thoskins We have this problem if we open another mcam file with the first one open. It does it if you regen the new file, or post it, or anything that changes the nci. Then if you try to regen the first file you will get a bnci error. But if you saved or closed it, they will be red X'd. HTH Glenn P.S. We have this problem in V9

jmparis quote: Well, you see, you have sit down in front of your computer and create some geometry. Then you have to lay some tool paths over it, verify them, then go ahead and post the code to the machine. Then you will have gotten them into mastercam Thanks, I would have never though of that one. I would rather have something of a magic wand to wave over the files and have them be done. Tell the boss all the HARD work it took, and be down at the bar, kicked back spending all my HARD earned money on whisky and wild women. Brian Mitchell quote: You are exactly right John, because there is no way to get PCMax geometry into MCIs the nc program in a way that you could reverse post it? Could you maybe send me a sample. Thanks to all Glenn

We are supposed to be getting some parts that have been programed in PC MAx. Has anyone heard of this software? If so what has to happen to get it into Mcam? I searched the forum and the Web for answers with a no go for info. Thanks Glenn

I have bookmarked this topic and will give it a try. Thanks for the help. Glenn

Working on the same issues here. Hope that someone can help. Glenn

Personally, I hate wear. I really like to use full. I can then look at the code, and see reasons for errors at the machine. When you set zero's at the same point as the print, you can then read the same dim's in the program. It is a great trouble shooting method to see were the error of the part is. JM2C Glenn

We have never had cutter comp work correctly with the MX3 post. We have several TRAKDPM machines with th TRAK AGE3 control that we use this post for. Glenn

Could you create a surface and cut it with a ball endmill. Just thinking out loud. Glenn

I would also add, "Call your dealer". I had a problem with a converted post as well. One call to the dealer, and about 45 min's on the phone, and it was fixed. I have also had great luck with calling CNC software when my dealer has been unavailable. That IMHO is probable the best thing about mastercam. The product support is the greatest. This sight runs a close 2nd. Glenn

quote: On your M29 line, do you specify a speed also? Yes fboike According to my Kennemetal book, in 1010 mild steel, a 3/8 24 tap should take 60-120 inch lbs of torque, and a 3/4 16 should take 300-800 inch lbs with a min of 1 hp. You should multiply this by say 1.2 for HB 70 mild steel which would be 360-960 for the 3/4 inch. Which I believe converts to 30-80 ft lbs. The 12 hp bridgport should have 110 ft lbs @ 468 rpm. This seems like it should have plenty to run this 3/4 tap. Could anyone help explain why/why not for me. Thanks Glenn

fboike, I think that they have tried both. What size of holes have you tapped in your 3020? And in what? I havn't been able to find the rated horsepower for our machines yet, we have the 8000 rpm spindle. In our manual, it has a rigid tapping setup proceedure. Have you done this? Would you know where to find the program O0040 at? Thanks Glenn

They have had this problem before, but nobody talked to me about it. They felt that the machine lacked the horsepower to do it. We have to put an M29 before the G84. We have done rigid tapping before. Some worked and some didn't. The reason that I felt there is a parameter problem is that it will do this with a 3/8 28 tap. When you can break 3/4 or 1" endmills, why wouldn't it break a 3/8 tap? This tells me that I should have plenty of torque to tap this hole. Thanks Glenn P.S. Ron, We have never used thread milling. Where is a good place to read/learn more about it?

We have some bridgport 3020 with a fanuc 21i control. We are getting alarms 740 and 741 rigid tap alarm: excess error. In the discription of the alarm it say for 740 "During rigid tapping, the position error of a position at which the spindle stops exceeds the specified value". For 741 "During rigid tapping, the position error during spindle movement exceeds the specified value". I was wondering if I could adjust some of the rigid tapping parameters (5200 group) to help with this error. I feel that this machine should have the power to run the tap cycle. When I finished the tapping by hand it didn't really seem that difficult. Thanks Glenn

Glad to see that I am not quite alone Glenn P.S. It is great to have this forum to vent our frustrations. [ 08-18-2005, 01:02 PM: Message edited by: heeler ]

TagrpSTi & Gary But I think we are the few and getting for it. I can't help but think that CNC Software must have been for removing this much faster, safer option of doing things. Thanks for your support. Glenn

quote: So heeler, how do you like autocurser? DID I SAY I HATE THE AUTO CURSOR. DID I SAY I HATE THE AUTO CURSOR. DID I SAY I HATE THE AUTO CURSOR. DID I SAY I HATE THE AUTO CURSOR. quote: I never use autocursor because it is too easy to accidently slip into sketch mode. +1000 Glenn

When we loaded it here, it had nethasp selected, had to select local. It is in the nhasp X icon under mastercamX HTH Glenn

Jay, That is what I wanted to get away from. I really hate to have to click all over the screen, I really liked the way that in V9, I could be in the create function and with auto cursor off, could just push the button on the keyboard and know that it would only select what I wanted. A simple click on the keyboard and I would only get what I wanted now. I couldn't begin to count how many times I have went out with our operators looking at why a machine or Mcam was F'd up. Just to find that they had used auto cursor(a near as I could figure) to select something and had it use the wrong thing. Glenn I would like to repeat I HATE THE AUTO CURSOR p.s. I'll have to check out the key mapping thing

Jay, I did that, but then how do I select the point that I want? Glenn

Is there a way to turn the auto cursor off in X? I really hate the auto cursor and like to just push the keyboard button to have the cursor select center, endpoint, ect. DID I SAY I HATE THE AUTO CURSOR. I see so many error here with the people using the auto cursor. Just a slight movement of the mouse and you don't get what you wanted. DID I SAY I HATE THE AUTO CURSOR. Hopefully someone can help. I don't want to have to use the autocursor screen every time, and I don't want to rely on the little, little picts of tangent, endpoint, ect. DID I SAY I HATE THE AUTO CURSOR. Thanks Glenn P.S. DID I SAY I HATE THE AUTO CURSOR.

Have you ever tried Cimco Filter. It will create arcs from small segmented line moves in your NC file. If you would like to send me the NC file I could run it thru there for ya. HTH Glenn

quote: so the only way to open a network config is via changing the data path manually in the shortcut icon or .cmd? That is how CNC software had us doing it for V9, and how we have it working for X. HTH Glenn

James, I have many times had to put the fillet in the chain rather than the solid. If I tried to do it in the solid, it would apply it to other faces close to the faces I needed the fillet. I just happened to find this lacking feature when doing a fillet. The way that we could analyze and correct errors with V9 (by just redefine, retrim, ect and regenerate) was in MHO was alot better in V9. I am sure that I will get better with X as I go, but this is one area I feel that they misssed the boat. Glenn

Paul, I don't quite comprehend all of what you just said, so I have printed out the instructions, and will try to follow it thru. Thanks. So mastercam will check to make sure that the program will work properly, or tell me what has to be altered to run in the other machine? No more having someone take a router program at 20000 rpms and 150 ipm and trying to run it on a machine with 5000 rpm spindle. This might be good. Thanks again Glenn

Rekd, My work around for now is to create a new correct arc/fillet, then create a center point, delete the arc, analyze the old arc, change the radius/dia. pick the change position icon, set on point and pick the center point I created from the new arc. Pain in the arse. but it does work. The old way was a lot easier. Glenn