My use of Jobboss was limited to quoting and job cost reviewing. I found it to work as stated with no or very few bug, unless there was a new release/rewrite. Tech support was always good. There is an add-on package for ISO certification that will cover all your required documentation. (Track customer complaints, Machine maintenance, Vender certification etc.) I don’t think I would call my self a major supporter but on the other hand I can not see a way I would be a major support of any controller type software, Unless someone from tech support would come wash my car or something.

What operating system do you have? Win XP-Pro 64 bit or Win XP-Pro standard?

Is there a way to post out of Mastercam to support Heidenhein G141? (5 axis tool comp) If I am reading the manual right G141 requires a I,J,K, in standard direction format for every line of code

I think the 3.0 was the first P4 that came standard with HT. Nesting should run your PC at 100%. We have a nesting program thats nothing to do with mastercam and it maxs out a newer P4. This program has been around for awhile. What now takes less then 2 minutes on a P4 2.8 would take 30 minutes on P3-300

I do not know if this matters in CAD/Cam but the old Pen 2.0 where 100 FSB. In gaming this makes a HUGE differnts. I have had friends that on paper their PCs should be fast but with that 100 FSB they seem to hit a wall. Almost the same setup with a 2.2 (the next gen P4) will run circles around the 2.0. Sorry I do not know the details im a AMD dude.

Haas mini has a 15,000 RPM spindle option. This can improve everything about machining Aluminum. Where Haas wins is if you are going to use a 4th axis. For under 10 grand you can have a true 4th axis. Warning 15,000 RPM mini are not for steel. They have torque issues at lower RPMs.

"Just my opinion" You need to look at the Machines (controlers) you have or will have and your programmers. Not just your parts. Example: Haas VF2 with a 210 trunion. We where able to bring a very complex part aerospace part off. I can not go into detail about the part but there was no 90 deg angles and I did get 5 G's for one part and it was 100% from mastercam. I thought at that point Mastercam could do anything. And it could with that Haas. Now I have DMU's with Heidenhain controlers. Now I have a ton of options designed for 5 ax. Most notable is the G141. This allows for cutter comp in 5 axis moves. From what I have read Mastercam does not support G141. From talking to tech support for Heidenhain there are CAM packages out there that do support 5 axis comp. This comp can be used on Flat, Ball and bull nose endmills. This would be a huge advantage on fussy or production 5 ax parts.

MCX had to be done. Not for us power users but for the new guys coming in. Every Cam sales started their softwares pitch with "Well Mastercam is just a ported Dos base program" Those of us that are a custom to MC9 interface like cause we know it, to someone just starting out the windows bases system will be easier. The mistake CNC software has made has been mostly marketing. Selling maintenance as a way to get MCX then being over a year late releaseing it. Now saying these bugs will be fixed in the next MR build. While I think they are trying to show value in the maintenance they are in fact holding their software for ransom. They should have just offered maintenance not pushed it. Most larger companys would pick it up anyway, its cheap compaired to most softwares. They should NEVER release a MR build while there are known bugs in commonly used features that render MCX unusable to some companys. Fix the bugs then let the MR's or great support be the reason people get maintenance. Again Marketing. Thats it Im going and taking my soap box with me.

It is not new. Even back in the mid 90's we had tool rep that would help with the quotes and write code. I think he liked knowing how his tools where being used. In return I would buy the startup tooling thru him. Normally this was only on large on going jobs. Example: Mac 750 hp cyclinder head. Job ran for 4 years I think his time was well paid for

I like to use wear on all finish dimension that can be measured and adjusted and computer on all rgh tools. I have had to many time where a rgh tool was over adjusted and finishing the part. The old "I keep adjusting the tool but the part does not change" statment. Course I have worked in mostly union shops.

We use the Cimco post here for our DMU's.Its purchases for each Mastercam Sim seat. The G7 feature of the Heidenhein control makes it a bit different.

I never did understand why Mastercam did not have a Family of parts process. SmartCam had a great system back in the early 90's. I had about a dozen lath paths setup and all my programs came out looking exactly alike and programmed in minutes. If i had a system like that now I could let the operator program parts. A=OD B=ID C=Stock OD D=Stock ID E= Cornor rad OD F= Corner rad ID,,,, Post Hmmm,,, Where is my old Smartcam??? Oh consider this thread Jacked

Atlas Copco has the 50 hp that can drop all the way down to 8 hp with very little drop in efficiently. We had a skelton crew on second and light out running on third. It saved us enought money in elec. bill to make the payment of the new compressor plus some. Thats vs a 50 hp Sulair

At my last job we used the Pro converter every day. The reason we got it was one of the medical customers was looking for a shop that had Pro Manufacturing so there would be no convertion process. I was able to convince him that the Granite back converter to mastercam was the closest thing. As said above they are not quick with the updates so if your customer is, then the files dont convert. Took CNC awhile to get the first good wildfire converter out. Also multi config .prt's are not handled at all. I think you get the first config as default. Edit FYI: Multi configs = Family of parts help within a single .prt

This is one place where factory application engineers come in handy. I think all the compressor manufactures mention should have factory certified distributers. You should ask for a evaluation and a self installed turnkey system. You pick the compressor and let them match the dryer and give you a layout of the pluming. Just let them know others are quoting the system also. I did this with the local Gardner-Denver and Sullair reps and got nice quotes about 15-20 percent under book on all hardware.

Look at it this way Joel. Mastercam gets $xxx in sales per year +/- 10% so they budget $x for development. This is not the bug chasers or the support guys just development. I want those guys working to make Post Processors easier to edit, 5 axis paths logs better, More ways to control my tools and for god sake a CNC software supported way to program my dang CMM. Not trying to keep up with a drawing package that is better funded and already way ahead of them.

It is common in many types of software to only support 2 version back. By supporting more then that you increase the costs of making the product while adding a function that a very small precentage of users would use. Better to spend the money on function most users use and getting the product out on time Sorry I had to add that last little dig.

Just FYI! Iges standards are all over the place. Most Cam system have a better way to exchange data. Many Cad systems drop IGES all together because of the ever changing standards.

I just got X today and I have not had a chance to play with it but I was wondering if the WCS's had changed much. There was no real mention of it at the roll out class. I downloaded Hardmills Power point training a week or so ago but figured Id wait to see if there was major changes. Since I don't know V9 WCS's very well I thouhgt I would ask the experts. Major changes in WCS? or should I go ahead and use Hardmill's tutorial? Thanks in advance

Sounds like there is some geometry mastercam can not handle. this is not that uncommon. Your geometery needs "cleaned up" there are most likly line segments under the lines or arcs segements under the arcs. Could be polyline. Sometimes Master can has a tuff time with these. First thing to do in mastercam is delete, Duplicate then delete all Splines. If there is a lot of splines it might be easiest to change levels and using the endpoints and 3 point arcs just resketch your cut path. Or you could use autocad and clean the DXF up that way.

I thought one of the guy from Ontario was mouthing off to CNC about X and the CNC rep said "NO X FOR YOU, 2 MONTHS" Darn the X Nazi's I could be wrong maybe it was just a dream.

My reseller is coming onsite and is willing to do the install (if Id wait) and go over the new features, No charge. Its good to be the biggest customer

When you set you tools you are telling the controller how far the tool is from the gage point of you 40 taper pocket. A Pre-setter had a precision 40/50 taper pocket with a known gage height it has indicators with relationship to the gage height. Basicly you put the tool in Pre-setter and it tells you the Lengh and dia. Here is a basic unit. http://www.commandtool.com/ctstore/showdet..._ID=81&CATID=16 Advanced units use a vision system instead of touch indicators. And this works fine with Haas last place I worked used set Z the same way your shop does. After we started using the pre-setter they started bugging be for another one because it was to far to walk to the one we had. We had 12 Haas mills when I left. The oldest was 2 years old.

Just put in a Pre-setter and tell them no more touching off! I just finished a justification for a Pre-setter that remembers all the tools and output a program that will set all the lenth and diameter. All the setup guys has to do is install the tools in the right pocket and run the program. Find G54 and go. Well some ajustments on those tight tolerances but good to go on everything else.

You might want to look into "inhouse solutions" or "Cimco" or "Camiax" for your post needs. I do not work for Mastercam but I think they would be concentrating on the newest machines and working with factory reps. The above companys may give you better one on one service. Search this site for the above, they all do nice work and I am sure they could give you a quote based on some of your existing programs. IMO