I have a solid works 2008 file that opened in X3, but after loading X3/MU1 I am now getting that same "can not find parasolid data in solid works file" alarm. Will registering the dll take care of this problem also?

With no responses in 24 hours I am not sure we are understanding your question. Maybe a little more explanation/detail?

Try saving the file after you do all that and then re-open the file before you try to backplot.

I have always done the outer boundary first and then the two bosses and it has always worked fine for me. This is how it was done on another software I used to work with so I just kept doing it that way. I noticed that if you use the FBM feature it will use the new 2D HST Core mill cycle and it chains the bosses first and then the outer boundary. If it works both ways does it matter?

When using a pocket-face operation with a rectangular outer boundary at Z-.250 and two circlular bosses drawn at Z0 which order do you guys chain these? Boundary first and then the bosses? or Bosses first and then the outer boundary? It seems to work both ways. Just curious what most of us do.

Here is some sample G-code for the timing. It is not done by G04 dwell time. It is done with M-codes: Line numbers N3 position each turret to a location. Naturally one will get into position before the other. Line numbers N4 and N5 (M101 & M102) ensure that both programs start executing line numbers N6 at the same time. But programs will continue to run but head 2 will pause and wait on line number N8 (M103) while Head 1 continues to run. Head 2 will not start executing again until it sees the matching M-code (M103 in this case) from the Head 1 program. So you can see its not a matter of determining how much time (G04 dwell seconds)to wait.

oops, I reduced the size in photobucket and it won't let me enlarge it so now its too small to read. Here it is a little larger print.

Well Thad, you know what they say. "The mind is the second thing to go" .................... For the life of me I can't remember what the first thing is.

Wasn't the Kennametal 3 flute drill originally a Hertel T15 drill? Those were great for Aluminum. (edited) But if I remember speeds and feeds were critical to good performance. Fairly heavy feed rates to get a good chip evacuation I think.

I don't think it will. Here is a list of the file types it will open although some of them like Catia and ProE require the purchase of a separate translator:

Since you haven't done much simultaneous turning I should warn you to be extra careful. Check in your Fanuc Programming manual. There should be a section on Timing Codes or maybe they call it wait codes. Sometimes you will need to delay movement on one turret until the other turret gets out of the way to avoid a collision between the two tool holders. This would be especially true if both turrets had long boring bars trying to bore the main spindle part and sub spindle part at the same time. Aligning these machine after a crash is double your pleasure.

This may or may not be related but did you know that if you are picking solid edges or faces there is an icon on the general selection tool bar that says "pick from back"? This will cause it to see through the front face and select the back face instead. Any time I use this feature I try to remember to set it back to normal right away other wise it stays on and I don't notice it 10 minutes later

If you want to use the "Translate 3D" method to move it from one plane to another plane you will need to have purchased the mastercam solids option.

I had mori zl150s with fanuc 18 so this may be a little different but: When you are in the memory mode (or was it called auto, I don't remember), press the head 1 and head 2 button simultaneously. This should cause both the head 1 and head 2 led to light up. Now when you hit cycle start it will run both spindles and both turrets at the same time. You can use timing codes M100 to M199 to cause one turret to wait for the other turret in case of interference points.

Here is a pic of the screen I posted:

Go to the Windows Start button/all programs/Mastercam 9.1/ CNC Reg On the registry setting tab use the drop down menu to set the product to V9 mill. In the file get dialogue area of this window there is a setting for "Standard Windows" or "Mastercam" and a reset button. Try switching from one to the other and hit the reset key. Try it one way, then try to open V9 and do a file get. If it doesn't work try it again with the other setting. I played around with this three or 4 times and somehow it started working. This was on windows XP 64 but I think it does the same thing on Vista.

Ran into this problem last week. Give me a few minutes to look up what I did to fix it.

They have been mentioned already but A&A and Hennig are the ones we used to recommend when I was a service engineer at Mazak.

For starters you need to tell us if you have Mill level 1, 2, or 3?

I see your point. Let me re-phrase that. The arrow pointer is still telling you which way is a positive rotation. The zero degree starting point is the chain that was picked to revolve. (edited) In my earlier post I assumed the chain was drawn above the X-axis and the arrow was pointing in the opposite direction than yours. In your case the chain to be revolved was below the X-axis which is why 0 degrees start and 180 degrees end is correct in your drawing.

It drove me crazy for a long time. I tried it many times and then finally one day.........

When revolving a surface the default direction is not always counter clockwise for a positive rotation. The positive direction depends which end of the axis you pick. When you pick the axis you will see a circle with an arrow. The arrow start point is 0 degrees and the arrow pointer is telling you which way is a positive rotation.

Thanks Colin, I am aware of that method too. I will have to try using it more to see if it solves my problem. I kind of gave up on that method because the Move Before Move After Copy Before Copy After Cancel pop-up doesn't always show up and I have to do it two or three times. Might just be my fat fingers, don't know for sure yet.

quote: The main problem with the Material library is Chipload.... If you define a base chipload of say .005 IPT. Good point. Could he then edit the tool and change the feed percentage to something less than 100%?

You may be able to change this in your control definition in Mastercam. Look in Misc Intgers/Reals category. Mine is MI #3 and can be set to G28 or G30.