Dan, nice "visual" explanation. Mastercam should hire you guys to help re-write their Help files. Rick

Ahhh. Nice. I didn't think of or know that could be done. I have a lot to learn. I sent you an email at your profile email address. Thanks for the help. Jay, do you have learning videos that show what gCode describes using assembly files in MC?

Actually, I know the answer to the assembly question now. I'm good.

Jay, what kind of a learning package do you have for sale?

I can see your need Gcode and it makes perfect sense. It's more of a need for organization. When you're running numbers through one setup why bother with other setup information. Got it. I can see the importing possibilities. I take it drawing files will get you the 2D information where you can manually enter the z information. The concept of importing a parasolid assembly is interesting.... I guess someone might prototype different versions of a "part" by manipulating it's geometric construction as an assembly. Not sure if that's "creative" or simply lacking knowledge in using SW's "configuration manager." Or, is there another benefit of using SW .asm files within Mastercam? Again, thanks guys. Great information. PS. Gcode, you're not too far from me. Is that Riverside I see?

...and I don't think you can "bring whole assemblies" into Mastercam. Mastercam can only take part files - not assembly files. Again, I'm very new to Mastercam so please let me know if I am misunderstanding something. Rick

Gcode, interesting, but still doesn't solve the need to re-align the part in order to perform another operation on a different surface. You wouldn't re-import the SW part file using the "co-ordinate" system you mentioned just to create another TPlane, origin and coordinate system - would you? It seems Mastercam has the answer and Jay's video clearly shows it. It does seem to me that Mastercam's help files really lack clarity. I'm surprised that such a deep program has such unclear documentation on some of their more important concepts and abilities. Does anyone else feel this way or is it only me?

MotorCityMinion, I read your link. Thanks. To me the solution is in Jay's video. Knowing how to manipulate the part into different coordinate planes and then proceeding into the various milling operations is the answer. It would seem that setting the part's alignment by way of SW construction would be merely one step above creating 2D dxf files per setup. (Am I missing something here?) Plus, from a design perspective, I tell everyone to design the SW part in relation to how it fits into the assembly. This makes the parts easier to fit and edit within a major assembly that can easily have hundreds of parts. The last thing I want them to do is design with a machinist's needs in mind. As for xForm translate, I am not sure. At first glance, it would seem to be manipulating the extrusion to affect a different alignment. If so, that would seem cumbersome since the solution presented in Jay's video keeps the part's construction intact which would prevent possible errors during the manipulation of the extrusion (and subsequent features). Please let me know if my understanding is out of wack. In the meantime, thanks for the comments. I really appreciate it. Rick

Awesome. Thanks for your time.

I'm coming from the world of SolidWorks and major assemblies and trying to help a machinist friend of mine better use Mastercam. (He's taught me the incredible world of real-world machining.) He's using x9 and creating dxf 2d images of the tool plane and then programming the 3D info (depths). (Isn't that ridiculous or am I missing something?) However, I'm stuck when importing a SW file and then can't get it to rotate and lay down the way I want to machine it. I'm beggining to understand xform rotate, WCS and views within MCX2. Question: Am I incorrectly concerned with the xy coordinate system in the graphics view? I'm thinking the Gcode would be confused if the part is not laying in viewer as though it were to be machined. Then, to reposition for machining on another surface, is it a matter of rotating the part or changing the WCS or simply selecting antoher surface for the TPlane? Some direction on the big picture would be greatly appreciated - I don't expect to get the dirty details as I will be reading, but right now I'm cloudy in the head (and it's raining outside). Rick