My thoughts exactly, sounds like someone's had a PowerMILL demo recently?

Ah OK, thanks.

I think that MasterCAM Direct is a 32-bit application and won't run 'inside' the 64-bit SolidWorks. (I think that what Pete is implying?) On a related note then, does that mean that MasterCAM for SolidWorks won't work on 64-bit SolidWorks?

I'd think PartMaker would be the first choice here, according to their website they have a strong affiliation with Tsugami/REM Sales http://www.partmaker.com/partners/tsugami-...sales/index.asp And list the TMA series as being supported

Maybe try this http://delcam.com/general/software/exchange.asp According to the website it's free when used solely as a viewer (and it seems to read in nearly everything) but then for exporting (translating) you can pay-per-translation or just buy a license if the cost justification is worth it, not sure about the cost for that.

It's about the same as Nimonic if you've ever done that. I'd say it's the difference from Inconel that Inconel is from Titanium. Nasty stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49auLIg25BM Maybe this might give you something to think about, certainly not that it's programmed in Esprit but the approach. Especially the part when the tool is coming in at 90 degrees to the part (imagine the part sitting upright on your horizontal table). As others have mentioned the limitation is going to be the RPM of the table. But I've more success doing this type of thing in the past with the side of the tool rather than working on the end (which I think is what you were suggesting?)

What do you want to know?

Interesting thread this. My only concern with the multi-axis toolpaths in MC is the reliance on 3rd party technology, with either ModuleWorks or Camaix providing the current multi-axis technology. It's not the fact that it's not good, it is. It's not really the fact that (in the case of the ModuleWorks strategies) it's the same as used by EdgeCAM, GibbsCAM, SolidCAM, CamWorks, Cimatron, etc. It's not even the fact that the technology isn't being continually developed. It's that the *rate* of development is out of CNC's hands. I'm sure they apply pressure to their development partners to keep up with the current leaders in multi-axis machining (IMO PowerMILL and HyperMILL) but these partners also have demands put on them from their other customers. With the 3-axis strategies coming from NC Graphics (PTC now) or Cimco where does that leave CNC with regards to the rate of development for this core functionality? It's going in the right direction for sure but is it taking too long to get there? Esprit is actually a good example of this. 3 or 4 years ago Esprit was the leader in multi-tasking, they had multi-turret, multi-spindle synchronization sorted, the machine simulation was first rate. Pig of a learning curve but well, they could do stuff with multi-task machines that others were nowhere near. Then they took the foot off the gas. The last few years have seen some eye candy added but in terms of improvements in functionality in response to user demands, very , very little. Looking at the simulation in the latest release of PartMaker (http://www.partmaker.com/camsoftware/press/press_53.cfm) makes Esprit look extremely dated and they've definately lost ground in ease of use for multi-task machines to FeatureCAM. Garen, I hear what you're saying but just being able to post out 2 code streams isn't even close (IMO) to where CNC should be right now. They're not even out of the blocks and the competition is 3/4 of the way down the track. It's going to have to take something spectacular to even get them close. Who knows though? They could do it but it's going to take a hell of a lot of resource to develop it and my concern is (again) there will be a high reliance on 3rd party technology.

Esprit for 5-axis milling? *shudder* Mill-turn it's a good solution but pure milling? No way. He needs some training for sure.

Hey no worries Ron, no feeling of chops being busted here I was just after something a bit more dedicated for On Machine Verification than what MasterCAM offered was all, and Renishaw OMV seemed the best suited from what I found. Some of the graphical functions for dragging probing points around on-screen, adjusting approach distances and vectors interactively and the reporting functionality were some of what I thought made it look ideal. And being able to combine multi-axis probing routines into a single program (including simulation) was also very cool.

When I said (AFAIK) it's the only product to offer full machine simulation of probing paths what I should have said was it's the only one of the probe path generating software (eg. PC-DMIS-NC, Renishaw OMV, etc) that I know that does it. Not saying there isn't just I never found one other than OMV. Yeah, Vericut could verify the nc program for sure but I don't think it can create the probe nc program in the first place? Well, the demo I saw they used a DMG 5-axis machine and it was the *full* machine - column, guarding, table, etc. 1 program was generated to probe multiple features on different faces of the part simulating the moves to clearance, table rotation, approach moves and probing path. Looked pretty solid to me. Other machines are avaialable apparently (Matsuura, Mori, Okuma, Mazak were mentioned) but whether the Integrex is one, I couldn't say. You'd have to ask them I guess.

If it's Renishaw probes you're using then, for me anyway, the only way to go would be Renishaw OMV. http://www.renishaw.com/en/6253.aspx AFAIK, it's the only product to include full machine simulation of probing routines as well as support for 3+2 (4 to 5 axis positional) applications in a single probing program.

Looks like CNC is trying to play catch-up with Delcam with their machine shop. http://www.delcam.com/news/press_article.asp?releaseId=465 That's a hell of a machine. http://www.delcam.com/general/about/tooling.asp Have a look at the Capacity List on the PDF at the bottom of the page, some nice machines there. So, if CNC get a Puma will be they be "encouraged" to use Delcam software? ;-) http://www.delcam.com/news/press_article.asp?releaseId=540 Or a Mori? http://www.delcam.com/news/press_article.asp?releaseId=498 Looks like Delcam are really leading the multi-tasking mill-turn market at the moment with FeatureCAM and PartMaker. What are the plans for CNC to catch up with these guys?

quote: I'd suggest haveing a demo set up with both softwares on some parts in your company, and see which works more efficiently.+1 I see from their website that Delcam have an office in Toronto, get them and In-House in and see which suits you best.

Well that's a strange question to ask on the MasterCAM forum that's for sure. Depends on what you mean by 5-axis really? 5-axis positional (3+2) or 5-axis simulataneous? What application? Die and mold? Aerospace? Impellers? AFAIK EdgeCAM, Gibbs and MasterCAM all use simultaneous 5-axis libraries from ModuleWorks so they're reasonably similar, offering some good functionality. SolidWORKS is a CAD package so no machining functionality, unless you mean software like SolidCAM or CAMWorks (which again both use ModuleWorks libraries). My personal choice would be PowerMILL for any high-end multi-axis work. But that's just my opinion, I'm sure there's others here that feel differently.

I think I'm missing something because I can't see why this can't be solved from the information you have. Have a look at ftp://mastercam:[email protected]/Ma...ro_question.png I'm guessing I'm wrong on the info supplied somehow? EDIT: I changed some of the dimensions to make it easier to see the triangles. [ 05-19-2008, 11:52 PM: Message edited by: gaijin_2007 ]

So you only get: 1. The start position of the 2.2 rad (variable, but in the example shown X1.833 Z0) 2. The size of the 2.2 rad (variable) 3. The size of the 0.078 rad (fixed) 4. The 1.5 degree angle (fixed) Do you get the X value for the intersect of the 1.5 degree line and the 0.078 rad? The X2.75 dimension shown in the example shown. Or is that a factor of one of the dimensions given, maybe the X start position of the 2.2 rad? If you have either the X dimension of the 1.5 degree/0.078 rsd intersect or the Z dimension of the vertical face at the end of the 1.5 degree line then you're good. Otherwise you're missing one more piece.

Wish I could figure out how to put pictures up! Yes, this can be done from the info you have. You have 2 triangles. 1. You have a triangle formed by the intersect of the 1.5 deg line and centre of the 0.078 rad. The hypotenuse is 0.078, the angle is 1.5 so the adjacent length (cos 1.5 x 0.078) is the distance in X from 2.75 to the 0.078 circle centre. 2. We know the centre of the 2.2 rad is X1.833 Z-2.2 3. Because the rads are tangent we now have another triangle with a length of 1 side being 2.2 (drawn from the centre of the 0.078 rad to the centre of the 2.2 rad) and another side being the X centre position (from 1) of the 0.078 rad minus 1.833 (drawn vertically from the centre of the 0.078 rad to X1.833) 4. Now we can calculate the angular sweep of the 2.2 rad and the rest is golden. If I figure out how to put a pciture up I'll do, unless you can figure it out from the above ;-)

PowerMILL - yes EdgeCAM - yes GibbsCAM - no FeatureCAM - yes

Hi all, We are also looking at a featurecam/mastercam comparison so any other input is welcome, we were told that it was using powermill code for toolpath generation. it is very, very quick to calc and post but I'm not sure I can get my head round creating features instead of the machining process. From what we saw it is quicker than mastercam for the work we do and easier to pick up but some of the other guys (apart from me) have previous experience of mc so I guess that'll probably be where we go. We hve also discussed powermill and were quoted 18k for 3+2 machining, maybe 30k for simul 5 axis + CAD package? Not a very good intro here (sorry!), we don't have mastercam but I joined to research what the users were saying. thanks