Gcode- yes I have Verisurf and Cimco HSM. I will un-inst X4 and re-inst without migration and see if that helps...I don't want to dis-able X3 yet... Thankyou for the response!

Installed X4 and when starting up the app, it gives me this: "The procedure entry point ?delete_ent_assoc@@YAXPAU@PAD@Z could not be located in the dynamic link library MCCore.dll" Anybody seen that before? Also, it slowed down the whole system- X3 bench was about 3 min, now its 4m30, and X4 won't even finish the benchmark. System is a Xeon 3370 quad, 4g ram, quadro 3700, vista64. Install was custom, with migration. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks

MotorCity, I have a ssd on my laptop- Intel X25m. It makes a big difference on anything that uses the hd, like the page file...and evidently mcam does that. It also boots really fast (Dead to Vista64 desktop in about 12 sec), mcam starts in about 3 sec.. Calc times for 5axis paths are about 20-40% faster than with a Western digital 10k raid 0.. Benchmark is about 15%faster. It is set up to only have applications on it, and the pagefile. All other data goes on a 500g mechanical drive. I have had it for about 8 mo, no problems. The price has come down to about $300, so I will probably get another one and raid them together.

Kenny where do you find info on setting up a "cluster"? In my case, I would need help, so as avoid setting up a "clusterf**k"...

Neurosis, it uses the plunge feedrate when going between cuts in trochoid clearing- so I usually bump the plunge feed up, since it never actually plunges into anything. This speeds things up a lot if you have bosses or other spots where the cutter has to clear between two features.

Looking at the Volumill website, it appears to me to be very similar to Cimco. The difference I see in the Okuma demo on the home page- In Cimco, whenever its doing trochoid clearing, I can have the return moves at rapid or a higher feedrate. Other than that, it looks like the same algorithm for clearing material. Cimco allows you call out entry-exit rads, or none at all, feed rates between cuts, radial and axial engagements, and everything else in a normal mcam tp param. It also collision checks the tool, shank and holder and works with custom tool shapes. I will try out Volumill and run a comparo on an existing part to see how the toolpaths differ, if at all...

Neurosis, Cimco's software runs inside of mcam as a c-hook, and you can create toolbars for it- you get full function and it posts from mcam justlike any mcam toolpath. They will often extend the trial period if you ask. I haven't tried dynamic pocket in X4 yet, so I don't have direct comparison. I have all of Cimco's toolpath software, and I use it for most 3axis parts, as it produces much smoother high-speed paths, and allows the roughing control you seek. It is such a relief to be able to run a ruf program and never have to touch the speed or feed overrides!... Sorry to dis on mcam in this forum, but a solution to this problem cannot be found in X3..

AFAIK, MC does not have any toolpath that controls engagement the way Surfcam or Cimco does...I bought Cimco's HSM several years ago because I was tired of breaking tools and having to stand there crank the feed knob all the time.. There was a guy on here a while back with a product like that, but I can't remember the name.

Neurosis, I have successfully used HSM for 6-4ti, but it was programmed with Cimco's Adaptive clearing software. Removed 40 lbs of ti with a 3/4 em, .75doc, .03 radial engagement, 400 sfm,, 60 ipm feed. The Cimco sofware allows you to control the engagement exactly, and the cutter lasted 140 mins at this rate. You can try it out for a month for free...Cimcohsm dot com

+1 on doing it with threadmill....

James, hmmm, guess I'll have to put X4 on the ol lappy and try it out- It runs the bench in X3 in 3:20, so if your gain is relative, I should be in the under 1 min range...yeeha giddiyup!

If its a bump-knurl, we always write a "Manual" program for it... this allows the fast entry feed to full depth in one revolution- to engage the knurl and "print" the first revolution so it makes a proper pattern, then feed in z to complete the knurl. Mazatrol just doesn't have good routine for knurling. Good Luck!

James, what did you change besides going to X4?

I don't have a full list, but Camplete supports a lot more machines than those listed. I know most of their base is Fanuc-control machines. For my machine, the model is extremely accurate, as it actually imports the machine parameters from the control..their support is better than any other software I have used, esp for 5x stuff.

Peon, if you are trying to verify a 3-axis mold prog with small stepovers, the Cimco Edit Pro V5 is extremely fast and extremely accurate for surface quality. You do have to configure your tools, but thats not that much trouble. The solid model of your machined surface is very good- I use it for 3x stuff thats 200-300mb and .0002 stepovers- works WAY better than MCX verify, and I do get the same crashes you do. CNC actually gave me a bug number a long time ago...still not fixed. I also have Camplete and just got the V4.5, and it works quite well for 5x on a Hermle. Its big advantage, like James says, is it posts the NCI and verifies the g-code, and simulates the machine movement. It is an invaluable tool for 5x stuff, especially if you are running a part near the axis limits of the machine. However, it is NOT especially fast doing simulations. So if you have 3x stuff- use Cimco, its really good for the little it costs. If you do 5x, then you need Vericut, predator, or Camplete.

I think GR5 is 6al-4v...most cutting tool mfgs have guides for it.

As a shop owner, I agree that you should have experience making parts from prints by hand before you become a "programmer". There are so many situations in machining a part that benefit from having painted yourself into a corner...not to mention the sound and feel of a working cut. I have had people working for me who had little experience on manual machines who did as mentioned- a 1/16" cutter hanging out 6 inches, and said "it looked good on the computer...". There is a lot to said for the practical knowledge that comes from manual experience applied to CNC machining and programming..

Chao, if the customer cannot give you a model of the gear, reverse-engineering it from the master is your best bet. You should be able to just do one tooth, then rotate-copy for however many teeth it has. Then you can generate edge curves around the teeth to get a continuous contour for the chamfer. Or, if you are cutting it on rotary 4th, just do 1 tooth and transform-rotate the toolpath to go all the way around. If its for Gleason, good chance it is a hypoid rear-end gear for a car.

What kind of machine? Is the post set for neg tilt only, or tilt both ways? Also, like Bogus says- if you are using the std mcam swarf, use point generator, or if only the transitions around corners are bad try setting a fine stepover in the "fanning" box to make transitions gradual..

No. Cimco Edit is your friend...

I agree with James and all who think those toolpaths suck- that part should be much cleaner than it is right out of the machine. We make prototypes for one of the major motorcycles mfg, and they want zero hand-finishing done- the part has to look good as-machined.. regarding the inside port finishes, the scallopped bumpy finish is what they want because it flows better than a smooth finish. The small bumps help release the surface boundary layer and speed it up a bit. In fact, lately the porting tools are not spherical, they are hemisphere with a sharp break at "equator" line, so the scallops actually have a sharp edge showing in the opposite direction from flow. This helps mitigate reversion flow coming back out of the port after the valve closes...but the outer cosmetic finish on a part like that should be much nicer... FWIW

The biggest benefit to the full version of Cimco is the solid verify- its nearly 100000 times faster than X3's verify, and does NOT crash.... maybe its 200000 times faster. I lost count. Too bad its only 3 axis...I'm hoping enuf people bug them that they get into 5x verify. Its also very good for editting if you have to change something, like fix a gouge that mcam refuses to eliminate...and you can actually SEE it in Cimco, instead waiting an hour for mcam to crash while verifying... OK, maybe I just don't like mcam's verify.

+1000 on the SSD's...especially for mcam!

We use a lot of Sandvik here, but lately have had success with Sumitomo, and for precision finishing, NTK ground-edge cermets...

Depends a lot how big your toolpath files end up being- I have some 5x stuff that gets in the 200MB range and it brings core-2-duo to its knees, takes hours to calculate and, can't verify at all- but if you don't normally make huge paths, a less expensive laptop that benchmark in the 5-6 min range will get you by. To get into the 3min range on a lappy will be expensive! And, for me, Vista64 has proven to quicker than XP64. I used to make tols and stepovers big on laptop to get through a program, then move it to the desktop and re-calc with the tols and stepovers at final settings. This way yoou can some work done at home on the road with taking hours to calc big paths... FWIW