Hello, We are making a component which is defined by a reduced dimension drawing. One of the features that is explicitly stated on the drawing is a ø1.0 ±.1, ↓ .3 ±.1. As modeled, the hole is ø1.0 ↓ .3 with a 118° point extending past the full diameter. Our quality department is interpreting the inspection requirement as being the 118° angle needing to conform to the "profile of .06 unless otherwise specified" tolerance that applies to all un-dimensioned features. The machine shop interprets the hole callout (not model) as fully defining the feature, including the drill point of what would otherwise be an optional angle. Thoughts?

Cool. I walked with our reseller and they were nice enough to find a newer version of the xxxxor 8050/8055 and make some changes for us. I really appreciate the help fellas. Cheers!

It's a very old post...Created in version 5 I was told. Yeah, it's been updated a few times I'd say In the post header it looks like there are misc. values that control whick offset any individual toolpath uses (Misc. #1: 4=G54, 5=G55 etc.) but it doesn't work. I tried posting just 1 toolpath from Op2 with Misc. #1 set to "5" and it still output G54.

@ K2 Just tried it...nada. Still G54 Thanks though! @ gcode It is a 3-axis router. 1st op is a copy of top renamed to "op1 g54" with offset 0 selected, op2 is in a plane rotated 180° about Y from op1 named "op2 g55" with offset 1 selected.

I've never modified a post before, but I would like to get our post to output different offset numbers when you change the offset number in the WCS manager (View Manager). RIght now, I can set op1 toolpaths to offset 1 and op2 toolpaths to offset 2 and they all post G54. Any help or a link to a post that has covered this would be greatly appreciated. I tried searching "post offset" and similar terms but couldn't find anything useful. I can post whatever other info is needed. Cheers, Ryan

I'll check the power supply. Thanks!

Hi folks, After searching for an hour or two it seems a few people have had success with the GeForce 9800 GT graphics card...I, howerver, am having none. My workstation got 'upgraded' from running off of the motherboard and now I can't work for more than two min without the screen blanking, freezing, omitting the graphics area, etc. This card would not have been my choice even if I had one. Any way to make it work? I've tried settings/config/screen checked Open GL and Disable Front Buffer but it didn't help. Thanks, Ryan 2.66 ghz intel core 2 duo 3 gigs ram mcx2 mr2

I don't know if this has been tried already, but we use a 'generic' material definition w/ all fields set to 100%, then in the tool parameters we specify SFM in the '% mat'l cutting speed'field, and CPT in the '% of mat'l feed per tooth' field. When a prog has to be switched to a different machine, say from our 14k spindle NH5000 to our 8k spindle MV40B, you just pick the new machine and spindle/feed is scaled down. If, however, you need to switch a prog from a slow spindle machine to a faster spindle, you will need to open each toolpath and click on the tool being used for it to update back to the higher speed/feed.

I've got some 4340 forgings heat treated to 275-300 KSI (52-55 rockwell I think). The parts have +.100" all surfaces after heat treat and I need to do a lot of surfacing with a 1/2" ball. Axial depth of cut will vary somewhat, but radial DOC will remain constant @ .015" I sent an email to our tool supplier(Western), but was curious if anyone here had any recommendations. Part will be held securely, shrink fit holders are available, but I need 2.25" ooh on one of the tools; 1.75" on the other. Machine is a 50 taper horizontal. Lemme know if I need to post more info. Thanks!

I tried the launcher first; worked like a charm. 5-axis action all day Thanks folks!!

Hello, When I open NHaspX.exe it displays 1 multiaxis license available, as well as our mill3, solids, lathe, etc. When I open MC it typically grabs every license available, but NOT the multiaxis license for some reason. When I try to open the multiaxis toolpaths I get the "not available, contact your mastercam reseller" message. We need to do a 5-axis flowline (or similar) path with the 5th axis deselected, but without the license working we're stuck. Any ideas? Thanks, Ryan Magnusson Tool Gauge and Machine Works MCx2, mr2, sp1

Thanks for the reply Colin I'm not really having a problem locating the STL (I use a different wcs for the different ops so the stl never needs to move), it's more like the stl isn't retaining it's associativity from the previous ops and is 'losing itself,'...I don't really know how to describe it any better than that. I tried calling Rich at Cimtech and he thinks it's an internal problem here not something with MC.

Hello, I've got 5 mill groups with a couple toolpath groups in each of them. I am verifying and saving the results as an STL as I go down through the list of ops. Problem is if I change anything in the toolpaths MC has issues with verifying against a previously saved STL. The cutter is off in space somewhere and the STL remains untouched. I can usually tell this is about to happen when I first open the verify screen and try to rotate the part. Instead of the part rotating from the center of my current wcs, it rotates from MC's original x0y0z0. The only fix I've found is to go back through to mill group 1, verify and save stock as an stl, load said stl into verify for mill group 2, verify and save etc. If I change anything the cutter is off in space again and I have to re-verify and re-save everything. Anyone had this problem? I'm probably explaining it poorly so if you need clarification just ask. Thanks, Ryan

Bingo! Solid layout! THANKS!!!!! Don't have proE or I'd give it a try too.

I need to send a file to someone for patent work. Currently I have a solid MC file of the part. He is probably explaining what I need to do better than I could so I'll just quote his email: "Ideally, {what}I need is just the 2D collapsed drawing from each side and an isometric, provided in dwg format. Since everything is lines, arcs and polylines, dxf would be ok in that case too. Can you create this kind of view, where it's not just a top view of the model, but a true 2D image where all the hidden lines are gone and everything is on one plane?" Sounds easy, can it be done simply? I really don't want to go through the thing and manually break each entity for the various top, bottom, left, right, front, back views. Thanks, Ryan

Woohoo! Not such a noob after all : ) I'll take another look at my MD, CD and post. Gotta be in there somewhere.... Thanks again for all the help. I really appreciate it.

Lol, that sounded like, "n00b mistake" as I read it I'll check my mail, thanks.

Hello, The file I'm working on is on the FTP in the MCX2 folder named "4th axis engraving". I am trying to engrave something on a surface thats bent near the center 45 degrees with a .5" dia 45deg sweep radius. I would like the tool to stay normal to the part surface as it cuts, but my posted code looks like absolute crap. Tons of Z moves where there shouldn't be, and the 4th axis just keeps spinning in the same direction. The feed is all over the place also. I am running a horizontal mill with a simultaneous 4th axis, but I think my post might be lacking. Maybe machine def. Could someone take a look and let me know if my toolpath is junk or my problem is elsewhere? Thanks

Must have had to do with the conversion from .pdf to .jpeg. I printed it, scanned it, and it worked fine. Problem solved...err worked around.

This one is a .jpg. I do have a few other .jpg files which do work.

Im using raster2vector in MC art to import a .jpg, but I keep getting an error that says "unsupported color conversion request," and the file won't load. The jpeg was originally a .pdf and someone converted it into a jpeg for me. I've had them try and make it color and b&w but still no go. Any ideas?

Ahhhhhhhh, totally. Good to know : )

That was easy...Shoulda thought of it. Just made stock to leave on drive -.025 THANKS

Howdy folks, I need to make a custom Jaguar V12 badge from billet and I'm having trouble getting the surface rough pocket op to work the way I want. I usually work almost exclusively from castings so Im not too familiar with surface pocket toolpaths. The problem is the tool is leaving some stock that I would like removed. The tool is a .050" bullmill w/ .150" loc working in 6061. When I use a regular pocket operation the material is removed, so I know the tool will fit in the area in question. If theres a way to get the damn tool in there with the surface toolpath I'd rather do that. Gotta learn sometime... Here is a screenshot. Red arrows show the offending material. Any help or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

I do a lot of custom engraving on the valve covers we make and I currently have to reproduce whatever graphics the customer gives me by hand. Correct me if I'm wrong, but won't MC art load .gif's or whatever images into MC and trace the outlines for you? How well does it work? Difficulty? I currently need to do a logo for a gentleman and reeeally don't want to create a bunch of flames by hand...