Yes, it works I just tried it. Although back plot and Verify does not work well on X2MR2. Assuming the part is oriented with the Y axis going trough the center of the part chain the top of the part with a contour toolpath. Now make sure you pick 3D chamfer! Select rotary axis button. Now select axis substitution and sub the x axis. Now make sure you click on UNROLL. This will tell Mstercam the shape is already rolled up... Enter a diameter, although you only need something in there larger than zero. Works great...

you can use axis substitution to do this if its simple... Let us see the part.

I have used it and opened dxfs... Great program, and free!

Here are a few tips: The default planes work well for only two cenerios: HMC Post (maps top to front) with a machine that rotates about the Y axis. Regular Post (no plane mappings) with a machine that has a rotary axis about the z axis. --- Everything else you will have to create your own rotation planes by rotating or using the plane creation tools in the WCS manager... What I usually do is use the rotate command, or make a new coordinate system with the geometry button in WCS Manager, or the button in the WCS menu. When using geometry there are a few things you can do: Pick 3 points, 2 lines, 1 circle or 1 flat surface. TIP: 2 lines is pretty nice, because you can think of these as the new X and Y axis. I have not seen this in writing anywhere but it works every time: Make believe you are chaining the X axis first in the positive direction, then the Y axis in the positive direction (find the middle and click towards the origin of the line...) If you pick them as if you are chaining them, the correct directions of the X, Y and Z will be the very first choice.

Sorry about the non-mastercam question but you guys are the best in town... Hi guys, I'm trying to switch the tool offset page type on a Mitsubishi Meldas M50 controller to display: Height : H wear : Radius : R wear Right now it just displays a giant list of parameters, so I cannot use the same D number for my H numbers. Not a huge issue, I can just modify the machine def, but id rather the modern interface on the controller. The operators manual says to switch parameter 1037 cmdtype from 1 to 2 and then go into parameter 1060 (setup) and reset. The last step - 1060 setup scares me. What does this do? It seems like it will do very bad things! Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

+1 - form tap in everything you can! You will never go back, unless the material is too hard/brittle etc. No cleanup at all. Also, make sure your rigid tapping cycle is outputting correctly. You might be able to get away with a few holes if your spindle sync is not on, but not 400+.

Yeah, that button is easy to overlook. It's a huge time saver! It's the little things that make Mastercam so great sometimes.

+1 on the Blend. 1 - Use Create Curve ALL edeges. Click on Opend edges button. 2 - fix the broken edge with the create->Spline->Blended Spline. 3 - Select Toolpaths->SurfaceFinish->Blend. 4 - Select spiral type if you want... I uplloaded a finished file to the FTP site. Name is BlendInsteadOfFlowline-AG.zip

I have the standard G08 P1 look ahead, and it really really stinks! It's a major limitation of the machine, even for conventional milling. Id give the AI nano a shot, it would significantly reduce material removal times.

BTW, the Quadro FX570 outperforms the FX1500 and its only $180. Current generation cards outperform older ones by a big margin. check out http://www.deskeng.com/articles/aaajxm.htm

Quadro FX570 or Higher. (nvs is a 2d card and not compatible) We cannot recommend anything else, they are by far the most compatible.

Hold off on trying that. I just ran into some positioning errors. Will post update soon.

Ok guys, Here it is. http://www.gilmachine.com/mastercam/AGIE/A...med20081005.ZIP It's timed for 2 months. Sorry, but I don't want to have an early un-timed post out there. I'd appreciate any feedback etc, its far from complete so if someone has insight as to how the AGIE job file works and how I can improve the post, please let me know. I have yet to actualy cut a part with the post, just graphics backplot on the machine. Destructions included in the zip file. Thanks everyone!

Sounds good. I will write up some destructions and have it ready for download by tomorrow.

Ok guys, I figured it out. Rhino has a "patch" command that does just that. I think autocad Civil 3d also has the function, but you can download Rhino and actually make a surface with the trial. Works really well!

Ha ha ha. I wondered who would be the first to comment on the reversal of roles. I talked to inhouse a few months ago about this post and they are interested in my progress. Or at least were when Brett was around. I don't think there is a big market for an old AGIE post anyhow. I never said free, I said trial, as in a timed post! If anyone is interested, I need some beta testers!

If anyone needs a post that outputs GEO and JOB files for older AGIEs, send me an email and I will provide a trail copy. It's still in the beginning stages but Contouring and No Core seem to be working correctly along with cutter compensation in the AGIE control [email protected]

You sure you don't have a "0" zero for the spindle speed?

No it does not do the same thing. When using tabs, it does not change the starting height of the tab, it leaves it in place and breaks through by that amount. So if your tab is .02" from the bottom of the part and you set a break through of .01", your tab will be unaffected. if you use -.01" z stock, then you will have to change the size of your tab to .03" in order to make a .02" tab.

Guys, Break through is not redundant. When using tabs, you use break through to cut into the spoil board without messing with the size of the tabs. If this were not there, you would have to increase the size of the tab by your break-through amount.

This function does not work as well as the filter function in the toolpath. Try both methods. --- The trusty backplot-save method: In this case I used .00005 Lin tolerance and .005 filter tolerance. The Break Many Method: Note the difference when using break many and .005 tolerance.

I bet there is a simple solution to this, but Im at a loss here. I have a part that is similar to a topographical map. I just have the slice lines. I need to construct a surface from them. Is there a way to do this? I need to go from this: To This: Any ideas or software recomendations?

Break many pieces works, but it does not produce arcs. I find the best way to do this is to Make a contour toolpath with cutter comp off, and zero for everything. in linearization tol set your desired tolerance. For the filter set the desired tolerance (this should be at least 3X more than the linearization tol). Now just backplot, and hit the save as geo button. This will save to lines and arcs.

Mike if you have a PCI slot, get a quadro fx 500. I have one if you want to buy it. If not go to ebay. If you have PCIE slots then get a quadro FX 540 or better.

+1 Michael You don't need a special post or anything. Make the contour toolpath and set the linearization tolerance to 0.0001. click the filter button and make sure make arcs is checked. Set tol to .001 or your minimum acceptable tol. Do NOT make it close to the linearization tol. Make sure the linearization tol is around 5X less than the filter tolerance. The toolpath will be mostly arcs and very very smooth.