So, I'm back... in industry @ Cimtech. I need to update my credentials on here asap I want to thank Tim for the heads up!!

Hi guys. It is good to hear that everyone is working together to address the issues.

Are you referring to the Mastercam Tutorials available from here? http://www.mastercam.com/en-us/Support/Tutorials/Mastercam

You should ask the Educational Division @ 1(800)ASK-MCAM and someone might be able to look that up. You should be aware that that software is old, obsolete and no longer supported but htose guys are pretty helpful.

I'll be there. Look forward to seeing you and Kim again!! Will

You should give me a call. Will Slota CNC Software, Inc. Educational Applications Engineer 1(800) ASK-MCAM

Anybody else have a Bridgeport Series 1 3 axis mill with a Heidenhain TNC 151 control? I need to know the communications settings!!!

Tennessee Technology Center in Jacksboro has a Hyundai HIT 8S Lathe with a Siemens 840c control. They are having an problem communicationg over an rs-232 cable. Does anyone else who has this lathe provide some input on the communication parameter settings? Thanks, Will Slota Educational Applications Engineer CNC Software, Inc.

My first guess is yout tool is not defined as tool number one.

Now thats funny...

Jim, Thanks for contacting us on the phone. I hope the information provided helps you resolve your graphics issues.

Jim, Which version of Mastercam was that demo version for? Without knowing which version I can only offer some suggestions. First most graphics issues revlove around OpenGl shading support. Vista came out without any when it was released. Depending on the version of Mastercam you can correct this several ways but you can always, Right-click on your desktop, choose properties, choose settings, choose advanced, then troubleshoot to access the Hardware acceleration slider bar and bring it all the way down. Many times down one notch or up from the bottom one notch works also. It definitely sounds like a video card issue, however it can also be a windows graphics performance setting that is causing the problem. you might try right-clicking on My Computer and choosing properties and then on the system properties select Advanced and then in the Performance Options, select Visual Effects and Adjust for Best Performance. Also, You might want to consider (again based on which version of Mastercam Demo is installed) right clicking on the Mastercam icon and clicking on Properties and setting the program to "runn in Windows XP compatiblity mode". Mastercam X3 and MAstercam X4 are the only officially Vista compatible versions of Mastercam as all other versions are pre-Vista. You should call me. The cd that came with that book is NOT the Student version. It was a DEMO version. I have some other tips and suggestions that may help. Also, the Mastercam X4 Demo-Home Learning Edition is available. It saves so the students can do their homework and then bring their files into school to post process. 1(800)ASK-MCAM

Your toolnumber is 252 not tool one correct? Run Error 9 always seems to be related to the Tool number being higher than what the control software will recognize.

Not that I can't answer

Thank you so much for illustrating my point!!!

I'm teaching a class right now and I am showing off the Forum to my students. How long before someone sees this and responds? They want to know how helpful of a resource this is. Thanks, Will

Handbook Volume 3 is the five axis book by Charles Davis. Personally I think it is great. The link to the industrial Press book by Karlo is... http://new.industrialpress.com/node/1014

Well that explains a few things...

Pink or blue insulation foam boards amke for good practice material. It is cheap too.

Please call Mastercam's Educational Division at 1(800)ASK-MCAM and ask for tech support. Someone will help you walk thru the process. Thanks,

The communications utility inside of the Mastercam X Editor supports more than the standard four Com Ports that the Legacy communications utility mcomm supports.

Bogusmill, You are probably picking up the machine definitions home position. Click on machine definition manager, click yes when warned about editting your disk copy, when the machine definition manager opens click on the edit axis combinations button. The defaults for home position are probably all set to 10.0 I always set them to 0.0 for XY&Z. This should fix your output to be what you want. Most of the default machine defintions seem to have a home postion set to X10.,Y10.,Z10. ... Version 9 always output X0. Y0. probably because you never set it or checked the home position option and just never noticed it. Hope this helps.

Cassidy, Please contact me and I can tell you how you can acquire CO2 car curriculum for version X or X2 instead of using the old version 7 CO2 car curriculum. 1(800)ASK-MCAM

Dave, The history utility will show if the files were created with the same hasp but if they are using a nethasp that won't help. The actual entities could be checked and compared using analyze database. I.e., Two students may have created the first horizontal line from 0,0,0 to 3,0,0 but I doubt they would have been created at the exact same time.