Thank you for all the replies. I'm glad to see there are several ways to handle this. We deal with revisions all the time whether they're our own or our customer's. For this part, what Bob B suggested (the 2nd time)was exactly what I was looking for. First I inserted the RevB model into a new MasterCam file and located it at the same zero as the RevA model. Then went to Operations Manager/Right Click/Job Setup/Import from "RevA" file/Check the "Import Operations with their geometry" box/Highlight all operations/Import/Done. I also did a Delete Duplicate Entities last. I like this because it brings in the needed geometry with the toolpaths and there is no need to reselect the geometry chains, etc. which is the time consuming step for this part. So far I'm dealing with trimming large, plastic parts which means a lot of chaining lines, arcs, etc. Bringing in the RevB model on another level, etc...like Mold100, Peter, and Scott suggested leaves the toolpaths, but the geometry/chains must be selected again before regenerating. Importing the NCI files like Zero suggested seems to be the quick and dirty way to do this. My 9 operations turned into 3 "Merged NCI" operations. Once done, these "merged operations" however, don't appear to be easily tweaked, like changing a tool, feed rate or an entry move e.g. Thanks again for all your help. BTW I'm one of "those" in Engineering that everyone around here would like to whack.

How does everybody handle revisions? If we create toolpath in MasterCam on a solid model (revision A) and then receive a slightly modified solid model (revision from a customer, do we need to re-create all of the toolpath on the new rev. B model? Or is there a way to copy the good, existing toolpath from rev. A to the rev. B Mcam file? In some cases we may be able to add geometry in MasterCam to mimic a revision, but then we are responsible if this geometry does not create the revision correctly. I would feel better using the customer's new model for the revised area, but not have to re-create the toolpath in the unchanged areas if possible. Thanks for your help. We are using Mill 8.1.1 (without the solid modeling option).

How would you Swarf cut this part? (SWARFTEST.MC8 is on the FTP site.) This file represents an area of a molded part that will be trimmed on our Quintax 5-Axis router. The bottom surface will be cut with the side of the tool and the tip needs to be .25" from the outside edge. Once again I can sort of make this work with a Curve 5-Axis. It doesn't look very smooth at the corner, and it takes 3 separate paths to do this. But it gives you an idea of what I'm after. I would like to be able to do this without adding extra geometry and without manually editing the g-code if possible. I learned a lot from my last post, but can't seem to apply it to our actual parts. BTW: We have Mill 8.1.1 and I believe all the current patches, C-hooks are in place. Thanks for your help.

version 8 (5.1.2001) Current milling level: 3 It's Miller Time here. Talk to you next year.

Your toolpath looks fine initially now, but when I Regen Path (without changing a thing) it adds 3 entry/exit moves in the middle of the chain. As to why I did the Regen Path: Originally I tried to add the entry exit moves myself to your first part without success. So I unchecked the entry/exit box, hit Regen Path to get it back to where you had it and discovered the retracts were there again. There are several reasons I may need to Regen anyway: change tool, change depth etc. If the retracts come back, it doesn't help me out on this end. I don't know what you're doing on that end to remove the retracts, etc but please let me know so I can learn the software. I'm not trying to get a "quick fix" so we can trim this part....we don't even have a router yet. Anyway, I took your part, hit Regen Path, saved it as draftblockcadcam2.MC8 and e-mailed it back. Maybe this will help you understand what it is doing. Do I have something set up different than you have? Or are we running different versions of MasterCam? Or do I need a C-Hook? Please keep in mind that I'm open to any other methods of doing this if there is a better way. Thanks for your help. I guess I haven't seen the answer that I'm looking for yet.

cadcam: I opened up your file draftblockcadcam.MC8. This is what I want but with an entry/exit move at each end to ease into and out of the part. BTW: When I first open your file, it backplots just fine. However, without changing a thing, if I hit Regen Path, the retracts are there again. Why would this be? My active Post is set to MPFAN.PST if this makes any difference. Thanks.

cadcam: I'm talking about the backplot only, no G-code. Look at the backplot and you will see in the middle of the chain, the tool retracts out of the part in two places and rotates up ~90deg in one place. This is the Curve 5-Axis toolpath with the settings changed to match your .gif picture. Did you change anything else? Glenn: I haven't had a chance to look at what you did with DraftBlock3.MC8. I'm at work now where I can't get to the FTP site due to a firewall issue that should be resolved soon. When I get home I'll look at what you did. In the meantime, I've been experimenting with the Surface method for tip control assuming the front surface is NOT flat. So far I haven't had any luck. I will probably have more questions later. Thank you

Glenn: Thank you. I now know that the order in selecting the chains is important for controlling the orientation of the holder. I probably over-simplified my example by making the front surface planar, which will not usually be the case for our parts. Anyhow, what you did with my example would work fine, but you still had to add geometry (the offset surface) to set the tool depth. Is there a way to Swarf cut this by selecting the surface itself and one chained edge maybe? It seems to me these two pieces of existing geometry should be enough information to define the toolpath. cadcam: I changed my settings (in the Curve 5-Axis toolpath) like you suggested. All this did was keep the tool from retracting at the end. It still retracts and rotates at some of the arc endpoints in the middle of the chain. Thanks for all of your help so far. I'm not trying to be a pest, just trying to learn the software and understand its limitations. Maybe I can return the favor someday when I get up to speed. Have a great New Year.

OK, this should be cake for most experienced MasterCam users!? I've been working with MasterCam now for a whole 2 months, Mill 8.1.1. We will soon be trimming parts with a 5-Axis Quintax router. I'm still in the learning process and having trouble making a Curve 5-Axis or Swarf 5-Axis path work smoothly with our parts. On the FTP site in the MC8 folder is a simple model that I've created in SolidWorks to give an example of what I am talking about...DraftBlock.MC8. ToolPath Group 1 is a Curve 5-Axis that would work, but the tool retracts or rotates at some arc endpoints. Also an entry/exit move would occur at these same arc endpoints in the middle of the chain. There is only 1 chain in the geometry. ToolPath Group 2 is a Swarf 5-Axis that would work perfectly if the tool/holder were on the other side of the block. ToolPath Group 3 is what I want, but this has to be done in 3 steps with 3 chains. Now for the challange...Can this be done in 1 step with 1 chain without adding geometry in MasterCam or manually changing the Post file? If so, it will make my life a lot easier when creating toolpaths on our more complicated parts. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions. I'm probably making this more difficult than it has to be. Thank you.

Thank you for all the replies to my first post. You've all been very helpful....and entertaining!

Is SWARF an acronym for something?