John, I dont have a pparameter$ section in my post lol... ?

Funny, I have never had this issue and I use MC Lathe daily. I admit I do use ref. points (on Z only) for my approach and retract moves, but there is times that I happen to be speedily doing my work and forget to put one in...still nothing. Not OD/ID...nota. Never had it crash from that. Now if you want to get me started on the G70 thing.........!!! That has caused a few good ones!

Hey all, I have inquired about this before and mostly got it working.... I have a fairly extensive comment block at the begining of each program and I would like MC to take care of all the outputs. As said, most of it works but there is a couple things that I referenced from the Lathe.Set file that dont output. code: "( PROGRAM NAME - ", *sgrpname, ")", e$ pbld, " ", e$ "(DRAWING AND REVISION - ", *sgrpname, " )", e$ "(DATE CREATED - ", date$, " )", e$ "(PART NUMBER - ", *stpgrpname, " )", e$ "(PART DESCRIPTION - ", *sgrpcomm, " )", e$ "(MATERIAL - ", stck_matl$, ", " stck_wdth$, " OD X ", stck_ht$, "LG )", e$ "(PROGRAM FILE - ", sprogname$, sextnc$, " )", e$ "(CYCLE TIME - )", e$ "(SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS - NONE )", e$ "(MASTERCAM FILE - ", smcname$, smcext$, " )", e$ "(PROGRAMMER - RANDY )", e$ "(UPDATED BY - RANDY, ", *smonth, *day$, spaces$ = 0, ", ", [year$ = year$ + 2000],*year$, " )", e$ "(FLOOR TO FLOOR TIME - )", e$ "(PROVEN BY - RANDY )", e$ "(JAW SET NUMBERS - C1: # , C2: # )", e$ pbld, " ", e$ The Drawing & Revision Number & Part Description do not output with the the rest. Everything else outputs properly. I added this up in the strings area near the top of my post. The stpgrpname works since I added this, but the rest still do not. code: sgrpcomm #Group comment sgrpname #Group name stpgrpname #20018 - Toolpath Group Name Anyone have any ideas why this might not be outputting? Thanks!

My primary application for MC; Lathe. Let's see if myself and the other people who like to rant (not mentioning any names) are going to be suprised (really! hoping!!). I look forward to giving it a good test drive!

Terry, I get the same thing with all our ProE stuff that comes down from Engineering. First two things I do are these; Hit Screen, Combine Views - If there are any arcs to move it will move them Highlight all entities/solid and hit Edit, Join Entities. When it does this, usually for me I get a message asking something about joining the gaps from other entities that exist and I always say NO. From here I never have a problem with half arcs or weird lines (although I still have do a trace for lathe purposes). HTH

There are also a couple of solid toolpaths that can be very handy. Not sure if they are available when you dont have it (like Solid Drill)? First shop I was at didnt have it and I have had it at 2 shops since and I see a difference. For lathe, maybe not so much (Mill Turn for sure!), but for milling, totally. As said above, multiple setups, visuals, you can even go as far as creating solid fixturing/pallets around to confirm clearances, which I do occasionally. Useful tool and not very expensive (I know, I am not suppose to talk about it....), but for the couple bucks it is, I would go for it.

Ron, What about people who buy a machine (or machines, we have about 10 with tool setters) and until I came here last year, they had never (NEVER!) been used.... Where does that rate on your take them out back scale? At least they bought them, no?

JK, if I email you an example file can you post it up for me? I cannot post onto the ftp from work :S

So, I am using a 10 deg. tapermill with the following spec's; .125" dia. at the tip 2" flute with .5" dia. finish (and shank). The way the tool is defined in MC is based on the tip and the length. So I define this tool and run the tool path (basically a bore with a 10 deg. lead into another smaller bore). The big bore is 6.725" x 1" lg, and the small bore is 6.135" and whatever length it is with the 10 deg in there. So, I chained originally to the small size bore (6.135") but the big diam. of the tapermill has to blend fairly close to the 6.725" diam, which at the moment cuts about .3 (just eyeballing) off that diam. So, since I know my tool is defined correctly, it must be in how I have chained this. If I chain the large diameter it puts the .125" tip of the tapermill along that edge thus destroying any straight section I once had..... I am confused, apparently. Some advice or help would be wonderful! =] Thanks!

Thank you Ken! But I am still confused because I have an Integrex and I can mill turn, there in my chuck is turning and my milling tool.... I am so confused! What I am doing wrong?!?!?! lol

Nope. Nota. Posted right...but the code is weird with that tool change.

What would cause a tool change while using the same too, and the 'Force Tool Change' is not checked...? I dont get an M01 (or M00), but I get a full home retract as per every end of tool, then it recall's all the info (G43 ect) and repositions and drills...? Any ideas what might be the cause?

Yes, I am programming my beast with Mill Level 1. You and I talked about this priorly and you said you didnt see a reason to upgrade if I could do all the functions needed (although you have M3 and didnt know if that was all included with M1). Ring a bell? Anyways, I will try to give this a bash and see what happens. Thanks Ron

I only have mill level 1 *cry* Any other way to do it?

Hey all, I have, what is to me, an interesting looking drawing. I have a thru bore on a plate, but the thru hole is offset by .25" from each side, so the bores have to blend in to each other (and they want it with a taper blend) Now, what I was wondering since I have never done this before is how I could go about doing this? The first thought I had was a tapered helix bore cycle, but I dont know if that can be done or not (I have never done it). If not, what would someone suggest to do in this case? It seems fairly obvious based on the size of the hole/taper that I am needing to circular interp. it while decreasing the Rad with each pass...but I dunno how. Thanks for any input!

Sweets, Thanks Ron!

Hey all, I am looking to have some text outputs post out with the code generation. Some of the things I want are Machine group name, toolpath group name, nc file name, stock details, and a few others. I have the NC name out (found info on that in an mpmaster) and I can get the basic stock info (it just outputs material type, I would like sizes as well). I know you can output machine name and toolpath name with a check box, but I am looking for the actual callout for this stuff so I can manually place it in my post. I guess I am looking for one of two possible things; a list (if it exists) of all the calls of a similar thing, or if anyone knows where in the full post ref. guide that it exists (if) and they could point me to that. Thanks!

=] Thru some browsing of old posts that have a ton of #'d out stuff this is what I got that seems to do what I want. code: "( PROGRAM NAME - ", stpgrpname, " )", e$ So I gave my toolpath group my drawing number so it comes up as the PROGRAM NAME, the NC Name is the actual save file name that it outputs with and I made the group the drawing number the machine group title for output as a comment field. Good thing I keep all that blotted out old code. Thanks for the input!

Hey Rick, That is what, again by default, controls the output of the file name and program name (program name being the text output to the actual file). What I am looking for is to have the actaul saved file name seperate then the program name. I am looking for a 'hopefully' easy way to be lazy...just makes life simpler for our database.

By default (at least the way I see it) MC's outputs the file name (example; X-003.EIA) the same as the program file name code: ( PROGRAM NAME - X-003.EIA ) How would one go about getting the file name to remain as above but get the program name to output as the toolpath group name? I think there is a callout for this, but not sure what it is. Thanks!

:BUMP:

The alternative is add a multiplier to the variable code: peck1$ = peck1$ * 10000

Hey All, Just curious if, after defining a lathe chuck, is there a way to make it visible on the design screen? The jaws have always shown up, but I would like to get into a little more detail due to space and clearance issues and have the chuck visible. Thanks!

You could hard code it, or make an MI for it, depending on how many programmers you have...? JM2C

Is there a way to set up (or a preset that I dont know about) to get a proper ISO view of the subspindle on a lathe? It's great to work in ISO for the first spindle, but is hard to see the rear spindle without manually turning it. Thanks!