I am interested in this topic and would like to discuss it with you. I agree that a lot of tweaking is required. Maybe we can work together. I'm pretty familiar with the application.

Chris, The holder is collision checked on ALL turning operations, if you've defined stock. Currently one boundary is wrapped around the insert and holder, which means the software won't generally catch a feed move that embeds the holder into your stock. Colin, Good luck with the testing! Let me know how you make out. One more thing... For collision checking to work properly, make sure you have 'Write home position clearance moves' checked on the Machine Group Properties Tool Settings page!

Here is a rule to follow to avoid crashes for ID work without reference points: If you are using a ID tool, the holder should be long enough so that it sticks out beyond the face of the part (normally +Z) when the tool is at its most negative Z coordinate. This helps the software decide which way to retract from the cavity. If this isn't practical, then reference points are the way to go.

For Lathe, I would use the out-of-the-box defaults for tolerances; especially the system tolerance and chaining tolerance. The module that updates the stock model is not very tolerant of imperfect geometry. When you take a cut with a tool, the software is essentially doing a 2D boolean subtract with geometry that shares a lot of tangent edges. Anyone that has worked with solids knows how dicey that can be.

Yes, This is a known problem that is being investigated.

If you define your component geometry as Mastercam solids, it will be imported into the MCX file as solid 'bricks' (no history tree) when you load the machine into a machine group.

Thanks for the information Ron. Believe it or not there is a team here that cares a lot about multi-task machining.

To everyone commenting on the fact that Lathe marks all subsequent operations dirty when you edit an operation: 1) Yes, this is the way it is supposed to work, as the toolpaths for subsequent operations are based on the stock left over from the operation you edited. 2) You can turn off this feature by un-checking the 'Update Stock' check box on the tool parameters page when you edit the operation. You should only do this if you are editing something like feed rate that won't affect the stock geometry. (Well the stock geometry in Mastercam anyway... We don't guarantee that the actual part might not look a little different if you fumble finger a 1.0 in/rev feedrate into a finish operation ) 3) If you turn off stock update using #2, you will notice that there is a lock on the stock update icon in the Toolpath Manager. Clicking the lock will turn stock update back on so you don't forget to in the future.

Right click in the Toolpath Manager and select 'Stock Preview'

Don't simply rename a .rmd file to a .mmd file to convert a router MD to a mill MD! You will have problems.

If you define stock using a solid, the solid will be deleted when you change machines in the machine group properties dialog. This is a (now) known bug. It has already been indirectly addressed for X3 because of some other improvements made to the way stock, chuck and lathe centre components are handled when you change machines. If you are planning on changing machines and have defined your stock from a solid, make a backup copy of the solid first, as Mike@Apollo suggested.

Check out CRANKSHAFT PULLEY TOOLPATHS.MCX in the MCX2_Files folder on the FTP. The Mill and Lathe toolpaths are each in a different WCS and all programmed using the same part geometry.

WCS does work in Lathe X2. There IS a serious bug in X2MR1 which causes problems with stock definition that has been rectified in X2MR2. X2 and X2 SP1 should be fine. I programmed this part in X2 using the LatheZ = WorldZ WCS and the 'Bottom' view relative to it for the back work. SBC Billet Aluminum Crankshaft Pulley The drawback to using WCS for back work is that you have to redefine the lathe stock manually for the back side. A feature to automate this is planned for a future release. Notes: - You must create a separate machine group for each WCS programmed. - The Stock View on the Machine Group Properties Stock page must match your WCS.

Another suggestion: Develop the CAD/CAM problems in a more open-ended manner so that no one should have exactly the same answer. That way if they do, you know something was going on. This works very well with the courses my wife teaches. It's interesting when you catch students, especially when they have the exact same WRONG answer.

A suggestion (if you are NOT using comp in control only...): Set the tool display to 'Step', regen the operation and watch the tool. Whatever agrees with that is generally correct.

quote: If I remove a few radii , or change my stock geometry a little and rechain, it lays right overtop the geometry I've changed. It sounds suspiciously like the arcs were not in the same view as the rest of the geometry. The next time this happens, try running 'Combine views' on the geometry to put all the arcs in the same view.

Here's some other 'light reading' on the subject. Most of it is with regard to robotics, but a CNC machine is just a specialized robot. http://www.engr.mun.ca/~gmann/engr_7944.htm http://www.techsystemsembedded.com/Robotics.html http://users.rsise.anu.edu.au/~chen/teachi...5/lectureNotes/ There is a lot more information than you need in these links. Stick to the 'position', 'kinematics' and 'inverse kinematics' sections, unless you're really into the math.

quote: 2. update as a mill post/mach def and then rename .mmd to .rmd (mch def) That would be a BAD idea. As the machine type is stored internally in the database (it's not based on the file extension), the software will think the machine is a Mill every time it accesses information about it. To see an example of what I mean, try the following: - rename a .MMD to a .RMD file - create a router machine group with this RMD - edit the local (machine group) copy of the machine definition - edit the control definition from the Machine Definition dialog. Note that the control type for the CD is MILL, not Router. That will probably cause problems when posting. I'm sure there are other examples where the software could be confused in a similar fashion. (especially for users that don't have Mill enabled on their SIM) To speed up creation of the Router from the mill: - Start in Design in an empty file - Settings -> Machine Definition Manager -> Router icon - Click on the Component File 'Open file' button and select the mill you want to convert. - Drag the components from the list control over to the machine tree in the proper order. - Define other parameters, as necessary.

Turbo mode is not supported for lathe tool paths. I'm not sure about STL compare and turbo mode.

Is anyone using software that creates engineering features (ex. extruded, revolved, lofted, swept solids, holes, pockets, etc.) rather than a patchwork of surfaces from the point cloud data? If so, what is it? Thanks.

There is a problem in the machine definition that you have selected in the screen captures you posted. The warning message indicates that the axis combination that the software wants to attach to the operation does not have a part holding component. To fix this, you need to edit the master copy of the machine definition. To do this save any work you are doing and select: - Machine Type -> Design, - File -> New, (why you had to save your work first...) - Settings -> Machine Definition Manager -> - select the Router icon and open the MD file. Select this Axis combination button from the toolbar at the top of the dialog. Each axis combination MUST have the following checked off: - At least 3 axis components - One tool storage component (router spindle, aggregate head, drill block, etc.) - One Part holding component (Router table) At least one of the axis combinations in the machine definition is missing a checked off router table. Once you have fixed the axis combination(s), green check out, click on the 'File Save' button in the Machine Definition Manager and green check out again. Once you have done this, read in the file and try to replace the machine again. I hope this helps you out.

quote: The tool librarys havn't changed Iscar Kennametal and so on have so many new tools, grooving, undercutting, Komet insert type drills and so on. Have you checked out the tool catalogues? The Kennametal and Sandvik insert and holder catalogues were updated substantially with the release of X. The tool libraries weren't updated as there are almost infinite combinations of inserts and holders that can make up lathe tools.

If you are programming a tool in the lower turret, your geometry must be below the lathe Z axis. Chaining geometry on the opposite side of the Z axis will definitely result in what you are seeing. The lathe tool collision avoidance module works on the assumption that the tool is cutting on the same side of the Z axis as the turret. Mirror your geometry and you should be fine.

If you are changing something that you know won't affect the stock for future operations, click on the 'Update stock' icon in the Operation Manager BEFORE editing the operation. A lock should appear on the icon. This will prevent the software from marking the subsequent operations dirty. Click on it again to re-enable stock update when you're finished.

I'm running Mach2 with a Camtronics control and servos on a bridge mill (combination 3 axis mill & 2 axis lathe) and am very happy with the control software and the controller itself. It was so easy to set up and use, even a software engineer could do it