Damn...I'm always two seconds too late.

steve

T@T@LO.

I think you have invented a new type of feed (inches per degree) or maybe you just meant DPM (degrees per minute) or I'm clueless. An inverse feed value is used to specify motion between points within a set amount of time instead of at a specified rate of motion. The F value in inverse feed is actual a number that 1 is divided by to come up with a time value within which the machine must execute it's motion. The reason inverse instead of actual time values are used is so that the operator doesn't have to switch their thinking about feed rates and just specifies a higher value if they want higher feed.

HTH

steve

...looks like I'm too slow, you beat me to it.

I think if prapidout was overhauled you'd get what you want, not sure how comfortable you are with post editing.

steve

BUCKETHEAD,

I'm not sitting in front of Mcam right now but my best guess is that the source of this line is from the postblock prapid (prapidout?) and might acctually originate in the .nci file. Your post might need some customizing to force x,y before z after a rotary indexing move.

HTH,

steve

marc,

if you can get the geometery transferred through iges or parasolid maybe all the toolpaths could be reverse posted into mcam and everyone's happy.

steve

iwojima62,

I think the reason it's done off shore has more to do with the "overnight" lead time than anything else.

just my guess (JMG?)

steve

Hi all,

Multiple chains in a single extrude operation can't be performed but it works in SP1. I get a warning "Disjoint bodies will be ignored" which, if I recall, occured in version 8.1

steve

May^Day,

A post could definitely be custom made to spit out macros since the operation parameters are easy enought to capture, I guess I was still stuck on your "drill then mill" routine. The Siemens acramatic 2100 control acctually uses only one line of code to perform helical interpolation. The z value indicates the total depth of the bore and a k address (I think) commands the z plunge per helix, so the control manufacturers are heading in the right direction.

steve

May^Day,

I've never tried anything like this in post modification before but I think the functionaliy is in the MP language to reprocess the nc file within the post before writing to file. Could you create a custom G73 cycle that includes some sort of text trigger in the nc file at the point where you'd like to start a 'jump' to the beginning of contour moves and then include a trigger as well at the start point of all contours after z plunge. When the nc file is "re-parsed" (if there is such a thing) by the post, all the code between the triggers could be removed and then write the nc to file. If I had the time I'd try it for the challenge but that's something I'm a little short of these days.

HTH

steve

jeffk,

Setup your dnc software to send as you normally would (send the program before doing anything on the control). On the control, switch to tape mode and hit cycle start. If the machine is producing jerking motion, turn up the baud rate because the control is starving for data.

HTH

steve

murlin,

correct me if I'm way off base here but I'm trying to figure out what your requirements are and this is my interpretation. Expanding on what Roger said, I think your solid parting lines need variable thickening to achieve a .100 gap when the gap is viewed from a normal view (like analyze, surface, normal) or...the sum of the width of surfaces that would extend from the cavity edges to the theoretical zero parting line must be .100 ? If that's the case I can see why moldplus won't do what you want since the width of the "theoretical surfaces to parting line" are dependant on the draft angle in each cavity.

Sorry I don't have an answer, just trying to understand your problem first.

steve

Hi murlin,

try create, curve, part line and select the surfaces or solid that need it. Take the resulting tangent splines and squash them in front and side views to different z planes and use that geometery and the part line to create parting surfaces.

HTH

steve

Rek'd

just a thought here but...

...would it work to set your max air cutting feed rate (in highfeed) above the max feed rate of the machine and modify the post so that, in combination with some safety feature (like a misc integer switch), the post logic would look something like:

if feed > maxfeed, sg0

Might save some air cutting time.

Steve

Kevin, the problem you have is a tough one but not impossible. Correct me if I'm wrong here but this is my interpretation of what you're trying to accomplish. You want the 2D cross section of a groove on a cylinder created by keeping a cubic remove tool stationary and turned at an angle to the pitch of the groove while spinning the cylinder and moving it along the spinning axis at certain rate to accomplish the desired pitch. I think what you want is the result of cutting helix on a shaft with one of those endmills engineers think you can buy that'll cut square internal corners in a pocket (I heard Sandvik is coming out with them next year ). Unfortunately, this can't be done using boolean remove or anything like that in Mastercam...you're going to need hard core math to find the 2D sweep cut profile.

The groove side walls will be undercut at an angle dependant on the size of your cube, cylinder and length of pitch. The undercut will continue down (in cross section view) to a point defined by the radial distance from the trailing or leading edge of the cube to the center of the cylinder. The rest of the side wall distance to the floor of the groove would be some kind of ellipse or sline and the floor of the groove would be flat as long as the pitch angle wasn't more than 45 degrees. At angles beyond that only crazy things happen and my head is starting to hurt now so I'll just stop now.

I think you might be on your own with this one.

Good luck anyhow!

steve

chad,

taking a class is a good start. I just started one a month ago with the intention of writing chooks and the smoke has started to clear already...it might save you alot of wasted time and effort and costs very little.

steve

David,

I've run into this situation before as well and just thought of a possible solution. Have you tried trimming a surface rough toolpath to the diameter of your stock? I imagine it would work if a closed chain was created slightly offset around the circumference of the stock and used to trim the toolpath to get rid of alot of air cutting.

Just a thought,

steve

+ The Hip and strong beer.

steve

...what kind of aluminum? Regular 6061 needs coolant but with mold alm like QC7 you'll have some luck cutting dry.

Steve

...I can't quit laughing every time I think about this thread...

...does your executable post need updating? I just notice that your getting undefined variable errors and thought it might be a 9.1 update thing.

steve

At the risk of being flamed, I think this is a natural progression in CAM programming.

My bet is that in 10 or 15 years a programmer will be doing alot more parameter, material and tool database tweaking and setup than actual (sp?) toolpathing. I can't see it taking away jobs though since someone still needs to know how to cut metal. I have to admit that there were times when looking at a file with 300 surfaces and complex features that something like Step would've reduced the migraine and gotten the job done quicker.

IMO

Hi guys, thanks for all the help and suggestions and sorry for the belated reply (too busy to get on here).

To make a long story short we found the BTR was run by a "middleman" computer made by Rybett Controls called a Numeritronix 1501. The pc transfers to the intermediate computer which then transfers to the control through the BTR and the only way to drip feed was by getting their proprietary software that runs in DOS on any operating system older than Win 98. I guess it acts as a traffic controller during drip feed. The 1501 was setup for RS422 and was missing some parts so we had it sent to the manufacturer for repair and finally got up and running yesterday. It's amazing what experience will teach ya but I sure wish there was an easier way.

p.s.: If anyone asks you how to setup a K&T, start running.

thanks again,

Steve

Welcome to the forum,

...where in MB do you work? I moved from Winterpeg about 3 years ago after working in a tool and die shop there for almost five years. Can't say I miss the mosquitos.

...good news from Giddings and Lewis, the Gemini controls are obsolete and they don't know anything about them.

I think my headache has just begun.

oh well.

Dave,

The machine came with manuals for both the Gemini C and E controls as well as an old operator keypad so the machine may have been updated to a Type E control, I'm not sure. Regardless though I'd sure be interested to hear what you did to get the machine talking to the pc. This mill already has a BTR so what I could use are the communication protocol settings you used on the pc side or any other bits of usefull info.

Thanks a bunch,

Steve