Toolpath Time / Surface Problem

[Lee.]

Thanks for all your advice guys. You are right, it would be faster to run 2-d toolpath on this peice. The reason I use 3-d all the time is because most of my stuff will not produce in 2-d. I guess I get stuck in a rut. The other reason I like to run the surface paths is because it is les time sitting here at the pc. I actually run the company here and set the tools on the machine, parts on the machine, etc etc. So the less time i'm actually playing with the mouse the better. I just thought compared to other jobs i've run it takes way longer.

 

On another topic, has anyone ran in to problems machining from solids only? I get a problem very often where mastercam totally ignores some of the surfaces of the solid, but, when I create surfaces from the same solid, and machine the surfaces ....... Problem goes away. ????? Bug??

 

Talk soon, Lee.

[crazy^millman]

Zip up the fiels in question and send it to Mastercam. I just did a 1986 surface part from soild and had no problems so not sure as why it is for you. They are a great help and can possilbe see something you dont fi you would like for some of us too look at it then put it on the FTP and we can see.

 

Crazy Millman

[Jean-Simon]

Hi Lee,

that's a known issue, I love to create with solids but when it comes to program, convert to surfaces and change color when needed and then:all color... With solids, it's ok only when you select the whole solid, but faces selection ain't that easy. I agree...

 

Simon

[Müřlıń®]

quote:

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convert to surfaces and change color when needed and then:all color

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+1

 

Easiest and bestest way

 

 

Murlin

[david b]

+1 on surface creation lot more control

[Lee.]

I quite often will pick the whole solid for toolp[ath, but still mastercam messes up. If I use surfaces and select all......No Problem. Seems strange to me that the option is there and it doesn't work properly????

[heeler]

This is interesting, I have loved using the solids for toolpathing. Havn't had a problem yet. I do use boundries alot. I also use the whole solid and/or faces. Maybe my solids are not as complex. When using surfaces, I have had it want to go down the 'edge' of the surfaces and gouge the part.

 

 

Interesting to hear someone have the opposite problem.

 

Glenn

[Müřlıń®]

quote:

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Maybe my solids are not as complex

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There ya go

 

Wait till you get a solid that converts to 1500 surfaces......all will come clear

 

 

Murlin

[crazy^millman]

Well I don't think really relates to the number more so the geomenty. I just did a 1986 surface soild and had no problem I really thin kit is the funky changed and shift and small radius and other tihng that play a bigger part then the amount again just my 2 cents of the subject is all.

 

Crazy Millman

[Lee.]

The job I was working on was a mere 1200 ish surfaces. and yes, when using the solid for machining , mastercam just went right through the part with the tool. When using all surfaces, no problem.?????

 

seems weird to me. Both operations use the same amount of surfaces.

[Müřlıń®]

You might have something about the complexity of the solid having to do with it and not so much the number of surfaces. All I know is that I have fewer problems with surfaces. I will give you a few examples of why I use surfaces for machining.

 

Generating a toolpath is 99.9% effective and done the first time with surfaces.

 

It is easier to get an error in your model if it is a solid.

 

It is harder to render a solid than surfaces.

 

It takes longer to open up a solid file than a surface file.

 

The solid files are bigger.

 

It takes more power to work with solids than surfaces. You must have a more powerful workstation.

 

There seem to be more glitches with solid files than surfaces.

 

Machining solids, I keep having to do the old mill7 workarounds of changing stepover, ect to get get a good crunch.

 

 

I understand that you have a puter that costs as much as my house. That might be a key factor in working with solids.

 

Not knocking you or saying you are wrong or anything Just saying why I do things the way I do.

 

Working for myself, I find that every second counts and when I want Mastercam to do something I need it done right the first time.

 

I am having mill 8 flashbacks.....

 

Unable to determine a valid machining boundary....10 min gone...change stepover .002

 

Unable to determine a valid machining boundary....10 min gone....change stepover another .002

 

Unable to determine a valid machining boundary....10 more min gone......ect...

 

Pretty soon out of an 8 hr work day I spent 1.5 hrs seeing that error message.....

 

Now with solids its just CRASH>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>reboot....heh

 

WHERE DID MY FILE GO>>>>>ARGGGGGGGG!!!

 

This is worst case senerio but you get the picture So when I get a workaround that works for me, I stick with it

 

Dont get me wrong folks, Solids are the greatest thing to come to Mastercam and I love them. I guess I get in a rut and it is hard to get out......

 

 

Murlin

[crazy^millman]

Hey Murlin was not saying do it that way just was a commnet.

 

Crazy Millman does stuff that he is comfortable with also.

 

[ 10-28-2003, 08:01 PM: Message edited by: Millman^Crazy ]

[Müřlıń®]

Hey no worries Mill I am still trying to figure this stuff out......

 

Sometimes things go wrong for me and I dont even know why they do.

 

I cant wait to get a better workstation like you have

 

 

Murlin

[crazy^millman]

Well I seen the need for it so I raised hell to I got it. Bad part is you would have to argue with the mirror lol. J/K

 

Well Murlin you can pay some now for a computer and yes I know seem expensive but this one is aa referb from Dell and it only cost $1600 on the dell site got a $250 monitor and went from there.

 

Crazy Millman can be a cheap son of a person when he needs to be.

[Zero]

quote:

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I have fewer problems with surfaces. I will give you a few examples of why I use surfaces for machining.

 

Generating a toolpath is 99.9% effective and done the first time with surfaces.

 

It is easier to get an error in your model if it is a solid.

 

It is harder to render a solid than surfaces.

 

It takes longer to open up a solid file than a surface file.

 

The solid files are bigger.

 

It takes more power to work with solids than surfaces. You must have a more powerful workstation.

 

There seem to be more glitches with solid files than surfaces.

 

Machining solids, I keep having to do the old mill7 workarounds of changing stepover, ect to get get a good crunch.

 

 

I understand that you have a puter that costs as much as my house. That might be a key factor in working with solids.

 

Not knocking you or saying you are wrong or anything Just saying why I do things the way I do.

 

Working for myself, I find that every second counts and when I want Mastercam to do something I need it done right the first time.

 

I am having mill 8 flashbacks.....

 

Unable to determine a valid machining boundary....10 min gone...change stepover .002

 

Unable to determine a valid machining boundary....10 min gone....change stepover another .002

 

Unable to determine a valid machining boundary....10 more min gone......ect...

 

Pretty soon out of an 8 hr work day I spent 1.5 hrs seeing that error message.....

 

Now with solids its just CRASH>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>reboot....heh

 

WHERE DID MY FILE GO>>>>>ARGGGGGGGG!!!

 

This is worst case senerio but you get the picture So when I get a workaround that works for me, I stick with it

 

Dont get me wrong folks, Solids are the greatest thing to come to Mastercam and I love them. I guess I get in a rut and it is hard to get out......

---

+1000

I wouldn't call it a rut. You are doing it more efficiantly. The solids machining just plain doesn't work right all the time. And like you, I need it done right the first time, not the 3rd or 4th.

 

 

I have seen everything you said and more with machining solid files. Pretty much every 1 out of 3 toolpaths I generate on a solid, afterwards the solid just disappears in shaded mode. WTF did it go???...unshade...hey there it is. Now Im sitting around turning levels on and off just to get my solid to be visible on screen....damnit thats not working, now I gotta frakin close mc and restart....

 

 

Or if I have lots of solids in 1 file, all on different levels, turn off all the levels I dont want to machine and generate paths off the visble solids, never fails, every time, all my solids on levels not visible pop up on my screen while the toolpaths is crunching. Not a big problem, but its godarn annoying thats for sure.

 

 

After the 3rd or 4th time I watched my machine decide to blow through a solid face on the machine I stopped daring to use solids for machining. Well I guess that's not entirely true since I machined off a couple of solids just yesterday to test it out in sp2, and yes indeed all these problems still exist....but I stay away from solids as much as possible when it comes to machining.

 

[ 10-29-2003, 09:28 AM: Message edited by: Zero ]

[Lee.]

Sorry for the delay in replying guys. I really appreciate all your input, and now at least know it's not me, PHEW!!!

 

I will ise surfaces for machining in future until someone fixes the problem.

 

Keep up the good work , and thanks again.

 

Lee.