Tool manager keeps crashing too. I'm going to create new tool and my screen fades to white.....

Did any one try to use the file I posted? It just keeps crashing on me...might have something to do with my file size (right around 76 mb)?

I'm doing some deep pocketing so I need an accurate representation of the tool I'm using. I'm using a MM S-D-L130-C16-TO6-W-H (tapered shank multimaster). I grabbed a .dxf from Iscar and chopped it up to work. Then I just added the multimaster end I will be using and scaled everthing up until the shank was 1" from centerline (2" diameter) . The problem I am having is that every time I select the file for the custom tool, it doesn't seem to scale correctly. If I go and adjust the tool diameter Mastercam crashes instantly. I tried importing the geometry and placing it on a level but still no dice. When Mastercam is scaling the tool, what is it looking at for tool diameter? In the case of something that is tapered shank would it be using the shank diameter? I must be missing something simple. T08 MULTIMASTER WITH .5 BULL2.MCX-7

1000 is pretty high. I'm assuming you have a VCN with Matrix control? I've run L75 as low as 300...however shape accuracy becomes an issue. It takes some fine tuning but you can dial it in to run smooth as silk. High smoothing control is a great option that gives you great control over acceleration/deceleration parameters. If you do a lot of high speed machining, it might be worth a look.

To answer the original question.... It's not necessary. G05 P2 enables 500 block look ahead. Mold cavities...Yes. Dynamic area...Not really. Although I typically use it all the time....why not.

,K is just an accuracy coefficient. Tell me what your L75 is set to.

Whoa! G61.1 is NECESSARY. If you do not run it with dynamic tool paths, you will over cut and break xxxx (trust me) . The reason it is "jerky" is you need to adjust it a bit better. Take a look at parameter L75. There is also L74, F8 and a bunch more. Seems to me that you decided to blame the machine instead of trying to understand it a bit better. Also, G61.1 is on by default in a Mazatrol program....no need to make your operators aware.

That is typically how I use it.

Previous operation *edit- "one other operation"

Not sure what you mean by .002 step....looking at your file I notice a couple things. First I would define the finish tool as a chamfer mill. I hate the idea of "fudging" a taper mill with a tip diameter of .0001. Select a 1/2 chamfer mill from the library and change the tip diameter to zero. Now that you changed to a chamfer mill your going to have to turn off cutter comp. Try that out.

When you created the STL were you in system TOP?

Yes, Windsor Locks. Our Technology Center is very close to Bradley Airport. I'm not sure about a date for the first meeting. I'm going to make contact with local resellers to see if they could contact their customer base. Once we figure out a rough headcount I can nail down a definite date. We would have food + drink and possibly (depending on machine availability) demos and general machining technology info.

I definitely want to get Cimquest involved. I just figured this would get the ball rolling. I'll wait to see how much interest this generates.

Look at a Mazak VCS. Not exactly "budget" but it is the lowest price offering from Mazak. Easy to program and a stout machine

I'm trying to get a user group established for the Connecticut area. I've been meaning to get this organized since the open house at CNC but have been pretty busy. Basically I'm just reaching out to see if there is enough interest out there to get this thing started. I work at Mazak and I have already secured the use of our Northeast Technology Center. I have had contact with CNC and they are more than willing to help get this thing running. I know we would be able to get guest speakers and what not. The basic concept is to provide a place for Mastercam users to get together to hone our skills and network. It would be open to all experience levels because I firmly believe that everyone has something to bring to the table. So let me know if you would be interested so we can begin to take the steps necessary to get this thing going! Thanks, Shawn Cooke

JP said it before.... You are trying to maintain constant chipload...that's the point of dynamic milling. I say keep on climb milling...your tools will thank you.

The key was developed to hypnotize programmers...don't fall for it. CNC software is trying to steal your soul!

G61.1 is the answer. NEVER run any dynamic toolpath without it.... That said, G61.1 will slow your overall feed rate when it needs to avoid gouging. If you plan on using dynamic milling a lot look into "high smoothing control". Rough only for dynamic. Unless you like the flowing pattern it creates on the floor

...and some times you have to make sure your start point is selected prior to the contour chain. Go into your chain manager and drag the start point to the top. If for some reason there is not enough room to start at the point you specified, Mastercam will ignore the start point. It might take a bit of experimenting. Good luck.

I use Repo rubber. Works like a charm. http://www.flexbar.c...oRubber-d10.htm *EDIT*- Sorry, didn't see the previous post from Matt. Same stuff.

G54.4 is slightly different than G54.2. Think of it as dynamic comp on steroids. It functions much like G54.2, however now you can use all of your go-fast options (G05P2, G61.1, etc..). The way I typically use it is to define your primary work offset as the center of rotation for rotary axes. Pivot point can be found by looking at the value of S5 (for x and y) and S12 (for z) in the machine parameters. Throw those numbers in G54. Next you need to find your part origin...doesn't matter how you do it but find the machine coordinate for the origin point in XYZ. Calculate the difference between this point and the pivot point (G54) and input this value into one of the G54.4 offsets. G54.4 is the deviation FROM the primary work offset so the sign of the values are critical. That's it in a nutshell. I could go on to explain about correcting for A and C axis error by rotating axes but typically you will not need to do this. Very few people use G54.4 with values in any of the Theta fields. See programming example below: O0001 ( PROGRAM - TEST ) ( DATE - 10-08-13 TIME - 17:22 ) G20 G0 G17 G40 G80 G90 G94 G98 G91 G28 Z0. G30 X0. Y0. G28 A0. ( 1/4 DATAFLUTE SS W/ WIPER TOOL - 19 DIA. OFF. - 0 LEN. - 0 DIA. - .25 ) (FINISH TAB CONTOUR) T19 M6 T3 G0 G54 G90 C0. A-90. S1400 M3 G54.4P1 X7.40058 Y1.16381 M8 G61.1 ,K0 G43 H#3020 C0. A-90. Z1.5375 G05 P2 Z.6375 G1 Z.12 F100. G41 X7.53049 Y1.08881 F6. G3 X7.5338 Y1.1013 I-.0217 J.0125 G2 X7.6114 Y1.2643 I.179 J.0148 G1 X7.88205 Y1.44684 X7.92381 Y1.46579 ... ..... Also notice that I am only moving A and C on the G54 line. After activating G54.4 move your X and Y to position. Hope this helps, p.s.- The EIA programming book gives a very good and elaborate description of the option.

It's time to have a chat with the owner of your company and inform him that new CNC equipment is more than capable of retracting the Z axis and repeating position. Is he serious?

M258

Daniel Harris @ Cimquest is the guy to talk to....he has some pretty slick stuff he has been working on for a few years.

For all the iPhone users out there... go to the app store and look for iMachinist. It includes some pretty handy calculators for radial chip thinning and high feed optimization for button inserts