Pitch in your little gems that make mcam life easier

[BenK]

I'm using triple now.

 

I have a set of 34" ultra wide monitors, its great. Combine that with screen splitting software and I think its the perfect setup.

 

 

 

 

 

I just learned a new trick today. I'm working on a very large part and file size is getting to be an issue so I have a file with all my roughing and one with my finishing. In my finishing file I didn't want to recreate all my planes again because the amount I'm dealing with would take a long time. So I wanted to see if their was a way to simply import them. Turns out there is, in your new file open the plane manager and right click, select import and choose the file to import from and you will get the list of planes from that file you can select. Its that easy. I can see this one coming in handy.

[jlw™]

I have a set of 34" ultra wide monitors, its great. Combine that with screen splitting software and I think its the perfect setup.

 

 

 

 

 

I just learned a new trick today. I'm working on a very large part and file size is getting to be an issue so I have a file with all my roughing and one with my finishing. In my finishing file I didn't want to recreate all my planes again because the amount I'm dealing with would take a long time. So I wanted to see if their was a way to simply import them. Turns out there is, in your new file open the plane manager and right click, select import and choose the file to import from and you will get the list of planes from that file you can select. Its that easy. I can see this one coming in handy.

Wish I knew this all along!

[BenK]

Wish I knew this all along!

 

Me too. I was just messing around today and figured out you could do it. Be nice if we could get the people at CNC to join in on this conversation. Just think of all the hidden gems they could tell us about.

[So not a Guru]

Wish I knew this all along!

Me too! This is going to come in mighty handy.

 

Zeke

[jmfrank]

Along the plane import gem.On the level manager saving and getting saved names for levels. Right click in the level manager. Saves a bunch of time naming levels for every file.

[Colin Gilchrist]

In addition to "importing" Planes from an existing Mastercam file, (Planes Manager -> Right-Click -> Import), you can also import Tool Paths directly from an existing Mastercam file. It works just like creating an "operation library", except you are just picking the tool paths directly from the other MCX file.

 

Right-Click in the Toolpaths Operations Manager, and choose "Import". You will get an "Import Toolpath Operations" dialog box. Use the "Browse" button to search for the existing Mastercam file. In the lower right corner of the dialog box is a drop-down menu for File Type. Choose the option for "Mastercam X Files", and you can import tool paths into your new Mastercam session. You can do this from any Mastercam "X" file. So that old file you did ten years ago in Mastercam X4? Yep, you can import those tool paths and update them.

 

Keep in mind that some of the old tool path options have changed, so Mastercam may "reconfigure" the operation options, but it should keep the "old" settings as closely as possible.

 

I find this to be much more useful to me than maintaining Operation Libraries, since these can not only get out of date quickly, but I also want the "strategy" that those various sets of parameters represent.

[Thee Rickster ™]

In addition to "importing" Planes from an existing Mastercam file, (Planes Manager -> Right-Click -> Import), you can also import Tool Paths directly from an existing Mastercam file. It works just like creating an "operation library", except you are just picking the tool paths directly from the other MCX file.

 

Right-Click in the Toolpaths Operations Manager, and choose "Import". You will get an "Import Toolpath Operations" dialog box. Use the "Browse" button to search for the existing Mastercam file. In the lower right corner of the dialog box is a drop-down menu for File Type. Choose the option for "Mastercam X Files", and you can import tool paths into your new Mastercam session. You can do this from any Mastercam "X" file. So that old file you did ten years ago in Mastercam X4? Yep, you can import those tool paths and update them.

 

Keep in mind that some of the old tool path options have changed, so Mastercam may "reconfigure" the operation options, but it should keep the "old" settings as closely as possible.

 

I find this to be much more useful to me than maintaining Operation Libraries, since these can not only get out of date quickly, but I also want the "strategy" that those various sets of parameters represent.

I've have been lucky then.

I have been importing planes and operations for many years. 

[Zoffen]

OMG i would kill myself if i couldn't import operations and planes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Zoffen]

One thing I do that really helps me go faster is have enter and delete on my mouse. I don't need to move my hands most of the time for geometry selection or when I delete entities. I know it isn't a Mastercam specific tip but it really helps.

This is the single greatest thing i have done to CAD setup. I have it set up so middle wheel push left = delet, middle wheel push right = enter

This saves me soooo much time!

 

The only downside is for some reason vericut uses the spacebar to accept stuff instead of enter!!!

[Richard Thomas - Mastercam UK]

If I want to turn incomplete arcs into full circles I do it via Analyze Entity Properties (instead of Edit Close Arcs) and set the angle to 0 - 360 degrees.  That way I am less likely to be surprised by circle toolpaths starting in funny places.

 

EDIT - ahh, Ron beat me to it on this one; his idea was to help with mutiaxis toolpaths but basically it's the same deal here.

 

I'll throw in an oldie though.  You normally cannot select the end/corner of a surface entity (perhaps you are trying to use Create Line Endpoints) but if you press the Endpoint cursor override you'll find that surfaces will highlight - you'll be able to click close to the surface edge and *usually* the snap will jump to that corner.

[ahaslam]

I didn't see it in here but may have missed it. In your tool path manager, right click in the white space and chose select. The dialog gives you every option you could ever want when trying to track down a problem tool path or even if you just want to see something specific. Tool number, operation type, even a comment that you left in a tool path. You can combine the selection to make it even more specific. Example, I want to see every time that tool 5 does a circle mill on the top plane. Great for the 100+ tool-path operations. When I do 5 axis stuff, ever comment is unique in some way. It makes it easy to find the tool path you are looking for.

[ftorrent32]

You can make a model of your part kind of like the end result of VERIFY. In toolpaths select stock model, select your choice of color, set up your stock dimensions or if you already have just click update stock and then in the next tab select which toolpaths you'd like to view and your tolerance. You may also compare your stock model to your stp. file with different colors. It takes a minute to generate your solid but it's right on your screen (along with your solid model) and easy to see and navigate. You can add as many as you like to see the progress of your part. I use it all the time especially for jobs with alot of surfacing.

[pullo]

Turn the grid on and set it to visible and give it a size of 50 x 50 mm, (for those living in the USA , Myanmar and Liberia  1 and 756/768 in. )  . From the pic included , at a glance you'll know that the plate is NOT the size of a house  and that the tool plane I am using at the moment is bad for drawing 2d geo on the face of the blue plate .

 Picked it up from Gilberto in Portugal.

 

Gracjan 

[ahaslam]

Just learned one today by accident. When back plotting you can step the tool path by pointing your courser over the bar above the screen that indicates how far through the tool path you are and roll the mouse wheel thing. That was a really crumby way of saying it but yeah. It's basically like using S and B in back plot but with the mouse wheel. 

[jeff]

Just discovered this the other day:

Before you select transform toolpath, have the one you want transformed highlighted. This will auto-select that toolpath in the transform window for you.

It's handy for me because I use this a LOT with my 4th axis stuff.

[toddm]

the older Mcams, you were able to power delete.... press the delete button , press and hold both mouse button and use it like an eraser. plus it had simple sound effects...

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

When using Create Arc Tangent Dynamic to cap the ends of two parallel lines with a 180° arc, I used to get the wrong half of the circle half the time.  I just figured out that it will always go counter clockwise from your first selection point, so now I can get the right half every time.

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

Try setting the Cplane to an angle around 20° to 45° relative to your Tplane and then doing a Surface Finish Contour.  The waterline stepdown plane will match the Cplane.

[maverquip]

• I accidentally found this using dynamic xform a while back:  There is a small box that appears to the lower left (or near) of the gnomon when you hover your mouse over the gnomon.  When clicked, it allows you to reposition the origin point for the dynamic xform.  Once clicked again, you can continue to xform the geometry again.

 

I don't like using bounding boxes and creating center points (that I am just going to delete) to move geometry.  The following demonstrate getting around extra geometry, using xforms, utilizing various methods of choosing origin and translation points depending on the geometry selected.  These methodologies can be applied throughout xforms in many other ways.

(Note: "Set 1" can contain geometry in "Set 2" and vice versa, if desired)

 

• To move/copy "Set 1" geometry from its center point to "Set 2" geometry's center point, I will use xform translate with the following method (I do this with text or checking geometry (see below)):

SELECT "Set 2" geometry to translate

Use point to point translation, point 1 being arbitrarily chosen and point 2 the center of "Set 2" geometry

Choose the arrow to reselect geometry, DESELECT "Set 2" and SELECT "Set 1"  (When deselecting "Set 2" it is sometimes easier to first select everything on screen then deselect everything on screen)

Choose +1 to reselect point 1 and choose the center of "Set 1"

 

 

• To rotate or mirror "Set 1" geometry around the center point of "Set 2"

 

SELECT "Set 2" geometry to xform

SELECT origin point as the center of "Set 2" geometry

Choose the arrow to reselect geometry, DESELECT "Set 2" and SELECT "Set 1"  (When deselecting "Set 2" it is sometimes easier to first select everything on screen then deselect everything on screen)

 

 

• If I am given a file that has multiple solids that may be the same, you can use any xform to compare them.  While using an xform solids are shown in wireframe, I will position the "active" wireframe over the wireframe of the solid(s) I of which I wish to compare.  Without applying or leaving the xform you can rotate, zoom and pan to compare them.  The wireframes will, by default, have two different colors and the arcs of the wireframe you are xforming will be broken into inscribed polygons making easy comparisons.  If two solids are not centered about the origin, and I have to use rotate or mirror, I will combine this with the previous method, using both solids as "Set 2" and the single object to xform as "Set 1".

[: Chip :]

I use *analyse* a lot. If I create something where it wasn't intended analyse moves entities rather quickl;y.  What's Para-metrics?

[: Chip :]

This is one I use.  When analyzing a feature, you can type in new values for that feature.  If you click analyze entities or "F4" and then click on an arc, you can type in a new radius or diameter and hit enter.  Lines, click on line and change endpoints.  Etc...  So rather than doing a transform, projection or offset operation, you can alter the geometry at  the point of the analysis, once you hit enter, the entity will change.

rEaD AlL pOsTs In A tHrEaD bEfOrE pOstiNg.....

 

:It's my first post:

[: Chip :]

 

• I accidentally found this using dynamic xform a while back:  There is a small box that appears to the lower left (or near) of the gnomon when you hover your mouse over the gnomon.  When clicked, it allows you to reposition the origin point for the dynamic xform.  Once clicked again, you can continue to xform the geometry again.

 

I don't like using bounding boxes and creating center points (that I am just going to delete) to move geometry.  The following demonstrate getting around extra geometry, using xforms, utilizing various methods of choosing origin and translation points depending on the geometry selected.  These methodologies can be applied throughout xforms in many other ways.

(Note: "Set 1" can contain geometry in "Set 2" and vice versa, if desired)

 

• To move/copy "Set 1" geometry from its center point to "Set 2" geometry's center point, I will use xform translate with the following method (I do this with text or checking geometry (see below)):

SELECT "Set 2" geometry to translate

Use point to point translation, point 1 being arbitrarily chosen and point 2 the center of "Set 2" geometry

Choose the arrow to reselect geometry, DESELECT "Set 2" and SELECT "Set 1"  (When deselecting "Set 2" it is sometimes easier to first select everything on screen then deselect everything on screen)

Choose +1 to reselect point 1 and choose the center of "Set 1"

 

 

• To rotate or mirror "Set 1" geometry around the center point of "Set 2"

 

SELECT "Set 2" geometry to xform

SELECT origin point as the center of "Set 2" geometry

Choose the arrow to reselect geometry, DESELECT "Set 2" and SELECT "Set 1"  (When deselecting "Set 2" it is sometimes easier to first select everything on screen then deselect everything on screen)

 

 

• If I am given a file that has multiple solids that may be the same, you can use any xform to compare them.  While using an xform solids are shown in wireframe, I will position the "active" wireframe over the wireframe of the solid(s) I of which I wish to compare.  Without applying or leaving the xform you can rotate, zoom and pan to compare them.  The wireframes will, by default, have two different colors and the arcs of the wireframe you are xforming will be broken into inscribed polygons making easy comparisons.  If two solids are not centered about the origin, and I have to use rotate or mirror, I will combine this with the previous method, using both solids as "Set 2" and the single object to xform as "Set 1".

 

....Ever though about quitting your day job to write New Release tutorials?

[BrianP.]

So I posted this in another thread and found that at least some do not know about it. When selecting tools use the filter button. Once the page opens up you just double click on the tool you want to select and that one will become active.  You will only see those tools. So even if you have endmills highlighted and you want to do drills just double click the drills and the endmills become inactive and the drills become active so you will see only your drills. Even if you have everything turned on and double click a tool type they will all turn off except for that tool. Makes it real easy to select tools  when you don't have to sort through all different tool types and saves a couple of clicks.

[meinertjs]

This is great, new to x9, been on 8 for 15 years  more info the better

I will be back

[taperlength]

I like the new feature in X9 to create a center point of a rectangle .  Used to be, I had to draw a diagonal line across and then put a point at the midpoint of the line.  Now, all I have to do is hover over one endpoint until it turns to a green X and then hover over the other endpoint and voila, a red X appears at the middle.