I'm changing the subject slightly, but how are you guys using depth cuts with 2d chamfer? Is the tool plunging straight down on each depth cut or have you figured a way to have a chamfer mill follow the angle of the chamfer to cut a large chamfer? I've always contoured the top of the chamfer and used my chamfer mill defined as a face mill with angled depth cuts to do this. Just wondering if there's an easy way using 2d chamfer?

I just use depth of cut, then turn on lead in/out so the tool isnt exactly plunging straight down. i have contoured large chamfers it like you describe when using a highspeed feed mill using angled depth cuts.

This is a bug, if you switch from to 2d chamfer to 2d and set the depth cuts where you want then switch back to chamfer, the depth cuts will be grayed out but will still backplot and post with appropriate depth cuts.

Is there a way to minimize the assembly and holder names in toolpath manager,they take up way too much room.

Internet Explorer?

Try Firefox.

Firefox worked thanks.

Yes Tl bmp parameter is selected and if i use excel version it puts the tools icons as supposed to but if i use HTML version I get an icon bmp where its supposed to go but the icon is blank.

Thanks John, got that issue resolved, is there a trick to get tool icons to display in the tool list. I use the html version.

X+ and logo and all that works great,only issue im having is getting tool icons to display on tool list. Is there a trick to get this to work?

Does anybody know where the logo.png file is for X+ 6 to get rid of the gmcss icon on the setup sheet for x6

I am looking to thread mill aluminum and magnesium prototype parts from 2-56 thru no bigger than say 6-32's.Would you guys recommend a single point tool or multi flute tool. We tap deep holes in these prototypes and have trouble using bottom taps and roll taps are not an option,thats why we are looking at thread mills.All these parts have small holes metric and standard both.Have not thread milled much of anything so appreciate any advice you guys have.We are a job shop and do protypes all the time anywhere from 10 parts to 200 parts...

Yeah,that was the fix. Thanks guys. We were able to replicate it every time.There are a few seconds that you can open a file before the save icon actually kicks in and starts saving the file, and then it will save the file under the new opened file name.

Thanks i will look at this,we found that by switching the windows aero theme off and going back to basic, that a lot of the little delays have disappeared and this could be what was happening when it was saving.

Is anybody experiencing mastercam overwriting/rename current file with a previous file path/name? Recently upgraded xp to win 7 64 bit and since we have had mastercam rename/overwrite current files with a previous file name.This has happened on 2 different pcs now. Thankfully we have backup enabled on the harddrive to save 5 backups. These files are being saved over a network. What happens is we click the save icon and sometimes it overwrites the current file name with the file path that was open previous to current file.Mastercam reseller has suggested reinstalling mastercam but have not done nothing this drastic yet.

Ive made vacuum fixtures a few times for parts like these with good results or started with a bigger plate then mill the center down leaving tabs then cut the part and finally drop the tabs out.

Thanks guys,i definitely need to start experimenting with this toolpath.Ive pretty much been getting the job done with either parallel,contour,scallop or the high speed toolpaths and have never played with blend or flowline.

never mind i found the answer down below........doh

Wondering if anybody that has installed mu3 has had any issues with the x+ setup sheet?

Does anybody have a sample file with surface blend toolpath.My sample files does not have it nor could i find it in ftp site.Have not tried this toolpath before and i want to see what it does to see if it could be useful or not.

Thanks for your help guys, with your replys and some messing around today i found the places where i need to go.Now i just need to experiment and play with this a bit.This forum has been a great learning tool.Thank you to everybody that participates in the forums.

a while back i came across the forum that you could import an stl file as mesh, then turn on the shading of your surfaces and look for any gouges. I have not worked with stl files before and would like to know how to do this.I have seen the switch in the verify settings the prompt for file selection if i were to use an stl file im assuming.Is there a way to import an stl file on its own level then be able to translate,rotate,etc.?

I have seen this error before when creating a tool with too many decimal places.Example 3/64 .046875,when i changed the radius to .0233 the error went away.

if any other operations in the file have the planes box enabled and checked to 0 all the subsequent operations will post at g55.Check them all to -1 and it should post g54.id go into view manager and see if there are any other toolplanes set or something like that.check the view manager and make sure none of the plane offsets have been switched.Once one operation has been enabled to post g55 the following ops must be manually switched back to g54 with -1 in the planes box.

Wondering if anybody out there is famaliar with the Widin line of cutters.Our local rep doesnt carry Fraisa anymore and mentioned these, but i have never heard of them before.Supposedly outperform Fraisa and other similar hardmilling cutters.Really all i know about them is that they are made in Korea.Appreciate any input anybody knows about these.Also any input on Redline tools as well.They are pushing these also which i have not been very satisfied with in the past.

We use a Kennemetal 1.5 dia 1285 rpm,230 ipm,they claim you can run .059 doc but i typically run about .035 so it doesnt pound the machine so much.Use this on an old Fadal 40 taper to square mold inserts to size before heat treat and profile net shape,works great.Will square a 12x12 block 3 inches thick h-13 less than a half hour.

crank it up til the cutter breaks then back off half a notch.

A lot of time i start with 1000 sfm,20% stepdown and stepover depends on my finish requirements.Most times i ruff with .100 to .200 stepover just to get the meat off then finish with .010 stepover if using a parallel toolpath.Depends on the part and the toolpath being used.3 flutes is the way to go also,4 flutes tend to plug up.