Did you make sure after you rotated planes about Z that you udated your planes in Parameters? Rotating your planes should work, I do this all the time.

Tim, Thanks for the code...that is very similar to mine above except for the H offset. I tried that and my code still will not run??? Stange.

Rob, Not sure if they are the same ones that Crazy sent me, b/c I can't get to that site from work. If you get the chance, can you e-mail them to me? Thanks, Craig

Still working on it and so is the Mazak guy...I just want to make it work before he does. Ron...you are always a big help!!

I tried that and it didn't make a difference.

Ok...so we have installed an option for full 5 axis motion on out Integrex 100 IIIS machine, but it does not like the G43.4 command. That option is installed as well. We have the Mazak guy here, but he doesn't know why it doesn't like that command. Does anyone know if there is a parameter that needs to be changed? Thanks, Craig Here is what my code looks like: N10 (CHAMFER WINDOW) G28 U0. G28 Y0. M302 M200 T006000.00 G128 E1 G54 G97 S2000 M203 M248 M250 M212 G98 G0 B90. C78.3954 G0 G18 X38.27 Z-20.2 G43.4 H0 Y-.095 G98 G1 X18.27 F400. Y-.448 Z-20.054 Y-.595 Z-19.7

I am with Crazy Millman...the Integrex is very demanding when it comes to plane creation and I use them all.

I have been fighting the "Model to the Mean" issue at my place for 4 years. The blueprint is God here. I have spent countless hours in the past re-drawing parts to the mean so I can machine them properly. What a waste of time!!! Now when I am assigned a new project, I simply tell them I want the models to the mean...I don't care what the prints say. If they want me to make their timelines and make good parts, then I ussually get what I want, even if PD has to make "Manufacturing Models". Current project has a total of 125 individual parts to program. I told PD that it will take me 3 months to redraw the models and then I can start programming or I can start proramming now and have parts for them starting next week. Needless to say, I now have "Models to the Mean". It is much faster for them to change models in Pro/E then it is for me to recreate geometry in MasterCam.

I have the same control, just a smaller machine and I use both the 4 digit and the 6 digit tool formats. What type of comp are you trying to do? X,Y,Z or Radial? They all need to go in the offset page for offset 34 the way you have it called out. Craig

Espirt is a rather high end software. I would love to try it for our Integrex machines, but no way could I get them to spend 40k considering we have around 20 seats of MasterCAM. The post for our Integrex's is pretty bullet proof (Thanks Brett), so I can't complain too much, but I know that MasterCAM has talked about a Mill/Turn package forever and for them to be competitive, they better get moving. That seems to be more where the machine tool builders are going and with more complex parts and machines, something has to be done. Just my $.05 (inflation), $.02 isn't enough anymore.

I had the Hardinge rep in yesterday and of course I want them to do a run off for us to prove capability and their ability to make the part complete. I will be at the Mid Atlantic Tool Show next week in King of Prussia, PA next week to see what else is out their. Still keeping our options open. Glad to see the leaf is greener on the other side Chris. Thanks for the replies. Craig

I machine lots of Cobalt Chrome. Not sure how different it is from Cobalt Steel. I run in the range of 50 - 70 SMM with slow feeds. What are you doing to the pins?

Thanks for all the input guys!!! Our shop is a controlled enviroment. The only thing I could add to the machine would be a chiller for the coolant. I'll have to check if they have any other thermal comp stuff for these machines. I know the repeatability and the accuracy of these machines will allow me to hold it, but these machines take so long to warm up and I was chasing the size all day long. I will be looking into all the suggestions you guys gave me. Thanks a bunch. Craig

The problem: I am machining some Medical Grade Titanium and need to produce a bore that has a Ø11.600mm ±.009mm tolerance ...yes millimeters. The part also has some .05mm total tolerance milling features as well. Now the trick is, the process has to have a capability of 1.33 Cpk. For those of you who aren't sure what capability is , I only get about 1/3 of the total tolerance listed above over a 30 piece run. I tried this on our Integrex machines and the thermal expansion of the machines killed me. I only got about a .95 Cpk. So I have been tasked to find a machine capable of this process. I am looking at some super precision turning machines from Hardinge that claim a .005mm total tolerance movement even from a "cold" start . Granted this was done in brass with diamond inserts. I am not so concered about the ability to mill and turn in one machine as I am about obtaining a Cpk for the bore feature. Bar stock size will be about 1". Does anyone have any great ideas? Thanks, Craig

We just bought the In-House solutions post and Brett made some minor modifications for some of my particulars. That post is rock solid. Can support everything you throw at it. Not sure about the Mori Post, but I bet if you call In-House, they probably have one.