So, it gots me the wondering last night, would it be possible to output a literal size of a feature instead of outputting Gcode? Persay, I have a hole that I analyze and it is 5.5" diameter. Is there a way, thru a tool path (some callout I am not currently aware of) that I could have it post a comment line (or similar) to say 'FINISHING 5.5 HOLE" or somethign of that sort? And have the "5.5" change based upon whatever hole I am cutting?

Bump I am interested in this thread because I can see a big use for this on my mill/turn machine. I have a lot of parts that have weird clearance angles. I see the potential in how much work it can create, but at the same time the final product could be great! So to repeat the question; Is it possible to make a Mill Tool Holder Library (.holders) stick? I have a feeling this little addition in X4 is in its infancy, but there is great promise here...

If you are that confident in your tooling and this is a 'forever' thing, then you may consider going into your post and changing the M03 and M04 around. Then instead of it posting M03 it will give you M04. Just be very careful that this is what you need for all toolds and want to have happen...

Rob, I wasnt pointing fingers. So its no biggie. And thank you for the thot. It is a fair bit of steps to do but might be worth looking into for the smaller machines. For my integrex with two spindles it might be tuff cause it would drag my solid chuck and stock to the sub... might make for something funny looking. But anyways, thanks for the thots

Wow. :S It was totally not my intention when I started this thread to cause a rukkus. Although I am sure the pictures are great, and may even give me an idea of how to approach this (Ron, can you provide a link to your other thread? Dont think I read that one...), sadly I cannot view images posted here from work. I will check when I get home. I do appreciate all the feedback tho. But it is the case, from my perspective, that I am an experienced programmer, setup & machine operator (much as I hate that word) and if someone were to ask why that big blue ring were there as opposed to a nicely modeled (as defined) 3 jaw chuck, I would have to say I dont know. Spinning? I can see that, but from where I stand, with a shop that is gearing its way out of the traditional 2 axis lathes and into mill/turn machines (or lathes with live tooling) something like this blue ring then becomes an obstacle. Maybe there is something more that can be done. A compromise of sorts. Lathe work, keep the big blue ring to 'simulate' spinning of the chuck, and moving into mill work (c axis or similar) have redefine to a stationary chuck. If backplot can do C axis contouring and show the chuck moving and the tool positioning, why would it not be possible, in future, to have verify do something similar? Thank you again for all the responses!

Ok, it would seem that asking a question without a fair amount of backround didnt do it. ;s I am working to modify my Integrex post that (still) doesnt work properly. I would tend to suspect that yours doesnt either, Ron, unless you have done some secret updating and not told me. I am not bashing InHouse, but I have been up and down this problem a long time ago with them and I am tired of dealing with it. So, when I transfer my work to the subspindle in the machine I require a G68 (plane rotation/shift) to get the milling tools oriented properly. Currently, it doesnt output the G68, and as such causes all my X, Z & R's to come out wrong. The X comes out positivie, the Z positive and the R negative, and my start point Z negative. Thus burrying my millhead into the chuck. With that, I can hardcode the post to give me the G68 on all mill tools, if I need to do it that way, which I dont. But then I still need to have the post change all these wrong values to be correct. Inorrect Code code: G90 G43 P1 X4.625 Y0. Z-2. G98 G81 Z.35 R-.01 F25. M310 U67.5 U112.5 U157.5 U202.5 U247.5 U292.5 U337.5 G80 Z-2. Incorrect Code code: G68 X0. Y0. Z0. I0. J1. K0. R180. G90 G43 P1 X-4.625 Y0. Z2. G98 G81 Z-.35 R.01 F25. M310 U67.5 U112.5 U157.5 U202.5 U247.5 U292.5 U337.5 G80 Z2. G69

Is there any 'easy' way to get X, Z & R to output opposite of regular? Looking to do this; Currently: G81 X1. Y1. Z-4.5 R.25 F30. Want to see: G81 X-1. Y1. Z4.5 R-.25 F30.

Lol Kinda figued /sigh to lathe

Since most normal people use a 3 (or 4) jaw chuck and not the big chunky solid blue ring as Mastercam Lathe displays...and since I am getting numerous crash errors with said blue ring (since I am programming a mill/turn) when I am 'cutting/verifying' between jaws, I Want to fix this. Any possibilites? Aside from making solid stock with a chuck attached?

Huh. Musta been a late night/long day thing. I cam in this morning, fired everything up, gave it a go again and it worked fine. Jumped the gun? Prolly. My bad. Thanks for the help(s) tho

I did run thru those checks already and the chains all look ok. No overlaps, no breaks all sizes of mating lines/rads match up... Might have to have a sleep on it and toss it and try again in the morning...been a long day and I dont want to get pi$$y over something so simple this late. lol Tks for the thots =]

Toying with the grooving in X4 lathe and having some major issues that I never had in previous versions. Basically I have an OD O-ring groove that I have added outside corner rads to. Previous to now, all I would do is select 'Groove/Chain' pick the first rad on the OD, pick the second rad on the OD (thus chaining the whole groove), 'OK' and select how to cut it from within. Now I do the same thing and it missed the rad on the right hand side of my groove and for the life me I cannot get it to cut that rad! Any thots? Tks!

Excellent! Thanks Gentlemen!

Hey all, Wondering how I can take a proven mastercam files Operations (only, no geom) and copy that to another file entirely? Tks!

William, that may get you the solution for the line numbers, which is great! But I have my doubts that it removes the crash problem with the G70's...where the X diamater starts at the smallest (od) or biggest (id) diameter, calls the G70 and then theoretically would rapid thru the part. If you can get that straigtened out, you will be an emastercam Guru!

If I am not mistaken, nearly all MPLFAN based posts, including my very expensive Integrex post suffer from this. IMO, this is a huge detrement to Mastercam and I know I am not alone in saying that CNC should address this, since it has existed since at least version 9 (when I started using MC). I dont want to rant, but getting bigger and brighter software is great but if the post issues that seem to be from 10+ years ago never get addressed, what is the point? JM2C

Ya, my IT people are 'having trouble' with the X3 MU1 install, and flat out refuse to install X4 until it's offically released in Canada /sigh Hopefully we will have MU1 on tomorrow tho. Tks John

Anyone here have any problems with everything (all geom, all levels) dissappearing at random? I have found its usually related to my scrolling in and out with the mouse. The only way I have found to get it all back is to just hit Save, exit and reload. Everything seems fine then until it does it next. Any thoughts?

Rob, I piddled around with it to no avail. I reset it back to spin instead just to see, and it seems like its not related to the setting within MCX, but more just how the mouse it being controlled. Any other ideas?

In X3 I am working on a multihead machine (Integrex) with a main and subspindle. Previously to now I have only had to select the axis combo 'RIGHT' when working on the sub the first time I use whatever milling operation. If I did a subsequent operation on the 'right' axis combo with the same toolpath it would stick as 'right' (in X2). In X3 it is not sticking and always reverting to 'LEFT'. Can the be set somehow to stick more effectively?

I am running X3, I have the option in the config/screen menu set to 'PAN' on middle mouse button. With that, when I click the ALT + Middle Mouse key to 'spin' it spins the part opposite of the direction that move the mouse. Is there a setting for this? Its quite annoying. Tks!

Huh! Cant say as I ever noticed it before! lol Silly me. I will have a file off and going soon.

I checked previously and just checked again now for a the B axis in the M/D and its there. I dont know if I made it clear when I started the post. I literally just downloaded this from the 'POSTS' clicky at the top of this site. Post out comes with no B axis. Anyways, I also checked each of the planes that I chained to and they are all perfect on X0Y0. Perfect circles. And just for good measure I deleted those entities and redrew them and re-planed them. Not to sound too noob, but what is rotate planes? Other then my Beta box (which has x3 and x4, which seldom gets used lately) I am stuck on X2MR2 in the office here... as such I do not recall seeing a 'rotate planes' button...? I am debating to just halt this exercise because we are suppose to be upgrading to Win XP in the next few weeks here and then we will be able to FINALLY put X4 on...but I would be interested in knowing why I feel like such a noob with this these days. Care to take a look at my file G?

G, My wcs is Top. I set my new plane 'Face 1' (for example) by using one of the selected circles on the part model and selecting 'Planes/Planes by Geometry'. I do this for 2 other faces as well (different B locations). TP Manager, with WCS as Top and T/C Plane as Face 1; Select Mill, drill, origin, yadayada in drill tab. Rinse and repeat for Face 2 (selecting Face 2 under 'Planes/Named views') and Face 3. Output code. I get this code: (FACE 1) M06 ( 2 INCH DRILL) T2 G00 G17 G90 G54 X0. Y0. S133 M03 G43 H2 Z2. T3 G81 Z-5. R.25 F4.28 G80 G91 G28 X0. Y0. Z0. M05 M01 (FACE 2) M06 ( 1-1/2 DRILL) T3 G00 G17 G90 G55 X0. Y0. S178 M03 G43 H3 Z2. T4 G81 Z-5. R.25 F4.28 G80 G91 G28 X0. Y0. Z0. M05 M01 (FACE 3) M06 ( 1-1/2 FLAT ENDMILL) T4 G00 G17 G90 G56 X0. Y0. S356 M03 G43 H4 Z2. T2 Z0. G01 Z-1. F6.42 G03 X.6388 Y.6388 R.6388 X0. Y1.2775 R.6388 X-1.2775 Y0. R1.2775 X0. Y-1.2775 R1.2775 X1.2775 Y0. R1.2775 X0. Y1.2775 R1.2775 X-.6387 Y.6388 R.6387 X0. Y0. R.6387 G01 Z0. G00 Z2. G91 G28 X0. Y0. Z0. M05 G90 M30 *breif rant* WTF is going on lately??!? I work with rotated planes daily and lately I have been having nothinG but issues. Grr! Tks for the help!

Hey all, Downloaded the MPmaster for X2 (horizontal) from here a few days back, and in testing I see that it is not outputting a B axis movement. I have defined multiple planes so that it should give me the B, but I am getting nota. Anyone have a suggestion?