Ernie, Loaded it into MC and spun it around for a while ...it looks really good I'll cut it and post the results I have to say guys Ernie's product does what he says it will...the digitize data I sent him was far from perfect Thanks, Tom

I'll send some on Monday Thanks

Excuse my lack of knowledge of your product I have an in spindle digitizer that I copy cylinder head ports and chambers Can you product take that data and build a surface? The ports aren't too big of a problem but combustion chambers are always a collection of patch surfaces Can I combine them into one surface with Verisurf? Thanks, Tom

Well ...How dumb do I feel?? I clicked that thing to death before I posted but never clicked up there Thanks a bunch! Now maybe I can get my eyes uncrossed from looking at those mixed up numbers

I have a file where I have imported entities from several other files and when I do I switch the main level to keep the imported entities on a seperate level as I bring them in The problem is the numerical order is all messed up (as in random order) Is there anyway to get my level numbers back in numerical order?

Changed the stepover form .05 to .048 and now it works Thanks

I had a file with 5 patch surfaces to lighten the underside of a piston using surface/finish /scallop with a containment and when I processed the TP I got an message saying I had a toolpath calculation error... checked all my settings and didn't see any mistakes so I saved it back to X2 and created a new TP with the exact same geo and it processed just fine Anyone else run into this?

Will the fix for blended spline be in the MR? it got broken in X3 also Does not trim and makes a copy of the spline you are blending

I can probably help you with that I start by creating some flat boundary sufaces on the port cross section splines then create point dynamic in the approx center of the flat surface then create manual spline between those points you can use modify spline from there to push the curve around as needed I have some file with the basic set up or sned me a section of your port and I'll set one up for you Adv 5x is a pretty good toolpath for solving these problems but can be a little buggy in spots usually if the tp won't run right there is something about the lead curve it doesn't like

Ron I sent you a file I'm not in any jam for it but I would like to learn this method I made an attempt but it didn't turn out right Tom

I always try Flow 5x first since it's the simplest and processes the fastest but I have found adv 5x using a lead curve will cut some ports flo5x won't it also does a better job fixing "fishtails" where the radius of the surface is close or smaller than the cutter My digitizing is usually several patches so I have to project lines onto the surface to end up with a single surface...this is also very useful in smoothing the surface I find I can usually improve the port in Mastercam beyond what I have hand ground since I am looking at a 3d model Ron..Do you think the method you describe would be useful in fixing fishtails?....backplot, break and remove fishtail area, create blended spline in that area I'm not very familiar with curve 5x but whatyou propose sounds interesting even though I did have to read it 3 times!! Tom

Maybe I'm missing the question but we create single surfaces from centerline digitized data all the time using the Centroid setup We start with the centerline surface then create offset surfaces the radius of the probe and smooth it from there(We can cut from the centerline surfs also using neg stock to leave) We use mostly Flow 5x and adv 5x to cut with We find we are actually able to improve the port with Mastercam beyond the hand ground copy

I was ...always afraid of locking something up Installed.... all is well Thanks for the info and the C hook

Mine says: minimum system requirements not met Color Depth 32bpp What should I do?

Thanks to Chris Parish for going above and beyond the call for someone he didn't even know Everything worked out great Tom

Chris, You have mail...Thanks Tom

I have been working on a DX32 Bridgeport post with help form you guys and have made good progress however the latest problem has me stumped When I post a drill cycle this is what I get code: N10 G75 G90 N20 G0 G54 X0. Y0. T5 M06 N30 G0 X2.6875 Y2.6875 S2933 M03 N40 M08 N50 G0 Z2. N60 G87 X2.6875 Y2.6875 Z1.1039 Z.1 Z.1 F8.7 N70 X-2.6875 N80 Y-2.6875 N90 X2.6875 N100 G80 N110 G00 M25 N120 X0 Y0 N130 M2 M9 M5 the drill rapids to about z+1.5 then pecks to the z +1.1039 instead of going to z-1.109 here's what my drill cycle looks like in the post pchpbrk$ # Canned Chip Break Cycle n$, *sgdrill, *x$, *y$, *depth$, *peck1$, *peck2$, *frplunge$,e$ What do I change? I have tried the other cycles and can't get it to post a neg z depth... depth is set to -1"+ tip comp Thanks, Tom

Ok I'll see if I can get it working everything else seems to be working thanks

Got it ..thanks I checked from default operation seems to be working If I could bug you for one more thing...I'm not getting any G54 statement at the beginning of the file I see the choice listed under mi1 at the beginning of the post file and I also see a listing in the control def Where should I set this up at ? Thanks again Tom

oops...I unchecked the "use post settings" box in misc. intergers and it fixed the home position setting Will I have to do this every time or is there a way to make that setting permanent?

I unchecked the"use post

You're the man John ...That fixed the tool change thing ...any ideas on the x and y still going to 10"at the beginning of the file It was doing that in milling cycles also but I changed the home position to x0y0 in the control def. and it took care of that part of the problem Thanks for the quick reply Tom

I'm trying to set up a DX32 Bridgeport mill post...using the V9 DX32 converted to X2MR2 and here's what I get when I post a drill cycle code: N10 G81 X-.771 Y2.799 Z.15 F9.8 N20 X2.2938 Y2.8242 N30 X.2001 Y3.8332 N40 X1.4614 Y3.9467 N50 G80 N60 G75 G90 N70 G0 X10. Y10. T2 M06 N80 G0 X1.4614 Y3.9467 S2444 M03 N90 G0 Z0. N100 G87 X-.771 Y2.799 Z.5 Z.1 Z.1 F16.9 N110 X2.2938 Y2.8242 N120 X.2001 Y3.8332 N130 X1.4614 Y3.9467 N140 G80 N150 G00 M26 N160 S750 T3 M6 N170 M03 N180 G0 X1.4614 Y3.9467 N190 G0 Z0. N200 G00 M26 N210 X0. Y0. N220 M2 It looks to me like the tool change is on the wrong end of the cycle I would also like it to not go to x10 and y 10 at the beginning of the file I changed the home position to x0y0 in the control def. already What do I need to change? thanks in advance, Tom

I usually start with a line above the port (pointing down the port)tilted at aprox the angle of the port and then use chain/entire chain per pass If the port has a lot of curve around the pushrod you may have to go to a curved spline You can usually get away with a line on ex ports...maybe only 75% of the time on intake port5x and adv 5x also have some options not available in Flow5x I use 'em all at one time or another The backplot in X2 is fast enough that you can do a lot of trial & error in a short period of time Tom

you guys have mail