__________________________________________________ The cost of these problems is coming out of the owner's pocket, not yours, and you probably don't need the headache of this battle. __________________________________________________ Absolutly right !

I totaly agree...there should be some dialogue. And I did ask the question "why". His response was "because I want it that way" I don't know where it came from, other than thinking all changes are good changes.

Although telling the boss to "shove it" ranks right up there with me an Halle Berry spending the night together. I realize right now they are both only fantasies ! So with 2 small kids and a wife, I'll have to program in Metric. After all I do get paid by the hour. And so are the operator's who will scream and bitch, after they get the programs.

Not when my words mean nothing! I asked what benifit does he feel he would be getting by me programming in Metric, and his reply was "because I want you to" then he proceeded to tell me he's going to check with his machine shop owner friends, and I have 2 hours to come up with a solid reason why not. So sorry for wasting your time....sounds like he's already made up his mind. I've also been told I get paid by the hour do as I'm told. Aint that a kick

Hey all: I am confronted with giving the boss an answer on why I program in Inch, when the prints come in Metric. His thoughts are if it comes in Inch, program it that way, if it comes in Metric, do the same. I know it's just a code in the machine to change to Metric...but can someone tell me what problems can occur by doing this ? I've always converted. Beside already having over 2000 tools in my library, is there something else I'm overlooking. Thanks,

I go to front view,xform,translate,all entities,between points,enter the point to translate from by clicking on the bottom of the part or the part that you want to be Z0, then translate to type in Y0 and it will move your whole part to a different z

Thanks again all: I am trying to shape up, and also looking for greener grass. It's really tough when you've been in the same place for 21 yrs. to make a move. Even though I'm the only programmer here, this forum has made me feel like I'm programming with a whole group......so you guys are in trouble. Anyway trying to make the best out of a bad situation. Thanks all

Thanks for all the responses The shop (big guy) recently has taken the position to change all my programs to machine 0....so a lot of the programs that are falling apart, are programs that have been running for a couple years, and then all I have to do is take my majic wand and either flip the part over, or change all my "Y" 0's During the couple years they have been running, there has been a lot of changes, and not all the changes are made in my office, so besides having to pull up my old geometry, and rotate it, I also have to look thru a stack of fax's, old prints, new prints, and figure out what's what. I'm not trying to make excuses. The bottom line is if it's not a good part, it's my fault. And normally when inspection finds it, and I look back into my program, I also find it, and it looks obvious. I think Jimmy's got it right, I am so nerved up I'm making silly mistakes, and I think shape up or ship out, has taken the wind from my sails. I need to get remotivated, or find another job. I love doing this kind of work, so it will definatly still be in this field, but maybe with a more supportive big guy. Thanks again

Hey all: Lately I really seem to be second guessing myself at everything I do, and sure as ****, I'll take a saw cut too deep, or miss a location of a hole...ect. I don't think this thread pertains to mold or 3d programmers. But I have recently been told that I have the next 3 months to shape up, or ship out. A little backround is I am the only programmer in a shop with over 30 cnc's, and most of the jobs I program are engine blocks or heads, or transmission cases on horizontal, or vertical rotary's. The big guy is not a believer of cad models so everything is programmed from the print. His new saying is he doesn't want to hear the words "missed it" or "forgot" and says he realizes perfection is asking to much. My question is to anybody in this field, are you given a first piece, to establish your program, and make any adjustments, and or corrections on the 2nd, or are your programs normally great out of the gate? And does the pressure of losing your job, hurt or make you a better programmer ? I am starting to wonder about my capabilities. Thanks, Frank

you do realize that is Millionths ? Happy to get a hole that close ? How do you check it ?

Millman, is there an easier way to.......say you have 5 holes at different heights, and different depths. The way I have been doing it is. I use incremental on the R plane of .1 and give the first holes depth in incremental also using and checking tip comp. Then create the drillpath, go back into the operations manager,click on geometry points, go into edit depth, click on a point,hit Z, again click on that point, and it will give me the absolute z position, then subtract the new depth, also keeping in mind the tip comp. It really seems like a lot to go through to change the depths of drilled holes, but it's the only way I know. If i'm really doing it the long way could someone give me a heads up on an easier way. Thanks, Frank

Try alt-E group...then select your named group

How about posting the program, and use the nc editor to change your B0 to B45 ....

When I do engine blocks, I program each face on the rotory, one at a time, and make my way around the whole block. When I'm done with that, then I drag and drop tools all together, for instance if I rough all the faces with a 4.00 face mill, I put all the 4.00 face mills together at the begining of the program,on the last rotary move the face mill machines, I then pick a tool for that face, and put all those like tools in order...ect.

Got mine in Michigan

Wow great tip, I use drafting all the time and have never seen that ! Thanks

Hey all: Anybody seen this site. You download their easy software, draw your part, submit it, and it instantly gives you a price, and 30 days later you recieve your parts. Supposedly no human intervention. Yeah right ! Somewhere there is a pc getting bitched at by it's superior pc, YOU QUOTED WHAT !!

Yes I have contacted Axsys, and they asked me to e-mail there post dept. I'm sure they'll find one for me, in time. I don't have any code yet from the machine. A friend asked me if I would write a 3D path, of anything, so they can test the machine, and my programs, and if all goes well. They will start to bid on 3d work, and I can bid on programming it. Thanks

Hi all: I know I'm not suppose to ask this, and I did a search. And I have contacted my Mastercam reseller,and am now in the process of sending an e-mail request to my reseller so they can search for 1. But I need a post for a S 3040 D Control on a Vertical Brute Machine. If there is someone on this board that has one, and will share, but only with my reseller, please send me an E-mail address, and I will forward it to them. Thanks, Frank

We have 26 vmc Monarchs, all have fanuc controls, but we did have a few with the GE 2000, they are very acurate, but in todays standards, as far as speed they're dinosars. I don't have any experience with the 4020 but I know the monarch are pretty reliable. Good luck, Frank

Hey all: I've been lurking here for a long time, and read all the valuable information. I've also bought the older version mastercam post processors book, and have got the CD basic MP post programming loaded on my pc. I've even spent time at home learning the basic's of HTML. When I have time,(not very often) I read. I'm still lost, I have made some small adjustments in my post's, but have a long way to go. With my reseller there is no charge to adjust my post the way I want it, but it takes them a lot of time to get to it, and e-mailing back and forth would seem to take forever. What I need is a class or someone to actually sit down with me, and teach me the basics, then maybe the book and CD would make more sense. I'm always impressed at the help, and knowledge of the master's on this board, and keep reading the messages, but post work seems like Chinese to me. I also respect the rules of this board,and the people who have spent their time revising their own post and would not ask for a post from anyone. But since it is a free service from my reseller, why is it a big deal to the Mastercam people, it would seem to free up more of their time, if we all shared. Thanks, Frank

Just a thought...some of our fanuc controls will not accept a comp in (wear) on a circle, so I have to make sure that I have a linear move, to pick up the CC before it starts the helical move. It doesn't even have to be helical, just milling a circle requires a linear move to pick up the cutter comp. You can check this by removing the g41 or g42 from the program and see if it still kicks out the path. Good Luck, Frank

230 Operations using 140 different tools

I use the rob Jack cutters all the time for engraving cam covers or putting "O" ring grooves in blocks. Put your spindle at 7000 rpm's and run at 15. ipm and go for the full cut you should be fine. Frank

Frikin amazing, I am going through this topic right now with the boss. He doesn't want an operater to have to pick up anything (load and go). It doesn't really make anymore work for me to change the location of the part before programming it, but it makes BIG sense that machining an engine block, that the crank being x0 y0 makes better sense than making it a number from machine 0 !!! By reading this forum I see there is a great big difference in opinions, on this subject, and there are good points to each, but I got to go with the operators being a little better than monkey's and are very capable of making a pickup and putting there fixture offsets in to run a good part. In other words I agree with James !