Ya! Thanks for all your help cadcam. Now I truely know what I don't know! But I'm learning like crazy! I try to help when I can, but I'm afraid that I'm on the low end of this learning totem pole! Thanks again Mike R.

I just changed video cards from an ati radeon to an nvidia geforce2mx (64meg), and the display is no where near as good Whassup wiff dat? I used the driver "out of the box"...any ideas? Thanks, all! Mike R.

Forget Bob and Tom, it is surely YOU GUYS that ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks again. This forum is absolutely AWSOME!!!!! Mike R.

I downloaded both the mpmaster 4 axis and the subrpt posts, and neither are outputing what I want. I think I'm doing something wrong in the translate toolpath. I'm getting closer (thanks to your help)...I haven't had a chance to look at the shoe yet, but I will tonight. What are the critical parameters to set in the translate paramaters page? Sorry for being sooooo ignorant on this one... Thanks, Mike R.

I've been following this for a while, and it seems to me that some of you want way MORE than you paid for. I mean no disrespect to anyone, but, as a cadcam user for about 5 years, I have seen, demo'd, checked pricing, and used other cadcam systems. I currently use both Mcam and UNIGRAPHICS and I can tell you that the service I get from mastercam (which is significantly less expensive than UG) is far better. I mean FAR better. UG's service and support SUCKS. On the other hand, any time I need help with ANYTHING, all I have to do is call my buddies in GIG harbor, Union (NJ), or Tolland, and I've got my answer. I call the people at UG, and they want some payment for any help at all (They also usually advise what I thought in the first place, anyway). Here's the thing. We, as a College, pay 3 to 4 times more for UG than we do for Mcam, and, on the cam side, Mcam is much more powerful, and easier to use. Here's my main question to all my friends that are questioning mcam - what other cadcam system gives you 5 axis posts for free???..... again, I say all this in the most respectful manner... Thanks for listening! Mike R.

I designed a keychain for a college open house givaway. I have a fixture to hold and machine 6 of these buggers in one shot. I did all the toolpaths for one part, and did a transform toolpath, checking the subprogramming box, and gave it the offset in both x and y, as well as the # of offsets in X and Y. Then I posted it, and all I seemed to have gotten was the program that did all of them, and ended in an M99. What I wanted was a main program that called up one sub, and changed from g55 (1st part), to g56 (2nd part), etc. What am I doin' wrong? (I'm using MPFAN pst). Something like this: % O2222 GOG17G20G40G80G90 G55 M98P1001 G56 M98P1001 G57 M98P1001 G58 M98P1001 ETC.,ETC, M30 % O1001 (MEAT OF PROGRAM TO HAVE "MAIN" PROGRAM M99 Thanks! Mike R. [This message has been edited by Michael Reynolds (edited 05-19-2001).]

Having been in industry for most of my life, and now being in edukashion, I have always harped on both my students and my collegues about having to be able to "program it by hand" before using any cadcam system. Since I have little or no experience in programming twin spindle machines (let alone machines with live tooling), it's time for me to take my own advice. Mabye by the time I get comfortable with writing the code by hand, there will be a good post out there for these machines???? (I'm really glad there are people like you out there)

Thanks James! Mike R.

I just right clicked on the engraving zip file (on the ftp site), copied & paisted it to my desktop, then copied the files into a new folder I created in the Mcam directory. Works great! Mike R.

All I can say, is that this is the best forum I've been involved with...of course, it's the only forum I've been involved with...But thanks to all of you, I'm learning all the little things (ya, and some big ones, too) that make Mcam DA BEST!! And, yes, I'm one of those who fall into the "needs help" catagory.... Thanks all Mike R.

I'd be really interested in that too...We have a Miyano twin spindle w/live tooling. I haven't been brave enouph to do anything other than write the code myself. Good topic! Mike R.

Thanks all! Mike R.

Thanks, that's all the info I need (for this particular space in time...) Muchooo Grassoooo.. Mike R.

Thanks! I think I can manage (with a little help from people like you)!! Mike R.

I'm working on it...may take a few days. but THANKS fer helpin!!!!!!!!!! Mike R.

That, sir, sounds like a good deal!! I love this forum! (I'll e mail you in a few days) Thanks ALOT!!! Mike R.

I'm trying to design a key chain to give out at one of our school's open houses. I'm looking for a sketch of a jalopy (car) that I can engrave in this keychain. Doesn't have to be spectacular...any ideas? Thanks, all! Mike R.

Thanks for all your replies. Like I said before, this forum is AWSOME! One more thing, I have a Monarch with a mark century controller, and it gives availible memory space in terms of "feet of tape". How many kbytes is in a foot of tape? Thanks again, all.. Mike r. [This message has been edited by Michael Reynolds (edited 05-17-2001).]

Is there any way to check the total size of an nc program (kbytes) from any of the standard mcam editors? It's kind of a pain trying to download files only to find that the memory in the controllers can't handle the length of the nc program. Thanks in advance! Mike R.

Anyone going to Eastech this year??? Mike R.

Are you creating the geometry from the thelix c hook? If so, I think you can do a simple 3d contour operation and use the multi pass option. Hope this helps! Mike R. I don't know if it's just me, but when I tried this, I got the dreaded "illigal operation" message. Sorry for the bad advice, but it seems to me like it should work! Is it just me, or are there major problems with this release? Mike R. [This message has been edited by Michael Reynolds (edited 05-16-2001).]

James, I'm sure you've heard this berore, but YOU ARE A GEEEENIOUS!! Worked like a charm!!!!!!!!!! Thanks, man Mike R

When I rotate a part, some of the geometry goes away until I stop rotating. Am I missing something, is it a bug, or is it because I was STUPID and bought an ATI card? Thanks fer da help! Mike R.

Thanks Allen. I saved the file incorrectly under another name, so that saved by behind. As far as the c-hook is concerned, I'm going to keep trying to learn how to use it. Live and learn... Thanks for all your help! Mike R.

Yup, all levels are visible. I tried screen blank, unblank, all entities, also. Any other ideas? thanks Allen, Mike R.