We are using TRIM 206 here also but the hard water is causing a lot of separation problems. We went to a "tank" style skimmer with a large pump and that keeps it stirred up enough that it minimizes the separation issues.

I used cimatron in the mold industry for 3 years. I didn't like it at first but once I got used to the interface, I have to say I really liked it a lot. The two features I liked the best are the stock recognition and the fact that it was able to recognize where a short tool wouldn't reach and substitute a long tool in it's place. That was some amazing technology and I was surprised how efficient it worked. The only way the cimatron can program 40% faster is if your counting the fact that it takes a little extra effort to figure out where a short tool will reach versus a long tool. the process time is no different. That said when I went to work for a new place that was just opening up, I was in charge of getting a New CNC department started from the ground up. And I chose Mastercam because of an overwhelming price difference.

quote: Another great use for the stl file is to restmill with. Save an stl after verify and restmill to this file. It is in surface roughing toolpaths, but is a great finish tool. It will require some getting used to and tweaking of parameters. +1 Jim, I use it like this more than anything else.

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selecting B selects the Break option and P selects the auto cursor point option. (just like hevymetl said) you can also just select the appropriate icons on the trim ribbon bar.

I remember what I did. I'm not sure if this will help in your situation but it was ok in mine. I exported it out as parasolid file which removed the solid parameters from it and merged it into the second file.

Wow, I am as bad as Lou I know I had that problem and I resolved it on my own but can't remember what caused it. I'm trying to remember what I did.

You can also solid model the table. then extrude bosses to represent the fixtures and stock. then use the solid option and pick the one big solid.

I still havent' figured this out yet. I know it's a windows setting because I loaded Mr1 on a different computer with the same config files and it worked right. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Ok, I've proved to myself that it's a computer setting and not a mastercam thing but I still can't find a setting for it.

quote: I tried using surface contour for "detect flats" and it picked up on the depth and the - sign , which toolpath are you speaking of ? It's not so much-what path your using. It's when the depth is already keyed in the field and you doubleclick to highlight it and change it. ie depth -1.000; I double click it but it only highlights 1.000, not -1.000, it wouldn't be a big deal. except yesterday on stock offset, on the hsm paths the stock offset was already set to -.005 and when I double clicked it to set it to +.010 the "-" sign didn't get highlighted and it actually became "-.010". I caught it before I cut it, but in all honesty I got lucky.

anyone?

In my toolpaths when I doubleclick the depth it will highlight the number that exists but not the minus sign. I got a new computer the same day I loaded MR1 so I'm not sure if it's a computer setting or an MR1 thing.

I ran 3.11 but I thought it came out in 90 or 91 that was definitely dos mode though I remember it all too well.

I never use minimum retract and I always get vertical arcs. I'm using the same settings as dave ferraro. Minimum retract crunched a cutter on me once. I stopped trusting it. (Plus I think our operators will have a longer life expectancy without it.)

John, I tried the 4000 drivers. I couldn't get them to work.

I just got two of them in a box of computer junk at an auction (FLX-3003c) but I can't find drivers for them...not even at the manufacturers website. I guess they are too old. Anybody know how to get them? I used them before at another company and loved them too.

Pete, I use it all the time too. I love it. It works especially well when I have a small part on the screen. I was just wondering if there was a way to make it rotate about a particular point to keep it from swinging my geo off the screen on the big parts.

murlin, does that work for the middle mouse button? I have single and auto cursor turned on but I can't figure out how to make the middle button pick a point?

If you have a single processor in your box. use "task manager" to look at your performance it will look like 2 processors running with hyperthreading turned on. when hypertrheading is turned off it will look like one processor running.

I wish that when I picked middle button for dynamic rotation it would use the cursor location for the rotation point. It seems like it uses some arbitrary point out in space, which usually rotates the geo right off my screen.

Matt, have you tried the X+ setup sheet. those zepths are always accurate for me and I like the format.

coolcat77, I'm not completely sure what your asking. But flipping planes is naturally going to change an x,y, or z axis. that is the whole point. going from top plane to bottom plane it rotates the model just like your flipping a page in a book. In other words it rotates about the Y axis, so naturally your x+ becomes x-. Y remains the same and z+ becomes z- in the front plane your Y axis actually becomes your Z axis. X wouldn't change at all.

better read the aggreement you accepted when you bought and installed mastercam. Ohh and btw welcome to the forum. trying to sell mastercam on your first post, that's not a good sign

the light settings in your shaded setting also control the light settings in verify and you can access them while your in verify mode.