I run the dell 20.1"s as well in a dual set-up and would not go back. I got pro on one screen MC on another, or you can work MC and keep e-mastercam up on the other screen. I believe this is how John Paris and john13 reply to messages and questions so quick.

I was using Emuge, but for the small amount we do I went to Harvey and I like the results I am getting for about 1/2 the cost.

Make sure to open with your icon that has the path listed as ....mastercam.exe /X5. When you open with the file it doesn't follow the same path. Just off the top of my head as something simple.

I use it all the time and will not go back. If you are not using a true HSM machine make sure and uncheck some of the ambigous smoothing motions and just go for straight retract. The machining schemes for material removal are great and I get much better tool life on our Makino.

You don't maximize you window. You grab the corners and stretch it across the screens leaving your tree on one side. You then set up your required menu's so that they are just on one screen.

I just turn it off and on with the push of a button and it works great. I do see your point. I always undock it and move it to another monitor in ProE.

Set up per signature and rarely have a crash. I work on complex mold surfaces everyday using the new HST's and wouldn't look back.

James????Iskander???Crazy????Pete?????

Missed my point. Both softwares have pluses and minus depending upon the applications presented. This whole post goes back to the one Exodus started last week. I am going to point to Chris's quote from that post. I wish I could hold the print infront of the machine and the machine would cut the part. I do believe MC is moving towards parametric machining, bu that is not a jump you make overnight on software this well established. I would love, absolutly love to see solid stock recognition. I could save a lot of time in the machine or prgramming with this feature. I would no longer have to make false toolpaths to reference with rest mill to be able to cut air time in the machine. Some of the mold cavities we cut are pretty detialed and intensive. Shoot if they are going to keep getting our maintenance money they can't give us everything in one shot. We wouldn't need anything else.

David, is this on your Makino??? Our post would output the G18 sometimes and not switch back to G17. I had that problem a while back and never could get an answer. I feel that I need to get a better/newer post going. I am awaiting management approval to contact our reseller. I don't have the time to learn how to develope a post with the workload around here. I solved it by only outputing linear motion and then the coded file would run awesome. Same toolpath just reposted with no arc motion. I actually proved a file running for 1 hour and 27 minuets ran at 1 hour and 23 minuets because of the SGI processing the code faster.

I agree.. If it were parametric our engineering/model shop would switch in a second. But when you are doing DOE's parametric and family tabled toolpaths rock. I run mastercam because it is fast and efficient for 1 off parts and mold components. Not to mention the new HST's blow Pro Manufacturings so called HST's away. PTC has not even touched the manufacturing software for 3 versions now. The quote above about those not liking it because they didn't use properly holds alot of water. The problem is there is such a learning curve that most shops don't have time for their programmers to get up to speed. I would also rather have a failure because of design change constraint fault than to manufacture the part 1 revision old because I forget to update and retool path my MC model. It takes ALOT of disciple to manage files across 2 systems. SO in closing I like both for different reasons and applications, said John the fence sitter.

Maintenance covers all new releases and versions. Someone correct me if I am wrong. It will be whole new package just like X was from v9.1 Mr0105

Yes it it is a new full version.

Surface extensions and the New HST's look great. Any Beta's out there care to speak up on this?

I never blend tools where finish matters. I work primarily on molds and the surface finish is critical and the minor variations in tool diameters can cause a polishing nightmare when we are trying to create a polish free finish.

Not to come off as a smarta$$, but the only way to legally get around it is to purchase level 3. You can do some really awesome things with wireframe coons surfacing, but you have to be really really carefull how you build and pick your surface chains. We had to do this alot with older versions like 4 and 5.

I think that means you are only running mill level 2. You have to have level 3 to pick multiple surfaces.

I am out of guesses. I would try the old standby of rebooting and seeing if the problem goes away. Are you on a nethasp, or a local licesnse. I have been getting some minor problems of late with our nethasp and have to reboot alot to get my solids license back.

Just for giggles do you have a milling machine definition active? I get this sometimes when I have a wire definition active and try to work on a milling operation higher in the tree.

I never use filter. It will cause surface imperfections when you are looking for a polish free surface. Tool files end up stinking huge though. Yeah dataservers.

edit Nevermind. I need to go back to remedial reading. I have not seen it with rapid retract set. I always get a g0 with that option.

Synching controls how the surface flows around your chained geometry. It can help to smooth out some coons surfaces if you are having "gather" problems in the corners. You can sync by branch in a ruled surface and the surface will roll around the corner branches instead of laing down based off of start point and path length. Synching by entity requires that you have the same number of entities in each chain so that the surface "flow" begins and ends at the endpoints of each entitiy. Here is the definition from the help menu. quote: Synchronizing chains Many Mastercam functions, such as surface creation and ruled toolpaths, use chain synchronization. You may need to choose a synchronization mode (sync mode) if you have attempted to create a toolpath and found that it twists as shown below. The twisting could affect the surface of the part and make it unmachinable or not looking the way you intended. When synchronizing chains, Mastercam breaks a chain into a number of separate chains for the purpose of creating the toolpath or surface. The Sync mode setting, in the Chaining Options dialog box, determines how Mastercam divides up the chains. You can set a default startup Sync mode on the Chaining property page in the System Configuration dialog box. Available Synch mode options are (click to view definition):

I can't get rid of them on the server. I am only the lowly Mold Shop Supervisor and that is relegated to the all mighty IT department. We have to virus scan or else all of the lowly pukes around here would cripple the system. OK I am done ranting and they are probably right about us crippling the system.

I have that problem as well. It will not reference the proper path by clicking on the shortcut with out some finagaling that I don't understand. I always open from my shortcut with the proper /s /5ax when I open. Could some kind of virus scan interupt the license long enough to only loos the solids portion of the package?

I have no problem getting the license. I loose it if I go away for (sometimes) or restart mastercam. It even shows the license available on the server if I open the nethasp and check it, but I cannot get it until I reboot the computer. Thanks everyone for their help.