Chris, Gald you found another job so soon. Using Gibbs isn't the end of the world. Besides, learning another system will only be beneficial for you. Being familiar with MC, your transition should be fairly smooth. I started with Gibbs and my new job had MC. Everybody likes to rip on the other guy. Yeah, Gibbs is different. But you'll see that it is very easy to get the job done. I never did any 3D work with Gibbs, just 2 and 2-1/2D die work. We either created the geometry ourselves or on big plates, we imported IGES files. It worked GREAT for what we needed it for. Was it the cat's a$$? No. Did it get our jobs done quickly and efficiently? Yes, and that's what my boss wanted to see. If I can be of any Gibbs assistance, email me. If you can convince them to change to MC, more power to you! Good luck at your new job. Thad [ 09-27-2002, 07:58 PM: Message edited by: thad ]

If you use pactec's link, remove the period at the end or it won't work. Thad

quote: Maybee you and Thad could start your own forum... Thad

Andrew, That's what I came up with when trying to duplicate Jerry's scenerio. Apparently, I'm SOL on this one. Thanks for your time. Thad

Jerry, I wasn't able to duplicate your situation. Do you have a file that you can upload to cadcam's FTP? V8 or V9. Thad

Andrew, Your file kept the tool down. Unfortunately, I need depth cuts when remachining. Thad

Interesting observation, Jerry! Does it do this for you consistantly? The best I've ever come up with was to get it to stay down on the last 3 corners of a square pocket, but it still retracts on the first. I've done multiple pockets and every time, it retracts on the first corner and then stays down on the other 3 corners. I couldn't get it to do it consistantly. Next time it comes up, I'll give your workaround a try. Thanks for the input. Thad

quote: Also - What type of a tool changer do you have that would permit the tool to be changed without leaving the pocket of the part? Mine would have driven the tool thru the part and ruined my day!I see some confusion. I ruff the pocket with a 1.5 cutter, then in another operation, I remachine the corners with a 5/8. When remachining, I want the tool to stay down between each .100 pass in the corner. The start point and end point of the remachine path in a single corner are less than an inch away (I'm guessing). I don't need the tool to rapid up, over an inch, and then back down. I want it to stay down and rapid back to the start point. quote: Further investigation, Set the stock boundaries and look at the verify, Do you want the remachine to recognize that there are radii at the intersection between the floor and walls as well? No. That radius will get milled out when I finish the pocket walls (3rd op) anyway. Thad

Andrew, I'll have to check out your MC9 file tomorrow. I left 5 minutes after I made my last post. To clarify the specifications, I NEED depth cuts and that's where I have keep tool down selected. I do not have finish parameters selected. Will Gibbs do it? I don't recall. We only had the shop floor version that was resident in the Fadal control. It was always at least a version behind, even when you got a new machine. On top of that, since it came pre-installed, unless you got new "innards" for you machine, you still used the old version that came with the machine 5 years ago when you bought it. So, as luck would have it, remachining just came out "in our world" and our company closed shortly after. BTW, if anyone is going to rip on Bill Gibbs, they need to do their homework first. Suspenders and a tie has been his schtick for a while now. Thad [ 09-23-2002, 07:29 PM: Message edited by: thad ]

quote: When doing re-machining, keeping the tool down would enable you to rapid in X and Y to the next location within the pocket, thus risking breaking the tool by rubbing on the finished depth during rapid. Perhaps this feature is purposely not enabled during remachining, since this op generally involves the tool moving in rapid from one location to another within a pocket, which you wouldn't want to do in rapid mode unless you retracted in Z. Peter, Before the tool moves from one location to the next (within the pocket), it goes to the "retract" level first...eliminating the crash potential. Thad [ 09-23-2002, 02:26 PM: Message edited by: thad ]

emhart2002, I'm not familiar with the Wire module, but can't you put the correct values back in and save your library? Thad

If thats the way "keep tool down" is supposed to work, it's pretty weak. By making the changes that Millturn suggested, the tool will stay down whether "keep tool down" is selected or not. That's why I suggested that maybe it was a workaround. I have contacted my VAR about this and it was forwarded to CNC Software in early July. Still no response. Am I the only one in this forum that wants to use "keep tool down" in a pocket remachining cycle? C'mon, somebody help me out here. Thad

Do you have an ops library (personal) that you need to get it from? If so, can you change libraries? Did you have it in a library from v8 that you can update? Thad

Corey, Contrats! I'm sure it's an exciting time for you and your family. Thad P.S. BerTau, you crack me up!

quote: True many of the things that are options on Fanuc Controls are standard on others, but so what. Aw, come on James...I expected a better come back than that! That's like saying that although Gibbs costs more than Mastercam and can do less, so what, I still like Gibbs. Matt said... quote: One big thing that I just remembered (it has been 4 years since I ran the FADAL), was how easy it was to start a program anywhere you like. Even in the middle of a canned cycle Not to mention the geometry/trig help, funtions, Learn command, the way it handles cutter comp in the XY plane, the ability to use cutter comp in the Z when changing planes (G18 or G19), or using cutter comp at all when changing planes! Just because someone has the market share, doesn't mean they are the best. Similarly, just because someone has been in the business for 30 years, doesn't mean they know what they are doing. I've worked with guys that were in the trade for 20+ years and still couldn't square a block! Oh well, I didn't mean to rant. It's just my opinion and we all know what they say about opinions. Thad [ 09-19-2002, 10:08 PM: Message edited by: thad ]

quote: I did use a FADAL 88 (I believe that is correct), which in the short time I used it I found it to be easier than a FANUC, as far as tool and workpiece setting. Matthew, you are so right! The Fadal control is the most powerful/user friendly control on the market. FANUC sucks. It takes at least 3 times as many steps to do anything on a FANUC control as it does on a Fadal. Every single person who came to our shop who *was* a diehard FANUC user, after using a Fadal control, didn't want anything to do with a FANUC any more. Thad

Anyone else? Thad

emhart2002, Did you also update your post? When you post the program, under NC File, check the "edit" box and then see what the code looks like in the text editor after you post it. Thad [ 09-19-2002, 12:05 PM: Message edited by: thad ]

Millturn, Am I correct in assuming that this is a workaround, not the way keep tool down in supposed to work? It seems to me that just by checking off keep tool down, that in itself, should do what I want. As far as the tool retracting to Z0 (top of part) before moving to next corner, I agree it's risky, but would probably do it if *I* was running the programs. The way we're set up, I do the programming and the guy down on the floor runs them. Just for grins, I created another pocket and machined it the same way. The tool retracts to a clearance in between pockets. Thad

Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong here? I can't seem to get the "keep tool down" feature to work. I have put a file on cadcam's FTP called remachine.mc9 in the V9 folder. It's a simple 2D pocket that ruffs and then remachines the corners. Thad

Having trouble with Starrett CMMs? Check out this article Thad

Good luck, Ed! Thad

Tony - I looked around for a way to make it into black and white within IrfanView. Using "Negative" gave me a white background, but in the process, changed my geometry colors just enough to fade them when printing. I tried a few other options with no luck. Ron - a good idea, but I still get the black background in the imported picture which covers any geometry since it's a black & white printer. Fred - Works perfectly! Gives a nice clear, un-distorted picture. Thank you all for your comments. Especially Fred! Thad

Once in a while, I want a hard copy of my file. These hard copies are usually used just for a setup reference or something like that. I zoom in on what I want, push "Print Screen" and paste it into IrfanView, a picture viewing program. I print it out from there. These are my obstacles. First, I have to change the background color to white (currently set to black) because my black and white printer will give me a nice solid black printed page if I don't. Then, I am prompted to change my geometry selection color because it is currently set to white...so I change it. Then when I print the screen shot, it comes out distorted. It's usually stretched in one direction. My print setting are to print actual size (not fit to screen). Then when I'm done printing, I have to go back and change my system colors back to my original settings. I'm looking for suggestions on how to simplify this process and how to get an un-distorted picture of what's on the screen. As often as I have to print something, it's not a huge deal. I'm just looking for a way to make my life easier. Thad [ 09-17-2002, 10:25 AM: Message edited by: thad ]

quote: Some close-tolerance areas will be left on the low side of the tolerance, hoping they will grow when hardened. This is the only part that I don't fully understand. You hope that they will grow enough to "create" grind stock? You're hoping it will grow, but not out of the high tolerance? On the rest, your fate is in the hands of the grinder hand. He should grind everything into the finished areas that you've already cut. That will make everything correct. If you finish what needs to be finished and leave stock where it needs to be ground, the rest is up to the grinder. Thad