ch3no2freak,
I haven't tried it and it is just a shot in the dark, (and may be more work than it is worth), but for now, what if you toolpath the geometry with no comp. (i.e. center of the tool on the geometry), backplot and save the toolpath to a level. Delete any un-needed geometry, retracts rapids etc., then save THAT geometry to a DXF file.
 

Hi Mig.

This is a known issue on the schedule to get fixed.

In X9, they did some messing around with the bitmap that gets saved with the MCX file.
For now just go into Settings-> Configuration -> Files, and uncheck "Include bitmap in file when saving"

Robert Peirolo | Quality Control
CNC Software, Inc. | 671 Old Post Road | Tolland, CT 06084 | USA
Phone: 860.875.5006 | Fax: 860.872.1565 | www.mastercam.com

Hi Luke.

Go into Settings -> Configuration ->  Screen and on the right side of that dialog, make sure "Use 'Free' mode in Dynamic Spin" is checked.

Robert Peirolo | Quality Control
CNC Software, Inc. | 671 Old Post Road | Tolland, CT 06084 | USA
Phone: 860.875.5006 | Fax: 860.872.1565 | www.mastercam.com

Hi Pip.

If you send that tooldb and the exact steps you took to make it fail, to [email protected], attention Rob, I can take a look at it for you and see why you can't get that tool into the assembly.

Machineguy, We are working on the feed and speed issue for taps as we speak.
Unfortunately, I don't have an ETA for which release it will be in.

Robert Peirolo | Quality Control
CNC Software, Inc. | 671 Old Post Road | Tolland, CT 06084 | USA
Phone: 860.875.5006 | Fax: 860.872.1565 | www.mastercam.com

If you are creating a tool from a DXF file, the DXF you are importing the geometry from must conform to ISO1339

If you are creating a custom tool from Mastercam geometry, then the old rules apply (Vertical tool in the X+,Y+ quadrant)

ISO 13399 in a nut shell....

1) The tool must be oriented horizontally, totally on the Y+ side of the "Y" origin.

2) The holder, or "Non-cutting" portion of the tool must be on a level named "NOCUT" the level number is insignificant.

3) The cutting portion of the tool i.e. the chain that represents the flutes or insert, (All this chain has to be is a rectangle) must be on a level named "CUT".

4) The CUT and NOCUT boundaries must be closed boundaries and at minimum must touch each other. They can overlap, but the CUT boundary cannot be totally within the NOCUT boundary.

If you open a DXF file from a tool vendor in Mastercam you will see all kinds of other information and geometry in the file.

This is O.K. as we search for the CUT and NOCUT levels.

So as far as ISO13399 is concerned you can create a valid tool with 2 rectangles on 2 levels named CUT and NOCUT.

Hi Murlin.

Would the "Ignore depths in 3D mode" chaining option do what you want?

No, you are not blind, you are just using 2 functions that are giving the same result.

Slice splits the part (think knife) parallel to the Gview through its center.

Spin rotates the part and plots the edge curve of the part as it passes through the plane of the Gview.

If the part is "rotationally symetrical" (a developer's term) then you see no difference between Spin and Slice, which is probably what you are seeing now.

If the Part has a boss sticking out or is (again in "programmerese") "rotationally asymmetrical" then you would see what the profile would look like when spun about a center line.

In Settings -> Configuration -> Screen, do you have "Use free mode in Dynamic Spin" turned ON.

With this setting turned OFF, the part will snap to align the "Z" axis of your custom WCS to the "Z" axis of the "World" top WCS

Cuda84,

In the HST Core toolpaths, the boundaries are not containment boundaries (even though the dialog says "Containment"), they are cut boundaries.

Anything outside the boundary is considered a safe area, while anything inside the boundary will get cut.

In the HST Area toolpaths the opposite is true.

In the HST Area toolpath the boundary is a containment boundary.

You can control the boundary areas in the "Tool containment" group box in the Cut paramaters.

You didn't say if you were using the 2D or 3D HST toolpaths. If you are using the 3D HST Core Rough, did you try setting the "Skip pockets smaller than" to the size of the center window?

NTVDM is not a Mastercam problem, it is a windows problem.

Google NTVDM and you'll see how to get rid of this error.

Wohlhaupter

George.

You wrote:

"It`s discription as an inside dia tool should give it a clue !"

O.K. so it's an I.D. tool. give it a clue to what?

Without Stock and/or reference points defined, All there is, is a line in 3D space.

Mastercam gives you 2 ways to define where the "clearance" is.

Do you think it should rapid back to the beginning of the chain?

George.

I have been programming Lathes in Mastercam since version 3 and I have always used reference points when machining any I.D.

I do respect what you are alluding to, but without stock defined, and without reference points defined, how is Mastercam supposed to know where the front of the stock is?

The collision warning is because the tool is in rapid mode when contacting the part.

Unfortunately there is no way to supress the warning.

The tip of the tool is always at 0 S.F.M.

At an effictive cutting diameter of .040" at 4000 R.P.M. that equates to 41.8 S.F.M.

It looks like you are doing more pushing of the material than cutting.

This thread is all well and good, but what we must all keep in mind is that this is a PUBLIC forum, and the competition can read any of this at anytime.

Is this the best vehicle to air Mastercam's "dirty laundry?"

VBJB,

You can click on any icon to the left of an input field in the ribbon bar to lock that field.

+1 John.

I've only ever used circle mill on holes I've milled one at a time.

I would like to at least see the diameter of the arc you selected in the grayed out box. Even though I can't change it.

At least that way you have some sort of indication that you are machining the proper diameter. When I see 1" in the box and know I am circle milling a 1.5" dia. I get a little concerned.

Viper,

Go into Settings-> Configuration-> and select the Toolpaths branch.

Uncheck the "repaint toolpaths" checkbox.

Try it in V9.

It works the same way.

Zoober,

The "pipe" symbol "|", the shifted backslash above the ENTER key is the symbol for a logical "or"

Archer,

It sounds like a NETHASP.INI problem.

In the root directory of Mcamx, look for NETHASP.INI, make a backup copy of it and edit the original.

In the file, somewhere near the bottom, look for a line that reads something like:

;;NH_SERVER_ADDR = ; IP addresses of all the NetHASP.

Remove the 2 semi colons at the beginning of the line and change the "" to the IP address of you nethasp server. you may have to ask your I.T. person what that adress is.

My line looks like this:

NH_SERVER_ADDR = 172.16.203.6 ; IP addresses of all the NetHASP

HTH

Rob

Beej,

You can change the tabs at the top of the parameters page and what goes into the operations manager, by going into the disk copy of the machine definition, go into the control definition and under the TEXT tab at the left side of the window go into the MILL DRILL CYCLES or the MILL CANNED CYCLE DESCRIPTIONS and change them there.

Once you change it, it will not update what is already in the operations manager, but should have your new names when you create a new operation.

HTH

Rob