Sometimes it is hard to deal in this situation. And the situation is more worse when the operator is senior than you (in the company... may be) Openmind Bug! So not to worry! be wise and do your best.

Now your insert is little different to your first question "2 inch square pocket" which u put as an example. I think I have understood your cavity shape ( may be you can put an image next time) If all is one electrode ( of course you will have a Rougher, a Medium and a Finisher)then there is no question of missmatch. If you separate the ribs into second electrode:- 1.I machine my electrodes on System3R Pallets and with same xyz. so I do not move my EDM to replace this set of electrodes. Hence no question of backlash or 0.001 shift. 2. Is your split electrode design not having unnecessary/toomuch overlap with elecrode1 . Also what may happen is as the surface area of electrode2 is small, the EDM setting(spark gap) and overmachining of electrode may have to be varied from electrode1 If I have understood u correctly? Both split and two piece is ok, depends on shape/requirement

Air that may get trapped above the 0.5 tall bosses may be the reason you were told by someone. The air bubbles has to escape so it may do unwanted dischage with the debris carried along or at the same time it may upset the real discharge at that spot and hence irregular shape. If you think the bosses are important, then can split the electrode. Electrode1 Provide air hole above the bosses and clear the bosses top, Electrode2 Face the bosses. 2cents

2cents Try multifluted HSS-Co EndMill,with sharp cutting edges,no coating. Oke

kccadcam is right, If make undefined tool, then draw up in 1:1 scale If choose to select a custom geometry within the defined tool then it scales up by the dimeter u enter in the field, ( so scale down the geometry beforehand by the diameter, let the diameter field scale up for u later) Oke

Hi kwolf, You mentioned using creating boundary in other CAM package, which one? Does'nt work that smartly though in MC

Hi Rob, This is fairly a simple part and has got linear bends 4x It can be done in mastercam or Autocad just by drawing method by principaly keeping the Neutral Plane at 33% from the internal side and calculate the length of arc . Linear lengths remain the same , the only effect of change in dim is at radii only Draw it up manually and you will get the unfold. Good point of this is you will have control to fix n tweak later if you do by construction method. Oke

2 cents, Run a toolpath inside a cone (Treat it dummy to only produce a rest material stock) So ur wire cut job will be replicated by milling tool path (kind of..) Save ur STL and so rest milling Try

Try some translation if it will work for you. example, export as a parasolid and import back in. (during import tick in the options for wireframe). 2cents!

I was good to learn all that, I'll do research on the verisurf and the chook thingy, For now I'll try follow gcodes geometrical method. Thank you everybody.

Helo Foks Just wondering what is the best method to select hole axis to make our view aligned with the hole for a 5 axis part. We want to do 3+2 way, so manual creation of view is important. It is easy if hole openings form a true circle, How about if hole openings fall on a 3D surf.? I can prepare it from Solidworks but how 2 accomplish in MC. Thnks

Use best brand taps. ( eg Prototyp ) Use spiral tap. Over drill the core drill size by ~~ .05-.1mm it will result to 80% to 70% thread which may still be under ur specs. Use the right cutting speed ( not too slow!) Check ur machine parameter is set for syncro tap, Otherwise use a floating tap holder and reduce the feed to ~95% You will be alright!

If it is sculptured surface or out of round as you said. Use point to point toolpath with high/fair density of points (do not use filter that may out put mixture of arcs and lines - it is changing shape of the object if talk of real fineness) Pick the strategy that may allow you to set the pitch of points ( example multiaxis contantZ has that option, and can keep it 3 axis)(If you are driving your cutter from a wireframe, use surface instead) HiCut/Nurbs control is important to set properly too, the new machine should have it.

No No , Electrode is same size shape as is extracted from cavities. You overmachine the electrodes ( Rougher , Medium, Finisher ) by the respective Spark Gaps Simple!!

May have to increase the value of Gap distance to v large number and set the links by follow surface.It shouls work Blend may not work but raster will work with vetical lead in/outs at those spots. Try

Introduce a Point Toolpath, before/after your Toolpath with new tool.It is V Handy.

Exactly what Mic mentioned. That was the real cause and ya no issue with F, S. Thanks Mic u solved my prob. Glad Glad:)

X2 Folks, High speed Surface finish TP (ToolPaths). QUES: If I had created a TP and somehow I want to alter my tool. I simply pull down the parametrs and select the respective tool and should simply regenerate. But No!! I find the moment I hit select the different tool it changes all/or few among the values set in for that TP. Any body having similar issue or know why would that be?

X2 Folks, Has any body got success in creating bounday by using the C hook" Create Boundary" ( cutter contact point )Fo eg. if couple of surfaces are picked and I want a containment respective to the cutter in use. In my case, no good results or no results.

""Mastercam keeps shutting off every time I try to open any parameter on any tool path."" This has happend to me too few no of times, and was really hard to recover. I learnt a trick to overcome it. I think it occurs if there is an introduction of a High Seed Toolpath in the list or any of toolpaths has Rotary ticked by chance. Also I wonder?? why few of my toolpaths go dirty while I am working in project .It happens sometimes if I pull down the parameters of an existing toolpath just either to alter or browse the values. (My such projects have couple of different T planes in them)

Another very nice balanced tool holders you can find are "BIG DIASHOWA" from Japan. They are very well made, collets are very precise. Shrink fit has 1 very unique advantage of "Narrow Reach" which leaves no question to think about the collet type holders if the application needs such. Cheers

Hello, Your Nurbs setting in Okuma entirely depend upon the distribution of points in your CAM system. You first decide what the shape of part is that you are machining.( is it gently curved or jerky conners or mix). Having filters on is not a solution, you need to output points. Before you post your TP , watch the min/max distance among the points in that particular TP and set you Min Max Block length ( L , R) in nurbs control accordingly. and have the shape reconsctruction mode to High ( I 2) for gently curved surfaces and Low (I 0) on Jerky surfaces. If what you said you are machining some diamond type surfaces keep machining mode to High Quality(J 0) If its patchy mold work, then the nurbs filter come in play (K,P,Q)Otherwise keep it off. You'll figure out. Play!

I've used SurfCam and its setupsheets r great!! I am in search of someone who can help me to output setupsheets in Mastercam. My expextations in a setupsheets would be:- S.no - Toolpath Operation - Comment - ToolNo - Tool Type - Speed - Feed - Min Z - Time This is very handy sheet for the operator to read and run the job. without this information the operator does not know what the program is ment to do? cutter where used? Min Z reach? etc I'll highly appreciate someone providing such feature in my X2 Mastercam Thanks. Machine Pilot

Good day! fellows, Thanks for the advice, In the C:mcamxconfig folder I replaced the "MDM1120.prm"file which sure would have gone corrupt. And it worked!!

My Mastercam application X2MR2 was running and instead of hitting the delete key to delete some wireframe and dimensions I accidently had my fingure on power key which made the computer shut down straight away while the Mastercam was active ( but was not processing any toolpath or something) {{ Now I have changed my power button setting to “ask what to do”}} When I try to run the application , it pops up with a message:- Fatal Application Exit Unhandled Exception occurred Mastercam execution halted Please suggest KSingh