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Nice part. I would think the software would make this a breeze. OT, but does Solid-drill use holder verification?

I would think with a thin wall like that, you would less deflection and better results with something with a higher helix.

Thank you for your help. As suggested, I'm making it from surfaces and healing them into a solid. It just seems like there should be a better way.

I need some help modeling something that looks like the spires in this picture. I thought it could be done as a swept/drafted solid, but there is not an option to draft while sweeping. Then I thought, perhaps I can draft a face, which gave some bad results. Any ideas?

Welcome back Chris. I missed you. I can't believe it's been two months. I can understand the urge to buckle-down and get some work done, but don't over do it. In your absence, Harmonic survived. Don't lose sight of the ones who were most devastated by the accident.

Ken, now that's a thought... I don't see why it wouldn't work. As an alternitive, I suppose you could associate the Macro with an unused M or G code. If you are able to modify the M6 macro, would you send a copy. It sounds a little cleaner that what I was able to hack together.

All of my tools are set from a Renishaw tool-probe. So they are always a constant length. The macro I use is: % O09005 (M88-COOLANT POSITIONING) (10-05-06) (#523 STORES P-COOL POSITION) (#120 IS FOR VOLITILE USE) G103 P1 #1= #[ 2000 + #3026 ] (GET TLO VALUE FOR TOOL IN SPDL) IF [ [ #1 GE 2.000 ] AND [ #1 LT 2.500 ] ] THEN #523= 5 IF [ [ #1 GE 2.500 ] AND [ #1 LT 3.000 ] ] THEN #523= 6 IF [ [ #1 GE 3.000 ] AND [ #1 LT 3.500 ] ] THEN #523= 7 IF [ [ #1 GE 3.500 ] AND [ #1 LT 4.000 ] ] THEN #523= 8 IF [ [ #1 GE 4.000 ] AND [ #1 LT 4.500 ] ] THEN #523= 9 IF [ [ #1 GE 4.500 ] AND [ #1 LT 5.000 ] ] THEN #523= 10 IF [ [ #1 GE 5.000 ] AND [ #1 LT 5.500 ] ] THEN #523= 11 IF [ [ #1 GE 5.500 ] AND [ #1 LT 6.000 ] ] THEN #523= 12 IF [ [ #1 GE 6.000 ] AND [ #1 LT 6.500 ] ] THEN #523= 13 IF [ [ #1 GE 6.500 ] AND [ #1 LT 7.000 ] ] THEN #523= 14 IF [ [ #1 GE 7.000 ] AND [ #1 LT 7.500 ] ] THEN #523= 15 IF [ [ #1 GE 7.500 ] AND [ #1 LT 8.000 ] ] THEN #523= 16 IF [ [ #1 GE 8.000 ] AND [ #1 LT 8.500 ] ] THEN #523= 17 IF [ [ #1 GE 8.500 ] AND [ #1 LT 9.000 ] ] THEN #523= 18 IF [ [ #1 GE 9.000 ] AND [ #1 LT 9.500 ] ] THEN #523= 19 IF [ [ #1 GE 9.500 ] AND [ #1 LT 10.000 ] ] THEN #523= 20 IF [ [ #1 GE 10.000 ] AND [ #1 LT 11.000 ] ] THEN #523= 21 () () N10 (HOME P-COOL) #120= 20. WH [ #120 GT 0. ] DO1 M35 (MOVE P-COOL UP 1) #120= #120 - 1. END1 () () N20 (POSITION P-COOL) #120= 1. WH [ #120 LT #523 ] DO2 M34 (MOVE P-COOL DOWN) #120= #120 + 1. END2 N100 G103 M99 % At each tool change, You need to call the macro. You will need to modify your post so it outputs like this: T1 M6 G0 G90 G54 X1.75 Y-.6252 A0. S5229 M3 G43 H1 Z.75 G65 P9005 M8 G98 G83 Z-.0857 R.65 Q.1 F20.9 You will probably need to modify the p-cool values above to suit your particular machine, but you can see pretty easily how it was done. In the machine's tool-table, the p-cool value is set to 0 and it should automaticly adjust.

I have a little macro which reads the tool-offset table. At each tool change, I call the macro (G65). The macro reads the tool length and will automaticly adjust the programable coolant if no coolant position is specified. ie position=0 If a value is present to position the coolant, the macro won't automaticly move it. Not perfect, but it gets it in the ballpark and saves a few keystrokes.

Could it be fixed using the Control Definition Manager? Under the "NC Output tab", there is field "Maximum Characters in NC Comment." If not, what does this field do?

praying for a speedy recovery.

I wouldn't think a dog would care a about a .0002 divot. You must be dealing with some very discriminating dogs. In rare instance, I've had arc-rounding errors. They were easily fixed by forcing the post to break arcs into quadrants. Just a thought.

Thanks Pete.

After saving an individual file, when I re-open the file, I can see a preview. Mastercam had saved a small picture with the geometry. When I convert a directory using the "import directory" function, there is no "preview" available. Is this something I could enable somewhere?

I've got a steel job here. I've been playing with some high-speed techniques in my VF2ss. Profile cutting: 3/8 dia AlTiN 5-flute endmill. .77 z-depth (stock thickness), .062 stepover. Dry 7130rpm (700 sfm) feedrate: 210ipm (.006 fpt) I'm sure some air-blast would help my tool-life, but even without, same endmill moved around 75lbs of HRS.

The Shearhog is an awesome tool, but strictly for aluminum. For indexable fly cutters, I have a couple B-52s. They work fine for some things, but I would think you should be looking at a decent facemill.

I could be wrong, but it my beleif that Haas' 200hr trial High-Speed option operates at about 80% of the acual paid version. For $2095, you get a new board with a better processor. On my machine, the default "accuracy" is controlled by Parameter 191, but can be changed using G187P1(rough) P2(med)P3(fine). Setting 85 is the default corner rounding parameter. It also can be changed using G187E0250(.025 max corner blend) G187E0050 (.005 max corner blend)

Witte makes a freeze plate which works great to hold parts. The ice suspends the part, keeping it much flatter than a vacuum or magnet. I think they call it an Icevice.

I had the same thing happen using trochaical movement and high-feed. I couldn't figure out what was happening, but it created hundreds of errors. I was hoping that was something fixed with MR1.

Why not use some of the rapid prototype technologies available? He could have a dozen heads made for less money than one-machined head. He could even use the model as a pattern for casting.

Perhaps it's fixed, but running MC in anything other than full-screen mode, it would change all of the tool-bar locations. It was frustrating at first, but after you find the "work arounds", I tend to work that way. X has so many advantages (and getting better), I couldn't think about going back.

I'm big on the "side by side" installs. I've got V9, V9sp1, X, X sp2, X2, and X2mr1. When installing, I use the default name and locations. I don't see why X2 mr1 sp1 would have trouble finding it.

What could I posibly be doing wrong?

Are you saving the defaults using the "save button" before exiting the toolpath-default-parameters page?

Your going to need to modify your post. Remember to backup, before making any changes. Look in the post for "Format Statements". They control the format and number-of-decimal-places. You can either change the format-statement for each variable or modify the format statement.