Post variable name of "Tool Tip Angle" in Mastercam 9

[Stephan Spears]

Hello all,

I recently took on a client who runs Mastercam 9.1. I know it is an ancient program. But they are in need of a post that would print out tool variables in the beginning of the NC program. One of the variables they are looking for is "tool tip angle". This variable is available for drilling tools. I attached a picture to better explain which variable I mean.

I wonder what the corresponding post variable name is for this?

[Guest]

You have a client in China still using V9?

[crazy^millman]

Sorry to ask, but they are a legit client still using 9.1? You checked with CNC to make sure they are legit? I will not do business with bootleg users. Someone wants to learn they can get the HLE. Someone is doing work with any version and not paid for it then they will have no issue not paying you for work either when the time comes to be paid. 

[PcRobotic]

Honestly, I know a lot of ASIAN shops those using boot legs (rather not to name them).  I tried to convince them and they said "NO".  What they did was, they disconnected the internet as the computer of which using X9 - 2018 so they won't get caught. 

 

If someone who is working in San Jose, California in the area of DE LA CRUZ... CENTER, are ALL ASIAN area will easily get caught as if the POLICE come to check their computers.

 

I know one GIANT company who has location in CHINA about 500 people with 100 CNC using MASTERCAM all day long they all BOOT LEGS.... 

 

Don't know what to say but I hope one day they will change their mind to buy original software like my other American companies did.
Perhaps, MasterCam should have a compromise payment plan like when you are buying car instead of paying all at one shot.

16K is a lot of money for one license I think, may be it is better to allow the companies make payment as going along. 

Not sure my thoughts would work but at least there is a solution for those are greedy like ASIAN shops as I met and used to work for. (I quit in about a month or two after I found out they used BOOT LEGS version.)

[Watcher]

On 06/09/2017 at 1:25 AM, PcRobotic said:

...MasterCam should have a compromise payment plan like when you are buying car instead of paying all at one shot...

...xxxxxxxK is a lot of money for one license I think, may be it is better to allow the companies make payment as going along...

#1 - I agree that better payment terms facilitate legalization of the usage. Here in Brazil a shop with good credit can enroll in a special credit from the national development bank. The dealer prepare the paperwork, get paid in full by the bank and the shop makes monthly payments to the bank. Biggest Edgecam reseller here sells Edgecam shipped with Romi machines and they use this method. This explains why Edgecam is big here. Definitely not because it's the best tool. Because they cut the best distribution deal ever.

#2 - This is where we can see the difference between price and value. People make serious money with CAx software. You need PHDs and serious skills to make these tools. It is not expensive if you use it well, if it leverages your machine resources and keep you competitive and in the market.

Now let me if explain why shop owners use bootlegs first place: It's because they don't value intelectual property. It's more prevalent in Asia, yes, but just because their culture is more inclined to steal ideas in general. It's just an intangible concept for many. In China, even the judicial system turn their heads away from it. The whole stuff foments criminal acts in the realm of the intelectual property.

Here in Brazil it's the same. Shop owners buy when a good deal is offered and it's not a big burden, like the Edgecam deal. Or when a big customer demands and audit contractors. But many don't give a rat xxxx for the concept that the ideas and knowledge of someone is packed in that CD. They believe that a license code is what the costs is.

I meant no offense to Asians here, just pointing that culturally, our countries were not founded on the top of the knowledge based economy and thus we value tangible things like manual work or a machine making chips more than we value the knowledge behind this.

[crazy^millman]

The value of intellectual property is always a big problem with many companies not just Asia. You have a shift in American Manufacturing to automation. Problem is to much thought is given to the technology to make that happen and the 3 parts of true Manufacturing process are being thrown out the window. Manufacturing is still a 3 step process it is the People, Process and the technology. Investing in the the technology getting equipment is one thing, but guess what no Robot knows how to make its own process. It takes a key part of the 3 parts the people. I keep hearing many companies push 4 machine to one operator. Now if you have a proven process with predicable results this can become a reality. If you are developing the process on 8 different machines and thinking 2 people can develop the process of all 8 at the same time and the goal of making all 8 projects meet their timelines at the same time happen your crazy. I see it and just shake my head when it fails time and time again and these educated people blame the people and not the process they created that was setup for failure before they every got started.

No different with making sure you invest in legal software. When you get in the mentality of justifying bootleg software you then send a strong signal people are not important. Putting money in your pocket is more important and you don't care about making a 3 part Manufacturing direction work. Call it culture call it what you will, but if a shop has a 100 CNC machines and are running bootleg it is all about who is putting money in their pocket. Disguise or justify it anyway you want, but it doesn't make it right. 

[dmaier]

3 hours ago, C^Millman said:

When you get in the mentality of justifying bootleg software you then send a strong signal people are not important. Putting money in your pocket is more important and you don't care about making a 3 part Manufacturing direction work. Call it culture call it what you will, but if a shop has a 100 CNC machines and are running bootleg it is all about who is putting money in their pocket. Disguise or justify it anyway you want, but it doesn't make it right.

This is exactly why I left my previous employer. I spent almost 3 years listening to upper management report to us how many millions in profit they were bringing in during quarterly meetings. I had mentioned well over a dozen times that we need to be running legal software but it never was a concern to them. Karma kicked in a little when China ripped off one of their ideas and we had to listen to them cry about the millions lost during one of those quarterly meetings. I could not handle working in a room with pirated software anymore and hit the door. Glad I made the move. My new employer treats me much better and insists on making sure all software is legit. I still think about reporting my old employer sometimes but I do not want to open a can of worms. Sometimes it is better to leave things in the past.