X9 issues

[MIL-TFP-41]

Remember back in the day when circle mill was a c-hook? Like version 5 or 6 or something? Now that was some cool chit.

[gcode]

compared to some other CAM software's Mastercam's circle mill is a world class toolpath

some are primitive beyond belief

[CJep]

An example? LOL. All you have to do is try the circle paths or wireframe paths once and you see many, many flaws. They don't need their xxxx held in order to do this at MC, or do they? Here is an example, you say you never use circle mill anymore. Could that be because those paths are next to useless? Why not just fix them?

 

You say you're having issues with wireframe tpaths.

You know those are legacy tpaths going back to V7/V8?

Are you a mill one customer? 

You know that in the McamX9 software there is no more mill one?

Mill one & two have been combined so you can use surface tpaths.

You also no longer need a solid license to work with solid models in the parasolid format.

There is really no need to import a solid as a surface model.

Using the solid there is no need to import all the edge curves as wireframe.

[guitar]

When can we expect to see "guitar" CAM?

 

 

The cost of GuitarCam VXXX is $23,000. With a down payment of $23,995 you can get your copy today. 3d milling, lathe and solids extra.

[guitar]

compared to some other CAM software's Mastercam's circle mill is a world class toolpath

some are primitive beyond belief

You must be referring to Surfscam.

[guitar]

You say you're having issues with wireframe tpaths.

You know those are legacy tpaths going back to V7/V8?

Are you a mill one customer? 

You know that in the McamX9 software there is no more mill one?

Mill one & two have been combined so you can use surface tpaths.

You also no longer need a solid license to work with solid models in the parasolid format.

There is really no need to import a solid as a surface model.

Using the solid there is no need to import all the edge curves as wireframe.

 

Trust and believe I know how to use MC. The idea behind my doing wireframe paths is not to do surface toolpaths. It is to do simple things like a straight line plunge path (for ex.) or that sort of thing. I find it useful for slotting without all of the 3d bs moves that you sometimes want to avoid. But the problems are the cutter comp is backwards, trimming is useless, no stock to leave options so you must draw entities if you desire to leave stock. The idea is great. It was just poorly designed. Like an afterthought before going to sleep.

I am using level 3 solids and multiaxis.

[Newbeeee™]

compared to some other CAM software's Mastercam's circle mill is a world class toolpath

 

Thee Circle Mill.

[gcode]

Trust and believe I know how to use MC. The idea behind my doing wireframe paths is not to do surface toolpaths. It is to do simple things like a straight line plunge path (for ex.) or that sort of thing. I find it useful for slotting without all of the 3d bs moves that you sometimes want to avoid. But the problems are the cutter comp is backwards, trimming is useless, no stock to leave options so you must draw entities if you desire to leave stock. The idea is great. It was just poorly designed. Like an afterthought before going to sleep.

I am using level 3 solids and multiaxis.

the wireframe toolpaths are relics dating back to the early DOS versions.

they were state of the art in their day, but have not seen any updates in years,

A couple of years ago CNC was going to drop them, but didn't due to popular demand.

I wouldn't be surprised to find them missing in some future release.

[guitar]

You're funny.I use circle mill ALL the time

 

Now, you may want something out of it it can't do but that does not in anyway make it useless.

My bad. I was generalizing and actually referring to the threadmill portion of the circle paths. I don't use circle mill however. I find contour does anything circle mill does, but better.

[guitar]

the wireframe toolpaths are relics dating back to the early DOS versions.

they were state of the art in their day, but have not seen any updates in years,

A couple of years ago CNC was going to drop them, but didn't due to popular demand.

I wouldn't be surprised to find them missing in some future release.

 

They can be really handy for certain things. It would be nice if the drilling toolpath would allow you to select a line and drill along that line at intervals the way wirepaths do without manually having to break it and select every point. In that case I would probably never use wire again.

[gcode]

They can be really handy for certain things. It would be nice if the drilling toolpath would allow you to select a line and drill along that line at intervals the way wirepaths do without manually having to break it and select every point. In that case I would probably never use wire again.

create/points/segment (by length or number of points)

window pick the points

done

[neurosis]

 I find contour does anything circle mill does, but better.

 

 

Prove it.    

[Müřlıń®]

whats circle mill...lol

 

never found a need for it....never used it...ever...

 

Contour ramp is much easier....copy paste.....turn off ramp and you have your finish size for cc hole adjustments...linking already set...no need to figure out what size circle you want....just chain...

[gcode]

whats circle mill...lol

 

never found a need for it....never used it...ever...

 

Contour ramp is much easier....copy paste.....turn off ramp and you have your finish size for cc hole adjustments...linking already set...no need to figure out what size circle you want....just chain...

draw your circle the desired size, select entity.. the arc drives the toolpath

[AEP]

So far, my experience with X-9 has caused me to give it the nick-name "crash-a-matic 9000" Mastercam crashes my system just sitting, doing nothing. Can't tell you how much time and work I have lost... 

[Guest]

So far, my experience with X-9 has caused me to give it the nick-name "crash-a-matic 9000" Mastercam crashes my system just sitting, doing nothing. Can't tell you how much time and work I have lost... 

 

As a general rule of thumb, when people see this kind of behavior there is almost certainly something wrong with their installation.....

 

In this case I can't offer any specifics with further exploration or info but having seen issues with people in the past it's many times the installation/migration was bad.

[Müřlıń®]

draw your circle the desired size, select entity.. the arc drives the toolpath

hrmmm...ya I will check it out...the reason I never used it was because on most round cavities with a flat bottom you have to helix in anyways....so contour ramp needs no thought about helix size and it will go all the way to the bottom in a continuous ramp...which most of the time for general machining purposes it is good enough since there is no need for multi depth passes or roughing passes its going to get done in one shot....now if the hole size is +/- .001 I can see how the feed rate change for final pass looks pretty cool...

I just haven't found a need for it on the type work i do.

 

But I am fixing to machine a manifold with bunches of bores and round pockets so now might be a good time to check circle mill out... 

[gcode]

Check out X9 Circle Mill/Helix Bore

 

you can helix in then do a finish circle mill path without retracting

make sure to set your Entry/Arc Sweep to 90° or you'll get a CDC error

and as with circle mill

draw your arcs the correct size and select them as entities

the circle will drive the path

If you have a common Top of Stock,

draw your arcs at the bottom of the holes then use Absolute Top of Stock and Incremental Depth

you can do multiple holes with multiple sizes and depths with a single tool path.

[Micromoldmaker]

 

the wireframe toolpaths are relics dating back to the early DOS versions.

they were state of the art in their day, but have not seen any updates in years,

A couple of years ago CNC was going to drop them, but didn't due to popular demand.

I wouldn't be surprised to find them missing in some future release.

Maybe if the documentation that comes with new releases were to address the fact that some tool path options are legacy and then suggest which newer tool paths to use instead.  Not everyone who uses MC goes back far enough to have seen the software evolve and are unaware of the fact that some legacy stuff is still around because of popular demand.  Seems that a better effort from MC to communicate the evolution of the software would dampen a lot of the frustration that people are experiencing.

[Saultspics]

I had to stop using X9 on some of the parts that we machine, due to some bugs that slowed me way down. I sent them to QC and they could reproduce them. I was liking X9 till I came across them. I could work around them, but X8 works grate on them. X9 fixed some of the bug that was in X8, so I'm using both for now. Hopping the next update takes care of some of the bugs so I can use X9 only.

[Patriot]

I just started using X9, previously I was using X6, because X7 and X8 were unstable and very glitchy

Here’s some problems I’ve had so far:

Wire frame entities that were blanked when I did not blank them!

The plane manager lots of issues

Verify very slow and glitchy

I guess it’s back to X6

 

You're not alone here. I have these exact same issues. X7 and X8 were working great for me. I love some of the new features, just not finding new work-arounds.

 

[Patriot]

whats circle mill...lol

 

never found a need for it....never used it...ever...

 

Contour ramp is much easier....copy paste.....turn off ramp and you have your finish size for cc hole adjustments...linking already set...no need to figure out what size circle you want....just chain...

 

If you use a circle geometry, the circle mill tool path will automatically use that size, just like contour automatically going to it's size.

If you click points, you can decide what hole size you want without having to use stock leave to get a desired size, if you're testing and customizing hole sizes.

 

The best part about circle mill now is it spiral opens up the hole, so you can "dynamic" style open a hole with a continuous full-depth cut. -not just plunging straight into the material to step to open to the next cut with multi-pass.

 

Also being able to dictate the arc size for the helical entry comes in handy!

 

I forgot to add, you can have the tool start in the center of a hole with one click, as if you are milling a counterbore for a hole. No ramping in, just straight to depth, then open the hole up with the side of the tool instead of the tip.

Edited July 10, 2015 by Patriot

[metalmansteve]

I love that you can keep the planes window open while working...Now I need a new monitor.

 

X9 so far so good for me:) ...but I do very simple stuff compared to most guys on here.

[Müřlıń®]

If you use a circle geometry, the circle mill tool path will automatically use that size, just like contour automatically going to it's size.

If you click points, you can decide what hole size you want without having to use stock leave to get a desired size, if you're testing and customizing hole sizes.

 

The best part about circle mill now is it spiral opens up the hole, so you can "dynamic" style open a hole with a continuous full-depth cut. -not just plunging straight into the material to step to open to the next cut with multi-pass.

 

Also being able to dictate the arc size for the helical entry comes in handy!

 

I forgot to add, you can have the tool start in the center of a hole with one click, as if you are milling a counterbore for a hole. No ramping in, just straight to depth, then open the hole up with the side of the tool instead of the tip.

Ya I hear ya....but consider this.....

For circle mill to work without plunging directly down it has to do a helix in...which in essence is doing all the work with the tip anyway...whether taking multiple depth cuts or just going all the way to depth before dynamic opening up the pocket with the full length of your tool.

You still must in essence do a contour ramp to get to full depth.

 

If you have a 1/2" hole 2" deep and cut it with a 3/8 tool why even do a multi depth cut? Why not just helix all the way to the bottom...on size...climbing......the tool is going to push off due to the physics of the cut...the hole is going to be .005 small...if not on the very first hole with a brand new endmill...but very soon....I been doing this 20 years I know...

Then copy paste turn off ramp and you have your finish toolpath to take out the pushoff...all with no thought process what so ever.... you already have a arc lead in and lead out on your helix ramp....

The size hole/ pocket determines the size of the tool used...

Easy peezy....

[jlw™]

No one is trying to say you havent been at this for 20 years or that you dont know what you're doing. Just that maybe there is more than one way to skin the cat. Have an open mind, you may just learn a new, effective tactic that becomes your new favorite. I certainly have gained a lot here.

 

Have you considered drilling a pilot hole?

 

I always try to drill for circle paths because like you say, it does kill an endmill. I use both circ mill and helix bore, depending on the situation.

 

And I've seen worse execution of circ mill paths but I won't run down other softwares.