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The Mastercam Machine Definition - What is it, and how do I use it?


Colin Gilchrist
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  • 1 year later...

Colin,

 

I have recently had a situation where I mirrored a tool path using rotary Axis Control/ Rotary Axis Control/ substitute Y axis in side the tool parameter box. For years I have been leaving the default CCW switch checked. I have been drilling hole patterns and rotation was never an issue. I have just now discovered that in order to get the correct moves the CW Rotation direction must be checked. hat being said should CCW even be an option? Should it say "CCW (mirrored)?

 

I have run a test to verify output. I can tell you that it verifies exactly like it machines in the machine. One exception is the some confusion between rotary settings and using planes. It will drill a hole off 90 degrees in varify but will post the G-Code as it should be. See images.

flat geometry In mcam

VERIFY MATCHES PART

DETAIL VERIFY

MACHINED PART

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There is a "Wrap" direction setting under the Rotary Options in the Toolpath, and there are "CW/CCW" settings for the Rotary Axis Positive Direction (Set with 4X Posts in the "Rotary Component Properties" inside the MD).

 

So in general, both of these settings need to match (inside the Toolpath and inside the MD/Post). All of these settings also must match to the Parameter settings on the given machine. For example, it is possible to have two "identical" machines installed "side by side" on your shop floor, but have different "positive rotation directions" assigned to the Rotary Axis, if the Machine Parameters do not match.

 

If you switch the "Wrap" direction, to make it "proper" for your machine, you can also mirror the geometry about the X axis to change the location.

 

As a test, leave the setting "CCW" in the toolpath, and switch the "CW/CCW" positive direction in the Properties of the Rotary Axis Component in your Machine Definition, using the Machine Definition Manager.

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Colin,

 

I make sure that each one of my rotary's on each machine are rotating the right direction + = clockwise. I assume that there is no other way to make sure that CW stays selected without question, the exception being set up in default to be selected each time I start a new tool path.

 

 

Thanks,

Sam

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That's a good assumption. You could change the "Operation Defaults" file to "CW", and that should force all paths of that type to use that as the default value.

 

Another option would be to write some logic in the Post to catch the parameter value (CW vs. CCW) and warn you during the posting process that "CCW" is selected...

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  • 3 years later...

Hey do you still teach your MP.NET mill-turn post courses? I see there’s an older one in your archive. Can this one help us with 2020 and up? My assumption is yes because the MP.NET language itself couldn’t have changed that much since then. Thank you 
 

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18 minutes ago, mayu said:

Hey do you still teach your MP.NET mill-turn post courses? I see there’s an older one in your archive. Can this one help us with 2020 and up? My assumption is yes because the MP.NET language itself couldn’t have changed that much since then. Thank you 
 

MP.NET is off limits and only authorized dealers and the staff at CNC software have access to MP.NET.

Standard MP okay.

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  • 4 months later...
On 9/5/2020 at 2:27 PM, mayu said:

Hey do you still teach your MP.NET mill-turn post courses? I see there’s an older one in your archive. Can this one help us with 2020 and up? My assumption is yes because the MP.NET language itself couldn’t have changed that much since then. Thank you 
 

As Ron mentioned, MP.NET is restricted. 

However, regular 'MP' Posts can support up to 4-Axis machining, on any Axis Combination. So twin spindle, twin turret machines, with Pickoff, Barpull, and Cutoff Ops are fair game.

I am in the middle of editing my 4X MT_Lathe Post Class, and uploading it to YouTube. 

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