Need honest opinion on X7

[Bob W.]

I am still running X5 and a big reason for that is the Volumill functionality I still have. A lot of my work requires spot on 3D dynamic STL driven rest roughing for compex parts and molds and Volumill just kills it with minimal effort. With three Volumill cycles I can have even the largest parts completely roughed down to the smallest nooks and crannies with about 30-40 minutes of programming time and most of this is waiting for the toolpaths to calculate.

 

I know CNC has been developing the Optirough and Optirest toolpaths that along with stock model accomplish this exact task. My question is regarding reliability. In X5 I can get Optirough to work about 25% of the time on the first try and 60% of the time after multiple tries and much grief. Have they mastered this yet? I need this to work correctly 99% of the time on the first try like Volumill or 'upgrading' to X7 will actually make my programming day less productive. I have Vericut so I could care less about the verify and tool manager improvements. Optirough and Optirest reliability is pretty much the only thing that has kept me from upgrading from X5 over the years. This capability is critical for the work I do. Any opinions will be appreciated.

 

Also, is there another 3rd party add-on that does 3D roughing in this manner?

[Guyinthedesert]

I use opti-core and opti-rest everyday and have been very happy. They are extremely easy to program and the toolpaths are fast and smooth. So far I haven't had a single mis-cut. However, I do know a few people who've had gouging issues running it on older machines, so they need to leave more stock. I always leave .020 without a problem

[mkd]

great question.

I've never used Volumill, so i have nothing to base an opinion on. Interested to see what the Gurus say.

for me, humbly, the new (x4 X5) implementation of these multi-core opti paths are the only thing keeping me using MC instead of switching to someone else running Moduleworks stuff. never done roughing so easily in MC.

[JayM]

I believe that X5 is the first Mastercam release that the dynamic toolpaths became really useful. Since the Opti toolpaths that you are using in X5 are first generation you have to know that there have been improvments since then. The amount of improvment has been dramatic. All of the dynamic toolpaths in X6 were improved significanlty. When X7 came out those same dynamic toolpaths received even more improvements.

 

I find new uses for the Opti toolpaths all the time. Sometimes I feel like I could rough everything just with those toolpaths.

[Bob W.]

The big one is stock driven 3D rest roughing (Optirest). Is that 99% bulletproof?

[Newbeeee™]

Bob - if the home learning edition is out you could try this and see for yourself?

Not sure if it is out yet though?

 

Haven't tried it as not on X6 or 7, but stock models work really well for rest milling acording to a mate who does use it (X6).

That said, there's plenty of moans and groans on here aboout stock models grinding everything to a halt when the files get big. And your initial statement was you do 'complex' so...

[JayM]

X7 HLE has been released. Contact your reseller for help.

[Guyinthedesert]

Bob - if the home learning edition is out you could try this and see for yourself?

Not sure if it is out yet though?

 

Haven't tried it as not on X6 or 7, but stock models work really well for rest milling acording to a mate who does use it (X6).

That said, there's plenty of moans and groans on here aboout stock models grinding everything to a halt when the files get big. And your initial statement was you do 'complex' so...

 

I find I have better results using an STL for the rest stock, than with the stock model. Big problem there is you have a separate file.

[Bob W.]

I have X7 and I am on maitenance :-) I just want to make sure I don't regret installing it.

[mkd]

install it on a virtual machine.

x5 on the left screen, x7 on the right.

[Jayson Kramer]

Why on a Virtual when you can run both that way on one drive space. like this or one on the left screen and one on the right screen.

[Mick]

C'mon Jay, that makes for an ugly work environment. You're much better off having two 32" LED screens

[neurosis]

Bob,

 

Ive had some issues in X6 that force me to be very cautious with the tool path. I made a post recently showing one of the quirks that would cause a machine crash/tool breakage if not caught. Some times the path doesnt adhere to the settings or worse. I have also seen some quirks with stock boundaries as recently as a week ago. What I mean to say is, some times you do not get what you expect so you have to play with settings, boundaries, cut depths, etc to get the results that you want. Having said that, I use the paths a lot and like everything else in X, you eventually succumb to the systems quirks and dont even realize that they are there anymore.

 

I havent had much time to play with X7. Some of the bugs in X7 have left me waiting for a more stable version. Since I use the opti* paths so much, I have pulled some of the quirky files in to X7, regenerated, and did notice that at least some of the quirks ive been noticing in X6 have been fixed. I am preying that something doesnt get hosed between now and the next MU of X7 (that was a little sarcasm).

 

Im not sure if you used this feature much in Volumill, but if you did, one thing that you will miss is the option to have the tool pick up and channel rather than continuing to cut normally in the tight areas. I liked that functionality much better (in aluminum especially) than the reverse cuts that were added to X7. Ive missed it.

 

Opti has come a VERY long way since X5, however, it is still not as solid as Volumill was for me. Meaning that I always got what I expected out of Volumill and didnt have to screw around to get it.

 

I know this probably doesnt help you much. I know that I plan on being very cautious using opti* in X7 until I am confident that it wont bite me in the a$$. You already have a leg up since you are using Vericut.

[K2csq7]

Keep X5 (like my 2 year old likes to keep her security blankey close by)

Install X7.

Forget you have X5 installed. Then mom can wash that filthy old blankey....

Happy Monday Bob!

[gcode]

IF you invest in an x64 OS and max out your ram you will like X7.

The performance gains that will yield far outweigh the other issues I've encountered.

The teething pains we're having with the new UBVS can be overcome, especially if you

own and use Vericut.

[Micromoldmaker]

I know that I plan on being very cautious using opti* in X7 until I am confident that it wont bite me in the a$$

 

Yep. They upgrade us here. It would have been wiser to let Mastercam fix ALL issues before it was implemented.

[#Rekd™]

Why on a Virtual when you can run both that way on one drive space. like this or one on the left screen and one on the right screen.

 

+1 to Jay!

[djstedman]

I am using X7 and mostly think its good, that said If you rely on STL driven paths I highly recommend you read what other people are saying about the troubling issues with STL files in X7 over in the following topic..

 

When I attempted to try using STL models to drive rest rough paths the huge STL filesizes X7 generates were killing my system which is an i7 with 32Gb of ram..

 

http://www.emasterca...showtopic=74372

[mkd]

Why on a Virtual when you can run both that way on one drive space. like this or one on the left screen and one on the right screen.

+1 to Jay!

sheesh, it's a conspiracy!!

 

my answer: 'cause MC install scatters folders all over your system, and if you don't like it you don't have to fire up the VM again.

 

if you install it directly and don't like it you don't have x7 fingerprints all over you're system.

[Rstewart]

"Stock Model" in X6MU2 is where its at for me. Works 99% of the time

 

I can't even make X7 work at all for me.

[Colin Gilchrist]

"Stock Model" in X6MU2 is where its at for me. Works 99% of the time

 

I can't even make X7 work at all for me.

 

Are you sending your issues into your Reseller/QC? We are working on making improvements to both Verify and Stock Model to address some of these issues, so please include your feedback and example files.