Hey all, leave it to me to start celebrating too early. Yesterday like I said, I changed the post and reposted the file, because it was the end of the day, I only edited 4 lines of code at the machine. The change was small, but when I ran the path it was smooth and working fine, until it hit the code I didn't change....then back to the z trying to catch up. So I figured I had it ! Well this morning I reposted all the code, and it came out the way it did last night.......the only difference is the machine don't like it today. Any other suggestions ? Thanks, Frank

YEAH !!!! All I did was change that line in my post......and my code only changed by .0004 in the X and .0002 in the Y.....but it did the trick. Thanks all Frank

Hi all: The problem I'm having, I'm sure is with the machine I'm using. K&T 800. I need someone to help before I lose all my hair. What I have is when I helix bore, or thread mill..sometimes the machine gets through one quadrant of an arc, and then sits there and waits for the Z to catch up, of course that won't work when threadmilling, and it's useless, when I try to helix bore. I was hoping someone has had a similiar problem, and knows a majical code I can put into the machine to make it work right. Useing the machine for scrap metal isn't an option right now. Thanks, Frank

Hi all: I again need expert advise, and I know this is the place to get it. First of all I have a part called a retainer, that I need to put a dovetail groove around the O.D. I have it in Mastercam, and everything looks good (my post needs a little work ). Anyway it starts off great on the machine, and follows the part like it should, but then starts to rapid the " B" axis, and comes out with a input error message. After reading, and rereading the operator, and programming manuals. I found something that says something about, inverse feedrate's. Has anyone had anything to do with this kind of machining ? I'll put the file on the ftp under mcam 9 files and label it Retainer. Thank you, Frank

Thanks all who replied, It ended up working great, with the help of some on this board. I've just talked the boss into Version 9......so I'll be hanging out here, and picking some brains. Now if I could just think of a good quote here ! Thanks again, Frank

Also time isn't as much an issue as the finish. The boss is a perfectionist.

Thanks....I don't need a bulletproof program but just some idea on how to get started, or how others would do it. Would it make sense to create a stl file of the rough stock, so I don't cut much air? And what path would work best ? Thanks for such a quick reply. Frank

Hi all: I've uploaded a part to the ftp site in the MC8 folders and labeled it "waterpump impellor" . I don't really do a lot of 3d work and this job seems pretty straight forward. But for some reason the boss must have seen this job run somewhere, and wants me to think about how I'm going to machine it, and I think there will be a test......lol. I have put another job here and just a couple of toolpaths, that some great programmers here put on it, taught me a lot. Like using a bull mill to quickly remove most of the stock. I'll be running it first on the lathe, and finishing the O.D. and I.D. and back. Then locating on the center hole to hold it down for the 3d toolpath. Any heads up or toolpaths would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Frank [ 08-12-2003, 07:08 AM: Message edited by: Frank ]

Hi all : I deal with machining heads and blocks, and the boss, would like it if every time the machine does a rotary move, the move has a name. Is there a way if I label all my different CPlanes with what they are......U0 (head face), U030 (exhaust face)and when they are posted they are on the operators read out. Thanks, Frank

In my post (not for a Haas), when I use the same tool 3 times in a row, it doesn't have the tool change, but it does have a comment line with the tool name rewritten. So it would be real easy to figure out where to put the new changes. Frank

Hi Litnin: Without any remarks, I think you might be talking about chaining. If you only need to cut something quick and easy, try this. Create, Line, Endpoints, create a line anywhere. Then contour, chain. If you want the cutter to just feed on the line forward and back. Click: contour, chain, partial, then click your line, then where is says wait......make it a y, and click the line again, end here. Then when you get to the contour parameters page turn the tool compensation to off. If you use compensation with the cutter you can adjust the start and finish of your cut with the lead in/out button. I hope this helps. Frank

I just found the Mpmaster post here.

Thanks for the replies so quick, Mark we haven't got the machine yet so if you could send me that post I would appreciate it. Also where do you get the free post's on this board ? I went to the cadcam FTP site and didn't see any post's. Thanks again, Frank

Hi all: I've been a lurker on this board for a long time and have got a lot of great information just using the search feature. If I could help I would but there seems to be so many quick and good answers, I don't ever get a chance. Well I've just been informed we have bought a brand new (still in crate) Horizontal Hitachi Seiki 630, with a 16m fanuc control. I am familiar with the fanuc controls, up to 12m, and using search on this board found out that the MPFAN, from MILL6 would be the best starting post processor to use. I currently am using Mill8, hopefully I can now get 9 with a little push. Any insight to what I should get ready for would be great. Thanks, Frank

Hey all: The way I do it like on a block where I have to bore the crank, with rapids between journals, is to draw the lines in top view, how I want the drill to work, then put the cplane at side, and use contour, chaning the drill path. You would of course have to have your broken lines in dynamic view so you can chain them. Make sure in your parameter page you have everything in increment. Does this make sense ? Good luck, Frank

Sorry Scott, I don't have a jpeg file of it, just a casting. And if I did, and I posted it on this board........you would never hear from me again.... Frank [ 09-03-2002, 10:26 AM: Message edited by: Frank ]

I need to pick somebody's brain. We have been machining engine blocks for quite a while, and always seem to have trouble with bulkheads. Normally I put the block on a horizontal mill, and with a 7" saw cutter feed up and down to cut the bulkhead, we finally have come up with a good feed and speed to do this, on up to a 8 cylinder block. Well someone just dropped off a 16 cylinder block, and had all the bulkheads cut, I'm thinking that it was done on a vertical mill, and useing a ballnose cut in the z and y axis, but the finish is too good to be able to tell. If anybody could (without giving away top secret information) inform me on how to machine beautiful bulkheads it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Frank

Hi all: Now this may seem like a dumb question. How do you program a M00 in your program ? Normally I have always done it in the editor, it would be nice to be able to do it right on the fly though. Wow a lot of other questions are now racing threw my mind. Can you change tools, orient the spindle, then program stop ? Also with our Fanuc's I manually put in operator messages using #3006=10(load 5" face mill), is this possible ? Thanks all, Frank

Once your done converting your drawing in Corel, to a DXF file, in Mastercam go to File, Converters, DXF, and you should be able to bring it in. It will most likely need a lot of work. Like Camcad said it would come in better if you can use the raster to vector program, but this will work. Good Luck, Frank

Thanks for the reply James........ [Webmaster - Vent about dealer removed. Update to latest translator version was the ticket.] Just Venting, Thanks all, Frank [ 04-01-2002, 09:24 AM: Message edited by: Webmaster ]

Hi all: We have the UG translater, and I've used it 1 time since bought. Well now I have 3 files that i'm having problems with. Actually 2 . I sent one to my Mastercam seller, he translated it with no problem and sent it back. So I went to their FTP site and downloaded the latest and greatest, and tried to translate the file he was able to and I get nothing. 1 out of the 3 opens and translates great. I am using Mcam 8.1.1 , has anybody else had these problems. Thanks, Frank

Thanks all for the great responses . We talked to a salesman today, and are weighing our options. The big guy needs to justify cost. We (he) hasn't decieded to use DNC in our shop yet, but just wanted to get a good idea of the cost. Thanks for all the e-mails, and as soon as we (he) deciedes yeah or neah, I will post again on this board our (his) decision. Thanks again, Frank

Hi all: With 35 CNC machines we are considering useing DNC to link them all, to get rid of disks,laptops, and greco's. I have always just downloaded my programs on floppy disks, or if too large, cd-r's . So this will be a whole new adventure, that's been a long time coming. Tommorrow we have a salesman coming to demonstrate Win DNC, and Multi-DNC. And we are finding out there are a lot of DNC software avialable, I was hopeing someone on this forum can give me some kind of insight, or recomend a good one to use. Thanks, Frank

Hi all: What I am looking for is an adjustable Tre-pan tool for face grooves on a mill. Usually I just contour the groove with an end mill.....but the boss want's me to look into tre-pan tools. Any information would be helpfull. Thank you, Frank

Thank you for the files. Both where close to how I programmed it.......it assures me that I am doing it right. I just thought there was another way to let mastercam know exactly where the stock was. I did notice that both of you used a bullnosed end mill. Like I said I don't do a lot of 3d work......so normally I have used ballnose. Should I use bullnose to rough the pocket, and ballnose to finish, or is bullnose good for both ? Again thanks for spending your own time on this.Is this a great board or what ? Frank