I ran with the virtual machine and XP for a few months, but it was slow and a little awkward. If you forget to releas the hasp, you have to restart the computer to use a version that runs on 7. Kinda of a pain overall. It was enough to get an upgrade from management installed. Thats the interesting part. We have maintenance and had ever upgrade version. They just wouldn't give me enough access to load them and IT didn't want to take the time. Running X6 now. Can't get a new system for X7!

Sorry, interupted post. I have to share this computer with everyone else for work orders and etc. PITA but you do your best with what you have. OK yes, the surfaces seem to work the best. I've had issues over the years with containment boundries so I tend to stay away from them, but I haven't tried them too much since going to 6. I'll give that a try also. Thanks for the help. Just might be something to look into in the next X.

Rickster (and all), thats pretty much what I'm doing now. Works out ok. Most of the time I just let it do it's thing since the roll over doesn't do anything anyway, but sometimes li8ke this I just don't have the clearance and tool length to let it roll over. I was just hoping I'd missed somewhere that I could select none like in wire on roll around corners has a none setting.

I'm working in X6 just for information, but this has bugged me for some time now. Using constant scallop, you have 3 choices for edge roll, Automatically, Only between surfaces, and over all edges. for most things this is fine, but sometimes I need another choice - NONE. Right now I have a part that I cannot roll over any edges and it seems like no matter what I pick, at least one or two edges get rolled. I've figured out a work around, but it takes time and quite a bit more geometry as I end up creating draft surfaces .100 wide around all the exterior edges of all the surfaces. Is there something I'm missing or should I just continue creating the extra geometry and call it a wash.

Thanks for any help in advance.

Bill

Thank you. Should have remembered...oh well

I've done this many times, but can't seem to find it in X6. I need to trim a curve to a plane or surface. Creating a point at the intersection would work since I could then trim to a point. Thanks for any help.

Thank you all very much. Right now I have to depend on others to do any CMM work for me and it has been a hassle with sometimes as many as 600 points. Hope to soon get our own CMM, and this information will be very helpful.

Thanks again,

Bill

Colin, the drill path gave me a list, but your solution should allow me to do a compare in an excel spreadsheet to what I was sent. Helps alot.

Thanks everyone for the help.

Bill

Didn't even think of creating a drill tool path. That should work. THANK YOU.

I have a point cloud that I had to enter by hand X,Y,Z coordinates (144 points). Problem is I have a few that seem to be missing and a few "fliers" that are obviously wrong. Is there any way to generate a list of the coordinates of the points I'[ve entered in Mastercam so I can compare it to the original list? I know this is a strange request, but I have to work in a 1970's enviornment here.

Just my 2c, but MasterCam is all I've got, and with the management here it's all i will ever have. I can't comment on X7 because it's still sitting in the box on the desk here. My system barely supports 6, and a new system is not something I even dare bring up. So, just remember, it could be worse.

Thanks all for the replys.

Working in A-2 and D-2 soft. The machine isn't the best, Cincinnatti 850 bout 30-35 yrs old.

Managers are wanting to send everything out anymore because they seem to think that endmills and inserts aren't consumables and should last for years. just trying to keep repair and replacement parts in house. Most parts and dies are LARGE, we make truck bumpers.

I need some recomendations on inserted ball endmills. Using .750 to rough is the main issue. The bosses don't wnat to spend the money because "we just tear them up", but solid carbide is way beyond what the are willing to spend. I guess what I need is recomendations with durability as the most important thing.

Thanks in advance

Del,

Thank you, I never thought of moving the contact surfaces (so obviously I havent moved them since we got the machine.) I'll try that. It makes sense with what I'm seeing. Just gotta get the times down. Thanks again.

Sorry, thanks for the responses. Got involved in a major form steel for the mill and had to put this aside for a while. Problem is my time quotes are getting so long the bosses are starting to want to send everything out for wire work.

Regarding questions:

material, soft A-2 4 inches thick flat top and bottom

wire, Sumitoma .012 dia programmed at .0145 for over burn

Single pass no skim cuts

machine series Q Elox w/Fanuc controll. (OLD still has paper tape reader and I can't get the RS232 to work so it may not even be there)

settings:

type 0

voltage 8

on time 7

off time 28

V. servo 24-26

tension 400

wire feed 4

water flow 4

water condition excellent. 2 month old filters and 3 month old resin tank. Also have access to di water for top offs.

Possibly the power supply is getting weak as I have noticed that after 12-14 hours of run, I start getting large voltage drops which leads to shorts and backing up. And times get huge.

Thanks for any help. Programmed wire 2 and 4 axis for over 28 years, but only running and setup + programming for about 6.

Does anyone have any opinions on whether to run G94 constant feed rate or voltage servo. I'm not having much luck with G94, and a part I need to quote to the boss is going to take a while running voltage servo. Just need some opinions.

Thanks.

Jay that is what I need to do. will it work in X6 also? The point and line are what i need. I can back up to X4, then all the way back to 9.1, but i took X2 and X3 off the system.

^^Rick, you're right. wouldn't work with a 3D surface then either. Just getting desperate i guess. Your suggestion will get me there. Many thanks.

^K2... Also should work for what I need. I appreciate the help. Seems like when you think you have it all down someone comes up with something new and exciting to deal with. Thanks again.

In 9.1, it was "Create, point, Surf project" then it would let you select a surface and a curve of any type. Then it would create a point where the curve passed through the surface and give you the option of trimming the curve. I just can't find anything like this in X6.

Jay. Actually all three types. Project is the workaround I've been using. Create a surface at the plane I need, project to that surface then trim to the projected curve. Problem is what I'm up against now is a 3d profile surface and i cant get a good projection to it.

Don't really know how to upload a sample, but I'll work on it.

 

 

NOTW Programmer, I am using X5 and dont have the trim option inside the create curves menu...any ideas where that option is for X5? TIA

Same result, don't have the trim option inside the create curves menu. I remember using create point, trim and I cant remember the rest, but that was in 9.1. Shows how long ago I used this.

I remember being able to trim curves to surfaces and planes. I didn't use it often, but it was possible. I cant seem to find that function in X6. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Going from 5 to 6 is no problem.

Thanks everyone. Just kinda wondered if I was seeing things. Happens when ya get older.....

Just reread original post, my spelling and typing are horrible. Sorry.