I've had the same problem, it seems if you turn on tip comp and set it before selecting the tool, it works without crashing.

Never a problem here thru all the X series releases. I just played around on several of my files and could not recreate the problem. Maybe something other than the software?

We use Pro-E here, and I agree that it is very good design software, however we use MC for programming, because after trying Proman and Gibbs it blew them away. My previous employer just got rid of Proman after using it for 8 years and still had problems getting consistent results from their posts, even after having several "consultants" come in to solve all of their problems. A MC demo may help open some eyes. It really did here.

I use carbide 1/2 round 60 deg. cutters most of the time. If we need to fill the engraving with paintsticks, I use a 1/64 dia. ball end mill apx. .006-.007 deep so the paint stays in when you wipe the surface.

Another place with quite a bit of used machinery is K.D. Capital in Scottsdale, AZ. They are currently showing 66 CNC lathes in inventory.

http://www.kdcapital.com/

We have both Pro-E and Mcx2 with the ProE converter. Our engineers like ProE for design, but after a trial of Complete Machinist, Gibbs, and Mastercam, we decided Mcam was by far the easiest to use for both the CAM side and our R&D models the engineers don't have time for. When I worked for Parker Hannifin, they went to ProE in early '99, and were still having post problems when I left in mid '00. I called a programmer over there when we were doing our comparison to ask how they liked it after 3 years, and was told they would flush it if they didn't have so much money tied up in it.

We evaluated it alongside Mastercam, and there was no comparison. I agree that the toolpaths were ok, but everything else was way overdone. The reseller was out one day to show me how to get started, and it seemed like every other statement he made was "and when this goes wrong, you do this to fix it." When I explained that I was going to try to avoid doing it wrong the first time and just wanted to see the right way, it became very apparent that Mastercam was the superior software. There is a world of difference in the two.

Will do! Thanks!

Thanks Hardmill! The file is on it's way!

Has anyone out there opened a Pro-E file with X2 yet? When I open the files, they come in with what look like construction planes all over the place. When you shade the model as a solid, the part shows up as it should, but Mastercam appears to think all of these planes are part of the wireframe. I have opened these files in X MR2 without the extra planes, so I don't know why they have suddenly appeared. My reseller is looking into it, but I thought some input from this board may help.