Mastercam has been more fragile in video card issues than the most of softwares in the same arena. This is a fact. The old issue with ATI cards is one of the worsts things related with hardware troubles. The most of users are not Hardware gurus. This is another fact as well.

IMHO, one of the most important steps toward a more consistent software was suggested by John a couple of days ago. Is about driver and graphics cards certifications to work with MC. I´ve no doubt that CNC has people skilled more than enough to do that, as well as prestige and physical resources too. The full compatibility and certification with decent ATI cards is IMO another important step.

I heard some people here saying that is possible MR2 have Machine Simulation. This is a big step in Mastercam history, but to be honest, I think that is coming late, very welcome, but frankly, late. Another softwares in the Market as Esprit, Powermill, Gibbs, UG, are doing this for a couple of years. I honestly don´t believe that Mastercam is inferior than none software that I mentioned. That´s the reason why I think that based on the Mastercam reputation to be up to date with the latest trends in CAD/CAM arena, is coming late. But the great tools on the software has balancing the equation. But this is not my point. My point now is: with the new graphical resources and tools, machine simulation (If is really true), how does Mastercam will deal with these new tools, in terms of hardware demands and compatibility? Will these angry users have the same problems with these new features?

Below the link for a discussion of MC Graphic Cards/Drivers certification:

John´s suggestion

I guess that the graphics card certification is an important step to save a lot of problems like these in the future.

Just my 2 cents....

[ 05-11-2006, 06:08 PM: Message edited by: Watcher ]

IMO, it was the best moment of this party so far.

+10000 to Bruce

It depends a lot which post you are using. Which one? MPGEN5X, a custom one? There are a lot top notch 5 axis guys here to help you to suceed in doing this, if the structure of your post allows it. If not, you will have to contact your dealer.

I guess that buy workstations for these purposes is too much. You could purchase some cheap standard machines (XP SP2/ 128Mb Ram - BRAND name PC) and run on them copies of Cimco Edit through floating licenses. Barely the operators will use all the copies at the same time, so, I think that 10 or less floating copies of Cimco Edit with NCBase Client would be enough. Through NCBase client (NCBase has an interface within Cimco Edit, so is possible to work with Cimco Edit and NCBase on the same environment), the users can make the changes on the programs and update them on the database. In the next time, DNC Max will bring the latest version to control.

You can run DNC Max Server on a dedicated workstation if you want, using the way stated by Jonh, above. This is an interesting manner, IMHO.

+1 John!

I´m not sure if the heid post on V9 CD supports subprograms, but if so, this is a job for the subprogram logic on the post. Try to use subprogram option on contour, post again and see if you get what you want. If not, this capability must be implement on your post. Give a call for your dealer and ask for him for a free Heid post from In-House Solutions, a Mastercam reseller in Canada. This is the best way to start to solve your Heid issues.

If you are in Lisbon, let´s talk in Portuguese, as Camões. Send me a mail

HTH

I don´t know if I misunderstood, but do you intend to put one Workstation PC to communicate with each machine or a workstation to manage the communications with all of them? (the usual way)

Just wondering, why do you want mail capability on each workstation?

Serial to ethernet converters. It´s the less expensive option IMO. In order to avoid spend a good money with cables and its disadvantages (cable passing, visual pollution, broken segments due to the circulation on the shop floor, etc), i would reccomend a wireless solution. In the most of times the money spent with the wires and its implementation are greater than a wireless solution.

Just my 2 cents

J/K

Just trying to increase up my post count!

Hey James, take care and watch your back! The competition here is disloyal!

Hi John, congratulations for the 5000 posts!!!!

Long life !!!

I don´t know how the things between you and your reseller are going, but you can contact him to ask for a free Siemens 840D post based on MPmaster, from In-House, and start with it. The drill cycles logic on Sinumerik posts are annoying to deal with, compared with another controls, IMO. Starting with a post from In-House you would avoid lot of problems like that.

HTH

How often do you calibrate your machines?

I really cannot understand why these machines are so delicate. At every morning we have to warm up our 10 DMU70Evo till 30 degrees, approximately 30 minutes to hold this temperature, and then we can keep the precision of the parts using G7 function. The temperature compensation does not work for us below this temperature zone.

Well, 10 machines a half our per day warming up, it´s a thousand of hours per year. DMG could take care of this with more attention.

Thanks a lot for the inputs. I will sketch the skeleton of our system.

How many axes? Up to 4 axes you can contact your resseler and ask to him an copy of some version of MPMaster from In-House that is most similar to Allen Bradley codes and then make some tweaking for you. I think that MPMaster for Siemens would be a good start.

Welcome to the forum!!!

HTH

Well, if you are using wear, I think that you have some problem.

Unfortunately, I cannot help.

If I understood correctly, you are using Cutter compensation to machine these holes. What kind of CC? Wear, Computer, Reverse Wear, etc? I think that this is the reason why when you change the tool diam. on the tool data page the code looks like the same, because depending on CC type that you choose, Mastercam creates the code based on the real dimension of the profile, as if the tool is cutting in its center, the CNC control will be responsible to compensate the moves. In these cases, the changes in the tools diameter are no effective.

Just my 2 cents.

[ 04-29-2006, 10:12 PM: Message edited by: Watcher ]

bump!

Serial Cables

HTH

What kind of interface does your machine has?

If you want to have a database, I think that only a PDA is not enough to store your database. But only for transfering data stored in PDA, I guess that will work fine.

Nevermind, I pushed the wrong button...

Moderator, please get a rid of this post.

With a PDA, notebook, wireless devices, ethernet/RS232 interfaces, Pocket PC, whatever you want, Cimco does. And the interface is friendly, reliable, bla, bla, bla....

Sounds like a salesman...

Peace

Cimco. Outstanding. Period.