FTS, Mastercam, Vericut, Speroni, Makino's

[kccadcam]

Advice, Opinions, Thoughts................


We have just installed FTS (Future Tool Systems) Tool management system.

It will keep track of inventory and re-order based on a min-max system.
I'm in the process of stocking the cabinets with the current tooling in the shop
and tying it to the master tool library.

There is a master tool list in Mastercam and Vericut, T1 thru T615 and growing.
We only need one library for all the machines since they are all Makino's.

Currently, Vericut is The "Master", all tools match what is in the machines.
(tool length, holder, total gage length, etc.)

Trying to figure out the best way to exchange info between softwares.
(I'm new to Vericut so I still need input on that end.....)

My experience tells me to drive everything from Mastercam,
1: Extract tool info from FTS to build tool assemblies saved in Mastercam Tool Library.
2: Export assemblies to Vericut with all length and holder info, (is this possible?)
( the holder profile tool in X+ works great for getting "exact" holder info, Vericut looks similar)
3: Export assembly info from Vericut to Speroni Presetter.
4: Push offset info to the machines from Speroni to Makino's via network.

 

What would it take to make this happen and is anybody already doing this??

[kccadcam]

We are also toying with the idea of RFID on the tooling.

(VERY expensive to implement!!)

[Bob W.]

The main reason I really like Vericut being the master is it acts somewhat like a firewall, only the NC file is passed through.  The other day I posted a program from Mastercam for Solidworks and it showed as perfect in Mastrercam verify but Vericut clearly showed that the program had been shifted by .17" in X.  I checked and rechecked everything and after a full regen in Mastercam it posted just fine.  IMHO there have been too many reliability issues with Mastercam to make it the master.  I would worry that Mastercam might push bad data (screwed up tool number, etc...) into Vericut, which it would then pass, only to cause a major issue at the machine. With only the NC file coming from Mastercam that will never happen.  It might be a little more work but it makes the process bulletproof.  Just my opinion and a big reason Vericut has been the master so far.

[?Mark]

Advice, Opinions, Thoughts................

 

2: Export assemblies to Vericut with all length and holder info, (is this possible?)

 

No. In theory yes, but in practice especially with custom tools they come in corrupted. Creating tools and holders in vericut is bullet-proof though.