quote: Moldmaker74, If you are using negative stock, you would want negative stock on all areas of the electrode, including flats for example. For the flat areas you would typically use HST horizontal to get the best toolpath. You have different fields for xy stock and z stock. It is not possible to put a negative value in any surface toolpath when using a flat bottom tool ( sharp corner ). If you were using a 1/4 bull nose endmill with a .020 rad and your electrode required a .005 spark gap, Mastercam will basically subtract your spark gap from your tool info to calculate the toolpath. So in other words its the same thing as programming a .240 dia tool with a .015 rad and cutting to zero stock to leave. If you try to subtract the spark gap from a sharp corner tool, in essense, you end up with a negative radius which obviously is not possible. What we do on our Makino that we use for electrodes is: If using a sharp corner tool, you define it as a bullnose endmill with its true diameter and the corner rad is whatever the spark gap is. Merely lying about the diameter is not going to help as some others have suggested because that is only compensating in the XY direction. You still cannot leave negative stock in Z with this approach. ( Yes, I know there other ways, but I'm trying to keep it simple )By only lying about the corner rad, you cover all basis and get no errors and correct electrodes. Don't know if I helped or confused you. If Im understanding you correctly here the follwing example would achieve my required results by using your method.. example being .250 flat endmill need a -.010 Overburn per side on electrode.. I would call out a .250 bull nose end mill with a .010 radius on cutter and then when I toolpath the electrode use the above mentioned and input a .010 negative stock statement to achieve my -.010 per side Overburn on my electrode..

I opened a control definition I been using and made a few minor changes post, operation defaults, and tool libraires.when I save this control def file using the save as option thus giving it a new machine name.. its size increases from 87kb to 129 kb..Im wondering whats causing this cause in essence all I really changed in this file was to use a existing post and libraries but renamed them to a different machine name I added three M code changes to the post and thats the only difference so why the increase in file size.. is there something else changeing I need to be concerned about thanks in advance..

thanks.. I got it figured out...

I am running a makino v55 now with a Pro 3 controller.. My question is when you hey the custom hard key on the controller and it takes you to the primary operation page.. you can hit a soft ket that takes you to a page labled FS above the soft key and it gives options for air and coolant on off stuff to that nature.. basic operation paremeters.. Well I had the program restart operation highlighted when I hit the off key and then the on key back and forth.. thinking I had the air on off highlighted.. So I am wondering what this program restart option is and wether it needs to be on or off.. thanks anyone for help.. and By the way we havent the manuals for this machine before anyone one starts in on that path..lol.. thanks .

no problem...

not familiar with this software but the software I use requires a profile set up within the software itself and not a user profile with the pc.. I use the serv-u ftp software.. works great for me.. hth

yes definately post pics.. wheels or steering wheel both sound like awesome projects.. and if testin for safety on the wheels then no worries..and again the worries are just my opinion and are no way set in stone..lolol...

+1000 to htm01

quote: quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- legal worries shouldnt be and issue here unless your gonna mass market these things or you worry of your son filing a lawsuit against you.. your making them for your sons car and thats it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Actually, I believe you are quite wrong Rick. God forbid something goes wrong and a tire or rim fail and ANOTHER person or persons gets hurt or worse buy an uncontrollable vehicle. It NEEDS to be considered. We're not talking about something that just "looks nice" on car but is a MAJOR functional component. I am no lawyer, in todays litigious society however you had best think something this apparently innocuous through completely. Im no lawyer here either and not gonna argue about it so he can do what he thinks is best.. but I think it is a great idea.. and a guy with machinist capablities and specs and tolerances to go by and surely car isurance to boot.. well I wouldnt worry but thats just me...and correct me if im wrong but arent most custom bike wheels machined out and made by someone on a machine ?? what are the legal liabilities there ?? I didnt know there was a law against making custom wheels.. now if someone was to get hurt I can see your point but if they are done right then should be nothign to worry about.. people do it all the time.. compainies or do it yourselfers..just my 2 cents.. didnt mean to hijack the thread into a leagl dispute.. but this is a awesome idea for a father son project and if done correctly should turn out good..

legal worries shouldnt be and issue here unless your gonna mass market these things or you worry of your son filing a lawsuit against you.. your making them for your sons car and thats it.. worry about safety issues.. are they gonna hold up when hes going down the road at 90 MPH... lol.. we all have done this once in our lives.. but great project as well as time you and your boy can spend together doing something..

yeah that isnt working either or im not doing something right..lol.. I can create a new button but not remove it from the drop menu all together.. I dont use the option and I find myself hitting it mistake and just want to get rid of it.. cause if hit and not paying attention I could alter my geometry drastically im sure..lol

that creates a new button.. Im wanting to delete it from my drop down menu on my toolbar..

I have a question about the scale ioption in my drop down menu under the X-form drop down.. can I remove the scale option from thie drop down list and how .. thanks.. Rick

quote: quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Before digging in to change the post have you tried using a reference point to change its tool change position? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As John said this is your simplest option. Fanuc code for this would look like.. code: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- G0 G91 G30 P2 Z0G0 G91 G30 P2 X0 Y0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is used just like G0 G91 G28 X0 Y0 Z0 only it lets you set the position to return to. parameter number 1241 contains the value (actual machine axis positions) of each axis for P2. FYI 1242=P3 1243=P4 As I said this is for a Fanuc 16/18 control not sure what your using but most machines have a second, third and fourth reference position but you may have to dig around to find the parameters to set them up for use. I am using a Fanuc 18i-M controler.. I see the parameters you mentioned above and they are set at 0 for the time being. Are you saying I can input a relative position in here and have mastercam post the code to call out these parameters and go to the values I input in my control when I run a program . ex.. tool changes..

thanks a bunch guys.. I am gonna try the options listed here and see what works best for my situation..

thanks will do..

cncjb.. thanks for your reply.. the machine in question does use a 9001 program for all tool changes.. any help you can throw my way is much appreciated.. thanks

If I use the G28 X0 line it will take the table and work piece right under the tool change arm .. this is where I do not want my work piece to be during a tool change..is there a different value I can use to make it go to the opposite side of machine away from the tool change arm..and can I modify my tool change area in my post to reflect this every time I do a tool change.. thanks...

Is there an option to check for holder collisions in the regular MC paths and not the high speed ones.. thanks

nope not sure how..but open for any suggestion..

Im wanting to modify my post where when it does a tool cahnge that it will move the table all the way to opposite side of machine away from the tool changer arm.. Normally it changes tools right where previos operation finshes its last cut..this can cause crashes when I change to a tool that sticks out of the holder to far.. so I am thinking why not modify my post to move the table out of the way to avoid this from happening.. Is this possible to do in my post and if so how and where..lol.. thanks..

thanks eric.. that fixed it...

nope.. as far as I can tell everythign always comes from the top wcs or views...

When using the backplot option with a HST type toolpath it always rotates my geometry into a back view and backplots the toolpath..it dosent do this with my mastercam regular paths..I have checked all my plane settings and they all display the top view..any one got any suggestions.. thanks

ok tried your suggestion with same results...still not going to depth..