Hey Rusty, Siemens 840d user here, although all the machines I currently work on are single channel. I did a little searching and found this video, which fully describes program structure, how the code should look, and a little bit about how the CAM system should output. TL:DR you need a couple of different programs. First is a .JOB which will contain a CYCLE208 and the master program names for each channel. Next will be the master program with the synch codes (which should look like this, WAITM(1,1,2)) and other relevant data. Last will be the .spf programs, which should contain all the cutting data. This is fairly similar to my preferred output method of programs, even on single channel machines. However, CAM software wasn't quiet able to get me all the way there with posting out. I ended up making a python script to handle building of the master program, which works pretty well. Feel free to DM me if you want to see how that works. A couple of notes, it looks like there is a pass option in the WAIT for individual channels. This should allow single channel operation, but without a machine to test it on I can't confirm. This YouTube channel has a lot of really good information on the 840d control, I would highly recommend watching to figure out some of the more powerful options on the Siemens control. Also, there is a machine simulator for the 840d called Sinutrain, this allows some basic simulation on your computer. Really helps when trying to diagnose problems like this with complex cycles, or macro programming.

I've been having some conversations on the side, and I think I have a fairly complete picture of the situation now, at least. I'm putting this out here so that everyone playing along at home can understand the problem as I see it. It seems like the problem lies in disconnect between workflows using a Structured Language output (not the standard ISO/G-Code) using a CAM system (Mastercam/Partmaker/etc.), vs. the onboard programming language, and how they get the end goal. From talking to a few people, it seems like all of the structured code itself coming out of Mastercam is correct. It's all the stuff around it that's a problem and it really makes it tedious to get running. DMG wants everything ran on the machine in structured format, which is apparently really good at what it does. It will wrap up all of the kinematics into it, so collision avoidance, easy edits at the control, etc. are all enveloped in this which makes it way safer for the operator and way easier for the DMG techs to help with. The downsides are a lot of the things we take for granted in the ISO/G-Code world (i.e., only needing a sync if you specifically call it out) don't apply. Being Das German, ya, there are rules and structures that exist for the sake of rules and structures existing One problem here is that there are very few DMG techs who are familiar enough with the machines and can really help diagnose issues that are related to structure/workflow. Once you leave their conversational programming world, you're in uncharted waters as far as they're concerned. ------------------- The main problem talked about in this thread seems to be related to the "weird" syncing that you have to do in Mastercam MT environment (and, it sounds like Part Maker/Esprit/(possibly?)SolidCAM as well, I have limited experience with PM & E here), where you end up in a bunch of post-processing work manually syncing things and getting your tokens & labels set up correctly. If you were to use the onboard programming environment, then you would get things synced as you went (i.e., make a toolpath, sync it up, make the next one, sync it up). That doesn't really exist that way in Mastercam, as there's nothing to force you to sync it before moving on the next, or sometimes you can't sync yet, because you haven't made whatever it's going to sync to yet, etc. ------------------- Expanding on this last point, there's also not a good way that you can programmatically describe a solution because it's very much part dependent so you can't really even wave a magic wand and get something that's even 75% of the way there by defining a set of rules, e.g., Always sync Approach of Upper Turret before Motion of Lower Turret. That makes it a really tough nut to crack from the programming side as without those rules, it's hard to express to a programmer how to fix the issue. ------------------- So, pragmatically for now, the best way to work in this environment would be to always have the Code Expert window open, and as you work through toolpaths hit the ol' G1 button and make sure that each toolpath is synced & set up as you go. It's the same amount of effort overall, but at least you're doing it in bite sized nibbles instead of having to make the whole pie at once. If there's a set of small, discreet changes that could be made after you're up and running with that, perhaps changes to MT can be made to support it Mastercam can be given a set of "rules" to follow. I.e., All operations with Upper/Left get automatically labeled SP4 and the Lower/Right get labeled SP3? Make an option for this machine only to automatically sync all unsynced Upper channel if there is a single operation on the Lower Channel, etc. Coming up with this list would be daunting. Another option, although significantly less likely, would be to run this up the chain far enough that DMG/Mori sees a problem like this and gives them an option of turning off the requirements to have syncs where they shouldn't really be required to, or accepting that no labels are okay. Does that seem like at least a good summary? Many thanks go out to @scottm085, the "prefer to remain unnamed" customer I talked about earlier, and a few anonymous CNCers and Resellers that I talked to.

Appreciate that my friend. We had a teams meeting today with our reseller and Mastercam so hopefully were onto bigger and better things! I will be sending you an email Aaron so be on the lookout for that. Thank you again!

No experience with them Thier website is current and says "Designed, Engineered and Assembled in the USA" I suspect they are manufactured in China and shipped to the US for final assembly ... and a Made in the USA sticker. They list a surprising variety of machines on their website. If you Google Map their address 70 Jon Barrett Road | Patterson, New York | 12563 and check the satellite view you'll see they share a building with a woodworking shop and there are about a half dozen cars in the parking lot. Personally, I'd steer clear.

@Bob W. Great post, thank you. At my job shop we are about to embark on our "lights out" journey. As with most stuff, everyone around me is saying "now that we bought the machines, we can run lights out" without *really* understanding all the variables. 100% of our multiaxis mill parts have been set up and ran by me, and now I'll probably be programming full time trying to keep these two pallet mills fed with parts. (but I'm sure if a tricky 5axis part is in the pipeline I will want to personally set it up) I have operators at my shop who load drills into dirty er collets with rust on the taper, and don't even bother doing a quick S200 runout EYEBALL check haha. These are the guys going to be setting up my stuff?! oh lawd I also have setup sheets with specific holders and specific stickouts and it baffles me that sometimes they just straight up ignore it. Yeah, go ahead and put that 1/32 endmill stuck .500" out in a side lock holder, sure. Wonder why the finish sucks? My *manager* was running my machine while I was programming and I gave him a torque wrench and told him the spec I was using,... I walked out 30 min later to see him using a regular wrench on the vise. makes me want to pull my hair out. Yeah, it's an OP10 and the part would be fine, but it's the principle... Sooner than later he's going to do that and it won't be fine, or the parts will vary in flatness/thickness/whatever. I could go on for hours lol. Needless to say it's got me excited, and equally nervous. So I'm watching this thread like a hawk looking for tips and tricks

No you told me it was not possible. I literally never said it was not possible. You are a xxxxing liar sir. However, that "Thought you would come back telling me I had no idea what I was saying" is clearly you having a xxxx attitude in response to my providing more info hence the interpretation "I'm mr crazy mill guy How dare you not worship me". Dude, chill. I merely said that my tool clearance angle was properly defined, damn. Projection of what may I ask? Your xxxxty attitude is the projection. All bets are off after that. Be professional, get professional. "All Self Taught so if this dumb as a box of rocks person" Again, just because you didn't have the solution, that doesn't mean you're stupid. That's your fragile ego talking. Although... projection has nothing to do with payment for software. "I pay for it out of my pocket, How about you? " Like, what? I suppose the fragile ego does have to stem from somewhere Seriously it goes around a lot here. I remember ages ago I said I don't plan to take a job that deploys mastercam if I have to google mastercam workflow on the clock and people got mad that I wanted to learn it first? Because no one except them could possibly handle programming? "Your attitude is what I suspected it was going to be " No, attitudes started at post #4. That's your attitude you're seeing buddy. Be real. It wasn't the operation arrow (don't get mad I'm just saying that's not it lol you're seeing stock still there because I have the overlap settings dialog open). (oohhh, really don't get mad, but your operation arrow is in the wrong spot. The issue is with the rough pass using stock recognition not the finish pass don't hit me.). I even reversed the order of operations so the other side gets to use "Use remaining stock" and the nub appeared on the left side instead. It's something to do with stock recognition specifically. Or maybe overlap. And the issue is not present at work. Uhh, yeah? Sitting on your xxxx all day playing with math and physics in a virtual environment? Easiest job ever. Not to belittle the profession, but no one here is better than a janitor or fast food worker. You guys should appreciate how privileged you are. It's like playing a video game all day instead of working hard jobs to make ends meet with no prospect of upward mobility because of circumstances out of your control. If I discover a bug at work, I will be sure to bring it to the attention of adults. emastercam is the merely top result on google so I made some erroneous assumptions. I should direct future business through proper channels.