This is probably the "easiest" way to do this in a Haas. From my experience trying to restart in a Haas, it will not let you single block into a sub and then search down through that subprogram to a different starting point like in a Fanuc or other controls. The program restart setting 36 only complicates things if you use probing at all (I learned this the hard way not too long ago). Because of this, we hardly use subprograms in our Haas machines the way we do on other machines that are much more flexible in the way they let you navigate through main and subprograms.

I have not. How big are the files that you consider "large"? Most of my MCAM files are between 30 and 100mb, although I do have one that's about 1GB. In either case, I'll give it a try and see if it helps. Thanks, Colin!

They've always been marked dirty for me, at least up until a few weeks ago. Must be something weird going on with my system. If it ends up being too much of a pain I'll have our reseller take a look at it. We might be moving to 2019 soon anyways.

Morning Everyone, I've noticed this issue pop up recently where my edited manual entries are not being marked dirty. I've had to be careful about immediately forcing it to regen after editing them to be safe but, ideally, I would like to see them being marked as such so I don't miss anything. Anything I should try to fix this issue? Thanks. Edit - This is in 2017, by the way.

From the guy that posted that, lol.

It should. I usually do as everyone has said, if I don't already have an assembly built, I create a throw away operation to add a holder, then do my surface path. Kind of annoying but it works.

While it's very possible to add this in to the post to be called by misc values, we've just done it at my shop using a Manual Entry containing the tool breakage call and parameters. It literally looks like this, for our Okuma, no less: (***TOOL BREAKAGE****) M09 M05 G30 P2 CALL O9858 This way, we can just copy the Tool Breakage manual entry wherever we want it, and edit the parameters on a case by case basis. You said you already know about this method, so you have it in your pocket if the post option doesn't end up working out.

I've seen weird things happen because of Misc Integer values being different between two operations with the same tool/feed/speed etc. I've even had rotary moves forced because of it. Maybe try selecting both operations and forcing their Misc Integers to be the same through editing common parameters.

This is definitely reasonable. I program the same type of stuff - mostly HMCs, high production. I've been taught to do it with loop logic and registers counting how many parts have been ran. When we design and create our fixturing we know exactly where each part will be. Then we program one of the parts (top part, left part, whatever we pick to be the "seed" part) and then use the loop logic to jump to G52 lines where we shift the work offset to each new part. This also helps because I program for a lot of forged parts so it makes it possible to shift everything around to line up to the forging and make small tweaks to get things in print. This way, we can run just one part, all parts, or any number of parts and everything happens at each tool change, so there's no time wasted running one part completely through, and then another. We've also figured out how to get all of the logic to post out nicely in Mastercam with manual entries and Point toolpaths. It takes some upfront work, but once it is done it makes everything very nice and no hand editing code, either. I recently tweaked the logic to use both block delete and registers (i.e. #700= # number of parts to run) for a dual rotary setup in a haas with multiple parts on each rotary. I really like doing it with logic because the possibilities are endless.

That worked perfectly. Thanks! I keep trying to use Dynamic Contour but I always end up wondering why it's even there anyways.

Hi All, Is it possible to do a plunge entry with dynamic contour? I have some thru pockets that I've pre-drilled an opening for so I can just plunge in with my endmill and start a dynamic path to finish out said pockets. The result I'm getting is a ramped contour down to my geometry and there is no entry method tab for to edit parameters. Even setting all linking parameters to incremental zero will not force it to plunge. Is this just not possible or am I missing something? This is in 2017, by the way. Thanks.

Thanks for the info, Colin. The prepped stock would have pretty loose tolerances (±.03) as it would be just to eliminate the need for a dovetail OP for raw extruded aluminum, out of which the final part would then be cut. I could incorporate the dovetailing OP into my procedures, but I'm also looking at cost/benefits so getting prepped stock may have saved some money on each part. I'll have to let my managers decide if the time savings is worth any extra cost. I will keep them in mind for future projects, though. We make a lot of custom fixtures so having some nicely prepped blanks that are flat/square within tight tolerances would make all of that much easier.

Hi All, I just wanted to see if anyone had any experience with TCI Precision Metals, more specifically their prepped material for 5-axis vises such as Raptor. Getting prepped material ready to go in the vise would reduce a setup for me but I wanted to hear everyone's thoughts if they had used TCI specifically or any other company. Thanks.

In the multi-axis post I've worked with at my shop the B/C outputs are handled in the ptiltout and protout (for B and C, respectively). I haven't tried moving them around before but that might be where you want to look, as well as where those postblocks are called from other postblocks.

This is what we do. Create a point toolpath where you want to macro to start, since it's probably all incremental, and then a manual entry with the macro call and any parameters needed to pass through into the macro.

Right, I guess what is happening is the toolpath will have coolant on from the toolpath parameters. I'll then go back in to edit a feedrate at a point with the toolpath editor and without even opening the coolant dialogue box for that point the coolant will be affected. The fix seems to be to open the coolant dialogue for the point I'm editing and then, without making any changes to the coolant (they're all set to "Ignore"), hit the green check and accept the edit. Doing that, I've been able to get clean points without weird coolants. Maybe I'm missing a critical part of the toolpath editor workflow to keep this from happening?

Hi All, I'm having weird things happen when editing toolpaths. I've found that when editing simple things like feed rates in a toolpath, Mastercam will then post out coolant offs, turn on a different coolant, then turn it back on, etc. It's directly correlated to the point(s) I've edited. Is this something weird happening to the NCI file when editing a toolpath or is it the post? Thanks in advance.

LOL was just about to post this. I just figured this out the other day.

I've been wondering the same thing (sorry I have nothing to add). Although I have noticed that on some of our posts, depending on which face I index to first, either 90 or -90 the rotations will follow the same sign from that point forward. If I index to 90 first, then I will get only positive outputs for the entire program. Alternatively, if I index to -90 first, then I'll get all negative rotation values for the remainder. I haven't looked into it further than that, but I guess it shows the post is absolutely capable.

This exact same thing happened in my old shop on a brand new Matsuura. The operator had so many years of experience and obviously knew more than anyone in the shop (sarcasm). He has since earned himself the nickname Wreck-It Ralph.

Awesome, glad I could help!

I'm not sure if it will work, but in your arc filter parameter page, under smoothing there is a check box for "present arcs as line segments". Any luck with that?

Perfect! Thanks Colin. Good to know I won't need to stay after work during class hours.

Hey Colin, quick question about the class format. Will we need access to a computer running a licensed Mastercam seat? I'll be doing some training away from work the first two days of the class and want to make sure I can still attend the post classes those evenings.

I've found that keeping all of my stock models and verify STLs in TOP, regardless of what planes I'm using for toolpaths works the best, without the issues you're seeing. At first I was confused about how it all worked, but since I've been keeping everything in TOP it almost always works the way I want it to.