Are there any plans to release a more current Post Processor Reference Guide? I have the V9 guide and it has been tremendously helpful on my recent post conversion. I still forget the darned $ sometimes. I must admit, I didn't use the pdf's that came with X or X2 much at all. A more current guide with everything up to date to an X release would be very nice. But hey, beggars can't be choosers right?

quote: Mastercam has an awesome feature called Solid Layout I love this forum. Just by browsing the posts each day, I learn something new all the time. I have to agree, that IS an awesome feature. I only wish I had known about it. I must have missed that in the solids class I took from our reseller. Oh well, at least I know about it now.

quote: That's why you get paid the BIG money......right? Not funny Matt... Realistically though, with a post overhaul like that, would they create a simple update utility as they have in the past versions, or would the posts have to start from scratch? I'm rootin' for an update utility. Rick

quote: the post structure will change incredibly I hope that there will be a good post update utility. I just spent over a Month creating a custom post for a VTL controlled by a Heidenhain Mill control at our shop. (Yes that's right, a lathe with a mill control ) It would really stink if I had to start over again from scratch.

RPM = Cutting speed (surface feet/min) *12 / PI * diameter being turned. Feed in IPM would be = RPM * Chip load Feed in IPR would be = Chip load (IPM = Inches per Minute) (IPR = Inches per Revolution) Insert rated for 800 SF Cutting a 6" diameter with .016 chip load would be: 800*12/PI*6 or 509 RPM 509RPM * .016 Chip load = 8.1 IPM .016 Chip load = .016 IPR Hope this helps Rick

I agree with JParis's comment. I have been working on a post processor for a G&L VTL we have that was retrofitted with an Heidenhain Mill control. The machine has live tooling, a C-axis as well as lathe tooling. My post is now into it's "ready to try on real parts" stage. I have found the V9 post processor reference priceless. The only thing you have to remember when referencing it is that Ver. X posts need the $ after the system variables. (Not sure if that's the correct term or not) I converted the MPLFAN post supplied with Mastercam to output Heidenhain code to perform lathe turning functions, as well as C-axis milling functions. Drill, Peck, Tap cycles work in C-axis and Drill & Peck in Lathe. It has taken be about a month to get the post from the Generic Fanuc G-Code output to a Heidenhain conversational output. Having a good understanding of program flow, understanding variables and their manipulation, reading A LOT, consulting the forum, and using the V9 reference with the VX/X2 additions, would probably be my list of things helpful if not necessary to edit posts. Also understanding machine and control definitions in mastercam help as well. Trust me, there will be days you will be banging your head trying to get something working only to come in the next day and the solution comes right away. Good luck, Rick

I agree with the above three. Conversational on the Heidenhain is the way. Very easy to learn and read. We have 6 machines here with Heidenhain controls and conversational is the way we program all of them. (none are 5 axis though) Rick

We use .283 for the calculating the weight of 4140. I would imagine 4130 would be very similar. Using this for the density, we come pretty close. I'm pretty sure this number just came from the machinery handbook. (24th edition Pg. 356) Rick

If it was a snake it would have bit me. Thanks, Rick

You might try playing with the misc. integers. In the post I'm working on, there are 4 options for the 1'st misc integer. -1,0,1,and 2. Each one changes how the home position is placed in the final NC file.

In the toolpath parameter pages, there is a box for the "Home Position". The pull down gives the option of from machine, user defined, or from tool. My question is where does mastercam get the X/Z coordinates for the "From Machine". I have looked in the machine def, control def, and in the post. I cannot seem to find a reference to it anywhere. The numbers always seem to be X5, Z10. Can I change these? Also, is there any way to determine in the post which option is selected so a different output can be obtained? I need to place an M91 in the NC file line when using the machine option so my control will go to a reference value instead of an actual number based on the WCS. Of course this only makes a difference if I can change the machine default. Thanks, Rick

Mick, it may have been your post I saw that CNC emailed a reply to. As long as the numbers that post are correct, I can live with the graphics issues. I'm most likely going to start with the Generic Fanuc lathe post as well since it is a mill/turn post. Poor Storkman never get's a break...

I sent an e-mail off to our dealer. Don't know how quickly they'll get back to me with the holiday. I know a lot of people take vacation around this time. I've got my machine def working fairly well except for one thing. Even though I have a left and right turret, all the tools seem to approach from the left side of my screen in Mastercam. I tried to find a reference to this on the forums but couldn't find the answer. It seems CNC e-mailed a response to someone with a similar situation but it wasn't clarified in the posts on the forum what the solution was. Oh well, I'll mess with it some more tomorrow and maybe I'll get a response from our dealer. I know they're normally pretty good about prompt response. Rick

Having the post change the axis letters was kinda the way I was leaning. The machine will run in either incremental or absolute moves for the U and V. The axis change in the post should be fairly easy compared to the language change from G-Code to Heidenhain. I'm think having two posts may be easier than trying to get one to do everything. Mainly because I don't know of a way to define which turret is being used in the post so I could define different axes letters for "Z" & "X". Is there a way to do that?

We have a retrofitted VTL at our shop that I am trying to create a machine definition for. The problem is that the machine does not have a lathe cnc control. Instead, it has a Heidenhain Mill control. The machine has 2 separate drive units for the main chuck. One is just the main drive with a 1 - 250 rpm range (60" chuck). The other is an anti-backlash "C" axis and is defined in the control as "C". On the left side I have a square ram with a Cat-50 live spindle approximately 80 - 1000 rpm for milling with the "C" axis. There is a tool changer with 16 pockets for this live spindle. Tool pockets are numbered for tool calls as 21 - 36. This spindle can also be locked to turn. The travel of this square ram is about 50". The axis definitions in the control for this ram are "U" (would normally be "X") and "V" for what would normally be "Z". This side cannot be programmed with anything but computer comp (no wear or control) On the right side is a 5 position turret with about 16" travel. The axis definitions in the control for this side are "X" for what would normally be "X" and "Y" for what would normally be "Z". The pockets in the turret are numbered 1 - 5 for tool calls. Any comp option can be used on this side (computer, control, or wear). The machine defines the "Z" axis as its' main rail which is moved manually prior to running a part. The problem I have is getting a U and V defined in the machine definitions. All I see from the pull down is X, Y, And Z. Is there any way to add different axis letters to the machine definition? I figure to make this all work I will need two posts. One for the left side tooling with the "C" axis available. Another for the right side tooling without the "C" axis. Any help would be appreciated. I'm open minded to any suggestion as I really want to get this going. Rick

I had to set up Mastercam for myself and another person on the same computer as well. Besides seperate config files, mtb files, and kbd files, I also created seperate defaults, operations, gmd, control, mmd, and lmd files. This allowed me to link unique operations to each user through their own machine and control definitions. All control defs point to the same posts. Until I saw your post, I knew of no problem with the setup I had. Each user seemed completely isolated from the other. Niether of us use large icons so it never showed up. I wonder if that check mark is changing a registry value for the icons. When I make the changes and save my config, mine is the only config that the date changes on. However, when logged in as the other user with their config, the icons are still large. Odd. Sorry I can't help you with your situation. I know firsthand how tough Mastercam is to setup for 2 people sharing a computer with seperate profiles. Many files point to other files that point to other files, ect... Good luck with your setup. Rick

There is an update utility with X that will convert the v9 post to an X post. BTW, Welcome

quote: We use it all the time here (company's decision)and I like it a lot. Makes the understanding of an NC program a lot easier for everybody...I agree. The programs are much more readable. quote: Why do they need to "understand" the NC program? Are you writing books or making parts? Both. Several of the people we have here running the machines are journeyman machinists that when the need comes up, hand program. (Hot job ect..) Therefore, they are very familliar with the programming of the machines and have done it by hand themselves for years. If the programs we send them aren't readable, they would waste time trying to figure out what we are doing or single blocking through to make sure it runs ok. We do not do production here and on individual unique parts, time on the job would suffer if the programs weren't readable. Control comp is what they are used to, control comp is what we send them. Life is simpler. In an environment where the people running the programs never look at them and just hit the green button and walk away. Any kind of comp would probably work just as well. Personally if I had to read through a program with wear comp it would take me more time to figure out what it is doing than with control because the numbers would not be what I see on the drawing. I'm happy with control, you may be happy with wear, Can't we all just get along? Rick

I've had the white box around the icons with X+ in both X and X2. It seems to pop up at random intervals usually when copying toolpaths. Other than being somewhat "ugly" I haven't had and adverse problems from it that I'm aware of. YMMV Rick

Thanks Pete. I'm sure you have plenty on your plate so if the ball was dropped no worries.

I didn't see it in the list. Does that mean it never got logged? If so, how do I go about logging problem? Rick

Bump, still that way in MR1. Is there any way to check if this was ever looked into?

Ouch!

Everybody must be trying to get it at the same time. I just noticed it was there, started downloading it and I'm only getting around 200kB/s speed. Oh well, I'll have it in about 1/2 hour

I couldn't help but notice in the survey, they asked what version we are running and X2 - MR1 was an option. Why must they tease us..