I don't think many people are using the Active Reports setup sheet. I tried using it but could not make it work like I wanted, so I switched to x+ like everyone else, and I will probably never look back, like everyone else who switched.

Sorry I could not directly answer your question.

Glad I could help with the x+ part, but it is only half of the solution. Here is a sample of the third page of my trifecta that shows the remaining EDM information. Again, this was from Solidworks, but I used to do the roughly the same thing in MCAM. It works really well for us. The EDM guys are really happy with all the info I give them.

Hope this helps.

It has been a while since I installed x+ but from what I remember download x+ and the language.dll zip files. Run the x+ setup and then copy the lang.dll to the chooks/x+ folder. I just remember following the instructions on that web page and have been singing the praises of x+ ever since.

Thanks Gunther.

Run verify and then select "Save stock as a file" to save as an stl. The button is active only after verify is run.

x+ is a setup sheet that most of the people on this forum use. Download it from Here

It works really well, it is fast, and it is FREE!

3 pages follow every trode from birth to death. The first two are the setup sheet and tool list from x+, the third sheet is a drawing showing the burn location, trode name, overburn, EDM finish, etc. Currently I make this third sheet in Solidworks, but I used to make it in Mastercam. I would just bring in whatever plate I was burning into MCAM and make my drawing from that.

Instead of scribing on the trode get a Metallic Silver Sharpie or a Liquid Paper Correction Pen - these show up really nicely on the trode.

Every mold we make has its own 3-ring binder separated into sections labeled BOM, Mold Drawings, Part Print, Steel Programs, Electrodes, Quote, and Assembly Checklist.

Also happened to me, but was a while back. I had a zero feed rate programmed.

If you did have a zero feed rate, check "Minimum feed/min" in the General Machine Parameters. If set to zero change it to .0001, for example. Then if it uses this feed rate for a toolpath, your cycle time will be huge and you'll know immediately something is wrong with your feed rate.

The "Jump to new posts" idea is really nice but it does not work for me. Can it be updated/fixed? I haven't seen anyone post a topic saying it didn't work for them - maybe just me?

No problem. Glad I could help.

Beat me to it. Here's a pic

From Dave's equation above:

D = B / (Sin(360/2N))

where

D = PCD (diameter you are after)

B = distance between holes

N = number of holes

Highlighting a toolpath and pressing "L" on the keyboard will also lock and unlock a toolpath.

Thanks for the idea, Bob.

Talked to guys on the floor about it and they love it.

Thanks gcode.

Can you guys see the rotation point in MC like it shows in my SW - a little blue circle? The functionality is working in MC but I can't see it, or is it not supposed to show up?

Actually, that was inside SolidWorks.

When I installed the 3DConnexion software it put a menu in SolidWorks at the top called 3Dcontrol (the picture I posted above). I also can't find this control panel inside MasterCam. I only see a rotation point in SolidWorks, not in MasterCam, and I can't find where to turn it on. It was on automatically in SolidWorks. It seems to be working properly in MC, but I can't see it.

It is blue in SolidWorks so I thought maybe changing the background color in MC would do it, but I still can't see it.

I will keep looking.

Is this what you are looking for? In the 3D Control Panel under properties, uncheck "Auto Rotation Center".

No problem with X+ here.

Regarding MU3 - Highfeed still not working properly. Only problem I've seen so far.

Thanks gcode.

Hope so, as I was just starting to use High Feed more often than not.

I reported this problem on 10/22/09.

See this thread: http://www.emastercam.com/cgi-bin/ultimate...t=035565#000000

I sent it to my reseller who duplicated the problem and reported it to CNC Software. I also sent it in to QC@mastercam. So far no response. Must be a bug.

I use "Regenerate Display List" for ghost lines and such probably 15 times a day. Never use Ram Saver, maybe five times in ten years of programming. My files are generally small (under 10 MB) and I don't have solids. All electrode design work is done in SolidWorks. I merge the SolidWorks file to standard files I created in MasterCAM. And like Colin, I am a habitual saver.

X+ working fine with MU2 here.

Highlight all the toolpaths you want to include in the cycle time calculation, hit Backplot, expand the dialog box, go to info page. Total cycle time is shown here.

Open level manager (Alt-Z), right click anywhere on the levels, menu pops up, look for "Purge empty levels"

Take a screenshot of what you want to post (I use Gadwin), go to photobucket.com, register, upload your files, copy the bottom link from photobucket, in the Full Reply Form on Emastercam click on "Image", paste in the URL, do a "Preview Post" to make sure you got it right (might take a couple of tries).

See this link:

http://www.emastercam.com/cgi-bin/ultimate...t=032031#000002

Do a search for "Screen Captures", etc. for similar instructions. Learn to use the Search fuction on this forum, you will discover lots of goodies.