Level Manager

[DODGERFAN]

Now that's funny weather you meant to do it or not.

Well then,  lets say it was on purpose then.  

[Bob W.]

I use levels extensively and it is an area that could be improved a great deal.  At the minimum I'd like to be able to group levels much like I can group operations.  I'd love to be able to group planes and WCS as well.  For 5-axis machining where there might be a dozen tool planes it would be fantastic to be able to group them with the appropriate WCS.  It would make organizing things a LOT cleaner.

[FROZEN]

A dozen??? I have had over 300 in a HCM before.

[Sticky]

I'm in the "how can you even use mc without levels" group.

[Sticky]

I use levels extensively and it is an area that could be improved a great deal.  At the minimum I'd like to be able to group levels much like I can group operations.  I'd love to be able to group planes and WCS as well.  For 5-axis machining where there might be a dozen tool planes it would be fantastic to be able to group them with the appropriate WCS.  It would make organizing things a LOT cleaner.

 

View sheets dude. Takes a while to get everything setup initially, but I find it worthwhile for multiple planes and operations.

[Jayson Kramer]

I have seen a few long time users over the years of teaching it, that did not know how to use them. instead they would create separate MC files. "but even now how many people do you see still use multiply files to do one project because they do not know how to use WCS?

[FROZEN]

I use separate files to help from crashes

[Sticky]

I have seen a few long time users over the years of teaching it, that did not know how to use them. instead they would create separate MC files. "but even now how many people do you see still use multiply files to do one project because they do not know how to use WCS?

 

True. Took me 2 years of using MC before I even heard of viewsheets.

 

If wcs worked more like other cam systems it would be more commonly used.

[MIL-TFP-41]

I remember getting files from another company...we were picking up some of their work. They "kinda" used levels...and alot of blanking of entities. Talk about a PITA to figure out what was going on....blanked entities on different levels to do a chain.

[BenK]

I have seen a few long time users over the years of teaching it, that did not know how to use them. instead they would create separate MC files. "but even now how many people do you see still use multiply files to do one project because they do not know how to use WCS?

 

+1

Last company I was working for was bad at this. They would have files for every operation, rough top, bottom and any side work, than the parts would get heat treated and have another set of files. It was a file management nightmare. Took me some time to convince them WCS was a better way. Some people are afraid of change. 

[Guest]

Levels... Could not live without 'em.

 

 

1,Original Solid
2,Original Solid Edge Curves
3,OP01 Material
4,OP02 Material
5,OP03 Material
6,Top Solid Extrusion Geometry
7,Front Solid Extrusion Geometry
8,Right Side Solid Extrusion Geometry
9,Left Side Solid Extrusion Geometry
10,OP01 Fixture Solid 1
11,OP01 Fixture Solid 2
15,OP01 Fixture Wireframe 1
16,OP01 Fixture Wireframe 2
20,OP02 Fixture Solid 1
21,OP01 Fixture Solid 2
25,OP02 Fixture Wireframe 1
26,OP02 Fixture Wireframe 2
30,OP02 Fixture Solid 1
31,OP01 Fixture Solid 2
35,OP03 Fixture Wireframe 1
36,OP03 Fixture Wireframe 2
101,OP01 Toolpath Geometry -
102,OP01 Toolpath Geometry -
201,OP02 Toolpath Geometry -
202,OP02 Toolpath Geometry -
301,OP03 Toolpath Geometry -
302,OP03 Toolpath Geometry -
900,Blanked Entities
1001,Form Tool #1
1002,Form Tool #2
10000,OP01 WCS Lines
20000,OP02 WCS Lines
30000,OP03 WCS Lines

 

 

'//   Title:        CSV2Levels.vbs
'//  
'//   Props:        Chris Bellini
'//                
'//                
'//     
'//   Description:   Allows for a CSV File to dictate level numbers and names
'//                 
'//                  
'//
'//      Comments:  
'//                 
'//                 
'//                 
'//
'//
'//
'    -----------------                                                      
'   | Constants      |                                                      
'    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Const DEF_CSV_FILE = "C:\Users\Public\Documents\shared mcamx9\vb\CSV2Levels.csv"
Const DEF_FSO_FORREADING = 1
Const DEF_UNNAMED_LVL = """""""."""""""
' Kick off our script
Call Main()
' Purpose: The main subroutine
Sub Main()
    Dim objFSO
    Dim objTS
    Dim strInLine
    Dim arrTokLine

    Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
    ' Make sure the file is actually there and bail if it isn't.
    If Not (objFSO.FileExists(DEF_CSV_FILE)) Then
        objFSO = Nothing
        ShowString("File not found!" & vbLf & vbLf & DEF_CSV_FILE)
        Exit Sub
    End If
    Set objTS = objFSO.OpenTextFile(DEF_CSV_FILE, DEF_FSO_FORREADING, False)
    ' Read the CSV file line by line.  For each line, make sure that it
    ' contains a comma.  If it does, tokenize on the comma into an array.
    ' The first element is the level number and the second element is
    ' the level name.  Set the named levels based on what's in the array.
    Do While(objTS.AtEndOfStream <> True)
        strInLine = Trim(objTS.ReadLine)
        If (InStr(1, strInLine, ",")) Then
            arrTokLine = Split(strInLine, ",")
           
            If Not (arrTokLine(1) = DEF_UNNAMED_LVL) Then
                Call SetLevelName(arrTokLine(0), Trim(arrTokLine(1)))
            End If
        End If
    Loop
    ' Close the CSV file.  We're done with it.
    objTS.Close
    ' Cleanup
    Set objFSO = Nothing
    Set objTS = Nothing
    ' All done!
'//    ShowString ("All done!")
End Sub

The VB script immediately above will Pre-Name your levels for you using the names in the section above the script.

 

Just copy the "meat" in the 1st section and save as CSV2Levels.csv and the 2nd section save as CSV2Levels.vbs.

 

HTH

[Bob W.]

True. Took me 2 years of using MC before I even heard of viewsheets.

 

If wcs worked more like other cam systems it would be more commonly used.

I have used viewsheets but not enough to be good at them.  I would really like the ability to work with levels and planes like I work with the operation manager though, where there can be level groups and subgroups and the same for planes.  These could be tied to the operations that use them and expanded and contracted as needed.  I need to take the time to go through and dial in the viewsheet settings and really get good at it.  I'm sure it will be time well spent.

[Teh Bear without Brains kinda idiot]

My first thought was .... -is today first of april by chance ?

Time travel ,you know .

[Sticky]

I have used viewsheets but not enough to be good at them.  I would really like the ability to work with levels and planes like I work with the operation manager though, where there can be level groups and subgroups and the same for planes.  These could be tied to the operations that use them and expanded and contracted as needed.  I need to take the time to go through and dial in the viewsheet settings and really get good at it.  I'm sure it will be time well spent.

 

I have a view sheet for every wcs/plane I have, and then have all the corresponding levels that I need on or off for working on that wcs set for that view sheet.

 

So lets say I have a 4 unique parts, 1 mounted per side of a 4 sided tombstone, and each part requires work on 3 faces. I set up 12 wcs', and 12 view sheets. As I make each wcs, I make the corresponding view sheet for that wcs, and while I do that I set only the levels I want on, for doing work on that wcs, which associates it to that view sheet.

 

So lets say after its all setup I want to do some work to the left hand side of the part mounted to B270. I simply select that view sheet tab, and it instantly switches to that wcs, and all the levels I have associated to that view. So I can start making tool paths right away with out selecting planes, levels etc separately. If I want to work on the right side of the part on B0 next I just select that tab and boom, everything is setup and ready to work on that face of the part, and I only see what I want to see.

 

You can make level groups this way too. Lets say you have about 3 or 4 "groups" of levels you would like to use on the face of a part to create your toolpaths. All you need to do is create a view sheet for each "group", and then all you need to do to move between them is select the view sheet tabs. And being that you can have a wcs associated to each view sheet you can instantly start working in any of those "groups".

 

It's almost as good having level folders, or groups and sub groups.

[Newbeeee™]

Nicely explained Sticky.

Bob - spend a bit of time (it won't take you long) to get 'into' them. They are a HUGE asset for rotary work.

[Rstewart]

I've toyed with the viewsheets once or twice but never really put much thought into them.  Guess I'll add those to the new years resolutions...

[crazy^millman]

I have a view sheet for every wcs/plane I have, and then have all the corresponding levels that I need on or off for working on that wcs set for that view sheet.

 

So lets say I have a 4 unique parts, 1 mounted per side of a 4 sided tombstone, and each part requires work on 3 faces. I set up 12 wcs', and 12 view sheets. As I make each wcs, I make the corresponding view sheet for that wcs, and while I do that I set only the levels I want on, for doing work on that wcs, which associates it to that view sheet.

 

So lets say after its all setup I want to do some work to the left hand side of the part mounted to B270. I simply select that view sheet tab, and it instantly switches to that wcs, and all the levels I have associated to that view. So I can start making tool paths right away with out selecting planes, levels etc separately. If I want to work on the right side of the part on B0 next I just select that tab and boom, everything is setup and ready to work on that face of the part, and I only see what I want to see.

 

You can make level groups this way too. Lets say you have about 3 or 4 "groups" of levels you would like to use on the face of a part to create your toolpaths. All you need to do is create a view sheet for each "group", and then all you need to do to move between them is select the view sheet tabs. And being that you can have a wcs associated to each view sheet you can instantly start working in any of those "groups".

 

It's almost as good having level folders, or groups and sub groups.

 

Good information, but now the bottom of your screen becomes very cluttered and with the way the names get chopped off would make a lot of the work I do a nightmare.

[DUM1]

SAME SAME AS STICKY HAVE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS HAD HUNDREDS OF LEVELS AND DOZENS OF VIEW SHEETS ,MAKES MAKING SETUP SHEETS EASIER TOO

[Bob W.]

I have a view sheet for every wcs/plane I have, and then have all the corresponding levels that I need on or off for working on that wcs set for that view sheet.

 

So lets say I have a 4 unique parts, 1 mounted per side of a 4 sided tombstone, and each part requires work on 3 faces. I set up 12 wcs', and 12 view sheets. As I make each wcs, I make the corresponding view sheet for that wcs, and while I do that I set only the levels I want on, for doing work on that wcs, which associates it to that view sheet.

 

So lets say after its all setup I want to do some work to the left hand side of the part mounted to B270. I simply select that view sheet tab, and it instantly switches to that wcs, and all the levels I have associated to that view. So I can start making tool paths right away with out selecting planes, levels etc separately. If I want to work on the right side of the part on B0 next I just select that tab and boom, everything is setup and ready to work on that face of the part, and I only see what I want to see.

 

You can make level groups this way too. Lets say you have about 3 or 4 "groups" of levels you would like to use on the face of a part to create your toolpaths. All you need to do is create a view sheet for each "group", and then all you need to do to move between them is select the view sheet tabs. And being that you can have a wcs associated to each view sheet you can instantly start working in any of those "groups".

 

It's almost as good having level folders, or groups and sub groups.

The problem I run into is I do a lot of orthopedic molds and these are families of parts.  When programming a new part I import new geometry, rotate tool planes if appropriate, and transfer the toolpaths over.  That is where I need to spend some time dialing in the view sheets.  They always want to revert to the views AND levels, but the levels are set to the old geometry.  I have seen the settings in the config manager that dictate what the viewsheets will affect and that is what I need to tweak to get what I want.  It also takes some getting used to because once the view sheets are set up the levels and view manager should be pretty much left alone.  I find myself using the level and plane manager and inadvertently screwing up my view sheets in the process.

[Sticky]

Good information, but now the bottom of your screen becomes very cluttered and with the way the names get chopped off would make a lot of the work I do a nightmare.

 

The view sheet tabs take up very little room.

 

As far as naming clutter, have a standardized system works much better. If have work offset standardization you can just name each view sheet after the workoffset, and if you need "sub" levels or groups of that then just use an additional identifier.

 

In this picture I would have 12 custom wcs', and a "sub" level/group for each one, meaning for each wcs I would have two completely different sets of levels associated to them, but maintain the desired wcs.

 

[Sticky]

The problem I run into is I do a lot of orthopedic molds and these are families of parts.  When programming a new part I import new geometry, rotate tool planes if appropriate, and transfer the toolpaths over.  That is where I need to spend some time dialing in the view sheets.  They always want to revert to the views AND levels, but the levels are set to the old geometry.  I have seen the settings in the config manager that dictate what the viewsheets will affect and that is what I need to tweak to get what I want.  It also takes some getting used to because once the view sheets are set up the levels and view manager should be pretty much left alone.  I find myself using the level and plane manager and inadvertently screwing up my view sheets in the process.

 

 

Actually your situation isn't too bad, what you need to do is standardize your planes/work offsets, and then standardize your levels. If you steal James code and put some effort into coming up with workoffset standardization you templates will make you initial setup be much easier.

 

It does take a little while to get used to not using the plane or level manager, but if you discipline yourself the results are rewarding.

[DODGERFAN]

Good information, but now the bottom of your screen becomes very cluttered and with the way the names get chopped off would make a lot of the work I do a nightmare.

Correct me if I'm wrong Ron,   but aren't all the jobs you do a nightmare?  Nothing you do is easy.   

[crazy^millman]

The view sheet tabs take up very little room.

 

As far as naming clutter, have a standardized system works much better. If have work offset standardization you can just name each view sheet after the workoffset, and if you need "sub" levels or groups of that then just use an additional identifier.

 

In this picture I would have 12 custom wcs', and a "sub" level/group for each one, meaning for each wcs I would have two completely different sets of levels associated to them, but maintain the desired wcs.

 

view sheets.JPG

 

Cool now tell me how to write all of that up and send to a customer to understand and then take it and use it? I have to make all of my programs as understandable for the customers. I have to approach it not with what I can understand and sort out of the information, but that anyone can quickly look at and wrap their brains around it. Sorry looking at that may make perfect sense to you, but how do I communicate that quickly and easy to someone who is not as verse in doing this type of work? I need to to cover 2 Spindle Triple Turret Configurations Mill/Turn, 2 Spindle B Turret and Lower Turret Configurations Mill/Turn, 2 Spindle B Axis Mill/Turn 3 to 5 Axis Milling as well. For your situation yes again it is great, but in my really odd process I have to make it not how I am comfortable, not how I can understand it and that is where the more information the better comes into play.

 

 

Correct me if I'm wrong Ron,   but aren't all the jobs you do a nightmare?  Nothing you do is easy.   

 

 

:laughing: What I do is always easy. :laughing: J/K I really do have to remind myself I am not crazy from time to time.

[Sticky]

Cool now tell me how to write all of that up and send to a customer to understand and then take it and use it? I have to make all of my programs as understandable for the customers. I have to approach it not with what I can understand and sort out of the information, but that anyone can quickly look at and wrap their brains around it. Sorry looking at that may make perfect sense to you, but how do I communicate that quickly and easy to someone who is not as verse in doing this type of work? I need to to cover 2 Spindle Triple Turret Configurations Mill/Turn, 2 Spindle B Turret and Lower Turret Configurations Mill/Turn, 2 Spindle B Axis Mill/Turn 3 to 5 Axis Milling as well. For your situation yes again it is great, but in my really odd process I have to make it not how I am comfortable, not how I can understand it and that is where the more information the better comes into play.

 

 

 

I pretty much wrote it out for you, with a minor amount of extra detail, and maybe some pictures or a 2minute video, your customer would have all the information they need.

[crazy^millman]

I pretty much wrote it out for you, with a minor amount of extra detail, and maybe some pictures or a 2minute video, your customer would have all the information they need.

 

I wish I could say that would be enough. Thanks for the suggestion.