Thanks for the input. I will try and get a screen shot. We have un-install the demo version from some student’s laptops and I then installed my demo version onto their machines and that seems to work fine. I have even called CNC software and the person I talked to said they have not been getting that error message either. It may take a few days to get a screen shot. I have lab with 10 students on Friday. I am sure one of them should have the error. Also I was wondering is there any license issues with the demo version. Can we just load it on multiple machines from one CD? Thanks John

Hi I teach a class of 16 college students using Mastercam X. We only have 3 fully functional seat but all students have the demo disk from a textbook. I am getting the following error message after I do a very simple contour toolpath. " (Red X) MCMILL * The parameter is in correct". Also it sometimes will say Mastercam in place of the MCMILL. It also will not list the operation in the toolpaths window. Will also lock up the program and we need to re-boot it. My demo disk works fine. Just wondering if anyone else has came across this error. Very hard to do a class with just 3 networked seats. Also I was wondering if my students are able to use and access this site. Thanks John

Works fine for me on XP!!

Thanks Midwest, I just tried it, although I did not submit the picture, your directions worked great for me. I always wondered how you guys did this. Thanks John

Hi Claude, I am glad to see you got it. As far as chaining goes there are usually more then one way you approach it. As I mentioned you could break the geometry or you could depend on "branch point reached”. I always break the geometry to make sure. I also learned a great deal just by helping you out. I have got a good deal of help on this forum and now I hope I can give a little back. So long for now! John

Claude, These two profiles you are seeing are generated when you construct the coons patch (or any surface for that matter. Try this: Screen/ Surf disp/ Density (input a new value 0-15) then click on all surfs tab and see what happens. Lines are a visual tool mostly (I am sure they serve other purposes). Your preference on display density. Not sure about why they may not look like they interest. They seem to interest to me from what I can see. I am by no means an expert on any surface modeling I just keep trying things until they work and then learn from that. My criteria for select 4 X 1 came from the above link on the coons patch. Look at the three contours the top one is closed, the other two forms a total of 4 different patches with the top one. (4x1 = 4) When you want to select the point of intersection of A-A and B-B hit the mode tab and then select the point tab. You will need to keep re-hitting the point tab for each selection (4 times). When selecting the across contours I use Partial and I start at the same place that I start to chain my top profile. I do not start at the intersection of A-A and B-B, I start along the top edge and chain using partial to the intersection of A-A and B-B. I don’t hit end here I will select the same contour only at a point near the intersection of AA and BB. This will end your selection and then ask for your next contour. I had only drawn this in X and converted into 9, this morning I drew it in V9 to try and see the issues you may be facing. It took me about seven attempts to get it right (not easy to do). One thing is to make sure you are chaining the top profile correctly. There is one short segment where BB intersects with the top profile. You need to make sure you are hitting these correctly and including them in your selection (Direction is key!!!) Keep the arrows going in one direction!!! Keep trying and don’t give up!!! Keep me posted. John

Hi again, I have loaded my file on the FTP site. Folder MC9 Name: Mill Training EX15 See Ya John

Claude, I spent a good deal of time on it and finally did it. Here are what I think are the keys: first you must break your top profile at the four points where A-A and B-B profiles intersect with it (very important). Next you have to input 4 along patches and 1 across patches. It will first ask you to define along contour 1 of row 1 and continue until it gets up to contour 4 of row 1, the geometry you need to select here will be the 4 separate contours you made by breaking the top profile. I used single and partial chaining to select the contours (Direction is key here!!! Watch the arrows!!) Next it will ask to define along contour 1 of row 2 all the way up to contour 4 of row 2, for this all you need to do is select the point( do this 4 times) where profile A-A crosses B-B. Finally it will ask you to define across contour 1 of column 1 all the way up to 1 of column 5, here you need to select the 4 profile created by A-A and B-B be sure to also break these profiles where they intersect!! The last one (5) will be a repeat of your first selection. Again direction in selecting the contours is key!! Pick close to the endpoint and then click close to the other end of contour when using partial. Are you using X or V9? I did it in X and I could e-mail it to you (not sure it would help much!! I need to learn how to do a screen shot on here. I need to do it many times over to get it good, one wrong pick and its over. Good Luck John

In response to your second part of your question I will give it a shot: I believe once you construct the top view profile and also have your other two profiles drawn I think that is all you will need as far as geometry goes. The coons patch will blend and give you your surfaces from these three profiles. Hope I helped you out John

Claude, I drew this contour in both V9 and X and found it so much easier in V9. I assume you are using V9. I first drew a R.5 circle in the upper left hand corner with the center located down from the top corner by .5. Next I constructed another R .5 circle located 1.25 from the right hand side and the center point up .5 from the bottom. Next go to Create/ Arc/ Tangent/ 2 entities. Input an R of 6. and then select the two circles and final pick the arc you need from all possible arcs shown. Next trim it up and you’re done. I guess I need more practice doing this in X. Hope this helps John

That makes sense now! Thanks

Are you using the Mill Training Tutorial V9 from In-House Solutions? I looked at my book and this is the exercise on Multiple Patch Coons Surface. I do not see a section B-B on the drawing on page 15-4. I just wanted to make sure we are looking at the same part. I would like to try and give you some help since I will be instructing my first M/C class this spring. I am sure I will have my hands full with questions like yours. Thanks

I called tech support on this. They mentioned that they have had problems when using this with mill. I found that I needed to do an update on my maintenance code (not sure why it was not up to date). If you are have problems check your date by going to - help- about - and see the listed date. After I updated the code Rast2vec worked fine in mill and router

Yes I even see it under installed products in the help- about - pull down menus!!

Yes I even see it under installed products in the help- about - pull down menus!!

Same problem here with the access code!!!

Thanks

Is the Rast2vec function still available in version X? I checked the V9 to X documentation and could not find anything. Thanks John

I have been getting different feedback on the contour toolpath. I have a basically round part with some bosses and I am using the contour toolpath with z axis step downs. But all I want to know is this 2 1/2 axis machining or 3 axis machining? I believe it is 2 1/2 axis since the z axis steps down with out move the x or y axis. But I know there is a setting where the z axis can move down while the x and y are still moving. Thanks for the help. John

John, I went to the 3-D and solids training in May. I would suggest, as I did, that you bring a lot of questions with you on the material that is un-clear to you. The training was good, but I feel more time needed to be spent on generating toolpaths from a solid. Things like check surfaces and drive surfaces really needed to covered better. Matt is a great instructor and will help you out with anything. Have Fun John G.

Try control panel, Internet options, advanced tab and then Restore Defaults. This worked once for me.

Thanks for the help. The search for revsurf did give me some help. Not sure what revsurf is, but I'm sure I will know at some point (just starting with MC). Billy I may take you up on your offer. I don't want to invest in software until I know what I'm getting into!!! Thanks for the comments John

Looking for some input on using x, y, and z data from a CMM and converting it and utilizing it in Mastercam. We have a Brown and Sharpe Gage 2000R CMM with digitizing capabilities. We wanted to be able use the data for reverse engineering applications. We have a Haas VFO and are starting to use Mastercam. We can capture x, y, z data from it (point cloud data) using HyperTerminal mode in XP. The machines vendor sells software to convert the data into an iges file. I'm told the file is still point data and not a surface. Is an iges file of point data all that Mastercam would need to make surfaces? Any recommendations on other software we should be looking at? Also, any input on different methods of transferring the x, y, and z data into workable surfaces?

I would like to thank everyone for their comments on the Hass posts. Thanks to Steve Biehl his contact led me to Wil Slota at Gig Harbor. He’s the man when it comes to posts for educational purposes. He hooked me up with what I needed. Also, Chris M was correct with his comments, we are taking baby steps here. Just give me some time and I’ll be talking like the other guy’s on this site and maybe actual understand what I’m saying. Thanks John

So can I just use the mphaas post that is contained in the posts for the mills for my lathe? When I'm posting lathe files I never see the mphaas come up when I go to change posts. Thanks John