Calling all VB gurus, ( and you know who you are) is it possible to create a VB script that will read setup sheet data or data from the N.C.I. files and create a setup sheet that i can download to a presetter to get basic tooling data such as tool number, tool desc., offset values, diameter, length etc. We have a couple of Cam systems here and i would like to use VB to create a standard setup sheet that can be used for both systems. We are using Esprit for Swiss Turn apps. Really does a nice job on Swiss turn. Using Mcam for milling 2.5 thru 5-axis. Right now i am using 4 setup sheet depending on the app and the bossman wants one sheet for all apps wether it be mill, lathe or wire.

Paul, i ran into the same problem and cured it with solid trim, i used a plane though..

ron, root radius did not change. that is what i was trying to say.

Jack, thanks i was thinking along these lines but getting a lot of flack even after using the bible(machinery handbook) to plead my cause

we are having a pi$$ing contest here. if your pitch diamter on a thread changes sizes does that means the minor diameter must change as well. the pitch remains the same but it's diameter value changed. metric values btw old pitch = .8 p.d. = 4.661 minor dia 4.45 new pitch = .8 p.d. = 4.790 minor dia. = 4.45

chopsley, thanks for the heads up...

i am using crownloc drills from Seco for the first time and the feeds and speeds look terrific. i am being told that i can drill straight thru my 4 inch length (422SS) with my high pressure thru the coolant option (1200 p.s.i.) drill size is .885 dia. 16.5 IPM @ 1500RPM anything i need to look out for other than salesman hype about the tool preformance. iv'e been pretty aggressive with insert drills in the past but have no experience with crownloc.

level 3 should accomplish what you are trying to do, like "G" said check to see what level you are running you may be licensed for level 3 but not running it.

Paul, you got any sauce for the crow i am eating, went thru the vids and i love the new features especially being able to tag processes and outputs. just a new learning curve as always.

Paul, now now let's not get uppity , i tried the help documentation and it crashed on me.

i need to edit my mill post in X3 so i click on the little "bug" in the post processing window and up comes a post edit/debug window with the post processor displayed, the nci data displayed, stack editor displayed but the "G" code is not displayed with the debug info in it. that page is empty. am i doing something wrong here i can't find a setting page to activate the "G" code and when i shut down the debug session my editor is empty. what really frosts my aggies is i can't open this part in X2 so i can debug the post.

I've progrmmed a DMG and like the interface. Our problem was machine reliablility, when it went down it took forever to get maintenance on it.

ya, i love it when your hired to fill a technology hole but when you try to use that expertise it falls on deaf ears. now i'm not saying i'm best thing since "G" code was invented but i have learned a few things along the way. still learning new stuff every day. one o the reasons i love this kind of work.

what bothers me is i like to take the easiest solution route whenever possible, work from easy to hard but that seems to be a totally foreign idea around here

Strabe, me too please!!

rant on! About a week ago we had problems with a long part coming off our citizen E32. Inserts were wearing prematurely and we couldn't hold size or finish. i recommended changing the cutting oil as it hadn't been changed in months,lotsa months. that couldn't be the problem i was told. so they wnet about changing inserts, grades, programming stategies etc. My citizen programmer concurred with me and said change the cutting oil. that's not the problem we were told. well to make a long story short they finally changed the oil and guess what inserts are lasting longer part is cuttin on size and has a great finish. go figure!! rant off

+1 gcode i draw all my custom tools as i like to see the backplot and verfiy function with the custom tool. i just hate the undefined catagory. after all i defined it when i made it.

Murray, yes you can create a normal vector using the geometry that the holeaxis outputs. use the hole axis to create the geoemtry on the hole(surface). then select planes on the bottom of the screen and pick planes by normal. pick the line pointing down the center of the hole, set +Z up and +X to the right and things should work out for you, +1 to MLS on the threadmill params. backplot toolpath to check your z depths before posting!!!

i'm dying to know-what's a blue hootie

is it your machine config?

does that mean we can come to dinner

cut it and let it rest, we used to let it sit between rough and finish cuts, also didn't try to hold it down tightly as it would pringle when we let it go. stuff just plain s*cks. we've done something like Iowa's method and that works. but like he said ya just gotta sneak up on it while it's not looking.

I always thought a rack was...oh never mind

Wow Crazy, wish i had an intergrax now, that was a great lesson.

me likes Makinos,