The last entity chained in your Finish Contour toolpath is an Arc, If you keep extending an arc eventually it will become a closed circle. I think the best solution here to increase the length of that finish toolpath is to re-chain and include the line. If you want to run along the line slightly perhaps include the line in the chain and use the Shorten End of chain setting.

Hi Master80. Have you ever used the Toolpath Editor? I believe toolpath editor will allow you to slow the tool to a different feed rate at a certain distance before the arc, you may need to break the chain at that location but as long as there is a break at that position when editing toolpath points through toolpath editor you can easily modify the feed rate starting at that position.

Hi, This is where you need to go to get the public beta. http://www.mastercam.com/en-us/Public-Beta

I was just going to mention this too because I think this 2018 feature is easier and more powerful than the Adjust feed on arc move that we had in the past. If you are not already a beta tester its easy to do if you decide to join the beta program http://www.mastercam.com/en-us/Public-Beta

The direction setting extends only the first Pass's entry which is good for when you only want to extend the first pass. Alternatively you can do what BillB mentioned above and on your Gap Settings use the Tangent line setting in that area and that will actually extend every pass's entry instead of just the first. its nice to know about both options and they both have their applications

Hi Manel, How are your Planes set for those toolpaths? The reason I ask is Planes set incorrectly is probably the leading cause to issues of this nature in my opinion. If you have a sample file I would be willing to take a quick look if you wanted to upload a sample of your file with your toolpaths applied, or if its a confidential part I am sure your local re-seller would be happy to help as well but take a look at your planes first, If the WCS / CPlane / Tplane all match then that would explain why you are not seeing the rotary moves in the code.

Welcome to the Forums Markypete and great question. Yes there are other ways to accomplish this task. my personal favorite method uses a Stock Model to accomplish this. If you create your stock using a solid, you can then pick as many solids as you would like using a stock model toolpath which can then be used for verify. I created a quick video for your review here:https://www.dropbox.com/s/3b80a9u60ivxud3/multi-stock-sample.mp4?dl=0 showing a sample of this process.

From what I see on that print it does not look like a Revolve will work since the part is not Round and goes from 48" across the width to only 47.177 across the height. Master80 Have you ever used the Solid Sweep, or Surface Sweep? The reason I ask is that is what I think is the correct solution to model this part, I think you would want to create half the profile, Just like we would if we were to revolve this shape, but instead of revolve you would use Sweep and Sweep that profile along an Ellipse Measuring 48 / 47.177. I hope this helps.

I think to get best results copying the solid, modifying or model prepping it to exact specs then using stock model is best, but since I am Lazy often times I just use a stock model off the finish model and in the stock model settings there is an additional Offset box you can use to "Puff Up" The original model. So basically what I do is just stock model, pick the original solid then type the Offset amount in the stock model settings to match how much extra material my forging or casting has and that even though this method puts extra stock everywhere it is very quick and easy to then see what is happening with the toolpaths and to use this in verify. Above Murlin posted a picture of the Stock Model Toolpath page, on that page you will see the "Additional Offset" field where I am referring to.

I'm Skeptical that it will hold that kind of tolerance, but some of modern tooling is pretty impressive so I could be wrong. I would do what Ron suggested and see if they will let you test one, if it works and holds tolerance I would go that route. If its just a size tolerance and not location then reamers can hold that easily.

That is interesting, i would go into verify and on the Home Tab there is a button called "Reset To Defaults". I would give that a try and see if perhaps someone saved that as a default.

Hi Burnt, Check this setting out in Mastercam 2018, perhaps you should check out the Mastercam Beta Program and take advantage of this new feature. ​

I would go about it like this: https://www.dropbox.com/s/euvfd0046kj9cbw/TangentBall.mp4?dl=0, I don't know if its the fastest way but that is how I would handle this task.

I like this Tips and tricks thread! very helpful. Here is a tip for those of us who setup holders and work with Mastercam 2017 or later. If you setup a holder (for Mill Tools) you can simply right click on a tool, from the tool selection area of the toolpath or in the tool manager and go into Edit Tool Projection, This will allow you to see a live tool on screen, snap the tool into the deepest area of the part that you are looking to cut and then click the holder area and you can adjust the Tool projection live on screen. http://whatsnew.mastercam.com/2017/tool_projection.html - The example shown in that link is ok but I don't see much need for it on the simple part they are using, where I found this really handy is on some of the 5axis work or any part where we may be concerned about the holder/tool sickout or where I want to see a tool and holder on screen and do live adjustments. ​

I use the Analize Curvature found under the Check Solid Drop down under the Home tab and this tool will let you type in your Tool Radius and quickly evaluate the model for you and will color code the areas where that size tool rad can not fit. Not sure if you tried that but if you have a ton of Radii on your model that may be the fastest method

Just last week I seen this for the first time on a customers computer that we were working on. We were in Mastercam almost all day and one time it would not select anything just like you were describing. Our remedy was to shut down and re-open just like you mentioned and it did fix it as well so I think I have seen this exact same thing that you are describing but also cant pinpoint what caused it. On a side note though, I just looked to see what computer specs we were working with and that computer was using a Xeon Processor and a Nvidia Quadro K2000D gfx card (gfx driver version 9.18.13.4105)

I personally love when post are hooked up to the machine definition and control definition correctly, In my opinion that is how it was intended to work when this three file structure was developed was to make changes of this nature much easier for people like myself whom is not a post expert and does not know all the inner workings of the complex post logic so this is something that I always try first because I found that some post developers will utilize the machine and control definitions and it makes my life much easier since I can handle those simplistic edits but am not versed enough to take on editing the actual post logic. I personally wish all developers used the control and machine definitions settings more and did not override those settings but I am guessing you guys have your reasons to over ride that stuff or something

I dislike that as well, the machine will read your programmed feed rate and not what its actually running. I always spot this pretty quickly though when I look at my cycle time comparisons when my 4 minute program took 8 or something like that.

if your in 2017 it should be on the Machine Tab, click Machine Definition and then in the lower right you should see that A axis and if you double click that you can change the direction. I would suggest that if you got your post from an outside company or from a Reseller you may want to also inform them that you are making that change so they can also update their backups too. ​

I never check that stuff thanks, someone must have re-started this really old thread haha.

Hi Jt, The Setup Sheet (lathe) by default should output both turning and milling toolpaths. Make sure when you go into setup shee tthat you click the Report template (f2) and select the one called "setup sheet (lathe)". like Ron mentioned I have also heard a lot of good things about Varco reporting's setup sheets on these forums so I am sure they would probably be happy to help as well and if you search these forums for Varco reporting you will find a discussion about what they have to offer for setup sheets.

Hi Don, For your initial request I do not have a Haas Tr160 Trunnion however i can give you this generic trunnion what we have used for training purposes, etc. in th past. Also if you are pretty good with Mastercam's Model prep tools and/or the Scale command I believe that with just a little bit of effort and maybe some dimmensions from yuor machine you could modify this one to be pretty close really easily. I would just start with Scale and get it close then use model prep move or push pull and make it almost exact. On a side note i provide the Mastercam file but you can easily do a save as and save into STL format once you are done with your own personal edits. https://www.dropbox.com/s/i72i9ndkzw8gprx/TRUNION.mcx-9?dl=0​ hope that sample trunion file helps you get started, alternatively perhaps check Grabcad.com or 3dcontentcentral.com as you may find a few other trunions there that may be really close.

Hi Ron, I've been on these forums for a while now and know you certainly know your stuff when it comes to Mastercam so I was not trying to undermine your statements I just did not want newer users to Mastercam to assume you are required to make a dummy path since you no longer are required to do that in Lathe if you utilize a stock model correctly. With that being said I do not have answers to your questions above nor do I know why the developers have the software setup in this manor but I will tell you that in Mastercam 2017 you can Mill a feature, Create a stock Model, then Turn that same feature and the Turning Toolpath is aware of the remaining stock due to the fact that a stock model was used. In x9 an Prior, this was not the case and your Dummy toolpath that you described was about the only way to get it done so I am just simply trying to mention that there is an alternative and easier way now. From what I gather it sounds like you are saying that you wish Mastercam would not require a stock model or dummy toolpath to go from lathe Milling type ops to lathe turning type ops and I totally agree with you there. I also wish that was available and perhaps in the future but with how easy the stock model is to create in 2017 I like that we at least have that simple solution

Nice, on a side note for some of you whom may not have seen this in a rollout, In 2017 Stock Models can now update Lathe stock using Milling operations. This was a stock model / lathe improvement that came with 2017's release and its pretty nice so you don't need to do the dummy toolpaths anymore. Most may already be aware but if you weren't give it a try, its once of my fav enhancements other than the Dynamic Line of sight and lathe chip break enhancements

If you dont have a long enough lathe type tool for this I suppose you could probably turn everything except the slot and mill the slot. To me from what I see it looks like a smaller nice high feed mill with a ramping motion would be a good fit for that slot but again I am talking about milling so I don't know if that was an option or if your only looking to turn it. They make some smaller sized High feed style mills that have some good reach so that is my thoughts but there are obviously other approaches that would work. then you would only be looking at finishing after that and a solid carbide should be easy to get with that reach and size, or if you are not making many of these and don't have the high feed mill I don't see why a nice solid carbide wouldn't hold up with the ramping motion even though it may not be as appropriate as a high feed mill. I don't know what kind of tolerances your holding but the biggest advantage (in my opinion) of the lathe over the mill approach to me is you may have better taper control on the lathe whereas milling may deflect the tool some at the bottom so taper may be a little more difficult to work out if this part has some tight tolerances. That's my $0.02 and I hope it helps