Where is Mastercam Backplot ...how do I get to it? I'm in the Editor ... I can't find backplot there. I'll keep looking and post back if I find it. Thanks.

Is there a way to get a machining time from MasterCAM's editor? If so, how do you go about getting this? I am in the editor now and I don't see anything giving me specific tool path statistics, etc.., etc. The reason I ask is I have software that does this but the big bosses here want to make sure we are utilizing MasterCAM so if it has it, they want me to use it instead of the other software for some reason.... Thanks for any help.

Hello, I imported a model and it said something like "converting units to metric" and the model is in metric, just like the print. How can I convert this to inches? Thanks for any help.

Hello all, We have a Fanuc Series Oi-TC controller on a vertical turning center and the operators complain that the display for the position of each axis shows five places after the decimal, and they want it to only display four places. Is there a parameter that can be changed for this? If so, does anyone know what that might be? We purchased this as a used machine and I currently don't have any manuals for it. Thanks for any help.

How, though? I went into the "Geometry" part and it just gives me "Base Chain" that I can't do anything with. How do you move the wireframe geometry? Thanks.

Hello all, I'm using MasterCAM X5 at the moment, and was working with the solid modeling. I'm new to this part of MasterCAM. I've created a block (2" x 2" x 3") with two c'bored holes in it. That was easy enough, but now I want to change the size of the block and the location of the holes inside the block. I've figured-out how to change the size by going in the Operations Manager and the Solids tab, I selected "Parameters" from the "Extrude Cut" I needed, and just changed the original value to what I wanted. However, I cannot figure-out how to change the position of the through holes I have in the block. How do you go about this? Is there more than one way? Which is the easiest/best way? Thanks for any help.

It's a Mazak M32. I think I can just do something like this: (AT BEGINNING OF PROGRAM:) N30M#100 N40G90G94G20G0 N50IF[#100EQ46]GOTO140 N60IF[#100NE45]GOTO210 N70G90G94G20G0 N80(TABLE--1) N90G10L2P1X0.000Y-24.0920Z-20.5150B0.000 N100G10L2P2X0.0000Y-24.0920Z-20.5150B0.000 N110G10L2P3X0.0Y-24.0920Z-20.5150B0.000 N120G10L2P4X0.0Y-24.0920Z-20.5150B0.000 N130GOTO220 N140G90 N150(TABLE--2) N160G10L2P1X0.000Y-24.0920Z-20.5150B0.000 N170G10L2P2X0.0Y-24.0920Z-20.5150B.000 N180G10L2P3X0.0Y-24.0920Z-20.5150B0.000 N190G10L2P4X0.0000Y-24.0920Z-20.5150B.000 N200GOTO220 N210(COMMON-VARIABLE-ERROR) (AT END OF PROGRAM:) N2060G90 N2070G10L2P1X0Y0Z0B0 N2080G10L2P2X0Y0Z0B0 N2090G10L2P3X0Y0Z0B0 N2100G10L2P4X0Y0Z0B0 N2110#100=[#100+1] N2120IF[#100LE46]GOTO2140 N2130#100=45 N2140M160 N2150M99

Yes, this is a problem at my shop as well. We have some older equipment. We end up cleaning the spindle and tool shanks before boring, which remedies the problem. We also use gage cuts if we don't want to clean the spindle every time. Bore enough to be able to check it, and if ok, finish the bore.

Hi, We have a horizontal machining center that runs the same part on two different machine tables. So the machine has a shuttle and shuttles one table in, runs the part, shuttles the other table in, runs a like part but different fixture, then starts over. The problem we have is when someone starts the program over it could pick up the wrong work offsets (we've tried to make the work offsets the same between the two pallets so we wouldn't have to worry about that, etc., but to no avail). There has to be a way that you could write some macros that would direct the program to the correct work offsets. Using common variables or some other kind of variables, I don't know. Something like IF#101EQ1GOTO900 (2nd set of work offsets). So that could be at the beginning of the program, with work offsets for both parts at the beginning of the program, it would jump over the one it doesn't need. Then I only have to have one program. Then at the bottom of the program it can activate a "counter" or something that switches the 1 to a zero. Does that make any sense or am I crazy? Can anyone give me some direction with this? Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Hello, I'm using Mastercam X5 at the moment... I have a solid model and I want to rotate it to make a face "square", but I can't analyze the model (it just comes with the a window titles "body" and says "closed solid body"), so I can't just check the angle of the face I want "square" and rotate it. Anyway, I can check centerlines of bores and the bore I want to rotate about is X0Y0, which is good. There is another bore and I know where it is and I know where I want it to go (I plotted the point) if rotating about the X0Y0 bore, but I don't know how to get it there while rotating about X0Y0. I'm sure there is an easy way, I just haven't been able to figure it out. I thought maybe I could check the angle between the c/l points (where it is vs where I want it to go) and rotate it that amount, but it's way off so I wasn't thinking correctly on that one. Is there a way to say "rotate about X0Y0, and move this point to that point?". Or anything else I can do? Thanks for any help.

Cool. I will give it try. Thanks.

Yeah, I was just checking if there was a better and/or more creative way to go about it than creating a point-by-point G-code program and also if there was a real fast way to do it (draw the points) in MasterCam. We have MasterCam, but I rarely get to use it. Thought maybe a macro where you can just define how many holes in each direction, etc., etc. And maybe I was looking for an excuse to use a macro program because it's always interested me, but I've haven't been able to do any for one reason or the other. Thanks

Hi, We have a simple fixture plate that needs a grid of holes put in it. They are M16 holes, 2.000" apart. 17 rows, 35 across. What would be the best way to go about writing the program for this? I've never written a macro program, but this seems like that might be the best way to go. If so, how would you go about writing this? And how is the best way to draw these points on MasterCam? Thanks for any help!

I don't know the radius between the circles. So is this even possible? Seems I would need more information...

Ok, I know this is basic basic stuff but I've been messing around trying to get this for too long and I need to program something real quick here so I had to come get some help. All I have is two circles (125mm dia) ,they are next to each other (centerlines are 140mm apart in X; they are on the same Y plane). I need to make an arc tangent to these two arcs, at the top. Please if someone could give me a step-by-step on how to get this done, it would be much appreciated. I've tried a lot of ways and they are just not working. What do I need to define, etc etc etc Thanks!

Yes, that would be after the G80 is executed. I'm wondering is there a way to return to the initial R-plane in a canned cycle? So, say there is a deep c'bore of say 2.500" and I have to start my drilling at the end of the c'bore, but want to retract to the top of the c'bore between pecks. Can this be done without programming each and every move?

Hi, I have a CNC programming question. I am pre-drilling a hole with a carbide drill for a long HSS drill which will follow. The HSS drill doesn't have thru-the-tool coolant capabilities and I wanted to save time by drilling as deep as I could with the carbide drill first. Anyway, I have to peck with the HSS drill, which I know is a G83 with a Q-value. My question is, how would you program this so the drill retracts all the way back to the R-plane of the solid carbide drill after each peck? Is there a way to do this in a canned-cycle, or am I going to have to program this point-by-point? Obviously, I'm trying to accomplish this without point-to-point programming. Control is a Mitsubishi Meldas 500M. Thanks for any help.

Ok, thanks, I will check that out, but I'm looking for a place in the control where I can adjust the home position...

Hi, We have a Fanuc Series 15MA Controller for one of our horizontal boring mills and the X-axis "grid", or home position, is off now and #1 we don't know what caused this and #2 is, how do we go about resetting the home position? It's off about .050". Thanks for any help.

It was the dry run button! It was activated somehow (the way the control is, the dry run button is on the side of the control and I didn't see it lit up). I don't know why dry run is set at 15.748 IPM, but I guess I don't really care at the moment since I no longer have the problem! Thanks!

HI, I know this is a MasterCAM site (which I use) but I always come here with questions because most of the time I get my questions answered better than other sites. Anyway...I have a medlas 500 controller on a mitsubishi boring mill and I don't know what I did but now I can only get the machine to feed at 15.748 inches per minute. This is what I've tried to get out of this condition, none of which has worked: - Put control into estop and reset, etc. - Shut down the machine controller completely and restarted, etc. - Looked for an active G84 and MDI'd a G80 just in case... - MDI'd a G1F100.0X0 and it still ran at F15.758 - Looked for anything on the control that would put it at this feedrate... NOTE: I was running a probe when I noticed this but have since tool changed and moved on to a different tool. I looked in my variables just in case there is something the control looks at here for feedrate but I didn't see anything with 15.748 in it. I'm lost and I need to get this fixed asap since the job that is in there is hot hot hot and I do a lot of milling much faster than 15.748 IPM. Thanks for any ideas!

I believe the iLimitS option is exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks for the info, SAIPEM!

Oh I just read the post from SAIPEM ... as I originally stated, I am aware that I have to find the root cause, however, this brings to mind an important function of the control which I want to implement in this and other applications. Sometimes operators don't watch wear close enough, or sometimes there are problems with materials or even the tool which cause "unpredictable" failure. In these instances I would like something to help prevent a catastrophic event. A simple spindle load or HP limiter setting will accomplish this. I use it all the time on machines that have this feature and lets just say it comes in handy.

Ok I went out and pressed the Custom1 and Custom2 buttons and nothing happened so it must not have the option. I have almost no clue on how to write a macro for this ... can you (or someone) give me an example so I have some place to start? In the meantime, I'll look for the system variables for the spindle or z-axis load...Thanks!

We are having problems burning up drills on the job we are currently running at my shop. It is on a brand new horizontal cnc machining center (Hyundai with Fanuc Series 31i controller). Yes I am looking at ways to solve this problem, but in the meantime I would like to set it up so when the machine reaches a certain horsepower or thrust limit it stops drilling before it burns up. Is there a way to do that with a Fanuc Series 31i controller? I haven't been able to find anything in the book on this. I am used to working on some older K & T's and there is a HP Limiter right on the tool table so it is easy to find/use, etc and is very handy. I can only assume newer controllers like this one would have this ability, I just can't find it. Thanks for any help.