By the way I'm using MIll 8.1.1 I just put the file at the FTP site, in MC8 files, folder it is a zip file.......called GETRAG HOUSING PUMP 5. If anybody can take a look at it for me, I would appreciate it. Level 1 has the finished part, and level 2 has it after it comes off of the lathe. Thanks again, Frank [email protected]

Thanks for responses. But I had another project a long time ago. And someone on this board recommended running a toolpath on the lathe work, and then running a recut or something else on the 3d surface to machine what the first tool didn't get. Then after posting delete the first tool. The problem is I can't find the recut, or leftover button. What I did was created a surface out of the lathe toolpath, brought it on a different level into mill, and machined it. Now I turn off the lathe surface and turn on the mill surface, and now what ?? Thanks again for the replies, Frank

Hi all, I know somebody here can help me. What I have is a round, hub like part, that needs pocket machining on a mill, The easy part is I use the lathe to remove most of the stock, and finish what it can. My problem is when I try to machine it on a mill, using surface pocket I cut a lot of air. I thought there is someway I can either use the surface I created from the lathe work, and somehow let the mill know it's there. Or run a mill toolpath on the lathe work and then somehow use recut. I hope I'm making sense. Thank you, Frank "take it easy, and if it's easy take it twice"

The easiest way I've found is to draw it, and measure from tip to whatever diameter you want it to go to. Hopefully this would help, Frank

Hi all it's been a while since my last post. (wow i feel like I'm in a confessional),Anyway I'm not to great at editing post's but was wondering, I have the selection in a bore cycle to shift off center of a bore, actually stop spindle, rotate, then shift off center. The fanuc uses a G76. How can I make my post do this ? Thanks, Frank

THANK YOU............KATHY. I wish you would of left that link on there my reseller didn't know, and also Mastercam didn't know. After a day and half of trying everything, including reloading mastercam in another pc. It took no time at all for the REAL people to come up with an answer. Thank you again Frank

Schwartz Machine on 8 Mile between Mound and Ryan. Is Omega on Groesbeck ?

Hi all i'm in a desperate situation, and need your help ! I'm running 8.1 and I think for the first time since I've loaded 8.1 am trying to convert Catia files, I do have the C'hook. I've used it with no problems, until now. I've been working with my Tech support people and done all that they ask, but everytime I call up that C'hook, find the Catia file and load, Mastercam freezes!! I have even tried a file I have allready converted in the past and still a freeze. I have reloaded Catread, Moldplus, nothing seems to work. Maybe someone out there has had this problem before and can help. Thank you, Frank Balsamo

toolpaths, next menu, circlmill, auto drill.

Thanks, it's very coooooool, and could save me a lot of time. One more Question though, is there a way to make the tap stay up a certain amount from the drill depth ? Thanks again, and happy programming.... Frank

Hi all: Can anybody give me a heads up on the auto drilling cycle, I've been playing with it, and seems it could be an important part of my programming, but need some explanation. Can I somehow use this to drill, chamfer, and tap a bunch of holes ? Or what is it's primary funtion ? Thanks, Frank

Hi All: Can somebody help me ? I always just put an amount of about the diameter of the drill, to determine peck depth. All the supplier's books have how to determine speeds and feeds but no peck depth's. Is there a scientific way to figure it out, or just by feel. Thank You, Frank

Use Corel Trace.....and change your bitmat to vectors. Then use your Dxf converter to bring the image into Mastercam. Some files come in real clean and others need a lot of work. Good Luck, Frank

Once you right click on your tool go to the parameters page of that tool and put in the spindle speed and feedrate, then save to library. The next time you need that tool your feedrate and spindle speed will be there. Frank

I'm not positive of what you are talking about....but I know when I program rotary moves, if I don't start machining at rotary 0, Mastercam automatically makes my first rotary move 0. So to eliminate the problem I always run a tool at rotary 0 (a drill), and put a note with it that says DELETE, and after posting, I delete it. It's the only way I know of telling mastercam where rotary "0" is. Frank

Change your solid model to a surface model, then go to create surface, trim / extend, remove boundary. I'm still new to solid and surface modeling and machining, but I've found it's easier to machine a surface with Mastercam than a solid. Am I wrong? Frank

Does anyone have or know where I can get a cad file for a pine box derby car.....it's for my 7 yr. old in cub scouts? I know it's suppose to be done by hand but it is the year 2001 ! Thanks Frank

Mill level 1 will do this it's just a 2d drawing on different planes. If you follow the steps I wrote above you will see how it works. You can still use levels for each rotary move or you don't have to. Good Luck, Frank

Hi Nick: Maybe your just off to a bad start. Go to side view, set Z to 5.000, create a point at X0, Y0, now click on Cplane rotate, X+ and type 90. degrees, save. Change your Gview to the same number as your Cplane, create a point X0, Y0,. Now make sure your Tplane is also at the same number your Cplane is and do a drill cycle on your point, change all your planes to side, and do a drill cycle on the point you created at side. Now backplot. That example I use for horizontal machining, for vertical I use Top plane and rotate my Y + . Hope this helped. Also James I tried to backplot the way you described and it still didn't rotate the part. Thanks Frank [email protected]

I do rotary machining all the time and James is right...what I have to use when rotating the geometry always use Cplane rotate. One question though how do you set up backplot and watch the part move ??

Thanks for all the replies. I have tried everything. This is what I'm told....the part was designed as a solid model by Ford, and when it is translated to an iges file I get all the bad surfaces. If it is created as a surface part there won't be a problem when translated. Now I've asked them if they can download it as a STEP file or a parasolid, and was told they can do a STEP file for me. My next question would be, is anybody familiar with our STEP translator, and won't I get the same results if it was created as a solid. Thank You, Frank

Hi: I have been given some iges files to convert....first of all, the conversion leaves untrimmed surfaces all over the place, does anyone know if there is a switch I can use to remedy that ?? Along with the iges files they sent .ops files, I think they are prints of the part I got in iges. Does anyone know if I can somehow read these ?? I'm using version 8. Thank You, Frank

are you useing nc utilities, post, reverse ?

Thank you all for all the responses Karl I'm trying to figure out what a STL file is, I see I have a converter for it, do I bring the file into Mastercam then write it as an STL, then what? I've used my help files on this subject and it wasn't very helpfull. If I could be able to do this it would be a great help. Our customer wants to use the same forging to try all kinds of different cuts on his piston.....and it sounds like using STL would be an answer. Actually I just learned that there is no "writing on the wall" to machine 3D from all the different responses I've recieved.......Thanks again. Frank

Are you saying to use finish paralell, and use depth cuts for the heavy area's of stock ? Please elaborate. And thank you for the response.