If I ever meet Keith I will buy him a beer. I appriciate that he took a second to point out my error so I can LEARN which is the whole point of being on these forums. I have no issues with someone giving me a hard time if I make a mistake or do something stupid as long as it is followed with something constructive. You sir were just making fun of me and that is so 90's. Also this site has an awesome multiquote feature in the lower Right of the posts you may in the future find this usefull END RANT..

When the clearance plane is reached the Z axis retracts the tool by the value of the W measured from the work surface.

Ok OP was not looking for ARC length, Im sorry I miss understood the question. Thank you for being helpful

Am I missing something or are you messing with me??

Super easy, Draw a 14.5 diameter circle on the origin. analyze it, change the cirumfrence in the 3d field to 2.00

I know, I just got them to let me get rid of my CRT another computer is not gonna happen. Does not work Does not work The screen statistics show all the lines, tools, and operations but the screen is blank until I rerun backplot and escape out before it finishes.

X5 never did it, must be my computer I have tons of issues with solids but not usaully with lines and arcs.

ATI Radeon X300/X500/X1050 Series

Has anyone else had this happen? If I run my backplot all the way thru I lose the ability to see my geometry. The only way I can make it reappear is to start backploting again and escape out. Im running 32bit

Sorry I have No solution for the OP's question. I would however like to Thank You because I never knew I could change all parameters like that. I believe this could change my life LOL. I tried it right away super slick I'm stoked..

I want to try that FPT out so this will be a good excuse.

If you can get X4 or up it has a dynamic gnomon which I find much easier to use.

Its nothing real fancy just lettering wrapped around a 4" diameter. Roll worked perfect but there is still a bunch of code; I got 2 samples finished today, but I would still like to know how to reduce the amount of code. Its the #1 complaint I get from the shop floor and its understandable.

I got it down to 58 splines but the code is still nutz. Are you talking about project tool path? I only have level 2 mill and level 1 lathe :-(

I fixed the geometry for instance the C in the example above is 1 entity however when I look at my screen statistics it says 1606 lines and 26 arcs (total Not just the C)? ^^^That is not correct it looks like I have duplicate lines^^^

Its funny because I was looking for Wrap Thats what I use in Solidworks. It looks like it Rolled correctly Im sure there is Im not sure what to change thou. I'm using contour with axis substitution.

Good Afternoon all, I'm doing some engraving on a Horizonal wrapping the text around a cylinder, Im using X5 with the generic fanuc post. I have Two issues, The first is when I project the lettering to the cylinder it is getting distorted Im using scale to reverse the effects but its more like a coverup than a fix and it only fools about 90% of the people who see it. How can I take a flat pattern and project it onto a curved surface with no distortion? The second issue is The amount of code is crazy, 8 letters is like 11,000 lines of code Here is just 1 letter I have played with all kinds of setting just obviously not the right ones. Any help is greatly appriciated. ( C ) Y1.9691 B5.835 Z2.2 G1 Z1.99 F6. Y1.9714 B5.914 F331.66 Y1.9736 B5.996 Y1.9757 B6.079 F347.26 Y1.9768 B6.122 Y1.9777 B6.164 F363.88 Y1.9787 B6.208 Y1.9796 B6.251 Y1.9805 B6.295 Y1.9814 B6.34 Y1.9823 B6.385 F377.13 Y1.9831 B6.43 Y1.9839 B6.476 F387.29 Y1.9846 B6.522 Y1.9854 B6.568 Y1.9861 B6.615 Y1.9868 B6.662 F398.97 Y1.9874 B6.709 Y1.988 B6.757 Y1.9886 B6.805 Y1.9892 B6.853 Y1.9897 B6.902 F411.31 Y1.9902 B6.95 Y1.9907 B6.999 Y1.9912 B7.049 Y1.9916 B7.098 Y1.992 B7.148 F422.22 Y1.9923 B7.198 Y1.9927 B7.248 Y1.993 B7.298 Y1.9932 B7.349 Y1.9935 B7.399 Y1.9937 B7.45 Y1.9938 B7.501 Y1.994 B7.552 Y1.9941 B7.603 Y1.9942 B7.655 B7.706 B7.757 B7.809 B7.86 Y1.9941 B7.912 Y1.994 B7.964 Y1.9939 B8.015 Y1.9937 B8.067 Y1.9935 B8.119 Y1.9933 B8.17 Y1.993 B8.221 Y1.9927 B8.272 Y1.9924 B8.323 Y1.992 B8.373 Y1.9917 B8.423 Y1.9913 B8.473 Y1.9908 B8.523 Y1.9903 B8.573 Y1.9898 B8.622 Y1.9893 B8.671 Y1.9888 B8.719 F411.78 Y1.9882 B8.768 Y1.9876 B8.816 Y1.9869 B8.863 F400.22 Y1.9863 B8.91 Y1.9856 B8.957 Y1.9848 B9.004 Y1.9841 B9.05 Y1.9833 B9.096 F388.14 Y1.9825 B9.141 Y1.9817 B9.186 Y1.9808 B9.231 F376.74 Y1.9799 B9.275 Y1.979 B9.319 Y1.9781 B9.362 Y1.9771 B9.405 F361.19 Y1.9761 B9.447 Y1.9751 B9.489 Y1.973 B9.571 F348.34 Y1.9708 B9.651 Y1.9685 B9.729 F328.86 Y1.9661 B9.805 F318.12 Y1.9636 B9.878 F306.53 Y1.961 B9.949 F296.13 Y1.9583 B10.018 F284.74 Y1.9555 B10.083 F271.3 Y1.954 B10.114 F257.51 Y1.9526 B10.143 Y1.9511 B10.17 F227.58 Y1.9495 B10.196 F215.04 Y1.948 B10.219 F204.81 Y1.9464 B10.241 F189.73 Y1.9448 B10.262 F176.96 Y1.9432 B10.28 F156.1 Y1.9416 B10.297 F142.64 Y1.9399 B10.311 F122.22 Y1.9382 B10.325 Y1.9366 B10.336 F96.01 Y1.9349 B10.345 F79.2 Y1.9332 B10.353 F68.81 Y1.9315 B10.359 F51.51 Y1.9297 B10.363 F35.82 Y1.928 B10.366 F23.26 Y1.9263 F15. Y1.9246 B10.365 Y1.9229 B10.362 F25.76 Y1.9212 B10.357 F40.75 Y1.9194 B10.351 F53.86 Y1.9177 B10.342 F77.79 Y1.916 B10.332 F88.35 Y1.9144 B10.32 F106.22 Y1.9127 B10.306 F116.53 Y1.911 B10.291 F132.22 Y1.9094 B10.273 F155.72 Y1.9078 B10.254 Y1.9062 B10.233 F177.85 Y1.9046 B10.21 F192.59 Y1.903 B10.185 F208.09 Y1.9015 B10.159 F225.03 Y1.9 B10.13 F238.63 Y1.8985 B10.1 Y1.8971 B10.069 F258.25 Y1.8957 B10.037 Y1.8943 B10.004 F269.43 Y1.8929 B9.97 F279.94 Y1.8917 B9.937 F293.56 Y1.8904 B9.903 Y1.8892 B9.868 F309.97 Y1.888 B9.832 Y1.8869 B9.796 F322.15 Y1.8857 B9.758 Y1.8846 B9.72 F333.41 Y1.8835 B9.682 Y1.8814 B9.603 F345.66 Y1.8794 B9.522 Y1.8775 B9.439 F362.69 Y1.8757 B9.354 Y1.8748 B9.311 F373.37 Y1.874 B9.268 Y1.8732 B9.224 Y1.8724 B9.18 Y1.8716 B9.136 Y1.8709 B9.092 F389.62 Y1.8702 B9.047 Y1.8694 B9. Y1.8688 B8.953 F402.85 Y1.8681 B8.905 Y1.8675 B8.858 Y1.8669 B8.81 Y1.8664 B8.762 Y1.8658 B8.714 Y1.8654 B8.665 F417.35 Y1.8649 B8.617 Y1.8645 B8.568 Y1.8641 B8.519 Y1.8637 B8.47 Y1.8634 B8.421 Y1.863 B8.372 Y1.8628 B8.323 F427.97 Y1.8625 B8.274 Y1.8623 B8.224 Y1.8621 B8.175 Y1.862 B8.125 Y1.8618 B8.076 Y1.8617 B8.026 B7.977 B7.927 B7.877 B7.828 B7.778 Y1.8618 B7.729 Y1.8619 B7.68 Y1.8621 B7.63 Y1.8623 B7.581 Y1.8625 B7.532 Y1.8627 B7.483 Y1.863 B7.434 Y1.8633 B7.386 Y1.8636 B7.337 Y1.864 B7.289 Y1.8644 B7.241 Y1.8648 B7.193 Y1.8652 B7.145 Y1.8657 B7.097 F413.83 Y1.8662 B7.05 Y1.8667 B7.003 Y1.8673 B6.956 Y1.8679 B6.909 Y1.8685 B6.865 F402.82 Y1.8691 B6.82 Y1.8698 B6.777 Y1.8704 B6.733 Y1.8712 B6.69 F386.16 Y1.8719 B6.647 Y1.8726 B6.604 Y1.8734 B6.562 Y1.8742 B6.52 F375.26 Y1.8751 B6.478 Y1.8759 B6.437 Y1.8768 B6.396 F362.33 Y1.8778 B6.355 Y1.8787 B6.315 Y1.8797 B6.275 Y1.8817 B6.196 F349.04 Y1.8838 B6.12 F337.57 Y1.886 B6.045 F327.53 Y1.8884 B5.972 F315.39 G0 Z2.25

The problem, I was uing the 3 Axis with rotation about the Y Which must act like a mirror. I changed to Axis substitution and used the rotary diameter. For some reason the 3 Axis about the Y worked on all the features?

OK WTF I need help, Im having trouble engraving on a cone? All the machine work is correct but when it gets to the engaving the lettering is mirrored and backwards. The backplot looks perfect on the screen? You can see in the program after post that the B's are not correct (Im using the generic Fanuc post X5). I dont have engrave so Im using contour with no Lead in/out and no comp I do this all the time on parts that do not involve rotating the B with no problems. There are a few features on the part that require B rotation and they are ok. I played with the inverse in the control definition and it didnt seem to change anything. I got it will explain in the morning!!!

You are correct, I will follow all suggestions before I reply next time. No heliex allowed was selected. :G0G90G70G61G17 ( 1/2-13 ) N100 T01 M06 N110 G0G98X[M1]Y[M2]Z[M3]B0 N120 G00 G90 X-2.5 Y0. Z.25 S3333 H00 M03 N130 G00 Z.25 M8 T01 N140 G40 Z.1 N150 G01 Z-.5 F15.4 N160 G41 X-2.4948 Y-.003 N170 G03 X-2.447 Y.0918 Z-.4808 I-2.4736 J.0458 N180 X-2.553 Y-.0918 Z-.4423 I-2.5 J0. N190 X-2.447 Y.0918 Z-.4038 I-2.5 J0. N200 X-2.5052 Y.003 Z-.3846 I-2.4736 J.0458 N210 G01 X-2.5 Y0. N220 G40 G00 Z.1 N230 Z.25 Thank You :-)

I'm not having a problem getting getting the helixes the problem is that it isnt posting out as a couple line arc move here is an example of one pass on one hole. N100 T01 M06 N110 G0G98X[M1]Y[M2]Z[M3]B0 N120 G00 G90 X2.5 Y0. Z1. S3333 H00 M03 N130 G00 Z1. M8 T01 N140 G40 Z.1 N150 G01 Z-.5 F15.4 N160 G41 X2.5052 Y-.003 N170 X2.5181 Y-.0067 Z-.4984 N180 X2.5314 Y-.0072 Z-.4968 N190 X2.5445 Y-.0042 Z-.4952 N200 X2.5564 Y.0019 Z-.4936 N210 X2.5664 Y.0107 Z-.492 N220 X2.5739 Y.0218 Z-.4904 N230 X2.5784 Y.0345 Z-.4888 N240 X2.5796 Y.0478 Z-.4872 N250 X2.5774 Y.061 Z-.4856 N260 X2.572 Y.0732 Z-.484 N270 X2.5637 Y.0838 Z-.4824 N280 X2.553 Y.0918 Z-.4808 N290 X2.5352 Y.1 Z-.4785 N300 X2.5163 Y.1047 Z-.4763 N310 X2.4967 Y.106 Z-.474 N320 X2.4773 Y.1035 Z-.4717 N330 X2.4587 Y.0976 Z-.4695 N340 X2.4414 Y.0884 Z-.4672 N350 X2.4262 Y.0761 Z-.4649 N360 X2.4135 Y.0612 Z-.4627 N370 X2.4037 Y.0443 Z-.4604 N380 X2.3972 Y.0259 Z-.4582 N390 X2.3942 Y.0065 Z-.4559 N400 X2.3948 Y-.013 Z-.4536 N410 X2.399 Y-.0321 Z-.4514 N420 X2.4066 Y-.0501 Z-.4491 N430 X2.4174 Y-.0665 Z-.4468 N440 X2.431 Y-.0805 Z-.4446 N450 X2.447 Y-.0918 Z-.4423 N460 X2.4648 Y-.1 Z-.44 N470 X2.4837 Y-.1047 Z-.4378 N480 X2.5033 Y-.106 Z-.4355 N490 X2.5227 Y-.1035 Z-.4332 N500 X2.5413 Y-.0976 Z-.431 N510 X2.5586 Y-.0884 Z-.4287 N520 X2.5738 Y-.0761 Z-.4264 N530 X2.5865 Y-.0612 Z-.4242 N540 X2.5963 Y-.0443 Z-.4219 N550 X2.6028 Y-.0259 Z-.4197 N560 X2.6058 Y-.0065 Z-.4174 N570 X2.6052 Y.013 Z-.4151 N580 X2.601 Y.0321 Z-.4129 N590 X2.5934 Y.0501 Z-.4106 N600 X2.5826 Y.0665 Z-.4083 N610 X2.569 Y.0805 Z-.4061 N620 X2.553 Y.0918 Z-.4038 N630 X2.5407 Y.097 Z-.4022 N640 X2.5274 Y.0989 Z-.4006 N650 X2.5141 Y.0975 Z-.399 N660 X2.5016 Y.0928 Z-.3974 N670 X2.4906 Y.0851 Z-.3958 N680 X2.482 Y.0749 Z-.3942 N690 X2.4761 Y.0629 Z-.3926 N700 X2.4734 Y.0498 Z-.391 N710 X2.4741 Y.0364 Z-.3894 N720 X2.4781 Y.0237 Z-.3878 N730 X2.4852 Y.0123 Z-.3862 N740 X2.4948 Y.003 Z-.3846 N750 X2.5 Y0. N760 G40 G00 Z.1 N770 Z1.

I found a linearize Helixes (turns my arc into a triangle) which is not checked. The only linearize arcs i found are for Surface toolpaths?

Hello good people of the internet, I have a question regarding the output of Thread Mill programs. Im not sure if this is a issue with the post so this may need to be moved. My problem is the code for my Thread mill programs are huge all the arc moves are broken into .002 moves (by huge I mean over a hundred lines for one pass around on a 1/2-13). I believe that the program would run ok but it is so large and cumbersome I dont even want to load it. I have posted out interpulation programs and they are normal. I have tried to post it with some other posts and its the same way. do I have something set to sensitive. I have searched around but I havent found anyone else who has complained about this, Any help or suggestions are greatly appriciated. Thank You