Glad I could help Terry. Doing undercuts took me days of trial and error when I learned how to do it in version 8 and 9. If you use STL compare with WCS, you can do a pretty good job of actually seeing what you are going to cut at the machine. Thanks, Colin Gilchrist

+1 on the Predator cable. It doesn't get any easier. The cable is tripple shielded against electrical interference, and you buy a pre-configured "Plug end" for your Haas and a plug end for your serial port on your computer. Just plug everything in and DNC away... HTH, Colin Gilchrist The Boeing Company MR2 and Beta test site

Tooling, I took a look at your file. Those undercuts will not be easily done with a wheel cutter. It will take a lot of work to do those undercuts because they are multiple surfaces that sweep up in the Z axis. I would stand the block up and get some long ball endmills. You could probably get it to work with flowline, but you will have to drive a single surface at a time. Some re-modeling of the surfaces could also be required. HTH, Colin Gilchrist The Boeing Company

Just become a Beta tester Rick...

I would highly recommend talking with the guys at AI Solutions. You can purchase a 5 axis lazer post already finished with no hassle. http://www.ai-sols.co.jp/eng/index_eng.htm HTH, Colin Gilchrist The Boeing Company MR2 and Beta test site

The Moldplus Catia V5 converter works flawlessly. If you can't see the wireframe, perhaps you have it blanked (no show in Catia I think). It is well worth the money. FYI, If your shop deals with Catia V5 models, all of the dimensioning and tolerancing data is contained in the solids history tree. To be able to get this data you need a Catia V5 model viewer. I recommend the one from Enovia. Yes, it is expensive, but you need it. Just pass the cost on to your customers. HTH, Colin Gilchrist

Hmmm... Then I would check the prapid and plin post blocks for the Z output...

No, its not possible to have it check the collision. You have to check it manually using STL compare, Backplot, or another method. I usually run my toolpaths in Verify, Save the STL model, then go into Machine Group Properties and turn on the solid STL stock option. Then you can see your model and your "cut stock" overlayed on top of each other. As a final check you can take your solid model of your finished part and use it as the verify stock. You should see the dovetail cutter just kiss up against the undercut wall. HTH, Colin Gilchrist The Boeing Company MR2 and Beta test site

I use Surface Finish Contour with better success than flowline. Take a look at a similar thread that was started by Terry5357. I think I do an ok job of explaining it in that thread. You will need to turn off gouge protection and use the "Direction" button to get your tool in and out of the area. BTW, use a slot mill tool definition and DO NOT set the radius to full, that is not allowed. Set it to corner and use the corner radius value. I have found better results if you make the radius just under the actual setting. For example, on a .250 thick slot mill, I would use a corner radius of .1248. Mastercam seems to compensate better if you give it just a very slight flat in the center of your slot mill. HTH, Colin Gilchrist The Boeing Company MR2 and Beta test site

Also remember to disable the "Reset C-plane to Top in Iso Gview" in the CAD Settings page of the Configuration dialog box. -Colin

Terry, You need to use Surface Finish Contour and disable the "gouge checking". Then use the "Direction" button on the Surface Parameters page to get the tool into and out of your undercut area. The only other toolpath that works well in undercuts is Flowline, but you can really only drive a single surface at a time. I have gotten around this using Flowline by remodeling several adjacent surfaces as a single surface. The only toolpath that will work reliably in undercuts on multiple surfaces that I have found is Surface Finish (Or surface rough) Contour. Note that there is absolutely no difference between surface finish contour and surface rough contour, they are the exact same toolpath. Because you have to disable gouge checking, I recommend using the STL compare utility to check your cut stock back to your original model. HTH Colin Gilchrist The Boeing Company MR2 and Beta test site

Hi David, Look for the "nobrk$" setting in your post general output settings. This should be set to "no$".

David, In your control definition look at the "Linear" page. Enable the radio button under XY plane control to "Break rapid moves - XY then Z for approach, Z then XY for retract". That should put all Z motion on seperate lines. If it does not, then your post might not be set up to take advantage of this feature. I know the MPMaster post supports this. So do all of the new "generic" posts that shipped with X. FYI, you should be able to get an install disc from your reseller with something like 26 generic Mastercam posts for X. There is a Fadal, Haas, Mazak, Mori-Seki, Okuma, and a few others. HTH, Colin Gilchrist The Boeing Company MR2 and Beta test site

Now you just need dual monitors Terry! Remember that you can also do sub-menus on the right click as well. +1 on the spaceball. I love them. Colin Gilchrist The Boeing Company

Hi David, This might clear things up a bit. With the release of Version X there is a new "MultiAxis" module that you need if you want to cut 4 and 5 axis toolpaths (rotary positioning is allowed under Mill level 3). If you were an existing customer before X was released then you are "grandfathered" in and have the multiaxis module included with your Mill level 3 license. The 5 axis Verify module has always been a seperately purchased add-on to Mastercam. If you want to see your part cut in 5 axis without purchasing the option you can turn off the "true solid" option in verify, but the quality is poor and you can not rotate, pan, or zoom. HTH, Colin Gilchrist The Boeing Company MR2 and Beta test site

+1 for Autodrill and Solid Drill. These functions will do exactly what you are after Jimic. They come built right into Mastercam. Colin Gilchrist

If you are a maintenance customer you should receive the upgrade to X2 as part of your maintenance package when it becomes available. HTH, Colin Gilchrist The Boeing Company

I'm happy to help Jack...

Hi Jerry, Are you using Mastercam X or V9? It might be possible in X. There is also the "Edit Common Parameters" option. What building are you in? I'm up here at Everett Boeing in the 40-56 building. I'm in the IRC NC Programming group. If you need any help with Mastercam I'm available to give you a hand. I know both version 9 and version X very well and I'd be happy to show you some tricks in either version. I think there might be an easier way to accomplish your goal. Best regards, Colin Gilchrist IRC NC Programming The Boeing Company 425-315-6583 [email protected]

Ask, and you shall receive... Here is a VB script to increment all of your levels. When you run the script it will prompt you and ask you for an increment value. The default is 1000. This would add 1000 to all of your level #'s. So level 1 would become 1001, Level 16 would become 1016, Level 1200 would become level 2200, ect. If you like this, please thank Mick George @ CNC. code: '//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// '// '// Author: Mick George [email protected] '// Date: 05/11/2003 04:42 PM '// File Name: Copy Entities to Level.vbs '// '// Description: '// '// Comments: Select an entity to get its level, prompt for a new level and copy all '// entities from current level to new level. '// '//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ' Const DEF_GIVE_ME_EVERYTHING = -1 ' -- Start Script Call Main() ' //////////////////// ' Sub Declaration ' //////////////////// Sub Main() Dim i,j,k Dim CArc, CLine, CPoint, CRect Dim CArcCopy, CLineCopy, CPointCopy, CRectCopy Dim intOriginalLevel, intNewLevel Dim bRet Dim intUpLevel Dim strLevelName Dim intMaxLevel intUPlevel = 1000 intMaxLevel = 0 If Not IsDrawing Then ShowString "We need a drawing": Exit Sub askValue "How far up?", 1,999999,intUpLevel bRet = StartDBSearch(mc_alive, DEF_GIVE_ME_EVERYTHING) Do intOriginalLevel = GetEntityLevel If intOriginalLevel > intMaxLevel Then intMaxLevel = intOriginalLevel End If 'ShowValue "layer ",intOriginalLevel strLevelName = GetLevelName(intOriginalLevel) intNewLevel = intOriginalLevel + intUpLevel Call SetEntityLevel(intNewLevel) Call SetLevelName (intNewLevel, strLevelName) bRet = NextDBSearch Loop While bRet Call UnselectAll Call RepaintScreen(True) ' unname the originals For i = 1 To intMaxLevel Call SetLevelName (i, "") Next End Sub ' //////////////////// ' Function Declaration ' //////////////////// Function IsDrawing() Dim Ret Ret = StartDBSearch(mc_alive, -1) UnselectAll IsDrawing = Ret End Function HTH, Colin Gilchrist The Boeing Company MRe and all the fixins...

The Info tab only works in step mode, not run mode. If you step through your backplot it will show you X,Y,Z positions, Feed or Rapid info, Cutting plane, cutter comp value, and feed rate. What info are you missing? It also will show you all of your drilling cycle information because mastercam does not show actual peck motion in backplot or verify. It only shows a single plunge move to depth. HTH, Colin Gilchrist The Boeing Company MR2 and Beta test site

BTW guys, You can also open up the Text section of the Control Definintion Manager and right click in the data entry section. This brings up a menu with "import" options. Then you can use the import - sheet - from post option. HTH, Colin Gilchrist The Boeing Company MR2 and ???

Hello, Mastercam has an option called ATP (automatic toolpath programming) that is already available from your Mastercam reseller. I'm not sure of the cost (it is an add-on that you have to pay for), but many cabinet shops already use this software. It does exactly what you are looking for. Batch processing of different cabinet orders. HTH, Colin Gilchrist The Boeing Company MR2 and now ???

Yeah but the 13th??? Isn't that like setting yourself up for failure?

Hi Guys, In MR2 as soon as you right click on the Arc Center option in the Autocursor menu, the "Only" button also becomes active. That means you can lock the centerpoint selection option and use a diameter, color, or level mask at the same time. So for example you might right click on arc center and then turn on the diameter/length mask and set the diameter mask to .531 and the color to green #10. This should greatly simplify your drill point selection. You can also use the AutoDrill and Solid Drill toolpaths with great success if you are trying to set up a series of sequential operations on a set of holes (spot drill, drill, bore, ream). You can read up on both of these features in the Reference Guide and in the Mastercam help file. HTH, Colin Gilchrist The Boeing Company MR2 and Beta test site