Blue is the Branch point where you have to make a decision...Red is the software guessing which way is next...

7 minutes ago, riverhunter said:

Bringing this old thread back to life.  My old handle was @dforsythe and i no longer have that email to retrieve it.  so I'm now @riverhunter some 15 years later and am now back on mastercam so I'm trying to duplicate something i did back in 2009.  looks like @Rob @ Target Machinehasnt been around lately so ill ask the rest of the group.

 

the code below works great for getting the code D#517.  my question is how do i do this for  tlngno$ so i can get G43 H#517.  the tlngno$ is buirred in the ptlchg_com so im not sure how to approch it.

 

 

I don't know if your planned usage is similar, if it is, I did this...alll of our H & D 3's are always output #51999

fmt  "D#" 4 maz_doff    #Mazak Pallet Tech Diameter offset number #added 02/10/2020
fmt  "H#" 4 maz_hoff    #Mazak Pallet Tech Height offset number   #added 02/10/2020 

and in the psof section

 maz_doff = 51999  #modified 02/10/2020
 maz_hoff = 51999  #modified 02/10/2020

Then in the tool change section, I dumped the tool length variable and add the one I created

if use_rot_lock & cuttype = zero, prot_lock
      result = force(feed)  # Force output of feed next time it's called for output
      pbld, n$, sg43, maz_hoff, pfzout, pscool, e$

In the pccdia section...

pccdia          #Cutter Compensation
      #Force Dxx#
       if prv_cc_pos$ <> cc_pos$ & cc_pos$, prv_maz_doff = c9k  ##modified 02/10/2020
       sccomp
       if cc_pos$, maz_doff  

Here's the complete tap section in my post

ptap$            #Canned Rigid Tapping Cycle
      pdrlcommonb
      result = newfs(17, feed)  # Set for tapping Feedrate format
      if met_tool$,
        [
        if toolismetric, pitch = n_tap_thds$  #Metric NC Code - Metric Tap
        else, pitch = (1/n_tap_thds$) * 25.4  #Metric NC Code - English Tap
        ]
      else,
        [
        if toolismetric, pitch = n_tap_thds$ * (1/25.4)  #English NC Code - Metric Tap
        else, pitch = 1/n_tap_thds$           #English NC Code - English Tap
        ]
      #pitch = pitch * speed #Force Units Per Minute for regular Tap cycle
      pcan1, pbld, n$, *sgdrlref, *sgdrill, pxout, pyout, pfzout, pcout,
        [if peck1$ > 0, *peck1$], prdrlout, *pitch, strcantext, e$
      result = unforce(feed), !feed
      pcom_movea

4 minutes ago, riverhunter said:

maybe I need to format that before.

Yup, not formatted into your post yet...that's why I asked, some posts have it, some don't...depends on what, where & vintage

In the format section

fmt  "F" 2  pitch       #Tap pitch (units per thread)

under ptap is a good place for this

pitch = 1/n_tap_thds$ 

Have you tried changing 

*feed to *pitch

Unless something has changed recently that I have missed, going into Mastercam and deleting the holder and resaving the tool to the library is the only way I am aware of to get it done.

If they are reverting back to "out of the box" condition....the first thing that pops into my mind is a backup/restore utility is being used on those directories...something like OneDrive will do EXACTLY what you describe....if OneDrive is in use on "those" directories...turn it off 

4 minutes ago, GoetzInd said:

We use these functions extensively on 4x and 5x fanuc controlled machines. If you would like, PM me and we can set up a call and I can communicate some learnings. May be hard and time consuming for me (barely literate) to spell them out here.

Mike  

Take him up on it Jake...a good with a lot of knowledge he's willing to share...

I had a good conversation with him prior to us purchasing Vericut 

You shoot off an email to your reseller and they fix it up for you in about 30 seconds...

Can't speak to the question of "are the holders defined incorrectly"....my assumption is no they are not as you state they work properly in Backplot...

Without a file to actually dig into, the guess I would fathim is that a stickout value was changed and the toolpath which didn't go dirty likely just needs to be regenerated to pick up the change.

30 minutes ago, JB7280 said:

 Do you like what you see of the software so far? 

In a previous life I was very involved in that so I do have that knowledge of the software...it is that experience that leads me in that direction...I feel as though there is really nothing else I need to check out for solutions

I am currently working to Cimco DNC and Cimco NC Base in this shop...

Currently, the "system" is all manual...the overhead for it is a time consuming thing....so I am working to towards changing that through the software mentioned above

I wonder how many of here have had to grind their own tools?

Seems to me the pool of people that can walk over to a tool post grinder is getting incredibly small....

DId you regen AFTER you changed the tool number?

That needs a regen as it changes the nci

DO you by chance have any back up software running on that directory?

Try renaming your Op,defaults to OP.mcam...it's only a Mastercam file...

Then switch out the tool you want, save it, rename back to op.defaults

4 minutes ago, Metals and materials said:

I think i kind of get it. It is useful at places where stepdown is not useful. 

Think about it like this....

You have a depth of cut set to .75...in between 0 & .75 there are several ledges....it will compute all of the area that can be cut right down to .75....then any additional passes will be cut at depths that are shallow to the .75

If you just has a big, deep flat pocket...you won't notice anything

When you have tapered walls or flats that "in between" any depth of cut you have set, it will calculate the tool path with the full DOC, then after that pass pick up and get whatever was in between the last DOC and the TOS

You can...

I find this works easier & cleaner IF you're setting a machine/control def/post to a certain machine and then associating an OP's file with that group..

It will load automatically when you load the machine def....whereas if you want to switch it manually...you have to remember each time....that can work but you can also find yourself having switching it at inopportune times 

I have been locking planes for the better part of the last 10 years.....just part of my normal workflow now....

I don't associate planes with geometry, that has been a bigger part of a problem than just moving it to a point and then unchecking "Associate with new geometry"

"Adapt, improvise & overcome"

If you're taking a course, is there a reason you're not using the same version it is being taught?

Try the ? within the toolpath dialogs...the Help file, while not perfect, has gotten MUCH better

38 minutes ago, rgrin said:

I get the impression that Mastercam has a lot of old software baggage.  Makes me wonder if they will have to do a "split" similar to what Esprit did with their TNG release a few years ago if they want to fully implement all of the new stuff that's coming out in the future at a quicker pace.

I know years ago that was expressly what they wanted to avoid...can't speak to the "now"

On 12/29/2023 at 10:56 AM, Colin Gilchrist said:

Hey John,

I'm planning a Mastercam Meetup at my house in Connecticut. Not sure if that would be too far of a drive to be of interest, but I'll extend the invitation if you'd like to come

@Colin Gilchrist Thanks...with everything I have going on in real life my weekends are mostly taken up with taking care of things at home, spending time with Wifey and getting ready to do it all over again the next week.

I greatly appreciate the offer, at this point though it's nothing I would be able to make the time to do...

9 minutes ago, Kyle F said:

n your situation, are operators taking the gage length off the setup sheet and then inputting that into the control for a tool setter to calculate the true offset? 

Correct....

That allows all of what we check for to make sure it'll work and clear everything...