I'm working on a custom built mill-turn machine that's equipped with a Fanuc 30i control.  The axis of the milling head is along the X-axis of the lathe, so mill programming is in the G19 plane.  I cannot get the control to respond to cutter comp.  Regardless of what values I enter for tool radius (in either the Geometry or Wear registers), the machine follows the programmed path with no adjustment or deviation.  The control acknowledges that G41 (or G42) is active, but the cutting path remains the same.  Any ideas how to solve this?

Thanks for the help everyone!!!

Leon82:  I've checked all these parameters and I still can't get a helical entry.

I can't get a helical entry to work in Circle Mill.  Can someone look at the attached file and tell me what's wrong?

circle mill test.mcam

Many thanks for all the replies.  I definitely have a better understanding of this now and was able to finish the project with some nice looking surfaces.

1 minute ago, Leon82 said:

It will only make 2 axis arcs. XZ it YZ 

I'm only looking for arcs in the XY plane. A slightly different radius at each Z depth.  Will it not do this?

Here's another question:  I tried changing the cutting strategy to One Way, reasoning that the surface then becomes just a series of circles at different Z depths.  When I post this, however, there's not a single arc to be found; just linear X-Y moves.  Why?  Is there a way to get arcs?

crazy millman:  Wow!  Thanks so much for this explanation!  Looking at the linked images, am I right in thinking that endpoints are white and line segments are green?  I'm confused about filtering settings.  Does moving the slider to the right produce more arcs in your code or am I not understanding this?

crazy millman: Is spiral not a good idea?  What strategy and settings would you suggest?

JParis: My contract prevents me from posting the actual part file, but I've attached a sample piece that shows the problem.  I'd sure appreciate any suggestions on eliminating the faceting!  Also, what's with the crazy motion when the tool gets to the +Z extreme?

surface test.mcam

I have a part with an odd-size round-over edge and would like to cut it with Surface Finish Flowline Toolpath and a bullnose endmill.  My problem is that there are very obvious facets.  How can I eliminate these?  I've tried reducing the total tolerance from 0.001" to 0.0005", but the facets are still apparent.  Instead of using the solid geometry, I also tried creating a surface by sweeping a 90-degree arc along a path of lines and arcs.  This had no bearing on the facets.  What else can I try?

I installed the latest MC update and that solved the problem.

Ok, now I'm really baffled.  Yesterday the Curve All Edges command worked fine.  Today it's dead.  I can select the geometry, but clicking the green checkmark does nothing - no response at all.  Likewise, the Help question mark and the red X to close the command also do nothing.  The blue checkmark is grayed out.  Hitting escape is the only way out.  I've tried different MC files where the command previously worked and I've tried creating new files from various SolidWorks and STEP files, but the behavior is the same.  What happened overnight?  How do I fix this??

Oh, I forgot to mention that I'm working in MC 2002.

If I use the Silhouette Boundary command to create wireframe geometry of a part's perimeter, curved edges are either a series of small arcs or (worse) a group of lines and arcs.  As examples, the edge of a hole will be created as four (or more) arcs of unequal length.  A simple 90-degree curve will be two lines plus an arc.  The Curve Edges command, on the other hand, creates arcs that accurately reflect the part's geometry.  A continuous arc on the solid model will be a single wireframe arc.  Why do the two methods produce different results?  Is this controlled by a setting?

11 minutes ago, JParis said:

Wireframe boundary

 

Cover surfaces

 

 

JParis: Cover surfaces??

In an OptiRough toolpath, how do you keep the tool out of specific areas?  Picking Avoidance Geometry doesn't seem to do it.

26 minutes ago, medaq said:

You might have dependencies turned on? So if you select the tool path. It will auto select the stock model. Turn that off and just select the tool path.

 

 

Where can I find the switch for dependencies?

I have a toolpath group and the final operation is a Stock Model that reflects the results of all of the operations up to that point.  If I copy an operation within the group, MC adds a second Stock Model at the end of the group.  Why?  Is there a way to prevent this?

JParis: Perfect!  Thanks!   I wasn't seeing the Ribbon with all those choices because the "Minimize Ribbon" option had somehow got checked.

In Verify, I want each operation to have a different color, rather than each tool.  I can't find the setting for this.  Can someone please point me to it?    

3 minutes ago, JParis said:

You can "If" the area that you are in is served by multiple resellers...if not, then no

JParis:  So resellers serve specific geographic areas and subscribers are obligated to stay with the reseller in their area?

I let my MC subscription lapse a few years ago, but now am considering upgrading or renewing.  Am I obligated to stay with the reseller my previous subscription was with?  Will pricing vary between resellers or is it dictated by CNC Software?

Happy New Year Everyone!

I'm looking for an online GT&D course.  There's hundreds . . . and they ain't cheap!  Any recommendations?

4 minutes ago, crazy^millman said:

In one machine group you will have to go through the Simulator options and pick that level for each verify. With 2 machine groups one for each operation then you would do it for each group. Many ways to accomplish the process.

Millman:  That doesn't help here.  In Dylan's example there is only one machine group with two toolpath groups.  One vise is used in the first toolpath group and the other is used in the second.

6 minutes ago, crazy^millman said:

Turn of the levels in the Simulator Options that has the vices and jaws in them and then they will show up in the simulation when using Mastercam Verify.

millman: In Dylan's video, one vise is used in Op 1 and a different vise is used in Op 2.  How would you control that visibility in Verify?