19 minutes ago, ajmer said:

its this

Well hot damn!  Thank you!  I think I remember now accidentally clicking that. I thought it was part of an update or something!

When using "Analyze Entities". 2024 Update 4

No I just still had the old MCX-5 file still active.  Doesn't work with tooldb file either.

In 2024 why is the down arrow (copy to library) greyed out?  What I'm doing is opening an old file to dig out a tool, add it to my manager with the UP arrow, then I want to shoot it back down to my library (after opening it back up).  Why can't I do that?  It allows me to do that as an "assembly", but when I go looking for tools, I can' t see both tools and assemblies at the same time.

Just jumped from 2021 to 2024.  Selecting stock for Verify in the Simulator Options is a little different.  I got my Stock Model selected and verified correctly, but now I can't turn off it being displayed on the screen.  Normally a stock model I can "turn on or off" by hitting "Alt-T". 

On 7/26/2023 at 5:39 AM, sharles said:

In the past migrating your Configuration files was always a fraught endeavor, and I don't know how many times doing so would end up making that version glitchy and almost unusable until I finally simply deleted that folder and started from scratch. I think 2024 may be the first time I haven't noticed any issues: so be aware in 2023. Also, I always went ahead and updated my mastercam version and poked around in the things I used most often before I updated (or had our IT depart.) update the rest of the guys because many of the X versions were unusable as well as 2020/2021 for us because the bugs were so bad in them. I just posted on another thread that 2024 may be the best version I've used since 2019, but I'm only 3 days into only using it.

We keep our tool library on our server so everyone uses the same ones with all the latest updates, and so that I had to do separately from the rest of the migration, and that also required me fixing each machine definition we have to look there instead of the default.

Good luck!

I thought I remembered that about the config files.  Thanks for the reminder!  Glad to hear 2024 sounds pretty stable.  The only thing I have issues with in 2021 was occaisonally a lathe face toolpath would overcut, depending on what mood it was in that day.

On 7/26/2023 at 11:37 AM, cncappsjames said:

I've used the Migration Wizard for the last 2 releases (2023 and 2024) and it's been flawless as far as I can tell. I use the advanced wizard because I only want specific things (Machine/Control Defs, Posts, Tool Libraries, and Ops). I used to do it manually as well. Someone convinced me I should give it a shot, and I did.

I still manually do settings/config, etc... (file locations, colors, defaults, etc...). Used to take a few hours. Now it's generally under an hour to square away a new version.

Thanks James.  I may give it a shot and just see how it goes before going manual.

Thanks for the info everyone.  Good to hear the reminders as I've been out of the loop with starting a buisness without mcam for a couple years, to getting 2021 and having no time to update since.  Lots of that sounds familiar. Thanks again.

In all my years  of using Mcam, I've never done much on the administration side.   I purchased my first seat almost 3 years ago, and finally am getting some time to upgrade to 2023.  Are there any tips or tricks?  Or does the migration wizard pretty well take care of everything after I install the latest version? Thanks!

I'm guessing something to do with advanced display??? But the colors are still not matching up....

Why is my backplot path all purple and not blue for linear, orange for arcs like I have set?

Thanks!

Clever! Thanks for the suggestions! 

In a nutshell, how do you guys program say a .078" groove with a .078" wide cutter? I have lied to the stock to leave in Z by a .0001, which technically works, but it also gives me an annoying tool collision error.  Any ideas?  It also gives me two passes, but since I have an edge break on both sides, I guess that's ok.

8 hours ago, AHarrison1 said:

You did not have a tool width set. I have also attached your file with the insert fixed.

10222 Mini PM1 Socket Outlet-a.mcam

Wow, talk about a bonehead mistake!! Thanks!

Hey guys.  So I just started playing around with 3D Lathe tools in 2021.  I tried setting up a tool to mimic an ISCAR PICCO/PASSPORT setup but not sure if I did it right.  It looks GREAT in backplot, but it is not recognizing the width.  Any ideas?  Z2go attached.

Thanks.

10222 Mini PM1 Socket Outlet.ZIP

On 4/1/2021 at 1:41 PM, Colin Gilchrist said:

I wrote a Thread about this a couple years ago, and shared some code I started to develop to calculate an "arc correction factor". I even created some code to 'linearize the arc, and output a new feedrate on each line segment (of the converted arc), to "accelerate or decelerate" from/to the cut.

Since then, Mastercam has added "Arc Feedrate Adjustment" functions to the Line/Arc Filter for Contour. This works pretty good, as it tries to adjust "internal arcs" with a slower feedrate, and "external arcs" with a faster feed. All in the name of trying to keep the peripheral cutting speed constant.

Thanks Colin!

Does Mcam have a way to maintain a constant "feedrate" between linear to arc motion like is described in this article? I always thought it would be nice I'd Circle Mill had a little calculator for this purpose built in as well.

https://www.mmsonline.com/articles/modifying-feedrate-for-circular-motion-commands

What would cause a config to reset? Just fired up Mcam, and while my screen background and machine def are fine, my right click and hot keys are reset. Ideas?

It did ask me to install update 3 yesterday, and I canceled it cuz I had a bad connection at the time, and then there was a random crash yesterday. 

Will also back that up somewhere this time... lol

Reminder to self to read this.

5 minutes ago, JoshC said:

its the Cplane vs 3d setting in the solid chaining manager, change it to 3d and it will select just the single edge, see gif below. (gif is loading ill revise this posting once its done)

Hot Damn!  That's just what I was looking for!

And thanks for the other tips guys!

I went from X9 to 2021.  How do I select a single solid edge for say a contour?  Right now under "Selection Method" I use "Edges", but then I have to hit the "Previous" button under "Branches" to get down to the single contour I want. 

54 minutes ago, crazy^millman said:

Yes you can do that. I have many files with Lathe and Mill groups. I also have parts that I am doing Mill/Turn work on and have the Lathe group doing the Turning and Milling. The WCS is the key and make sure you define it before making the lathe group. I have found issues creating the lathe group then trying to tie it to the correct Stock Plane for Lathe. I may have 2nd, 3rd and 4th operations on a part and have only model, but several different WCS planes to work from. The key is aligning the Turning plane correctly for the machining Center you are programming for. If a Horizonal Mill/Turn then a lot easier than working with a Vertical Mill/Turn. Once you figure it out make a template file and save it under the machine directory so you can always go back and reference it if you need to. I have over a 100 different machines I can go back and reference when I need to. 

Thank you!  Good to hear!

So I've been out of the game since 2017.  Now I have 2021.  Is anything new here?  Like can I leave the solid in "aircraft coordinates" and bring my WCS to the model?  And can I do Lathe and Mill ops in the same file without moving the imported solid to Top view?

2 hours ago, Colin Gilchrist said:

In general, I use the Generic Fanuc 4X MT_Lathe Post for all things "4-Axis Lathe".

That particular Post has a ton of features built into it, but you'll only need the basics with a SL-20 Lathe.

The MT_Lathe Post actually has "Machine Definition Logic", to determine "which Axis Combination" you're actually using. In your case, you'll only ever need a single Axis Combination, since you only have 1 turret, and 1 spindle.

The Gen Fan 4X MT_Lathe Post can support up to 2 spindles, and 2 turrets, with up to 4-axes moving simultaneously.

Although it may be overkill for your particular setup, becoming familiar with the Generic Fanuc 4X MT_Lathe Post is a good idea, as it can serve as a base for just about any 4-Axis lathe on the market.

I'm putting a bunch of my old online classes up on YouTube in the next couple of weeks. One of these classes was called "MP 201", and this class covered "how to configure the Generic Fanuc 4X MT_Lathe Post, and use Pickoff/Cutoff/Barpull Operations". (Also, I have a 2-part "Intro to Lathe" that covers a bunch of useful info about setting up Stock, Tools, Holders, Etc. for the Mastercam Lathe Product. Try searching "MP 101", "MP 201", and/or "Colin Gilchrist", to find my videos...

Thanks Colin!  I look forward to finding some of your class vids,  I actually went to one of yours up in Auburn WA like ten years ago. Learned a lot... but also forgot a lot.

On the Mastercam site, I have the option to download either the Generic Haas TL 2x lathe post and machine def, or the Generic Haas ST 4x MT_Lathe.

Now I just have a very basic SL20 with only 2x, a parts catcher, tailstock, and bar puller.  I tried the TL post, but right away it had the turret home at the lower right, so before I go putting a lot of time squaring the post and machine def away to my liking, which should I proceed with?  So far I don't see any downside to working with the 4x, as the output is looking pretty good.

Thoughts?

1 hour ago, Greg Williams said:

there is a checkbox in

 

File

Config

Toolpaths

"lock Feeedrates"

Greg, you're a genius.  Thank you!

The feeds and speeds "calculate from tool" the first time it's selected, but if I switch to a different tool or click on any tool, the speeds and feeds do not change. For instance, the selected 1/4" Chamfermill is set to a feed of 75 and speed of 7500.  What am I missing?