It has a Fidia control. Yes I believe Mastercam can too, but I was wanting to know if anyone already had experience with Fidia and Mastercam working together. Posting is an important part of a machine working well with a cam system. Just looking for to build on someones already experience.

Is anyone of you guys out there using Mastercam to program a 5 axis Fidia machine. We serve the injection mold industry. What are your comments positive or negative. Thanks.

Contacted my reseller about getting a cd version and developed into a heated debate as they are going to charge me for shipping and burning the cd, is this not a stand alone version, not just a service pack. Been on maintenance for 2 years, haven't even used version X at this point for the bugs. Its not the money it is the principle. This has pissed me off to no extent and ruined the better part of my day.

On the machinist forum I have only heard good things regarding the onecnc program. I personally have no knowledge of their system but have considered looking at the program because of what I have read. I think some people are still alittle peed over it taking so long for mastercam x to finally be released.

Is mastercam x solids much better than what is in version 9? Is it associative with the layout? I know the answers will have to come from the beta users.

I have ultrasonic and reciprocating polishers, but hand polishing will always be a part of moldmaking.

Don't want to seem stupid but what do you mean by active mode for IE. Thanks. How do you set it up?

Are you saying IE want work to connecto to the FTP site?

I've never visited the ftp site but I just tried too. No success.

Just keep in mind with a used machine you do not know what you're getting till you have it. I myself when I started my business in '96 thought the Haas was a toy and I would be much better off with a better built machine. In my case a Mazak. One year later, had to have spindle rebuilt, in the 9 years I've owned it, had the spindle controller repaired twice. Keep in mind this machine does not run 24-7 by any means. But all things considered it has been a good machine after I had spent some bucks on it. If I had it to do over I would have purchased a new machine, the make is preference but I would have bought a new Haas.

The direct translater available from mastercam for solidworks, it states it is for solidworks 2004 but will it work for solidworks 2005? It supposebly exports the design tree, is this correct. Thanks.

Jimmy posted this on my behalf for I was in the shop trying to get this job going. Long story short, easytalk is a Dos based program that will not run in windows. I have been drip feeding the larger programs with an old computer with windows 95 that had true Dos emulation. This computer finally died and doesn't work anymore. I download the smaller programs with cimco editor through the RS232 port. Working with Jimmy over the phone we could not get the machine to drip feed but we could download smaller programs into the memory. Any ideas? The problem isn't as urgent as it was, I was able to find and older computer with Dos and finally got it set up with easytalk and going but I do need to get this resolved. Thanks for any help.

Thaks for the help. Bradst I had already did the way you first stated. Worked fine. However I will look up multiple configurations for future reference.

No. Have a model and drawing that is detailed. Would like to make a copy of model and drawing and make changes to the copied model that would only affect the copied drawing and not the original. The copied files would obviously have different names in the same directory.

If you have a detailed layout as well as a solid model. How can you create a copy (new name)and loose association with the first detailed layout and make slight changes and not affect the original drawing and model, only the copies?

First time since I was able to vote that I was undecided on my presidential choice. It is sad to say but yes I voted for Bush because of the alternative. People had better wake up and realize China is our nations biggest threat, economicall and militarily. We are obligated to defend Tiawan against invasion and China will invade its only a matter of time. All our boys will be killed by weapons paid for by corporate greed and the american consumer buying that imported crap. Also yes the unions have out lived their usefulness. About the big 3, I personally don't see how the average household affords to buy a new car at the prices they are asking now. Most americans are in debt up to their eyeballs and if a slow down hits their job they could find themselves homeless and car less. In my town 2 houses are being auctioned off today as well as 80 acres of property.

Been in the shop all day, just got back at my desk. Mastercam version is 9.1 sp2. I have used the parasolid on a couple of solidworks files from previous versions of solidworks before without issue. These files came from solidworks 2005. This could be the problem. I will download the translator and give it a try. Yes these files are the 3D model and not the 2D layout.

I just tried the parasolid translator. No success. I get a cannot find parasolid info message. Then I get a PK error code 58, key not found.

I have a customer who does not wish to go threw any translater. He has sent me some solidworks files (native format). Is there any way I can read these in mastercam? The direct translater thats downloadable will that work? I don't think it will looks like just another translater where it has to be used in solidworks to export to mastercam. I'm using version 9 with solids, with maintenance. Need help. Thanks for any help.

Since version X has been debute at some shows can someone tell me, has the solids side for design improved? Has it become more like solidworks? Meaning more parametric.

I too am a one man shop providing solutions for the injection mold industry. I was also seduced into purchasing maintenance with the promise of version X. Well another year has come and gone, still no version X. If you think version X want have bugs you're kidding yourself. Never seen a software without them. You know competition is hard enough competing with China for new mold construction, who I'm sure has illegal software. The maintenance cost is just another expense which hurts if no benefit is recognized.

I agree, if your shop wishes to get into injection molds you need to hire someone with lots of experience in design and manufacture of these tools. Otherwise you could be lining yourself up for a law suite when the tool does not work. I have on a few instances had to take injection tools made by shop who did not have a clue and try to make them work. Did not get invloved in legalities but heard there were a law suite in progress. Just be careful. If you are dead set on getting into building injection tools you should at least hire the design out to a design house. Good luck.

As more and more people go to solids, I wonder when moldplus will start using solids instead of just surfaces.

The system 3R macro system is a great system. Great repeatablility and indexing (90 degree).

Your bolt supplier has slide charts available and they should be free. All I had to do was ask for one.