Joe and Brian, I understand what you are saying but it kind of misses the point. I know the engineers can output alternate file types, but as I stated earlier, that takes up a lot of extra space on the server and defeats the purpose of having a ProE translator.

Hey folks, Just a quick question for the people who use the ProE file converter in Mastercam. We have had a licence for this product for many years as our engineering dept works with ProE. When we import, we get a bunch of extra geometry and surfaces as well as the solid on import. If you check the levels manager, some of the levels have names like SE_REFERENCES, and BLACK HOLE, as well as a bunch of others. Typically, whatever geometry the engineer used to create the solid gets imported as well as a few random surfaces. All I want to import is the solid and that is all I have checked in the config file. So here is my question. Do you other users experience this issue as well, strictly on ProE files? Do you get a bunch of extra entities on import? I have tried to import in both X2 and X3 with the same results. The engineers are using Wildfire3. It's not really a big deal as we just select all wireframe and surfaces and then delete, but when you have 5 guys opening dozens of file everyday and going through this procedure, it's a waste of time. I know if the engineers save the file as a step file, this does not happen, but we don't want a bunch of different file formats on the server. We want to keep it simple with just native ProE files and Mastercam files. Any help would be appreciated.

That all depends on the control. I remember many years ago programming a Deckel vertical, there was a code that was used along with the feedrate. What it did was set the feedrate at the contour or at the centre-line. If you programmed it so the feedrate was at the contour and you went around a sharp external corner, the feed would change dramatically and not in a good way.

Guhring make great drills. You might also want to check out OSG as the local sales rep dropped off some new literature to me recently and have some very impressive drills.

Thanks for sharing. I've been doing that for over 20 years on a lathe. It also works great on round parts that have a bore that is off centre.

Expect nothing in the next release of Mastercam and this way you won't be disappointed.

Although I cannot shed any light on the question you have asked, I will attest to the quality of the Okuma line. Over the last 5 years, I have been using Makino's, but the 16 years prior to that, I owned and operated a number of different Okuma models and their reliability, accuracy, power, etc, are unbelievable.

Matercam does have a function to adjust feedrate on each move based on the machine dynamics. Although I have never had to use it, perhaps someone who has will chime in. On the Makino's, your true feedrate is based on a number of factors. You can program 500 ipm if you want to, but the true feedrate is achieved through geometry shape, distance between points, tolerance control mode, corner rounding, etc. The most efficient toolpath is a linear code file, in other words, no arc commands. Arc commands require the control to "think" which takes time (micro-seconds) to send the proper signals to the servo motors, which in turn increases cycle time. The toolpath files are huge, but, its makes the machine perform to its highest potential. Most of the HSM toolpath strategies can be utilized by everyone in some form, but to get the most out of the technology requires a hefty wallet. High speed to some means a 8K rpm spindle, to others it means a 180K rpm spindle. Rpm means nothing without the proper knowledge, tools, procedures and equipment. What type of machine, rpm, control do you have to work with?

Speed, feed, depth of cut, and step-over are controlled by the hardness of the material. When roughing with a ball endmill, always use 30% of diameter as the stepover. Depth of cut is 10% for materials less than 40Rc. 7% for 40-52RC and 5% for anything over 52Rc. Spindle speed and feed can be taken from most high end tool catalogs but the numbers will only be valid if you have the proper equipment to run them on. The key ingredients are rigid toolholders with no run-out, a high speed precision spindle and a wicked control to handle all the code that will be thrown at it. Makino is somewhat of a leader in this arena. We have 4 of them in different configurations and they are awesome.

In my post above, I am not suggesting using a grooving cycle with depth cuts. What I program is a roughing toolpath with zig-zag cuts. Although using depth cuts on a grooving cycle will work, it brings its own difficulties as well as increased cycle times due to retracts and clearances. If you have not tried my method before, give it a try. I think you will be very pleased with how well it performs.

Your best way to cut that area is with a face grooving tool and use a zig-zag cutting motion. With a face grooving tool, your initial position for plunging is critical and you must have the proper holder for the specific job so that the clearances are correct. The problem is chip control is terrible and coolant access is poor. If you use a zig-zag motion, you completely eliminate all these issues. I do parts much like the image you have provided frequently. Iscar and Sandvik make some very nice face grooving tools.

I'm fairly sure that facing operations must be opened and them closed so that Mastercam generates a new point position for the facing operation. Just open the parameters and then close and it will regenerate the facing point.

I think it's been that way since version 3 which is hard to believe. We use the highspeed horizontal with 40% set as the stepover and that seems to be the only way to guarantee you won't leave any upstands.

John, you bring up a point that hits the nail on the head. Here is your quote from above. "So if you don't know you're way around a computer or know someone that be the there "like that" there is a benefit to paying tech support" We already do this. It's called Mastercam maintenance. My question is this. Why is up the forum memebers/Mastercam users, to come up with a way to make Mastercam work properly (faster)? Where the hell are the people who write this software? Why are they so silent? Isn't it their job to develop the software to embrace modern computing technology? If I buy a new car, am I expected to be the mechanic as well to make it work properly? I have no problem admitting that I don't know how to biuld or tweak a computer. I shouldn't have to. Leave it to the people who get paid to do this. My point is when you have paid out good money to the developers in maintenance dollars year after year and they keep feeding you the same crap with minor "improvements", its tantamount to fraud. I think its way past due that CNC Software "step-up to the plate" and give their customers what they deserve. Take care of your customers...... or someone else will !!!!!!

No, the scallop toolpath is just as bad as it always was. Very poor toolpath, especially at surface edges. It creates very jerky motion even with a .0001 tolerance and 1:1 filter. I rarely use this toolpath due to its poor tool control.

Quote: "I think what all of this proves is anyone needing SERIOUS number crunching and using ANYTHING less than a 1333FSB chip and 12 megs of L2 cache is going to be in for LONG waits." Heh, or get another Cam package. Reply: I couldn't agree more. It's too bad that the customers of CNC Software have to work so hard to come up with a solution to make Mastercam work. A big pat on the back to those who obviously know their way around a PC, but truly a sad saga continues.............

The best approach to this is to use high speed waterline machining using a slope angle of 30 to 90 degrees with a suitable rpm as you are more or less cutting on the diameter of the endmill. I would then follow it up with a raster or scallop toolpath machining between 0 and 35 degrees of slope. Now you can crank up the rpm and feedrate to create a much more effective cycle time. You could even use a bullnose and a horizontal toolpath for the flat areas and then change your slope on the raster toolpath to .1 to 35 degrees and it will only cut the shallow areas and nut cut the flat floors.

Murlin: Quote: The reason I used those settings is that I do everything for my HAAS with those settings and it seems to work just fine...I have to use full retract or get smashed by the dogleg rapid move the control makes..." There are a couple of different ways to prevent the dogleg move that you have. First, use feed retracts rather than rapids. Whenever I make a high speed toolpath, I set rapids at 750 or 1500 ipm depending on which Makino the program is going to. The only G00 in the program is the rapid to the starting point which is well above the part. The second way, is to get in touch with your Haas distributor and see if they can sincronize your rapid movements to become linear. On a Fanuc control, it is just a matter of changing a parameter for this to work.

Yes, I hear it has improved. They now say it is more like watching a wet dog dry.

I would think that hitting the escape key would release the function, but I too have seen some unexplainable happenings in lathe.

I get that BS all the time when switching between groups of mill and lathe in the same file. Very frustrating. Most of the time we have to have separate files for mill and another for lathe. Just one more joy to experience with the operations manager. I'm sure by version X7 or X8 these problems will be addressed.

sr_7626@natl, That's exactly the way to do it.

I know it is one of the format statements below. As I stated earlier, output is controlled by the post. I'm sure your reseller can assist you with it. #Default english/metric position format statements fs2 1 0.7 0.6 #Decimal, absolute, 7 place, default for initialize ( fs2 2 0.5 0.4 #Decimal, absolute, 4/3 place fs2 3 0.5 0.4d #Decimal, delta, 4/3 place #Common format statements fs2 4 1 0 1 0 #Integer, not leading fs2 5 2 0 2 0l #Integer, force two leading fs2 6 3 0 3 0l #Integer, force three leading fs2 7 4 0 4 0l #Integer, force four leading fs2 8 5 0 5 0l #Integer, force five leading fs2 9 0.1 0.1 #Decimal, absolute, 1 place fs2 10 0.2 0.2 #Decimal, absolute, 2 place fs2 11 0.3 0.3 #Decimal, absolute, 3 place fs2 12 0.4 0.4 #Decimal, absolute, 4 place fs2 13 0.5 0.5 #Decimal, absolute, 5 place fs2 14 0.3 0.3d #Decimal, delta, 3 place fs2 15 0.2 0.1 #Decimal, absolute, 2/1 place (feedrate) fs2 16 1 0 1 0n #Integer, forced output fs 17 1.4lt #Decimal, absolute, four trailin

If you can start out with an eps file that is output from some of the typical graphic arts software which is typically where most people create logos to begin with, you are off to a great start as Mastercam can open an eps file. If you have to create geometry from a bmp or jpeg file, the bigger the image the better. If the font/picture has any shading done on it, well, you're screwed. The import result will be terrible. I have used this piece of software ( see link ) and once you understand the settings to use, the results are not too bad. It still requires re-work, but overall it's not too bad. http://raster-vector.com/

It's controlled in the post. Mine is set to 5 decimal places for the Makino's. Maybe someone with post experience can chime in. I can't remember which setting it is.