I am going to be teaching a few people where I work to program using MCX4. They will mainly be doing 3-axis mill work. They already have an ok background in CNC mill setup and operating so I will mostly be showing them how to use the software but also answering any general programming questions they have. They will eventually be going to classes at our reseller but the owners do not want them to go up there knowing nothing. I was thinking I would give them a general overview of how mastercam works then let them watch me program a few simple jobs so they can get the big picture. After that I want to give them some books and get them using the software as much as possible. That way I can answer any questions they have. Any advice is greatly appreciated. If anyone reads this who teaches I would like to know how they go about teaching beginners.

Tim, To permanently turn off the A-axis do the following: 1. Settings 2. Machine Definition Manager 3. Select the green check mark 4. Select the edit axis combinations icon. "Its the one with the three arrows" 5. Uncheck the A-axis 6. Select the green check mark twice 7. Select yes to save the changes To Turn off the A-axis for this MCX file only do the following: 1. Select files from the operation manager 2. Select Edit 3. Do steps 4 thru 7 from the above list This should work. I didn't bring my SIM home this weekend so I only have the home learning addition and it won't let me post code to check and make sure there is no more A output. If it gives you any problems on Monday I'll help you work through it. If you are only doing three axis work you may want to turn off the other rotary axis as well. HTH

Update: I ran the dynamic mill toolpath today and I must say I was very impressed. I am only milling a small pocket but I roughed it out in under a minute. I started off a little conservative at 8000 RPM and 150 IPM. Tommorrow I am really going to crank it up. I don't know why I didn't start using this toopath sooner. Thanks everyone for your help.

Make a seperate toolpath group and put all of your ghosted ops in it.

Josh, Correct me if I am wrong but for a 1/2 inch endmill at 800SFM I get an RPM of 6112. (3.82 X SFM)/D 3.82 X 800 = 3056 then 3056/.5 = 6112 or SFM = RPM X .262 X D SFM = 3850 X .262 X .5 = 504.35 I beleieve the RPM you calculated was for 504 SFM

I have this same problem all the time.

Dave, Good advice about the milling chuck.

One other thing worth mentioning is that this part will be mounted on a bridge fixtue with some 1/2-13 screws holding it from the bottom. The stock size is 2.00 X 2.625 X 6.500. The 6.500 will be along the Y-axis. I can post a pic when I get it all drawn up in mastercam. It should be pretty rigid because the fixture is made out of steel.

Colin, I was going to hold this tool in a milling chuck or solid holder with a set screw. I will look at the spread sheet tommorrow at work where I have excel.

I have the flute length so I will try full depth. 9500 RPM at .005 per tooth would be 142 IPM. That sounds fast for that depth of cut. I guess I'm just not used to this type of toolpath. I am going start off a little slower and work my way up. I will run this path in a few days and let you guys know the result. Thanks for all th good advice.

Dave, Thanks for the info. I was hoping I could do it in one depth of cut. I thought the purpose of Dynamic Mill was to take light radial cuts and use the entire flute of the endmill to remove the material. Although 1.500 may be extreme with a .500 endmill. I have to check but I'm pretty sure there is no max RPM for a Viper in aluminum. I'm hoping someone who has been using this path successfully will share some of their settings so I don't have to figure it all out through trial and error.

I'm going to machine a pocket and I want to rough it with dynamic mill. Here are the details: Machine: 50 taper Mitsui horizontal Max RPM: 12,000 Material: 7050 aluminum Pocket depth: 1.500 Endmill: .500 three flute Viper Question 1: Can I pre drill instead of using helix entry? Question 2: Can I take the entire 1.500 depth in one cut or do I need depth cuts? Question 3: What feed and speed are recommended for this path? Question 4: What should be my settings be for step over, toolpath radius, micro lift distance, and back feedrate? Thanks for the help. I have been putting off using this path and really want to try it out.

I just tried the angled wall method and it works well.

I think you can use three seperate 2D contour toolpaths. Change your Z-depth and stock to leave so that all the paths end up blending. You will have to use multipasses for each contour toolpath. The easiest way is to buy a bigger tool.

Just to get you by...Rough the pocket with the .750 Em. Create geometry for each corner and make a contour operation with depth cuts to do the corners with the .500 EM. Then finish the pocket with the .500 endmill. This is the long way to go about it but it will have the same result as pocket remachining.

Dave, I don't like extra geometry either. I always import solids with no edge curves then create what I need on seperate levels and name them. In this case do I really need to do it...no but is it easy to see what I did two years from now...yes. It's also easy for someone else to open my file and see what I did. So I guess I'm in between. I create only enough geometry to get the job done and stay organized. In general the less geometry created the better.

Dave, I project it to that Z height and put it on it's own level for organizational purposes.

I do 2D chamfers like Dave is suggesting. Only difference is I put the geometry on it's own level, project it to a height equal to the top edge of my chamfer, then select zero incremental for my depth. Like he says you are programming it like the chamfer wasn't there. Also make sure your tool is defined correctly.

Where I work I program and run the milling department. I have six operators/setup guys who work for me. I have invested a lot of time with each one of them teaching them how to setup and prove programs. The key is getting people with the right attitude and raising them to a higher level in there profession. Everyone knows what is expected of them but they have the freedom to make mistakes. Very rarely do these guys make mistakes but when they do I can tell how bad they feel about it. I try to give them the credit when things go good and take the blame when things go bad. We have had careless operators in the past that we have had to let go because they did not have the desire to do a good job. I look at it like this, everyone who works for me is a reflection of me and if they are not good at their job then I am not doing my job well either. I know in my career I have made some costly mistakes and I'm glad I never got charged for them. So in summary if you have put an honest effort into training people and they are unwilling to do a good job then get rid of them and find people who are willing to do a good job.

Komet would be my weapon of choice.

I use transform all the time and have never seen those error messages. Have you checked the planes in your source operations.

cobra95kev, Thanks that is exactly how I got it to work.

False alarm I got it to work.

I have a concave surface with some holes going through it at various angles that I need to drill. I have created center lines and points thru all the holes with the hole axis c-hook. Can someone please expain how to select geometry for the Drill 5-axis toolpath. My settings are: Output format = 5-axis Back plot rotary axis = X Entity type = points Tool axis control = parallel to line Tip control = original point This part is positioned with the surface in the front plane. If I chain the lines going toward the spindle the toolpath wants to drill thru the back of my part. If I chain the lines in the other direction I see no toolpath at all when I backplot. Thanks

Is all of your geometry created at the same Z-depth? If it's an ID contour can your tool fit into all areas of the contour. Have you tried to run the find overlap c-hook? You can also see where the entities in your chain begin and end by selecting screen/display entiy endpoints. You can select partial chain, check the box that says "wait", and select each entity individualy. HTH