I'm using 2020 (recently upgraded from 2019) to program a WEDM and my tool path is chained from lines and arcs I've created specifically for chaining. Nothing complicated, it is an open chain and there are only 5 or 6 entities. Done this 100 times before with no issue. The tool path rendered appears to produce the cut correctly, but when I run it it simulation, the cut shows the arcs extend beyond the intersecting of the next entity, and there is no stock cut in a portion of the tool path. While I'm reasonably certain the program would produce the part as intended, I'm baffled as to why the simulation is telling such a different story. Anybody else run into this? Thanks

Hi, can somebody give me the new link for eBook support? I have a pdf copy of Mastercam X9 Lathe I purchased a few years ago and I'm trying to open it and need a new unlock code. The imbedded link to support is broken. Thanks Scott

After a year and a half, we finally just upgraded to DNC-DT on our Okuma 4020 with a OSP-E100M control and I was wondering if it is possible to copy from the on-board data server to MD1. The reason I ask, many of my old programs have goto / branch code in them, and apparently this is not allowed running from the on-board server. The programs are small and will run from MD1, it's just getting them there that's the problem. Part of the reason we'd upgraded was because our corporate IT security has made it difficult / impossible to write to a floppy disk for program transfer. Our installer, who is also our Mastercam reseller, is looking into it with Okuma. I was just wondering if anybody here has been able to do that. Thanks!

Hello, I'm attempting to put a vibrating pneumatic engraving tool into operation on a VMC. The tool will be in a tool holder mounted in the spindle, and the air to power the tool will be supplied via a short plastic tube. Therefore, it is crucial to have the spindle not rotate (static) In my tool library, the engraving tool has its spindle direction set to 'static'. When I bring the tool into an operation, the direction defaults back to 'clockwise', but this is not the primary reason for this post, and yes, the Feed Calculation in the Machine Group Properties is set to 'From Tool'. At this point I am happy to change the setting back to 'static' at the operation level. Were the real issue is, even though the spindle direction for the tool is set to static at the operation level, my post processor still outputs an M3 to start the spindle. Specifying "0" as spindle speed results in an error in the machine. My reseller worked on this for a few days and could not come up with the fix. They offered a few ideas but they didn't work. I certainly understand I can make a simple program edit to keep the spindle turned off, but I'd like to eliminate any chance of forgetting to do so. Anybody got any thoughts or solutions?

OK thanks all. I was just wondering if there was something I was missing.

Greetings, We now have a Wire EDM seat and I've been trying to get the hang of it. So, I've got a block in which I'm cutting an arc off of on just one side. I've got a model in which I'd like to chain the arc (and only the arc) to create the toolpath, and I would like to extend the toolpath a little beyond the stock at both ends of the open contour. I am accustomed to being able to adjust the start and end of a contour in the Lead In / Out parameter in MasterCam Mill. I can't see how you can accomplish this in EDM. My workaround has been to project the contour line above the part, extend it on both ends a suitable distance, and chain it. Simple enough, but I was just wondering if there was a way to simply extend the start and end points on an open chain as you can in mill.

Thanks I'll try that next time it happens

OK what I don't understand is why I can't select edge curves after I utilize a surface toolpath. I'm able to select those entities beforehand. I've been creating 2D toolpaths on this model. If I save my file, restart Mastercam and re-open it, I can select edge curves again.. Oh, and yes, it is a surface model, no solids. Thanks, Scott

Greetings, I've not had this happen before and I'm sure it's something simple I'm missing. I'm working from a surface model where all of my toolpaths have been 2D up to this point. I just created a toolpath using a surface high speed toolpath and now I'm trying to continue with a 2D Contour, but I can't select an edge. Only surfaces can be selected. The 'select edge' icon on the ribbon bar is greyed out. What am I missing? Thanks! Scott

Thanks Greg. From what I saw in the manual, I was pretty sure it was an option we didn't have. Just wanted to confirm it with somebody who knows where the panel would be if we had it. I guess our next move is to see if the DNC-B option can be added at this point. Thanks for your reply, Scott

Greetings, I realize this is probably not the forum for this question, but I've run out of options so please forgive me. We've got an Okuma MC-V4020 machining center with an OSP-E100M control and I need to know where the DNC control panel is located. This panel should have two switches, one turning on/off communication, the other turning on/off Buffer Operation. It is refered to in the manual but our maintenance people have been all over the machine looking for it. Does anybody know where this panel would be? We're trying to get this machine connected to our shop DNC and I'm working with our Mastercam reseller to make the appropriate changes to our post processor. Right now the only thing we've been able to get to work with limited success is input via RS232 emulating a tape (hence the additional code added to the post) From what I can understand from the manual is that there is another means of input 'DNC-B' that I'm seeing no reference to in any on the machine's on-screen menu's. Perhaps the machine is not equipped with that option, or maybe we just need to find that switch to turn that feature on. Thanks in advance. Scott Lent

Thanks all, This solution was exactly what I was looking for! I'm running X9 by the way. Thanks!

Greetings, I am working on a complex part and want to create a stock model before I begin machining the next side of the part. There are over 100 operations on the first side and the 'Toolpaths --> Stock Model' method I am accustomed to using isn't successfully creating the stock model. I have tried another approach I read about here by verifying the completed operations and then saving as an .stl Then I point to that file for the initial stock shape in the stock definition and the stock model does render. The problem is that when I start machining that stock model in verify, the model is a surface model and has no 'meat' under the skin. Any suggestions? Thanks

Thanks!

Can anybody tell me what the RCTF option in the tool menu for some tool paths does? Thanks!

Thanks all for your input. I redrew the geometry and after a few tries it worked. I don't understand why it is so 'buggy'. I've had geometry that extruded just fine, but if I transform that same geometry up or down and extrude, I get the error. Frustrating, but redrawing using different approaches has always eventually worked for me. Thanks, Scott

I wish I could. Any File sent from here needs to be cleared by the export compliance office. I have downloaded that pdf and will look it over. Thanks

Colin I tried that and it did not work. I understand I could add the fillets using the solid fillet operation, but at this point, it's personal. To simplify things for the sake of discussion, I've drawn a 4 x 4 square on the Z0 plane. I extrude a solid and all is well. If put a 1" radius in each corner and extrude it I get the error. I tried creating the square using 'rectangular shapes' and get the same results. I've had problems extruding geometry in the past and managed the work through it after a while, but It's got to be something really stupid I'm doing wrong and I really want to figure it out.

Using X9 here Due to security policies here, I can not send anything out. All entities are at the same depth. I've even XFORM Projected them to the same plane to to make sure.

Hi, I'm trying to extrude a solid and keep getting the following error: Parasolid Kernel Interface Error PK Error Code 547 Non-Manifold Body or Boundary. My shape is essentially a rectangular block with a square notch on one side. The notch has a fillet radius at both inside corners. If my geometry excludes the fillet radii, the solid is created just fine. If I attempt to create the solid with fillet radii in the notch, I get the error. Analyzing the chain reveals no issues (one chain, 8 entities, 0 overlapping entities and 0 direction changes) Since the problem seems to be with the geometry, I've been trying different methods to construct the fillet radii, i.e. arc tangent, and fillet. The results are the same Either way, If I attempt to have Mastercam join the entities which make up the notch (using join entities), the results are always the same 'Selected entities cannot be joined'. Can anybody tell me what I'm doing wrong? Thanks!

Actually I ended up doing Load Workspace -> 3D Toolpaths and that got me back to where I was before. Thanks!

Greetings, Please forgive me if I don't refer to the screen areas with their proper term, but I'll try me best to convey my issue. I just did something that has resized the 'Operations / Solids manager' to occupy about 2/3 of my screen, leaving only about 1/3 for the graphics window. It will not allow me to resize it by dragging an edge. Closing and restarting Mastercam still gives me this condition. I'm sure it was an inadvertent keystroke or a mouse drag that got me here. I just need to know how to undo it I use X9 Thanks in advance, Scott

Yeah that's what I've been trying and I was wondering if 3D length was in fact the arc length.

Can anybody tell me how to find the length of an arc in X9? Thanks in advance!

Create / Turn Profile did the trick !!!! Thanks !!!