Doesn't the X+ utilities have a Post Processor button that allows you to select a post independent of the MD/CD?

In standard fanuc G code a G94 indicates that Inverse time mode has been activated. What kind of machine are you running? If it is only a 3 axis machine, I would look in your control defintion under the feed section and make sure it is set to Inches per Minute. HTH,

Hi Kelly, We actually don't do any chamfering with our operations. We mostly just trim composite panels. We use ProDrill to generate circle mill operations for our drill routines. We actually don't do very much real drilling. Its mostly circle mill. I'll give you any help I can. Are you trying to chamfer with the spot drill or a chamfer mill?

We stepped up and bought ProDrill. It works much better than the Solid Drilling option in Mastercam.

Hi Andy, Let me clarify what I meant by my last statement. Break Many Pieces will indeed work to give you a tangent chain in *most* cases. The problem I have found is that you will occasionally get a chain that has several small arc segments, in a place where you can easily see that you could use a single larger arc to make the same move. By adjusting the chordal tolerance value, you can eventually get Mastercam to create a single arc in your chain. The problem is that you may have to bump up your tolerance to such a high value that it compromises the accuracy of the chain that you are creating in other areas of the spline. There will be areas of the spline where the line/arc combination may have shifted off the position of the original spline due to the chordal tolerance. I have seen this happen time and time again. I'm not sure how complex the splines are that you are trying to convert. On very complex splines you will notice the tolerance issue much more than on simple contours. I'm not trying to start anything here. I just wanted to point out that the toolpath method will give you a more reliable and predictable result on complex splines in *some* cases. Thanks,

Paul, Which default takes precedence? The one from the Control Def? Then why would the radio button at the bottom of the Misc. Int/Real Values page say "Initialize toolpath operation From post text settings"? This is a little bit confusing. If it takes the default values from the entries in the Control Definition page, shouldn't the text at the bottom indicate that? Could you clarify what the term "From post text settings" means? Thank you,

Dave, To set the default value for a Misc integer you need to look for the numbered questions in the post at the bottom. Using the statement (sav_mi9 : 1) you are initializing an intenal post variable, not setting a default value in the toolpath dialog box. Look for this section at the bottom of your post: code: # -------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Default Miscellaneous Integer Values # -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 301. Work Coordinates [0-1=G92, 2=G54's] (mi1)? 2 302. Absolute or Incremental [0=ABS, 1=INC] (mi2)? 0 303. Reference Return [0=G28, 1=G30] (mi3)? 0 304. Miscellaneous integer variable 4 (mi4)? 0 305. Miscellaneous integer variable 5 (mi5)? 0 306. Miscellaneous integer variable 6 (mi6)? 0 307. Miscellaneous integer variable 7 (mi7)? 0 308. Miscellaneous integer variable 8 (mi8)? 0 309. Miscellaneous integer variable 9 (mi9)? 0 310. Miscellaneous integer variable 10 (mi10)? 0 Then change the zero at the end of question 309 to a one code: # -------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Default Miscellaneous Integer Values # -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 301. Work Coordinates [0-1=G92, 2=G54's] (mi1)? 2 302. Absolute or Incremental [0=ABS, 1=INC] (mi2)? 0 303. Reference Return [0=G28, 1=G30] (mi3)? 0 304. Miscellaneous integer variable 4 (mi4)? 0 305. Miscellaneous integer variable 5 (mi5)? 0 306. Miscellaneous integer variable 6 (mi6)? 0 307. Miscellaneous integer variable 7 (mi7)? 0 308. Miscellaneous integer variable 8 (mi8)? 0 309. Miscellaneous integer variable 9 (mi9)? 1 <----CHANGE THIS VALUE! THIS IS WHERE YOU SET THE DEFAULT 310. Miscellaneous integer variable 10 (mi10)? 0 HTH,

Andy, Edit/Trim/Break will not give you the ability to "break" a spline up into a chain of tangent lines and arcs. Neither will "break many pieces". The method that I mentioned above uses the contour toolpath and backplot to create a tangent chain of lines and arcs. This takes advantage of the filtering options available in the toolpath, which gives superior results when trying to create a chain of tangent entities. HTH,

NetHasp #1975

I've also had very good luck with the Application Engineers at Haas. Don't call the salesmen, go to Haas directly. I was able to get a huge amount of Data about the spindle Speed/Torque curve to help with tooling selection for a Haas VF-4 SS that I used to program for. The haas will vibrate, but look at the spindle load. If you are running under 120% you should be good to go. Does your machine have the option to view the axis loads? Our VF-4 had individual load meters for each axis; X,Y, and Z. HTH,

Did anybody consider that he might be learning on a cracked copy? Moghost, You have no information on your user profile about who you really are. That leads me to suspect a pirate. If you are a legitimate user, please post your sim number and reseller. Thank you,

Hey Spec, You can also set up a keyboard short cut or toolbar button to toggle them on or off. I use F10 and F11 for the other screen display options. That way I can turn off the cross hairs (F9), The WCS Origin Markers(F10), and the Screen Information(F11) with three button clicks. HTH,

FYI, $45 an hour for a contract programmer who is any good is pretty low. You should be looking in the $50-70 an hour range. Then you might get someone who is worth it. I know I wouldn't even look at a contract job that is below $60 an hour and I am constantly turning away work. I guess you really do get what you pay for sometimes. P.S. Anyone in Washington State doing any contract Mastercam programming? I might have some leads to send your way.

Sandybar, A great deal of information is available in the "V9 Post Reference Guide". This is the best place to start learning posts. A class would help, but I'm pretty much self taught on posts with the occasional great tip from the forum. I recently read the V9 Post Guide cover to cover, and now I'm on to reading the Post Update for Version X. I'm really impressed with the some of the functionality that is available in reading the operation parameters and using buffer files. The MP Post Language is incredibly powerful (Thanks to John Summers and everyone who added to your wonderful accomplishment). P.S. To all post modifiers --> Did you know you can set bug2 to a negative number (-40) and it will force the output of all the post blocks that are called for each NCI line(s).

Fanuc "B" would be my first choice. This might also influence the Macro programming standard that is available on the machine. Fanuc has a really powerful set of Macro functions for custom functionality like probing. HTH,

Tim, The posts are written in the "MP Post Language" which was written and developed by John Summers. The format of the MP Post language was based off of "standard C" but uses different syntax. Your best place to start would be to obtain a copy of the "Version 9 Post Reference Guide" which you can obtain through your Mastercam reseller. This guide explains the Post Language in great detail. If you open the .PST file in "Notepad" it looks just like a text file (which it is). This is how to get started with modifying your posts. Be sure and make a backup copy of your post before you start. There are plenty of comments in even the generic posts to get you started.

Richard, Are you saving the parasolid part as a Mastercam part (.mcx) BEFORE you try and change entity properties? You must save the part as a Mastercam file before you manipulate it in any way. HTH,

Rick, Toolpath the spline with contour. Turn Cutter comp off. Turn the filter on, set it to .001 tolerance. Set retract, feed, and depth to 0.0 incremental. Backplot and save the toolpath as geometry. It will now be lines and arcs. HTH,

I'm not sure you can disable it, but doesn't holding down the enter key work to fly through the warnings?

Hi Rakesh, The "use old offset" changes which algorithm Mastercam uses for contouring and offset contour. CNC is making changes to enhance the new algorithm, but there are still a few bugs to work out.

Hmm, I'm not sure what the "official" CNC Software policy is. I thought that it was supposed to be available for free. It is a little more complicated because you are not in the United States. I know that different Countries have different distribution rules. Anyone from CNC care to comment?

I'm happy to help Rakesh. Lord knows I've gotten my fair share of information off the forum. P.S. One of the best tools for learning Mastercam is the context sensitive help files. I'm probably about 70% self taught in Mastercam. That all comes from reading the field definitions of all of the different dialog box options and reading the reference guide front to back.

Rakesh, My mistake! You need to use the "Planes by Normal" command, not "Planes by Geometry". It should work much better now.

Hi Rakesh, When you do a curve project you have two options, the first is "view" which really means construction plane. The second is "normal" which means that the curve is projected down onto the surface using the tangent vectors of that surface. Using the last example that you posted if you change the trim options to "view" you would get round looking holes, but only when you look at the surface in top view. What you need to do is create your arc normal to the surface, then do the projection in that arc's view. For a quick example do this: Create a point on the surface using Create - Point - Dynamic. Sketch a point in the middle of your surface somewhere. Now use Xform - Project, select the point, and choose the "surface" projection option. In the Surface projection area enable "normal", then the "Points/Lines" button and click on it. Then set the line length to 1". Press the flip button if necessary so your line points up and away from the surface at a normal vector. Now that you have the line that is normal, go to the "Planes" menu and select "Planes by Geometry". In the graphics window click on your line and then press enter. You will get a Cplane icon showing you the new plane you are going to create. X and Y direction doesn't matter for this example, just make sure Z positive points away from the surface. Save the Cplane. Now with that plane set as your current construction plane, create an arc. This arc will now be "normal" to the surface. Then you can project the arc using "View" and the cut in the surface should look like a regular hole. HTH,

Right, I agree that it is functioning "as designed". Would everyone please write to [email protected] and submit an Enhancement Request to have Silhouette Boundary upgraded to follow the actual contour of the part. The reason they created it in the first place was really only for creating containment boundaries. It would be much more useful if it followed the actual 2D part contour of the outside of your solid. If you take a look at my thread that I posted a link to, there is a work around I figured out to get an accurate profile. This is the type of profile that should be created by Silhouette Boundary.