quote: the first answer they get is to reinstall the software or MD etc.Reloading your machine definition only takes a second or two. If someone sends me a file I need to finish up some work on, the mach def. will not be correct with what I have on my pc. Or it could just be an older file that you worked on that had a different MD. So I pick my machine def. and continue my job. That is to be expected. Otherwise it can be like using your motorcycle key to start your vette.

double-post

Welcome to the forum! Check out surface finish/Finish Leftover Toolpath. You can define it from the previous operation or a tool diameter with radius that was used to finish or rough. You can have it overlap into the previous cut area or you can cheat by telling mastercam the previous cutter was a .385 dia. when it actually was a .375 dia. cutter.

Stephanie, If I understand your post correctly, I believe your having that problem because your lines cross? If that's the situation trim at least one back the way it was so they don't crisscross and use the lead in/lead out tab in the contour parameters.

Shawn, If you do what Marting stated you'll proabably need to extend the surfaces so they go high enough. For the toolpath just extend them way higher than you need and then trim to a plane say about .010 higher than the pocket or .003 higher than you need. For the lower Z height of the surfaces trim them to the orginal Z depth. You offset the surfaces that where on an angle so they offset on an angle. That's why you would need to extend the surfaces and also retrim them to a plane. Or you could do as Rickster stated as it's the easier way. Just double check your .062 gap afterwards to make sure it's the way you want it to be.

hey Tim, quote: Is this how you guys do it?Not me. I need to send the file to the person burning the steel so they can easily make their X, Y shifts. I guess everyone will do this different. It's nice when all the electrodes are in the same file, but I don't send them any files with toolpaths. This way I can can alter my geometry when I need to for the tpaths without making things too confusing when burning the steel. I have a toolpath file for ea. Electrode and the top center of ea. trode is Origin (we only have 3 axis). I have started using WCS when I need to toolpath the sides with the electrode laying on its side horizontally and I like it so far. I think having 20 to 30 WCS in one file would be a bit much, but that's just my opinion.

David are you rotating the STL after opening it? If you are don't. Try just transform/rotate then STL then save it as a new name. See if that helps. Then verify using that new STL.

I would just extend the surface. If it's a trimmed surface, then extend trimmed surf. You probably only need to to extend it .015 - .02 In backplot slide the radio button and watch the movement in the front view to see it bypass to rid of the cusp.

hijack Hey boneheaded, we are neighbors.

You can watch the path in Cimco and slow her down or speed it up. May not be the verify your looking for but it's a good way to check.

See if its in here.... Clck on groups on your lower right screen in the menu bar. Then (not sure on this one as its been awhile) undo subgroup. I believe it in there. You'll also need to change your default settings if that's the problem.

The picture made it clearer for me. Thank you for taking the time to being so specific.

hooker= a pertruding area with recessed surface below? Trode = electrode Set your depth to .0000 Incremental the multi passes option is there in the parameters.

I finially got the arc to go the wrong as Thad did. It makes a difference what side of the line you click on (left vs right)

Great 1st post Coyote. quote: I don't know of a way to do it without trimming"Both ways work great guys. Coyotes way trims it as it's being made.

If you can change it to as I wanted can't it be changed to where ever you want it? I understand you want it hardwired into the post but I believe you can accomplish the task by changing some settings. Good luck anyways!

I'm pretty sure you can accomplish that task by changing your ref. point similar to this... Linky You can change to any where you want this way it seems. It's one way anyways.

If you can open that in Vellum and then draw it out as splines but it is tedious. How about pro-e to draw it out?

[ 04-07-2008, 08:34 AM: Message edited by: edmBosto ]

Winnie, Your stating even if the normals are facing the right way the start top will be the same after your suggestion? Never tried that

quote: the problem is that some of the walls are cutting top to bottom and others are cutting in a circle motionThe reason for this is the way the surfaces were constructed. If all the surfaces were made exactly the same way you would see the paths consistant at ea. hole. When constructing the surfaces start your chains at the same place on ea. hole. I use flowline most of the time for drafting my surfaces and I try to make the chaining of the surfaces consistant. There has been talk of this before on the forum and that's how I learned of it.

Del, does it stop telling you it is the wrong version if you reload your machine definition from the toolpath manager files?

I believe your stating mastercam is not opened when you click on your file. Are you locating the file on your pc then selecting the file and opening mastercam that way?

Telsa quote: Is there a way to set the orientation of how imported IGES files enter MAstercam? I use ProE and save the files as IGES for importing to Mastercam.When in proe and you make your copy as an IGES select the co-ordinate ststem you want to export it as. If the co-ordinate system you want is created you select the arrow aside the word default and you can pick it from there or from your tree.

Ok