buy metcut . it does a better job . it works with the limitations of your machine. and it works with what ever version of mastercam you have my personal opion might even be cheaper [This message has been edited by gmenzies (edited 01-13-2001).]

a floating tool bar that is customizable or the ability to wrap the tool bars around the screen. i know this has been asked before, but no harm in asking again.

metacut and metaview are two differant programs. view is about $350. cut is about $2000. its a optimization program we do our cutter comp in computer. when we need cutter comp for fitting we set to both and adjust diameter offset in incremental :ie -.002 will cut .001 per side

we use metacut and meta view and a fadal. if you are using metacut. then most of your code should be liner moves and then filtered through metacut for arcfiltering. if you are using metaview. i would assume you are doing 3d machining. if you are machining a surface , then it could be a cut tolerance issue. try increasing the default tolerance from .001" to .0001" also the fadal we use , on a yz or xz arc the g18 or g19 must be in place . this tells the control what plane to cut the arc.

I have had trouble with this . if the spline is a edge of a surface (hole) that I have used create curve /edge . it works . but if the spline is 3d or moves with a combination of various arcs it fails. if I use modify/break/spline to arc . I get little line segments. the helps are note clear on examples in getting the results I need. eg: I did a shape of several arcs that were tangent and projected them onto a shaft. this was done in solidworks . when I imported the geometry into mastercam (iges) and unwrapped the 3d splines . for 4 axis work . I was hoping to convert to arcs . instead I got only nurb splines and a lot of code for machining. the spline shape that was unwrapped . was one continuous spline. any suggestions ?

a week ago i posted a question on how to do 4 axis . inhouse told me of a new book that was going to the printers on this subject. and would be avalable shortly. any word on it's progress ? thanks

sometimes surface normals effect how the toolpath runs. you can modify dynamically or if you are working on say the top plane. use modify,normals/set all surfaces. this is more apparent when trying to machine vertical surface walls. and the tool keeps jumping to the other side. also you can gain different results with 3d collapse.

How old are you? i hit fourty and everthing started to go down hill. not only do i need glasses. but a nice comfortable chair . two cups of coffee in the morning and a heater under my desk . we have no florecent lights in the cad room. just track lighting that is directional. i bet colors are not as sharp as they used to be either. regards

we are exploring a 4 axis job. having never done one. I find it confusing. the helps in mastercam 7 have no example that I can find. there are no examples in the reference manual. I have seen some at a friends shop. several approaches. 2d that is wrapped around a cylinder and 3d surfaces that are programmed around a axis.rulled surfaces that are wrapped. the programs are work we could not handle and farmed out . could some one give me a direction on how to approach 4 axis ? or if the file is not to big. send me a mc7 file with a simple example. also how do you take flat geometry and wrap it around a cylinder. thanks using version 7.2c level 3

Mr product development guy cool name . it would be nice to have floating tool bars. or the ability to wrap around my screen with icons. then we could have a main menu button always visible. or stack the top tool bar in rows. or have the option of rows that can be added to. more buttons please. regards

in version 6 . i would draw the tool (special profiling) red for insert , yellow for holder . hit nc utilities, define tools,scan. and then save to my library. now we have version 8 . i cannot seam to figure this new system out . i can call up a tool and hit draw and look at it. but if i want to edit the geometry to a specific custom tool. how do i get it to stay on the screen ? or how do i get it up on the screen from directory. if i look under mc8/tools the library is there , but no geometry . any help or direction will be appreciated.

thanks dave tried flow line . its the entry exit thats the problem. in lathe we rapid to a point first then go to the bore . would this be a approch that is safe in mill ?

i had a job the other day. it involved a 2d profile the revolved around a axis . i used old tool paths 2d sweep. took a bit of figuring out , but finally got to work. the problems arise with lead in and out. a very good but dangourous tool path. the part was a pully shape for a bottle mold. can some suggest another approach to machining a contour with under cuts. using mill 7.2c level 3

ak762 i did get support from mastercam. what we discouver was a surface normal issue. when i set my normals . the vertical walls pointed out. after dynamically selecting them .and reversing to the proper orienation . the tool path worked fine. we also increased the gap settings to 400%. i have all the latest patches. regards [This message has been edited by gmenzies (edited 08-04-2000).]

if i pick multiple surfaces . with one surface being vertical . and use contour finish. mastercam has difficulty maching that surface with out jumping up and down. if i pick the one vertical surface . mastercam will only machine it , if i use (edge settings) roll tool over all surfaces. and then it works. but when i select the rest of the surfaces, mastercam jumps around. any suggestions level 3--- 7.2c

yup . so biulding extra surfaces that contain the slot is the correct answer ? and using a boundary does not always work like a 2d pocket. and after looking at the dialouge boxes in mastercam (rough pocket). prompt for tool center boundary is very clear and the check surfaces is blanked out. does level 8 fix these types of problems ?

i gouge a part the other day. the area i was machining was a slot, inside a cavity . with many surfaces surounding it. i biult a boundary and machined the slot. it has two drafted surfaces open to the cavity on both ends. thinking the tool should be contained inside the boundary. it seammed okay. i did select all surfaces . i ran through metaview verification and it machined the surfaces perfectly. but it hit the side walls of my cavity. after re-examining the tool path in mastercam backplot. the toolpath actually went to the center of the tool along the boundary . and not the OD of the tool. 1) should i have used check surfaces ? 2) should i have biult containment walls to prevent the tool from leaving the slot ? 3) should i have use another package (just a joke dave) using level 3 ( 7.2c)