This is a can of worms subject, as far as tool axis control, especially without seeing the part To answer the initial question, though: Think of "Max Angle Step" as "Point Generators" from the flowline/port toolpath and you'll have the right idea. AFTER a toolpath is generated (For all practical discussion purposes), Max Angle Step goes back and breaks a tilting vector into smaller tilting vectors, i.e.: Say you have a movement that needs to tilt 5*, AFTER Mcam has already calculated this move, it then divides it into smaller angle steps to feed the machine, chopping it into 1* moves instead of 5*. This generally will cause your machine to move smoother, depending on the control and their multiaxis vector handling. I know our controls like to be fed smaller angle steps, so most of the time we stick @ .5 or .25 in this field. It's great because you can use a courser surface tolerance and still get a lot of angular step vectors when needed, making the calculation time a lot less. Note that this WILL NOT help you if your surface is ugly/rough. This will just make the ugly/rough surface finer, not prettier. Smooth Surface Normals is an attempt to smooth out rough/ugly surface normals from interfering with your toolpath. Before you can understand why this works, let's take a really basic, three sentence background on how an advanced multiaxis toolpath is generated on a surface: Based on your surface tolerance, specified step over and along, the surface is broken into a stl file (a triangulated mesh file), the finer your settings, the smaller the triangles. Each one of these is an independent surface, with its own surface normal (the vector perpendicular to the surface). The toolpath is simply chaining together a movement across these surfaces, and the surface normal is used to determine how the tool should contact that triangle, your tool control is then used to figure out the tilt. Now you can see how having a bunch of little triangulated surfaces with their own surface normals can cause problems if the normals don't each point in a smooth motion, you'll have one vector wanting + motion, then - and then +, which is what causes your machine & toolpath to go rough over a seemingly smooth surface. This is an attempt to smooth that out. Much like any global smoothing setting, I've had limited success with this filter..

Gramby - Are you sure the error is in that it has spaces or that permission is denied reading from c:\users\<username>? You may want to try running your script as an administrator once, right click on it and choose "run as administrator" and that might cure your woes. Of the list above, your third one would be the correct format, I believe. Edit: What version of windows are we talking about here? XP, XP64, 7, 7 64-bit, etc? It looks like XP from your paths...

Hmm.. I just tried turning that off, saving a new file, and looking at it with "Open," and it only had the X5 icon. I then turned it back on, saved the file again and it had the bitmap when I looked at it with Open. What happens if you choose "Preview" up in the upper-right while in the Open command, then click on one of the files? Does it preview or just have the big X5 logo?

And remember, if they're not all touching the line you're breaking to, change to 2d mode and it'll work.

David, Check your config under Settings > Configuration > Files, look for the check box labeled "Include bitmap in file when saving." That should do it.

Randle - Another satisified 7 user.. I've been using the Betas for 3-6 months now (I'm still using RC1) 64Bit, no problems with X4 MU1, X3 or CAD programs like Inventor. I'll be going full release 7 when the RC expires... I haven't had any problems, and I can't be arsed to do a OS reinstall when there's no reason.

Just out of curosrity, can you replace the new Cimco with the old one? I don't know that this would work, so backup first, but if you have the old version of X, and the new X3, the cimco editors should be located in c:mcamxcommoneditorscimco Try to copy the contents of the cimco folder from old to new? Again, I don't know if this will break anything so try at your own risk As an aside, if you ever want windows to open an NC or whatever file with the editors, double click on the file, and when it pops up with the "Open with" dialog, hit "Browse" and browse to the path above and choose your editor. Hit "OK" then "always open this file type with this program."

Rakesh - NORMALLY (note, this may not apply to your machine), the only switch required for a swing arm ATC is the arm itself needs to be changed. The pullstuds should be interchangeable between CAT40 and BT40.

I have also read Karlos' Book... I wish I had it when I started playing with 5 axis machines!

I use Cobian Backup (freeware: http://www.educ.umu.se/~cobian/cobianbackup.htm ). It's nice and unobtrusive and will compress to regular zip files so I can selectively pull one file out without needing cobian (in case of emergencies).

You can use the defaults file to your advantage in the Adv. Multiaxis, just like anything else: on the Toolpath Parameters tab, right click anywhere in the grey background area (by the misc. values, planes, etc), and choose "Save Parameters To Defaults File." Of course, you'll want to do this on a path that you already set everything up for. It will default to these settings now for every toolpath you do, even after your mastercam session ends. Cheers!

Mastercam just got back to me with Daved's answer.. Remember that you have to go back into toolbar states and re-save the toolbar state, or else the problem will come back when you restart mastercam! Cheers!

I do it the same way Nils N does it when in MCAM world.. I use the controls' backplot with time estimate on the machine side...

I've had this issue as well since I upgraded to X2MR2... I sent an email to QC about it as well.

I always have this concern with my guys in the field. Everyone who has one of our 5 axis systems has Mastercam along with it, so I have to have an update for them that works smoothly. Here's what I do: Set up a folder on your desktop (or elsewhere) with a bunch of subfolders: Config, cnc_machines, router or mill. Inside of router(mill), create the following directories: posts, tools (if you have custom tool profiles/library). Copy mcamx.config (mastercam "preferences") and mastercam.mtb (keyboard layout) from the c:mcamxconfig directory into the config directory you made ealier Machine Definitions (in my case, Centroid 5 Axis.control and .rmd) go from c:mcamxcnc_machines to the new cnc_machines post files get copied from c:mcamxrouterposts to the routerposts folder tool library is normally (by default) ROUTER_INCH.TOOLS in c:mcamxroutertools so that goes into the routertools along with any custom tool profiles (.mcx). The trick is that the configuration will only work right if mastercam is installed to the same path, so to avoid confusion, I have them uninstall all old versions first. All they have to do after that is just unzip the backup folder into the mastercam folder, and it puts in all of the settings and all that without worrying about whether files are missing and whatnot. Hope this rambling isn't too confusing

Don't forget that you can add the "Toggle Translucency" button to your toolbar, too. Right click in the grey area somewhere, choose "Customize Toolbar" look for the category "Shading" under the pull down and drag the "Shading Translucency Toggle" onto your bar.. I use this toggle all the time.

Here's what I have on our Centroid forum in response to this question: Step 1: Draw the tool profile to scale size. The profile will be revolved around the central axis, so only one side needs drawn. Use create> arcs >Circle Center Point for the ball. Use Create Line Endpoints for the rest of the profile. Remember to use the length and angle on yellow ribbon bar to get precise numbers. Use Trim/Break to clean up the ball I like to create a center line just so I know where the central axis is (the dashed line down the center) Step 2: Scale the cutter so that the cutter radius (at the ball) is 1.0". Use Xform > Scale to scale the profile. Leave it on factor, and take the desired result (1.0") divided by current radius (.25 for my example. 1/.25) = 4 Step 3: Save file to the default tool directory, normally c:Mcamxmilltools, but this may vary depending on your specific install. Step 4: Choose the new profile when setting up your tool profile. If you get lost, try looking at one of the existing tool profiles by just opening it with Mastercam out of the c:mcamxmilltools directory.

You shouldn't have a problem, is my guess (not that I REALLY know), but the way that thin-clients work is that they load an operating system over the network onto your computer, so when crunching something (a toolpath), it's using the local processor/ram to generate it.. Your software running on the computer won't really know that it's saving over a network, it'll treat it as local the whole time, so you shouldn't even run into any problems there. Cheers!

Thad, thanks for the tip! I'll try this tomorrow and let everyone know if it works!

Matt - check your email, I'm not sure if it would be appropriate to list all of my customers who can do SBC stuff on the website.. I will say this, take a look at TS Tom up above, though E. - You weren't the guy I talked to a bit at PRI about this stuff, were you? I met someone at the Mastercam booth that was setting up their own 5 axis stuffs, and helped get them on the right path, but I haven't heard from them since, and I was wondering how they made out... Either way, one thing that you need to know for containment: The containment in mastercam is done by creating a spline for the tool to rotate around as it moves through the port while cutting. Basically, you make a manual spline that is sitting outside of the port. When the toolpath (flowline 5 axis or Advanced Multiaxis) is generating the path, it starts at the opening of the surface, and the top of the spline. As it moves down the spline, it uses the next "step" of the spline to figure out the point to rotate about. That's called the "Tool Axis Control Chain" in the flowline geometry selection box. You're definately jumping into a big project! Good luck with it! Remember that the software is only half of the battle, your hardware and control have to be up to snuff.. Make sure you have a good post, or at least a good generic post to start with, or half of your frustration at something not moving right will be the posts fault, or the machines' fault, and not Mastercam's! I can tell you that most people who have "gone at it alone" will spend about 5 to 6 months making everything work properly before they get their first saleable part off of the machine. This is assuming that it's a custom or one-off machine, has to have a post written/tweaked, software learned, surfaces and digitizing figured out, etc. Obviously, this can be cut down a lot if you have a good vendor who knows five axis working with you, or a 5 axis fixture and control that already works well with the post, etc... That's why when we were designing our program, it was really important to us to have the customer be able to just hit a button and make parts by the end of two weeks of training. Everything I designed my teaching around is based on this goal, that even if the person has some problems picking up something, or their next head is a real bugger, they still have one head program done that at any point can be loaded up and cut to make some money If you want to, give me a call sometime or shoot me an email. I may be able to lend a bit of guidance here and there. Good luck, it's a long road, but a heck of a lotta fun! Cheers! ~Aaron

Hello all, I'm hoping this is quick and easy! I use the Create Offset Surface command a lot, and since X2 came out, I haven't been able to change the default amount that the command offsets the surface by, it's always set to 1". It doesn't matter if you use the command, exit, and come back in, it will be back at 1". The biggest pain about this is that it's a complex surface, so it will take up to five minutes to offset if I don't turn off shaded view first. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Katech - Sorry I missed your thread! I'm the guy who teaches cylinder head porting to our customers who buy our 5-axis solution (the one @ www.centroidcnc.com). I don't know what Tom said to you, but whatever it was, take it as gospel Tom is a user of our system, probably one of the most successful with it too, he's actually been in the game longer than we have! I can't really post any files, as everything I work on is a customers', and we have NDAs for EVERYTHING. Unfortunately, the whole concept is rather large to get around, especially online. I teach it as a two week class to our guys, which is really just enough to get a head or two digitized and cut. What stage of the process are you at? Do you have the files digitized or do you have a surface file? Is your machine set up and functional, etc? Advice is going to be rather different at the beginning of the process than at the end. If you have a specific question, though, please post that. The whole process would take a LONG time to type out, and I'm not sure how Centroid would feel about me posting it all for free Feel free to shoot me an email at the address below, maybe I can elaborate on a specific issue you're having, or at least help point you in the right direction. Hope this helps! ~Aaron

I'm running across this too.. It's in the new version... Here's what I'm doing to work around it: Note: This only happens if "Copy source Geometry and toolpaths" are checked. Of course, if you don't copy and modify them, then all hell breaks loose with the directions things will cut and travel.. The first time you try a mirror command, it will fail, saying something along the lines of "zero operations selected." It will still make the failed toolpath, though, just waiting to be regenerated. if you regenerate, you will cause mastercam to crash. So Delete the toolpath. Next, do the same exact mirror command, set everything the same, copy source geometry and ops, whatever. This time, it will work, it will start creating the mirror toolpath, but will take for bloody ever and a day. That's because it actually created two copies of your geometry. Two surfaces (or solids), two tool control splines (or boundry control splines), etc. Cancel the toolpath generation by hitting ESC key. Now, click once on the geometry (once on surface, one on tool control spline for me), and delete it. It will complain that this is used in a toolpath, but just hit OK. Now regenerate the toolpath, and see what happens, it should work, with all of the normal annoyances of having to reverse the direction from conventional back to climb, the step direction of the cut, etc. At least, we always have to do that with our 5 axis toolpaths. I've already talked about it to Jamie at Tech Support today, so I'm sending him a sample file. Hopefully they can find something quickly, cause it's rather annoying. Cheers!

D'oh! Thanks for pointing that out... I meant to say "Colin's" config settings, not Gcode's

One thing you can do (what I do) is to just select it, hit delete, and then hit "CTRL+Z", or the undo button. Although, I just implemented GCodes' config settings, so I'll see how that goes