here is the hot tip fine sir make sure u have ecpress tools loaded in autocad...this is done by selecting a full install while installing autocad after full install type expresstools to load the option there are lots of cool things here... but u need only one right now select all the text u want (a seperate layer is helpful for this) under express tools menu there is a command explode text do this select the text again and explode it again using the regular explode command dxfout (make sure 0 is the active layer when u dxfout) import into mastercam anc chain your pants off ths way no geometry is created and the customer gets exaclty what they drew

if i bulid a 3d chain that only contains xy, and z moves (no ramping) why do i only get one feed rate? how can i get a plunge and xy feedrate with a 3d chain... thanks in advance

nice tips guys i've been trying to beat that problem for ages...

is your machine parameter set for rigid tapping does your machine have rigid tapping if not the thread may look okay in plastic but in alum it will break because it is not really working to sinc up especially at 100 rpm it would be hard to tell

just a thought i post without an extension on my programs, okuma will assign a .min extension ot the program when it is inputted into the machine. once the program has run i output it and save it offline with the .min extension this allows me some security in knowing that if a program contains the .min extension it has run before and i am trouble shooting setup only... not the program... if no extension i am trouble shooting both works well for me

for me nothing beat good old C12L14 that's right leaded steel cuts better than 7000 alum i would rather make a part from 4140 compared to 1018 hot rolled, minimal movement, sweet finishes, it gets no better throw it on the mill and u will look like a rock star james

i have an okuma 4020 with 4 axis option we use a kitagawa table it is a very nice piece of kit and allows indexing and simultaneous cutting we have had many jobs of late coming in because we have this technology... nery rigid very accurate and mastercam works great with it i know it is alot of money but a control upgrade and a matched table is the way to go ours paid for itself on the first job and u open alot of doors

sometimes i want my chamfer to be dead on the first time the 2d chamfer featur in contour is what i use the size that come out are dead on iff the tool is defined correctly (u also get a good verify) chamfer tools almost always have flats on them... i use solid carbide 90deg spot drills so i can chamfer and spot drill/countersink in the same tool change i find the fastest u can turn the tool and .005/tooth breaks the edge nice finally the tool set up secret THIS IS THE SECRET TO DETERMINE THE FLAT SIZE put the tool in question in the mill z it out on a piece of alum drill a hole so a conic section is there. Note the z depth u went Put a ball bearing of known size in the conic section and note the difference between the top of the sphere and the surface of the plate. take this info to your drawing package and with a little bit of creativity u voila the flat size, put that in mastercam an run your first off with complete confidence... record the number and use the same tools and u will alwys be set up this works for a wide variety of tools... draft mills come to mind... good luck

just a little tip text from acad can only be machined (engraved) if it is lines and ars to do this enable express tools in autocad and use the explode text feature on the text of choice next use the regular explode feature on the text u just exploded... ie u are exploding text twice two different ways now dxf it out making sure zero is set as the active layer i do this several times a day and finally mastered this... remember the text is nolonger text but lines and arcs so make sure it is exactly what u want before u explode

i agree remembering your origin is very important for u 2d is probably good enough so don't worry about solids and surfaces for most parts i find the offset steps, trim, and fillet commands to be most useful you can trim to a sharp corner by setting your fillet radius value to zero cad work can fly, look for patterns, try new things, look at all the sofwares options and try them out and you will get fast... oh yeah draw lots... and lots and lots then you will get really fast

just an aside in pro e you can export a iges as a wire frame or a solid i bring in both on different levels and voila line arcs and solids what could be better parasolid i guess

here is the engraving skinny bring in the artwork/logo/sign what have u delete duplicate entites if it look choppy covert to arcs can help contour window select a search point (end of an entity in a top corner is good) cutter comp off is good (center line programming) as fast as the spindle will turn a 1/16 ball nose cut approx .005 deep at .002thou/tooth xy half that on z low clearance is a must because u will go in and out of the cut lots and a good coolant flood to wash away chips check the verify and adj depth and cutter size until desired affect is obtained

i am using ver8.1.1 thank u for your help the past now i have a problem i cannot beat any suggestions would be great i love mcam but it is a code hog i use subprograms, join entites, and i am still getting dicked here my control (okuma u10m) only has 126k of program space and i need to fit a big roll die program in. this is a y axis substitution type part the part is a pocket the same 10across rotated at three intervals 120 deg around the part can i pick a chain and tanform it across and around the part (ican in the control using a modein mode out command) but can i do it inside mcam all on the same work offset? bascially i want to put a subprogram on a grid perhaps incrementally ican post on ftp if my description is poor thanx

thru spindle coolant is a helper... a big helper a u drill can bore as well as drill (sanvik is nice) spade drills are good for sure if cash is a concern but the hss insert will wear up the flank use big feeds... a .1peck will take forever to cut and rapiding up and down into the hole is lame.. try feeding into the hole and working with neg clearance thru spindle coolant helps... oops just said that is the bottom on a right angle? where the holes merge? don't send a big drill into a predrilled hole consider working from both side tour ratios are not as bad as some i have worked with good results comes down to how many holes u need and how much each hole is worth... hard job to do cheap cheap quick and dirty just my 2 cents

this is good! when running first off's turn on o stop on your machine bingo have a look each change check sizes what have u like what u see cycle start again and there goes the changer nice! part good? turn off o stop, full rapid, party on hope this helps i am a fellow okuma user keep in touch