I need help with a new install. I have X6 on a new PC. Win 7 pro. Mill level 2. sim updated. We have one machine and one post file. This should be a simple set up. How do I get the new machine definition set up? Machine group properties? Machine type? Machine definition manager? All three? I don't see how to default to our machine and post file. I have placed files such as the .mmd and .control and .pst files where they appear to go but I think X6 doesn't use these old files.

Is it possible to output my cycle time from the backplot info as a note in my nc code? This info would help my scheduler to determine how much we can do per day. Would this be a post change or is there some other parameter I can change to make it happen?

For the time being, I wrote a macro within the Mastercam editor that facilitated adding the 7000+ instances of "M98 P6" at the end of each block to my code. It does seem like a simple custom drill cycle could also call out my subroutine at each XY location. I don't know what "pdrill_2$ postblock" is.

I had my retailer help me years ago to write it into my post (so I thought). That was back in MC9. (or 8 or 7, what was 2005?) Either I don't remember how to "activate" it or MCX is seeing things differently. What would be the normal "trigger" to output this code (the M98 P6) at the end of each line of XY coords?

I've got this program that I created years ago. Worked great for us. I'm not sure how to recreate it with new coordinates. It contains a subroutine. That part is not my problem. My problem is how to I force the M98 P6 at the end of every coordinate? (there are A LOT more not shown) I don't even mind hand writing the program starting with my standard drill cycle but I need some comment or (?) to "find-replace" This is one tool that does 2 operations at different depths/speed/feed at 7000+ locations with one offset. % :001111 N10( NAME - 180) N20( DATE - 06-24-05) N30 ( START TOOL LIST ) N40 ( T175 1-1/2 DRILL ) N50 ( T175 MAX DEPTH -1.3006 ) N60 ( END TOOL LIST ) N70 ( 180 TUBSHEET ) N80 G20 N90 G80 N100 G90 N110 G28 X0 Y0 Z0 H0 N120 G00 Z.2 N150 G54 P6 N160 G00 X87. Y1.1875 M98 P6 N210 X87. Y4.6516 M98 P6 N220 X87. Y8.1157 M98 P6 N230 X87. Y11.5798 M98 P6 N240 X86. Y16.776 M98 P6 N33800 X-85. Y15.0439 M98 P6 N33810 X-85.75 Y8.1157 M98 P6 N33820 X-85.75 Y1.1875 M98 P6 N33830 X-86. Y13.3119 M98 P6 N33840 X-86. Y16.776 M98 P6 N33850 X-86.75 Y9.8478 M98 P6 N33860 X-86.75 Y2.9196 M98 P6 N33870 X-87.75 Y1.1875 M98 P6 N33880 X-87.75 Y4.6516 M98 P6 N33890 X-87.75 Y8.1157 M98 P6 N33900 G80 N33910 M09 M13 N33920 M05 M16 N33930 G28 Z0 H0 N33940 G28 X0 Y0 N33950 G00 Z.2 N33960 M02 :6 N4300 T261 H261 N4310 M08 M12 M15 N4320 S1180 F5.25 M03 N4330 G00 Z.1 N4340 G99 G73 Z-1.170 Q.050 J0.015 D0 R.060 N4350 G80 N4360 T262 H262 N4370 G96 F6.6 N7380 G99 G73 Z-1.200 Q0.350 J0 D0.3 R1.600 N7390 G80 G97 M16 N7400 M99 %

When I got a new computer last year about the same time X4 came out, I made the switch and hoped I would not have to look back. The old computer died with previous versions of MC on it. Only data files were backed up.

Those files can now be deleted from the ftp site but I don't think I have the authority to do that. I tried.

Thanks so much.

I can't open it. How would I convert it?

Can I get a hand converting an .mc7 file to either .dxf or something MC Mill X4 can open. I just need the line geometry. We no longer have any machines with MC9 or older on them for me to do this with. I have uploaded 57585457.mc7 to ftp://www.mastercam-cadcam.com/Mastercam_...verted_from_MC/ If anyone is willing/able to do this conversion for me, you can upload to the FTP or email direct to me at puecker at deltasteel dot com.

Thanks all. Some of the suggestions above didn't provide the intended results or ended in an error somewhere. It was the process from Santa Fe that got us to where we wanted to be. Thanks also to my Mastercam rep who chimed in w/ a private message and offered to help.

Ok, so I botched the bull vs ball term. No quarter for a newbie, eh? I can take it. With the .004 stepover, what type of toolpath are you suggesting will do the variable depth?

I think your edit is correct because when I try surface/finish/flowline, I get the error that I don't have that in mill 1 and I need mill 2. Goes to show yo how much straight drilling/milling we do. I never needed mill 2 before. Any other options with mill level 1? Phil

We are primarily a drill and mill shop but today I have a different task that I need help with. I need to surface mill a 5° bevel on the end of a part (carbon steel). We are only talking a few square inches but I don't know how to program this. I have uploaded a yolk.dwg file (not the .dxf version, it can be deleted) of our part to the drawings folder of the FTP site. Each end (top and bottom) has a 5° slope to it. I was thinking we would use a ball (bull?) end mill but I don't know what sort of toolpath will do that angled surface. Up to this point, all of my programming has been limited to 95% drill with some pocket and contour. Am I creating the angled surface and milling with some sort of stepdown to the prescribed angle or depth? or ...? I guess I could buy a special flat end mill with a 5° angled bottom but we'd rather not. Phil [ 04-15-2010, 04:16 PM: Message edited by: perseid88 ]

Quote: "We still don’t support import of AutoCAD 2010 data in Mastercam." Has there been any progress made here? I'm getting more and more files from customers using this and I'd like to be able to import them.