Charlie, We were quoted fully loaded with macro B and 400 programs,(Im a BIG sub and macro guy ) 300/400? offsets with tool/life, the pallets are spose to have cards for the programs and the tool detection was shown as standard. I also use X,Z rotation techniques. Where would I get a master taper bar and would this fit on the pallets themselves? Most of my parts will be on a clustertower. We're currently having our rep check to make sure that the Chick towers will fit. I prefer Kurt but we're limited to 175? lbs per pallet on the Tsugami. Also, does the controller have a seperate memory for each program? My horizontal programs average 40-60 subs but each sub may be using the same program number but have different processes on each program file.

We are looking at the idea of pallet pools either with a Tsugami 11 pallet HSM, an Enshu horizontal JE60s,Je80s with a pallet pool, or adding a pallet pool to our existing Enshu Je60s for running our 5-10 piece production parts. The info I'm looking for is what accessories we need to make this investment a success, problems you had when you started your pallet pools, How many people it takes to run one, and suggestions in general. I'm trying to shorten my learning curve. We are definitely getting one, we just don't know which one yet. Thanks in advance

Multi part Macro for Fadal; In the .txt file; code: [misc integers] 1. "Work system [0-1=G92,2=E's,3-4macro]" 2. "Misc. integer [2]" 3. "Misc. integer [3]" 4. "Misc. integer [4]" 5. "Misc. integer [5]" 6. "Misc. integer [6]" 7. "Misc. integer [7]" 8. "Misc. integer [8]" 9. "Absolute or Incremental [0=ABS, 1=INC]" 10. "Reference Return [0=G28, 1=G30]" in the .pst file; mics variable section (may have to add one) code: #Misc variables processcount : 0 # Counter start for toolpath macro calls processcountend : 0 # Counter end for toolpath macro calls format section code: fmt 4 processcount #Counter start for toolpath macro calls fmt 4 processcountend #Counter start for toolpath macro calls string definitions area code: #Address string definitions strm "M" strn "N" stro "O" strp "P" srad "R" srminus "R-" sblank se+r9 "E+R9" #<<<<<<<<<<<< add this line only psof section code: if mi1 > one, absinc = zero #<<<<< after this line processcount = processcount + 1 if mi1 = 3, [ pbld, n, 35, no_spc, "V40=V41-1", e pbld, n, 35, no_spc, ":", no_spc, processcount, e pbld, n, 35, no_spc, "V40=V40+1", e pbld, n, 35, no_spc, "R9=V40", e ] if mi1 = 4, [ pbld, n, 35, no_spc, "V40=V42+1", e pbld, n, 35, no_spc, ":", no_spc, processcount, e pbld, n, 35, no_spc, "V40=V40-1", e pbld, n, 35, no_spc, "R9=V40", e ] And in peof after the "check for rigid tap" area code: if mi1 > one, absinc = zero if mi1 = 3, [ pbld, n, 35, no_spc, "V40=V41", e pbld, n, 35, no_spc, ":", no_spc, processcount, e pbld, n, 35, no_spc, "V40=V40+1", e pbld, n, 35, no_spc, "R9=V40", e ] if mi1 = 4, [ pbld, n, 35, no_spc, "V40=V42+1", e pbld, n, 35, no_spc, ":", no_spc, processcount, e pbld, n, 35, no_spc, "V40=V40-1", e pbld, n, 35, no_spc, "R9=V40", e ] pwcs section; code: force_wcs = sav_frc_wcs !workofs ] # <<<<<<<<<<<<<<< add after this line if mi1 = 3 | mi1 = 4, [ force_wcs = zero workofs = zero se+r9 ] ptoolend section code: !speed, !spdir2 #<<<<<<<<< after this line if nextop = 1002, processcountend = processcountend + 1 if nextop = 1002 & mi1 = 3, pbld, n, 35, "IF V40<V42 THEN GOTO :", no_spc, processcountend, e if nextop = 1002 & mi1 = 4, pbld, n, 35, "IF V40>V41+1 THEN GOTO :", no_spc, processcountend, e ptlchg section code: if mi1 > one, absinc = zero #<<<<<<<<< after this line processcount = processcount + 1 if mi1 = 3, [ pbld, n, 35, no_spc, "V40=V41-1", e pbld, n, 35, no_spc, ":", no_spc, processcount, e pbld, n, 35, no_spc, "V40=V40+1", e pbld, n, 35, no_spc, "R9=V40", e ] if mi1 = 4, [ pbld, n, 35, no_spc, "V40=V42+1", e pbld, n, 35, no_spc, ":", no_spc, processcount, e pbld, n, 35, no_spc, "V40=V40-1", e pbld, n, 35, no_spc, "R9=V40", e ] peof section code: processcountend = processcountend + 1 #<<<<< this is first line in postblock if mi1 = 3, pbld, n, 35, "IF V40<V42 THEN GOTO :", no_spc, processcountend, e if mi1 = 4, pbld, n, 35, "IF V40>V41+1 THEN GOTO :", no_spc, processcountend, e " ", e That should be it. Notes; In the FADAL control variables section; V41 = "E" value of first part V42 = "E" value of last part mi1 controls the macro choices Happy macroing

Yes I do, (mpfadal) I'll post what you need during lunch.

+1 to dabrow, That's how I do it all the time. code: N0010T01M06S10000 N0020G90M03 N0030#V40=V41 N0040#:1 N0050#V40=V40+1 N0060#R9=V40 N0070G00X1.13Y-.56E+R9 N0080Z2.1H01M08 N0090G99G82R.85Z.602P6F40. N0100G98X1.63 N0110G80 N0120#IF V40<V42 THEN GOTO :1 N0130T02M06S9958 N0140G90M03 N0150#V40=V42+1 N0160#:2 N0170#V40=V40-1 N0180#R9=V40 N0190G00X1.63Y-.56E+R9 N0200Z2.1H02 N0210G99G83R.85Z-.096P.02Q.036F16.41 N0220G98X1.13Z.194 N0230G80 N0240#IF V40>V41+1 THEN GOTO :2

quote: We have everything on the server so that it is backed up 4 times a day, and that we can access everything from any of the seats of MCAM in the building.Do you change your configs? If not just copy the files from the server drive to the MC folder. They'll still be on the server if you lose them.

When my daughter E-mails me at work with the stuff she type up I might as well be reading Hebrew LOL. But I'm learning.

Kieth, I'm at home running the demo cd so I can't post what I changed on the FTP site. In group left side I changed the tool/const planes to 13 from 4. In group side 3 I change the wcs to 1 and the tool/const planes to 12. What this did was rotate your x,y coordinates. Note: You can try the numbers 12 & 13 but sometimes the plane/const numbers may change. Once you set the numbers you need even if the numbers change the toolpaths will change with them. If the numbers 12 &13 are not correct, call up view 4 (bottom) ,click on Gview, Entity, select the face, you will see the x,y,z lines with the arrows. The arrows are showing the positive direction. You will see that the first set you see which your toolpaths are set to is in the wrong direction. Click Next untill you find the direction your looking for. Third click for me), Save. You will now have the view number. In the ops manager, tool manager, click on the t/c plane button and change the cplane/toolplane to that number. On view 3 I couldn't get the right arrow directions so I called up view 3, created two lines at "Z0" on a new level starting at the origin with each line heading in the X and Y positive direction. Then went through the process as shown above but instead of clicking on the solid face I clicked on the two lines starting with the x+ direction first, went to the t/c plane button , changed WCS to 1, and changed the tool/const planens to the new number. Note2: I try to use only one WCS per machining process. It just seems easier to do for me though I know you can have one for each face. One .mc9 file may have several WCS's though. HTH

quote: Win98 to win XP isn't free. You're right. Windows update is though. Windows XP to xp SP1 to SP2, etc. Bug fixes, enhancements, security fixes, etc are all free. I bought XP and I will buy whatever replaces it. I will do it happily knowing that if there is a problem, it will be addressed, and it will be free. On yet another hand, CNC Software is not Microsoft. The BIG difference is Microsoft sells 100s of millions of seats to almost every computer made. At tha absolute most MC will sell 100,000 seats and they sell more than any other CAM software. That's why high end application software uses the maintenance programs. How would you feel if MC called 9.1 version 10, Mr0304 version 11, ect? They have to pay their software engineers if they want to keep them. Actually the maintenance cost is minimal anyway. One seat of our Browne&Sharpe PCDMIS with no addons is approx. the same as 3 seats of MC level 3 with solids, moldplus and lathe.

Thanks guys, The drills average $70 and the drills I'm replacing cost $35 so if I save 35 minutes per drill during its life I would break even. Payback should be 1~3 months. Some of the drills I'm replacing have been in the machines for 2 years. That makes these pricey drills extremely cost efficient.

quote: For you it would be .012 FPT @ 490 SFM. Thats 23996 RPM's @ 288 ipm. LOL When I send that out to the floor (S13000 F156. I'll try anything once) I'll Have to bring in a helmet

I'm using the 5XD drills. They measure about the same as the YG 8XD. quote: ... BTW, those speeds and feeds are a little conservativeI've been told that I'm anything but conservative. BTW, the speeds start at 390 sfm and work up to 555. The solid drills that I'm replacing ran at 850 sfm (wide open for all my drills). Can I also do this with the MZS drills?

I'm adding these drills into my tools manager and the speed/feed chart and my rep (who hasn't seen much alum) say that I can feed a .078 drill at .008 per rev.. For me that's 13000 rpm at 104 ipm. I'm not actually running the 5/64" drill. My smallest drill is 2.40MM (.0945) in which my calcs are 110 ipm. Can anyone running these drills testify to these feeds?

Thanks Psycho, I don't have a Rego-Fix catalog (yet), but the coolant caps we have (Parlec) and Techniks coolant cap assy only go to 3.1mm. I'll call my R-F distributer and see what he can do for me.

Has anyone used their coolant collets? The book says 750 psi max but I talked to their Tech people and they said they've been tested at 1200 psi. but won't guarantee at 1000. I'm wondering if anyone has used them at 1000 and how they hold up. I use Lyndex now but they don't have a 3mm ER16 collet.

Are any of the operations ghosted out? I've had verify stop at a ghosted op when it was turned on. If you do uncheck that operation and try it again.

I added this in the chook mmouse.lua [code} { "mc", "gvdymic", "&Dynamic View",},<<<<< add the following after this line { "submenu", "&Graphics View", menu = { { "mc", "Graphics View", "&Next menu",}, {}, { "mc", "gvlast", "&Last",}, { "mc", "gvmouse", "&Mouse",}, { "mc", "gvnormal", "&Normal",}, { "mc", "gvcplane", "=&Cplane",}, { "mc", "gvtplane", "=&Tplane",}, }, }, [/code] The "Last" and "mouse" works but the rest of them don't. Can anybody [James] tell me what I'm doing wrong? Also I spaced this like the analyze stuff below where this would go but it shows up differently in this thread

To the people not liking the verify; Is there something that works better at the same or better price that you have now? If you don't like the verify I'm sure Vericut will be happy to provide you their software.

What I'm really searching for is how the quality of this HMC is. ie reliablity, ease of operator use, ect.

quote: I also have the Post CD,but when I open it up and try to learn how to modify a post,I just stare at the computer blankly,like a monkey trying to do long division! That's what I did too for the first few weeks. What started me was searching a few threads for some simple changes, try to find it in the cd, made some changes in my post, scratching my head wondering why it didn't work and tried again. After some weeks of doing this it starts to come together.

Yes Rob, that's the one. notice the cluster tower on the back? The pallets run on a chain and is clamped with the tower in a horizontal position. Very compact design.

It has a Fanuc 18iMB control. Each pallet has a non-contact binary devise which can be read by the control to run the correct programs/offsets and also disables the pallet after running to make sure the same parts don't get run again. The operator would reset the pallet after reloading the parts.

This is a 11 pallet HMC. Has anyone operated/programmed this machine? We are looking at this machine with the idea of running several 5-20 part jobs at the same time on different pallets. All info is welcome. Thanks in advance

Chris, You asked for advise, not for a free post. That's what this forum is for (most of the time). BTW Welcome to the forum.

quote: I said "my fadal post is almost perfected". Maybe some of you guys won't like the way it works. How would I ever know? If it was the best fadal post ever no one would know because no one is comparing our posts. The best post is one that goes from the post button in the ops manager to the floor. If yours does that then all is good with the world. If it doesn't or if you would like it to do something better, post what you have and mention what you would like to have and you'll probable have it by the end of the day.