For #2 you will have to learn about buffers.  I use two buffers, a string buffer for the description and a data fields buffer for all the numerical information.  Buffers can be challenging at first but not to bad after working with them for a while.  Buffers will automatically increment for you, but you can force it to go to a specific line.  That is how I push my tool information into the buffer, then when you read them out the tools are in order.

For #3 I make a counter variable that I increment at each tool change.  You just format the variable to have an "N" and nothing to the right of the decimal.  Then put it where you like.

Clarence Cook

Kootenai Machine Inc.

You can set the colors in configuration, colors, wire frame geometry.  Same can be done for solids and surfaces.

If you click on the rod to move it up to the thickness of the plate, you can start typing in a number and it will go to that distance, ie typing .06 then hit enter will get you .060" and not the .0625 of the ruler.  Works for all of the gnomen rods and angles.

I use G52 all the time.  I have four Haas verticals and a Makino horizontal that I use G52.

Most of my work is vise work on the verticals and I make fixture plates for the horizontal.

I have the G52 set to a common Z location, typically the bottom of the parallels.  Then I add the parallels and the material height, if any, to the specific work offset.  This allows me to program G10 Z values in Mastercam which gets set the first time the program is run and not again.  This allows me to move the part to any of the verticals that can accept it, because each of the G52s are specific to the machine.

Check setting 33 on the Haas.  If it is set to Fanuc, then using G52 makes no sense as it gets reset to zero on a reset, M30, etc.  Setting 33 would have to be set to Haas, but the Renishaw macros don't like it and alarm out.  I had to modify my Renishaw macros to bypass the alarm message.  I know it is a danger, but I haven't come across an instance where it has been an issue.  I also don't use the Haas quick codes, I only use the macros imbedded in the programs, using manual entries.

Good luck with updating your programs.  I am currently doing the same thing to incorporate all of the process changes I have implemented, ie probing, mid cycle starts, etc.

If the B axis information is in the nc file and still not rotating, I would look to codes to unlock and lock the rotary axis.  On my Makino, they are M11 and M10.

Chip resistant Brooms

I have had fair luck with just the old straw brooms.  Long stringy chips will still embed but overall not bad.  The brissles do get short after a while but they are cheap.

First off, did you do an M291, reverse axis assignment?  It makes the A axis (normally sub spindle) and turns it into the C axis (normally main spindle).  When you are finished, you will want to do an M290 to put it back to normal.

Could you post a snippet of code so that I can compare it to some of the code that I have that I know works.

Which control?  Mine is the 18i.

Kind regards.

Clarence

My numbers buffer captured all the H/D codes along with radii, diameter and other stuff that I am not currently using.

Colin can correct me if I am wrong, but you only have 9 or 10 buffers that you can use and if memory serves, the mpmaster uses 3 or 4 of those.

Clarence

I have done what you are trying to do with buffers in the post.  I did it using two seperate buffers, one for the various numerical values and one for the string values.  I initially created a blank buffer with the maximum number of tools that I have in the machine, then placed the information for the specific tool in the corresponding location.  Example, if it is tool 10, then it went into buffer location 10.

I did it years ago and I don't remember all the details, but above is the general approach that I used.

I hope this helps.

Clarence

You can also open the operations defaults just like a normal Mastercam file.  Then you can make any changes you like from the operations manager and then "save as" with the extention .defaults-9

I have notice the same thing with X9.  When I press "C" for arc center and select a solid arc, I get a blue point at the center.  If I allow Mastercam select the center of an arc on a solid, I don't get the blue point.

Kind regards.

Clarence

I won't be able to help much more as I haven't done anything with custom drill cycles.  I just happened to know the variable formatting from my modifications with misc integers and reals.

Good luck.

Kind regards.

Clarence

Did you format the variable drl_exitfeed?

Look for Format Statements, this will get you the correct layout of the number.  ie, a four decimal number would be format #2.

Then you will need to go to custom variable formats section.  ie, fmt "F" 2 dril_exitfeed.

Kind regards.

Clarence

djstedman, you are most likely right.  I just read things literally and sometimes that kind of humor escapes me.

I have gotten a tremendous amount of help on this forum and it is not very often that I might have something to contribute.

Kind regards.

Clarence

Colin G. - EDAC Technologies, on 28 Dec 2015 - 05:25 AM, said:

Hi Bob,

 

Have you looked into the Verisurf options that are available for CMM Programming? I'm sure Ron can chime in to correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that Verisurf would allow you to use Mastercam as the programming interface to your CMM. That way you wouldn't have to learn a separate software package just to inspect your parts...

I haven't.  I don't know the first thing about CMMs other than they measure things and can be really accurate.  Is the CMM/ software relationship similar to CNC machine/ CAM software relationship where the CMM is just hardware that can be run by a number of different programming software?  I was under the impression that they were more closely integrated with the programming software (Mcosmos, etc...).

And people keep mentioning datums...  What the hell is a datum?

Datums are the features you measure to orient the part in CMM space.  At a minimum you will need to measure a plane, a line and a point.  I typically use the place to establish my Z.  If you have a piece of grit under one corner of the part and you measure a plane off the top of the part, the software will adjust the part so that it is mathmatically flat even though it is not really flat.  A line is use to adjust for a rotational error, ie, the part is not perfectly parallel to a given axis (x or y).  The line can also be use to set a part original value if applicable.  

There are a lot of ways to establish your datums.  They are critical to getting good measurements from the CMM.

Kind regards.

Clarence

Bob,

Did you get the scanning head with this CMM?  If you did and you plan on using that feature with aluminum parts, I have read that you should not use the ruby stylii when scanning.  Ruby is made of aluminum oxide and as I understand it, you will loose the shape of the stylii over time because of the natural affinity aluminum has for itself.

Kind regards.

Clarence

Bob,

I have a B&S DCC Gage with the PC-Dmis software, so I can't speak directly to your CMM or software, but, what I found with my software (self taught) is that it was easier to create the lines, points and arcs in Mastercam.  There is a switch between surface/solid selection and wireframe selection.  I found that I had more control over my hits with the wireframe.

One piece of advise that I believe holds true across CMM software is to understand how the CMM references the part and the effects of the small deviations, especially in rotation.  An example, I machined a test piece with two angles that I wanted to measure.  One of the angles had a short leg (approximately 3/4") while the other was considerably longer (2").  The difference between the angles was an order of magnitude different (.1 degrees on the short vs .01 degrees on the longer).  Those small deviations in hit values can have a profound effect on the end result.

Get to know your CMM and its idiosyncicies (which I expect you will) before you trust the numbers that you are getting.

Kind regards,

Clarence

Ron,

Just a thought, and I really don't know if it would work, but could you change the direction of rotation in the machine definition to get a mirrored effect.  I have never done 5 axis work and typically only do 3+1 so I could be way off base.

Clarence

jlw

You can rotate the wcs in the plane manager.  Right click on the wcs you would like to rotate, select rotate dynamic and the gnomon will appear and you can do what you need to do.

I have been able to copy a wcs, but currently I get some weird behavior in X9 because when I change the offset, it will change where I copied from also.  I just create a new one with and the problem is not there.

Ron,

I don't know how to mirror a plane, but could the rotate dynamic work as above?

Clarence

In my experience your peck is to large.  I would go with around .040" to keep the chips small.  I have found the parabolic drill do work better.

I have a couple of the Grippalls and they work reasonable well.  I can't remember the largest bar size that we have pulled.  Rarely, we have had an issue with the gripper no opening after the coolant was turned off.  This was mainly due to the fact that it hadn't been run for a while.

Thank you Mr. Branch.

I was going to be delving into custom drilling cycles for probing soon.  I agree completely, it is gold.

Kind regards.

Clarence

Machineguy,

I agree with you.  I am in the process of adding the probing to the last of my Haas verticals.  I will be making some modifications to the probing macros to allow setting 33 to stay in Haas mode.  I realize that this is a little risky, but as I envision my process, I will be removing a number of macros from the control and this should reduce the risks involved.

Kind regards.

Clarence