Mastercam won't post my code

[KLP1190]

Hey there, everyone.

 

I am having some issues with Mastercam at work. I am working on engraving a cylindrical part. I drew my art work in Adobe Illustrator and imported it into Mastercam, positioned everything where I needed it to be, and created my toolpaths from the imported geometry.

 

The first op of the program is to mill a .003 deep pocket in the negative space around the engraving art. My boss has asked me to use a small center drill and use the web of the tool for this step (we kept breaking small flat endmills trying to accomplish this operation so we switched to the centerdrill for more rigidity). I was able to pull this off on a larger part successfully. I am in the process of creating the same art work on a smaller cylinder. When I create my toolpaths from the geometry and try to post the first op pocket mastercam freezes.

 

My boss is on my xxxx to get this figured out and get the code posted. We have orders for this product waiting to be filled. I have no idea what to do. I have been trying for a few days to get it to post. This morning I came in and tried to post it again, the program has been unresponsive for hours. I am going to keep letting it go until I hear a better suggestion from someone else.

 

If anything I have going on is unclear or confusing I am sorry. Please message me here for further clarification.

 

Thanks in advance guys. I know how helpful everyone here tries to be.

[BenK]

It would help to know what version of Mastercam you are running, what machine this is for and what toolpath you are trying to use.

[Jayson Kramer]

Can you share the file with us? are you using the engraving option or using just pocket? so are you using axis sub for this?

[KLP1190]

Sorry.

 

I am in Mastercam X5. Trying to post code for a Haas VF2. I'm not sure what you mean by what toolpath I am trying to use. I am trying to create a pocket. I cannot, unfortunately, post the file for you guys to look at. It is all proprietary.

[KLP1190]

I am using the pocket tool path. Not the engraving tool path. I am using Y axis sub.

[BenK]

First thing to check would be your rotary diameter in the rotary axis control tab.

[KLP1190]

Rotary diameter is set to the diameter of my part, 0.86". That is the same diameter we always use for this type of engraving and it always works out fine.

[Colin Gilchrist]

So are you getting a toolpath to generate successfully? If you are able to get a toolpath to create, and backplot/verify successfully, then it shouldn't be much of an issue to post process the code output.

 

For X5, I believe the post processor installation has a "default" haas post that comes with the installation. Otherwise, the Generic Fanuc 4X Mill Post will post code that will run on the Haas, no problem.

 

If you are having trouble with your existing post processor, try posting the same toolpath, but use a different post.

 

To select a different post at the time of posting, press CTRL + ALT + SHIFT. (you might also have to add + "P"). That will activate the "Select Post" button, and allow you to pick a different post processor.

 

Is it possible you are writing to a folder you don't have permission to write too? Or that the post processor might be "pausing" and waiting for you to enter an answer to a prompt question...

 

There are many possibilities for what is causing the issue...

[The Cathedral]

You say it freezes when it posts. Does it freeze while the green progress bar occurs, or before?

[KLP1190]

I am working on posting with another post processor.

 

The freeze occurs while the green progress bar is up.

[KLP1190]

So, I got the issue resolved. I had to turn every bit of available hard drive space I had on my computer to virtual ram and try changing my post processor. It is really, really bizzare to me that after a year and a half of doing this, I had to change my processor to get this one program to post. Weird. Thanks everyone for the input. Sincerely appreciate it.