similar issue to this as well. have just recently started off lining the lathes with mastercam so I am having to build my tool library as I go. If I need a 1.25" x 35. deg bar w/ .032 nr insert I will create it in the tool manager. I look u the bar in kennemetal book and select the correct bar and insert for it VNME 332. this being said while im there I go ahead and copy that bar and change it to the other common nr inserts I would run in that bar ( .015 , .008 ) I go into each tool and chane insert to vnmg 331 and a vnmg 3305 change the name and it looks fine right insert right nr and right name. I can close and come back to tool library and some of the bar will default back to another insert and nose rad. if I go back and edit the tool by changing the insert back sometimes it will just delete the tool entirely. this issue has not been isolated to this bar it has happened with other bars and turning tools as well

[Glenn Bouman]

I can't believe that something as simple as this is broken going from X6 to X7

 

X6 and X7 had the following problems with custom tools also.

 

You cannot drag a custom tool from the library or use Select Library tool. The only way to use a custom tool is to have the Show Library Tools selected.

 

If enough people complain about it, maybe they will fix it.

[Joey King]

is there a limit on the number of tools the lathe library can hold?

[Jeff T]

I would think that there would be no limit to the number of tools you can have in the library. But it could become a mess if Mastercam does not come up with a better way of saving tools. I know I now have to find tools I have built in X6 and try to get them to X7. I might get it done by X8.

[Jeff T]

I have updated to X7 SP2. Lathe custom tool still not working. What a mess, I will have to go back to X6 to use Lathe tool I have created.

[Russh67]

I've been messing around with this issue since x7 came out hoping a fix would come. But now it's MU2 and still doesn't work.

 

The problem is no matter how you try to use custom lathe tools is that the relationship between the .mcx7 geometry file and the tool in the x7 tool library is not being retained.

 

Mastercam apears to save the tool after you have used the tool in a "completed" toolpath, but if you start a new toolpath you have to go and reselect the .mcx7 tool geometry file and set it up.

 

Please fix this? We pay thousands of dollars in maitanence fees!

[Russh67]

For those of you strugling with this issue; I have contacted CNC Software and recieved the following responce from them:

 

This is a known issue with the lathe tool manager in X7. The part file does not retain the MCX file of the tool. The developers have fixed this in the next release. The work-around is to bring the tool profile into the part file and place it on a level within the part file. We have come across this many times with our lathe users and this is the fix we have managed for now. When bringing in the tool file, save the profile to a level.