Mastercam 5ax definitely rocks at molds. One thing to keep in mind thought is that a lot of features on a mold are more efficiently ran as a 3+2 toolpath. I sometimes use a 5ax path in order to "tilt away" for clearance and also to get off the center of a ball cutter as well.

Don't know if you guys have played with the new tilt away function or multi-ax roughing but here's a few vids. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=PG-2F9Xnr3c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vSNf7SOhj8Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vgk3UpAzRws

The highfeed button (in operation manager next to the post button) does this

It adjusts feed rate according to volume being removed and accel/deccel of machine when set up properly

8^)

Thanks guys. We have made sure nothing is running (post, editors,etc) Will see if maybe something isn't running in back ground.

I have a customer that is getting an alarm when exiting Mastercam. It won't let huim exit..?? Has anyone else seen this?

Mastercam should allow for the taper on the tool as long as you have compensation set to computer. I tried it with surfaces and chains no problem.

If your still having trouble consider using curve 5ax and applying side tilt.

Had to add a line so if manual entry is the first op it comes out after pheader$:

pcomment0$       #Comment from manual entry (must call pcomment2)
     if miscopflag = zero, pheader$
     pcomment2 #Required if doing boolean 'if' logic testing!

Had a customer call in today that was having problems with outputting manual entry comments. If the manul entry was posted by itself or first, then it would output. If it was after a toolpath operation it would not output. :headscratch:

I tried with the default posts and had the same problem. After trying every trick I knew to try and get them to output I finally added this to the post to get manual entry to work properly:

pcomment0$       #Comment from manual entry (must call pcomment2)
     pcomment2 #Required if doing boolean 'if' logic testing!

HTH

Here is a custom cycle I made for using heule tools to chamfer different depths:

pmisc2$      # Canned Misc #2 Cycle 
hole_cnt = 1
p_get_cham
n$,"(",*hole_cnt,")",e$
n$,*x$,*y$,"(",*hole_cnt,")",e$
chm_z = top_chm + chm_clr
n$,"G0",*chm_z,e$
chm_z = top_chm
n$,"G1",*chm_z,pfr,e$
chm_z = bot_chm - chm_clr
n$,"G0",*chm_z,e$
chm_z = bot_chm
n$,"G1",*chm_z,e$
chm_z = refht$
n$,"G0",*chm_z,e$

pmisc2_2$    # Canned Misc #2 Cycle 
hole_cnt = hole_cnt + 1
n$,*x$,*y$,"(",*hole_cnt,")",e$
chm_z = top_chm + chm_clr
n$,"G0",*chm_z,e$
chm_z = top_chm
n$,"G1",*chm_z,pfr,e$
chm_z = bot_chm - chm_clr
n$,"G0",*chm_z,e$
chm_z = bot_chm
n$,"G1",*chm_z,e$
chm_z = refht$
n$,"G0",*chm_z,e$



chm_z : 0
hole_cnt : 0
chm_clr : 0
top_chm : 0
bot_ chm : 0
fmt Z 1 chm_clr
fmt Z 1 top_chm
fmt Z 1 bot_chm
fmt Z 1 chm_z
fmt "HOLE="4 hole_cnt
p_get_cham
chm_clr = peck1$
top_chm = dwell$
bot_chm = shftdrl$
#*chm_clr,*top_chm,*bot_chm,e$

...and the custom text:

[misc2]
1. "Custom Chamfer"
2. "Feedrate"
3. "Top Cham Z"
4. "Initial height"
5. "Reference height"
6. "Depth"
7. "cham clearance"
8. ""
9. ""
10. ""
11. "Bot Cham Z"

I would just update the v9 router post (from cd) to X5 mill. Should be close enough for what your doing. If your going to program the router much then maybe have inhouse tweak it in.

What Jeremy said

5ax comp can be as simple as tcp or cutter comp and tool posturing. I will take a look at the lpost and see what it specifically controls

... a more modern solution already available

+1 to what Paul said. The older posts do not take advantage of all the new features in Mastercam.

You could find the length of the arc with something like this:

#HomeMade variables
arc_ratio : 0
arc_length : 0

pfind_arc_length        #Find arc_length by using sweep angle and radius
    arc_ratio = abs(sweep$) / 360                         # Find ratio from sweep angle / 360
    arc_length = ((arcrad$ * 2) * 3.14159)) * arc_ratio   # Find circumference of total cirlce then multiply by arc_ratio to get length

I think this will work (as long as I got my variables right )

Once you have the length you could add a ptimea post block for gcode$ = 2 or gcode$ = 3

Was wondering why it asked who I was before replying. Wasn't logged in, DOH.

Kevin I am sending you the Peck Tap stuff for you to look at for your haas.

Don look in psof_tlchg_blck and p_goto_strt_ntl post blocks and make sure that p_out is force (*p_out) I am assuming that A is the primary axis, if not apply to s_out. (p_out = primary axis, s_out = secondary axis)

Find that line in ptlchg$

If its the 5ax post the variable should be *p_out

If its the mpfan style it makes a call to pcout or pfcout. pfcout "forces" A out.

(check psof$ too)

You may need to post that line up if neither of the above applies.

Try setting the limits here:

Check in the machine definition. Doubble click on the A axis componet and see what the settings there are.

If the post was built from the generic 5ax mill post look at the variable "frc_cinit : 1" to see if its set to 1

What was the final solution?

Check your miscellaneous values. It sounds like you have told it to set an axis there.

To get only one axis the "goto" point needs to be the same X as your home postion. (May need to some logic at top of tlchg so the value is not output anyway.) I have had to do alot of "operator" specials in the past.

Dave I meant that any of the products are close in the way the paths are created. Definatly want to use dynamic type paths. Then the tooling knowledge kicks in.

The biggest gains I see in material removal have more to do with the programmer's knowledge of tooling (or in my case its knowing the tool reps number )

Take the ":" out of the string declaration, you don't use it on strings.

speckrate_error "Error no Peck"

The ":" makes it a number variable.