quote: It's too bad they can't spend a little time and make a professional distribution so these infuriating irritations don't happen. For what they charge for the software, the quality of the install/uninstall is inexcusable. Funny thing happens when people make comments. The person making them does not understand how others may perceive them. Saying any part of what we do is not professional does in deed call our professionalism into question and I want to make sure enough information is presented to make sure that is not perceived that way when someone else is reading this thread. With anything it is a process and Verisurf strives to make the best product possible. We have things being developed daily and get things out at what I consider a lighting's pace. We always recommend people make a back-up of the .mtb, config and .kmp file as per Mastercam's recommendations as well. When you tested this in X4 did the install and uninstall process go better or worse? We are in X4 and things are progressing very nice with the new Master3DGage device and the install of it. Is it perfect no, but show me any software that is perfect. I will not get in the the specifics about were development of a software and it process comes into how things work inside our company. I will just say again a Vast Majority of our customers are very happy with the install process and do not do the uninstall process because they use it from then on. Ernie is the Owner and Vicki is the Director of Operations that should tell you little something about how important Verisurf takes it's customers concerns. [ 06-05-2010, 10:31 PM: Message edited by: Ron Branch V & M Precision ]

Well shows how long since you have updated the software. You have not seen our switches for turning on and turning off the software so it only shows Mastercam if you want? The splash screen is not taking over in X4. The professionalism you talk about is of the utter most importance for Verisurf. Things Mastercam does on its load up are out of our control and we try to work within those boundaries. Like it was stated you want to have it load different then you can do that. What is really bad is people never send an email to support asking for things to be addressed and then come on to a forum and complain about them not being address when if maybe someone would ask then things they would likely be addressed will be addressed. The other problem is when you are making a software were 99.5% of the people never use it for Mastercam programming the .5% that are do not like the look of something that the rest like and have no problem with. Oh one other thing I have learned since being on this side of the tracks. quote: This is just plain sloppy software development The install has not a thing to do with development of the software. When you make your own software feel free to make it as perfect as you would like. Sorry you find the install and uninstall process so un-professional and if you would email [email protected] with your specific problems we would be glad to look at them and see if they have already been addressed or what we can do to address them. Thank you for using the Verisurf Software. Sorry my Verisurf user name is not working, and I wanted to address you as quickly as possible because contrary to what you just posted Verisurf is a very professional company that cares a great deal about its customers and making them happy with the product.

Cut it like SS and use netural or negative to rought it. I have put a slight backwards grind on my drill and they seem to drill great. A dull drill seems to cut better than a sharp drill in this stuff. Finishes nice with regular carbide but worry about holes shrinking when reaming. I use to get .001 oversize reamers when reaming this stuff, but it has been a few years since I messed around with it. HTH

Ok then the question becomes what method did you use. There are 2 methods to define custom tools there is the 1.0 scale where you draw what ever tool to 1.0 from center line. So if you were making a custom 4" dia tool you would need to scale everything by .25 and vice versa if it were a .25 tool you would need to scale it 4 times bigger. Then you use a standard tool definition to the define the custom tool. Now the other way is to make a tool to scale and then define that tool by the diameter of cutting part. So you could have a .237 diameter tool with a .250 shank. You should define it as .237 in diameter and not .25. This method requires the Custom tool be used not a defined tool. The next question is how to do you test what is correct. Very easy. Make a round surface. Then do a surface toolpath like flowing one line. Then see by adjusting the diameter of the tool how your codes changes. Now you can figure out what it causing your error on your custom tool definition. HTH

Funny how I can sniff the problems out when they pop up from time to time on the forum.

I picked up a 7500 with 12 gig and FX1800 card with dual Sata 15k Raptor Hard drives for about that much. This thing smokes and I am really happy with it.

John I did not get a chance to say goodbye Friday. It was very cool to met you and hope I get to see you around the campus up there again.

Check your filter tolerance. Might be using the new filter settings that is not being friendly with your machine. Oh yeah welcome to the forum. HTH

Calling John Summers. Calling John Summers. This is the Guru when it comes to gears. Do a search and you will find his email. Email him and tell him I said hey. HTH Oh yeah welcome to the forum.

Not really sure. I would just use an underscore and not worry about it.

Do a search been covered many times, but look at the regional settings for your computer. Set them to use 3 or 4 places and that will take care of the problem. This comes from windows not from Mastercam or X+.

On the Start/Exit there is the Configuration Folder selection. It is the same place where you put your config and mtb files. If you are wanting to put them all in different place then no you cannot do that. They must all be in the same place where ever you decide you want them to be. Also if you notice that little question Mark in the bottom on the screen when you are on the Start/Exit it will go in greater detail where, how and what each specific part will do and how they work. I think there is about 75 to 100 pages covering all the different configuration settings. HTH

On the configuration setting you can assign where you want Mastercam to look for the kmp file. HTH

No, but it looks interesting.

Can you make a contour with taper angle in the depth of cut and be done. Use a perpendicular entry and retract. If you wanted to get real fancy you could use finish on the depth of cut to exactly control the step down. So if you wanted to go every .005 and needed to go .250 then just take 50 passes at .005 finish and you get what you are after. HTH

quote: Its getting more difficult to run V9 on modern hardware Amen to that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Typo on my part 4120 was the one you were using that the one I used sorry about that, but you are probably right about out of range the control will probably limit you to user parameters to call ni a program and not allow anything that high since they are considered machine parameters. Thinking about it it would not be smart to call it that way. the way you were originally doing it is the correct way. The idea I had would not work and again thinking about it would strongly recommend against it.

Might have to be after the G43 is called. Try to #4160 = #100 as a different method to assign the macro variable. Backwards stating the Macros should not matter, but can't hurt to try.

If you use solid layout you can get that very function for a blueprint. Or if you use project line to solid or surface models you get the same effect as well. I use solid trim all the time to get section views of parts and it works with any WCS. For surfaces trimming surfaces to lines can be hit or miss, but sometimes it surprises me. HTH

cincy we do these types of part dry as well when highfeeding. Any coolant and forget about tool life. It is cool seeing pop corn chips coming off of 15-5 when you are feeding it at 80 to 125 ipm with a high feed cutter.

William I get calls all the time from shops looking for help with MTM machines and when talking to the people selling machines these machine account for a greater part of their sells than they did just 5 years ago. Cell systems, 5 axis machines, and MTM machines are the top sellers. HAAS from what I understand is still at about 600 machines a month out the door so VTC's are still selling. I see things on the Horizon for Mastercam only time will tell if the product comes into something competitive or just something that get its done like it has been since I have been using Mastercam. Esprit big thing is you see what is going on and feel comfortable the machine is doing that once you post the code with these types of machines. Don't get me wrong I do some pretty wild stuff on our Integrex, but I also pull out a lot of hair and have got a lot more gray in since I have been making programs for that machine.

What does the backplot show you? I would isolate the area and watch the backplot and then let that decide what I am really getting. HTH

I would contour cut that all day long making sure to keep my step over to 60 to 70% of the cutter step over. Surface finish Contour would work good here. Then where you have excess make the chains you need to then highfeed it. I could have that part roughed with a highfeed cutter in 1025 condition less that 10 minutes no problem. We run our highfeed cutters at 220 sfm with .035 to .04 per tooth feed which on our 2" highfeed cutter is 500 rpms and 80 imp with .05 depths of cut. We turn the corners ever 5 parts. We were taking on some parts 3 hours to rough that we are now taking 32 to 40 minutes. Tooling got cheaper and we gained tons of free time by doing a lot of this material with highfeed cutters. HTH

Look at their High feed inserts we are using them in 15-5 right now on some applications and seeing very good tool where. What H condition is the material?

We can tell you many ways to do it. The question is do you have the machine that will run it? Do you need X,Z,C output for a lather with only a C axis? Do you need X,Y,Z,B output for a Horizontal Milling Machine or X,Y,Z,A for a vertical Milling machine? Do you want stick letter or block letters? Do you want a consistent size around the sphere? Do you have a surface model in which represents what you want to be engraved on? Does the model already have lettering on it and you just need to engrave that? What version of Mastercam do you have? Does the letter og in a single line around the sphere normal to an axis? Is is going off in different angles? How deep does it need to be? Will you want to use an endmill? An Pointed engraving tool? Amazing how many times people come on here asking what they think is just a simple question, but never take the time to think about all the parameters required in which to help them get the answer to the question they are asking that allows the person trying to answer it enough information to correctly and easily do so.