Thanks a lot Bob, that did the trick! Matt.

I know that's one option which will work great for posted programs. I'm also trying to failsafe against us calling a T or P number and pressing ATC FWD.\ Matt.

I had a Chevalier lathe in the past. Conversational control was good. Verification was A+. Also was able to run G code posted from Mastercam. In the end I built a gang tool plate for it and was running some small production parts that could be made with 4 tools. Unfortunately it's the only conversational lathe I've used so I can't really compare to the others out there, but it worked well for me.

Hello all. We've recently added a 5ax trunnion to our VF-3. This combination does not leave a lot of room for tool changes. I'm curious if it's possible with Haas to force it to run a specific program for tool changes. I believe this was an option on Fanuc controls with a parameter change. Looking through the Haas manual I see I can alias M codes that could this, for example call M106 instead of M06 and have it run a program that would position the machine and then call M06. This would work for posted code, however I'd also like it to work for the ATC FWD and ATC REV functions on the control. Anyone have any ideas on this? Thanks, Matt.

Can you probe center position between the angle you have dimensions on and the other angle at the left side of the image? Just like finding the midpoint of two edges, if the angles are the same and since the probe is a ball it should find the center accurately providing your angles are accurate.

Do a threadmill operation in mastercam and when you backplot save the toolpath as geometry. Then export that as a DXF.

Thanks, I'll check out those resources and probably be back with some questions! Matt.

I have libraries setup for standard operations I use, various size taps, reamers, clearance holes, countersunk holes that interpolate the countersink, 3D HSM toolpaths that work well together etc. These are good because the depths are already setup especially for chamfering the top of the hole. I've gotten in the habit when I have a good combination of toolpaths to save them to various operation libraries.

I've been wondering if it would be possible to create a vb script to complete a repetitive task that I perform with Mastercam. Here are the steps I'm looking to perform upon executing the script: 1. open file "template.mcx" 2. open an "import" window to select a SLDPRT file to import 3. Import the SLDPRT File 4. Save the imported SLDPRT file as an MCX file with the same name as the file that was imported. 5. Change the machine group name and the first toolpath group name to match the name of the file Is it possible to do this with a VBScript? If so could someone point me to some resources to read up on these, and possibly hint at some of the commands I might use for these steps? Thanks, Matt. (I posted this in the developer's forum but there haven't been any responses so I thought I'd post here also!).

I've been wondering if it would be possible to create a vb script to complete a repetitive task that I perform with Mastercam. Here are the steps I'm looking to perform upon executing the script: 1. open file "template.mcx" 2. open an "import" window to select a SLDPRT file to import 3. Import the SLDPRT File 4. Save the imported SLDPRT file as an MCX file with the same name as the file that was imported. 5. Change the machine group name and the first toolpath group name to match the name of the file Is it possible to do this with a VBScript? If so could someone point me to some resources to read up on these, and possibly hint at some of the commands I might use for these steps? Thanks, Matt.

I figured it is somewhere in there, however I don't see it. Can you be more specific on where to find it? I can find the drop down to select the keymap file, but not where to set the directory of where it is.

We just got new computers and I've migrated most of my settings. However Mastercam wants to pull the keymap files from the "C:mcamxconfig" directory, while I want to direct it to "d:mcamxconfig". In the Start/Exit tab of the system configuration it allows me to select a full directory for the startup configuration and the toolbars, but only the filename for the kmp file. Any idea how to point it to look for the keymap file in a different directory? Thanks, Matt.

I answered "Other" to question four only because I do use template files and I couldn't finish the survey without answering the question somehow. It would be nice if there was an actual template file, so if i opened a SLDPRT file for example it would import the file with the template settings (tools mainly in my case). Currently I have the template marked as Read-Only, however I have to open the template file, import my SLDPRT file, save-as and change the name. I don't find this too big of a problem, but when I try to teach other people this they look at me funny because it's so many more steps than they did before. They do realize the benefit after doing it a couple of times, but so many steps could be avoided. It would also be nice if it changed the name to the name of the file that you imported. This used to happen way back in V9 but didn't work the same in 'X'.

Is there a defined "template" file, different extension etc that you can have loaded up with mastercam? I just have a file saved with the name template that is read only and set to load up when I start mastercam using the command line options. Matt.

I can't remember if I renamed the test file. I will try it tomorrow. Funny thing I have no problem starting the program, just very rarely seems to finish.

I called Haas tech support. They suggested taking a file that will fit in memory, load it from the USB stick, then send it back to the USB stick and run it. That worked. I did a file compare on my original posted file and the file that the Haas control wrote to my USB stick. There a couple of differences. The first difference is the name of the file. My original is 100.NC, and the one that the control wrote was O00100.NC. This is also the same in the name at the beginning of the file, instead of being O0100 it is O00100. The most notable difference is that every single line in the program that the control wrote to the USB stick has a space at the end of it. I'm doing a test now with another program written from the Haas control to my USB stick. If this works I'd like to post out a program with a space at the end of every line to see if it will DNC to the machine. Any suggestions on a post edit to make this happen? Thanks, Matt.

I received an actual error # this morning. # 430. From the Haas alarm manual: 430 (M) FILE UNEXPECTED END OF INPUT - Ending % sign not found. Check your program. An ASCII EOF code was found in the input data before program receive was complete. This is a decimal code 26. When I open the program on my computer using Mastercam editor I have a '%' sign at the beginning and end of the program. When I view the program on the Haas control it doesn't have the '%' sign, nor does any program that is in the Haas memory. I'll try the number that MCM posted above. If anyone has other suggestions I'd be happy to hear them. Thanks, Matt.

No sub programs. I've tried Iowajim's solution before, but I gave it another shot and seemed it worked for one small program. I'll see how it goes over the next day or so, I have a couple larger programs to run tomorrow. Matt.

It happens somewhere in the program. It probably depends on how large the program is as to when it happens. I'm thinking it happens once it's finished reading to the end of the program and it doesn't find the EOF marker. I know RS232 is an option, but since the machine has the USB port I'd really like to try and investigate getting it to work for this.

We have a Haas VF-3 here with the USB option. We use the USB stick to transfer programs to the machine. Recently I've had some programs that are too big to run in the Haas memory and have tried to DNC from the USB stick. I always seem to get an error, "EOF Found". When this happens the machine stops where it is with the spindle running until I press Reset. If I press the "Alarm" button to get more information on this error it says that it could not find the EOF marker, I'm assuming it's looking for the "%" sign. This is in my NC file on the USB stick but these never show up on any files I transfer to the Haas memory, or when I check the program on the USB stick from the control. Has anyone ever experienced this issue, and/or have a solution that might allow me to DNC larger programs to this machine? Thanks, Matt.

I have an outer boundary chained, and 5 other chains within the boundary which I don't want it to cut. It will pick a place inside the outer boundary and ramp down, clear out a bit of material (never violating the other 5 chains), then start from outside the outer boundary and take width passes from the outside in. It recognizes the outer boundary, and never mills inside the other 5 boundaries I have selected, it's just this inital ramping inside that I'd like to get away from.

Using X3, I'm trying to do a 2D high speed core mill toolpath. Everything works fine except the first cut is a ramping entry into the material from Z0 down to Z-.472. I'd like to eliminate this starting point and have it only side mill from outside of my defined boundary. Any ideas how I can accomplish this?

Where can I find the EULA that popped up when I installed Mastercam?

Another way - Save the file with your proven operations, tools etc, as a different filename. Delete all the geometry in the file. Import your new geometry, reselect your chains and drill points and away you go. As Jim says when you import operations some settings can get changed. Doing it this way ensures nothing changes.

Try and get a demo on a Niagara Stabilizer or Hanita Varimill. Most sales guys will test a tool for you. See what kind of tool life you get from them compared to your standard coated end mill. I thought at one time they were too expensive, but after using them on small production runs the time and tool life savings were more than enough to justify the cost of the tool. On day to day stuff a 1/2" variable helix carbide end mill will last a month here (I do prototype stuff only). In the past on production parts, I've remove 3/4x2 1/4 x 2 1/4" of material from 40 blocks and showed little signs of wear on a Niagara Stabilizer in 4140 Annealed material.