Our customers have had alot of success with the Mastercam Certification which as grown into the online version Mastercam U: http://www.mastercam.com/Support/Training/Default.aspx They supplement the online training with the various inhouse tutorials. We have found this to be a very powerful combination for getting up to speed quickly, and being able to also get into the "deeper" levels of the software's capabilities.

Ron If you use the post to output the op info to a text file (either buffer or one of the predefined subs) then at the end of posting you can have the post launch a script.As Roger said the scripting isn't powerful enough on its own, but you can have it call a .dll . The dll can read the afore mentioned text file and do anything you can write in vb or whatever you language you prefer. I used an example from Mick to launch a dll in the Barefoot_ellipse script on the ftp site. Call me if you need some help with this.

Greg, The 1st year anniversary is the easiest to get. They do get harder after that. I find saying things like "yes dear" and "I am sorry" help out alot. Good luck and best wishes on that one year deal.

Wuf Man Did you get the post? On the standrd post thru tool is M8, I changed it to M88 and added a bit of logic at ptoolend to output M89 if it was Thru tool and not flood.

I done a post for it in v8, and have updated since, it was special to say the least

When I can't get a set of surfaces to flow together I use project blend. It seems to take less time than recreating surfs.

doh!

Gcode, Click on the ! mark at end of status bar Open z-field up a little by clicking divider to right of field on top of excelly looking table

Not sure what your post looks like, but in the mpfan post at the end of psof$ and ptlchg$ I added a call to a new/created postblock p_is_tap: code: pcan1, pbld, n$, *sgcode, *sgabsinc, pwcs, pfxout, pfyout, pfcout, P_IS_TAP, strcantext, e$ pbld, n$, "G43", *tlngno$, pfzout, scoolant, next_tool$, e$ absinc$ = sav_absinc pcom_movea toolchng = zero c_msng$ #Single tool subprogram call P_IS_TAP if tool_typ$ <> 4 & tool_typ$ <> 5, *speed, *spindle, pgear The variable "tool_typ$" is tested to be 4(right hand tap) or 5 (left hand tap), and if it either of those then spindle is not output. HTH

Did you use rotary 4ax? It does great with stuff like that. (If you need the head tilted there's a bit of a trick)

Here is an example Taft sent me that creates two arcs on different planes: code: '//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// '// '// Author: Rich Taft '// Date: 8/16/05 '// File Name: geo_junk.vbs '// '// Description: sample from the "TaftMan" setting cplane '// '// Comments: '// '//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Public CRect, Cline, CPoint, CArc Public NewPlane,NewView Call Main Sub Main 'Call NewMC(False) Call GetCPlaneNumber() 'Call SetWCSNumber(mcVIEW_ISO) Call RepaintScreen (True) 'From Top Plane create line perpendicular to Z ' and 180 degree arc @ NewPlane = SetCPlaneNormal(0,0,1) 'NewView = 1 'Call create_line 'Call create_arc 'From 45 degree Plane create line perpendicular to Z ' and 180 degree arc @ NewPlane = SetCPlaneNormal(0,-.70711,.70711) 'SetCPlaneNumber(2) 'NewView = 2 Call create_line Call create_arc NewPlane = SetCPlaneNormal(0,-1,0) 'NewView = 3 Call create_line Call create_arc Call RepaintScreen (True) End Sub Sub Create_arc Set Carc = New McAr With Carc .X = 2 .Y = 1 .Z = 0 .R = 1 .SA = 0 .SW = 180 .view = NewPlane '.view = NewView End With If CreateArc(Carc, 2, 12) =mcENTITY_INVALID Then Exit Sub Set Carc = Nothing End Sub Sub Create_Line Set Cline = New McLn With Cline .X1 = 2 .Y1 = 1 .Z1 = 0 .X2 = 2 .Y2 = 1 .Z2 = 1 End With If CreateLine(CLine, 10, 5) =mcENTITY_INVALID Then Exit Sub Set Cline = Nothing End Sub

Colin you can close a sub then reopen with a new name. ex: code: p1 : 0 #programn counter sextaux$ aux #extension for aux files pchange_outputfile p1 = p1 + 1 #program counter subout$ = 2 #writing output to aux file #---- "putting something out and show on progno - ", *p1, e$ #---- subout$ = 1 #cant be in the file you are changing the name of sp3 = no2str(p1) #increment program snameaux$ = snamenc$ + sp3 #rename new program newaux$ # auxprogram with new name clearaux$ # clear in case anything is in there from previous posting You can tinker with where to rename file depending on what your going for. HTH

How did the Poker Run go Jammer?

Josh After the 4th come up for a tech day and I'll show you the vector math in the post. Between figuring which plane to calc the vectors in and also scaling the vectors for smoother cutting it was very challenging to say the least. I'll get you in touch with a guy that is very proficient at setting up the kinetics in the machine.

Watcher, was the same bug in the mpgen5ax post?

Josh, the post you did for the haas is based off the same stuff. You can use the mpgen5x_millplus as a starting point. The control is capable of tcp programming so I'd take advantage of it, but to use the high speed stuff you have to feed it vectors instead of angles. I would start fresh, your capable of doin it with some help. You may want to come by the office for half a day and go over some of that stuff, lemme know. The biggest thing to remember with any kind of nutating head is that Z+ is not always a safe move away from part. On table/table Z+ is always out of part.

Thanks Jim. That was the trick. I will add one thing. If you go to alarm msgs and type debug and enter you do not have to estop.

Yes, its an older vr. We are not using the G143 tool comp on this control, would be nice. We use the macros for tool length and G54's. Then plug tool length intop the overall length parameter. Slick as a whistle. I want to do a grid shift on the axis. I am worried that some of the probe setup cycles are working off of machine home and a G54 or G52 shift will not be correct cause the macros set the values at that .178 tilt. Haas is faxing the grid shift procedure.

I am working on a haas 5ax head/head machine today. We have discovered that the A axis is .178 degrees off from being vertical. Where can I put this .178 value in to shift/ compensate when homing the machine. We are using the tool setter and renishaw so I don't want to just put it in G54.

Are you using the cimco editor to download to the machine?

Should be able to use centerline and G41 by selecting "wear" for comp type.

Tim On3d contours depth will always be incremental. Set your top of stock value to incremental at whatever value you want to step down from.

I have seen this before, the solution was to open an explorer window, go to tools, folder options, view tab, show hidden files. Also check file permissions for read only attribute.

Ah, I see, It would hve to be a basically complex post. I was not thinking of a simple post.

Ron, If he had atleast curve 5 axis he could use the xyz on one side then the uvw on the other. Might be a little easier to sync that way.