That's a parasolid file. I open them almost everyday (how I translate from NX to MCX). If you are getting that error it might be a bum file and maybe request a new file.

We have X9 but I am in the middle of a few projects that were started in X8 and would rather just finish them in X8.

I feel dumb now. I must have looked though those settings a dozen times and didn't see. Thanks for the help! BB

Thanks John. I see that the 2D High Speeds recognizes the stock setup material. Was curious if 3D could behave the same way. Thanks for the help. It's greatly appreciated. BB

Is there a setting somewhere where the stock will display black edges? A few times it will show the black edges but most of the time it doesn't. Curious if it's a mastercam setting, a simulator setting, or it's not supposed to happen. Thanks!

Crickets? I am assuming this cannot be done?

Thanks Rickster!

This may be a dumb question, but Is there a way for an opti-core tool path to recognize the stock setup for a material boundary? I have always used geometry to describe the stock size. EDIT: Title should say Stock Setup and I cannot figure out how to change it.

I have this pinned up in my cubicle. This is what I use for my threadmilling of NPT threads. https://sizes.com/materials/pipeThrd.htm

If you create a custom tool inside the tool manager you have to use a DXF file. If you create the tool inside of Mastercam and save it to the database you can still you a MCX file. I prefer the MCX file.

We have NX and Solidworks along with Moldplus. I couldn't imagine designing molds in Mastercam (even with Moldplus) when for a little more than the cost of Moldplus you can get a standard seat of Mastercam. I only use Moldplus for the juncture surfaces. Electrodes I find SW or NX is much more powerful and simplified. Best of luck to you with your new job!

Thanks Gunther!

I don't struggle with chipping. I sometimes struggle with gouging on a wall where the finishing and rest-finishing tools come together.

For those of you who machine graphite electrodes on a regular basis - do you rough, semi-finish, and finish your electrodes? Or do you just rough and finish? We rough to .010"/s and finish to 0". I sometimes wonder if it would be advantageous to put a semi finish pass in there.

I recently picked up a Dell M4600 on eBay used. Other than needing a new battery everything works perfectly. It's a 2011 vintage, but picked it up for $520. http://www.ebay.com/itm/141570571378

PM sent.

Unfortunately I don't know much about scripting. I am (more or less) looking for a calculated field to subtract NOTE3 from MIN-Z. As a work around I would like to type in a value in the Note 3 box of the setup sheet screen in MCX and have it subtracted from the MIN-Z value and have the result show up on the report. This value would be the proper MIN-Z for that tool. Again - this is just a work around. This value is for a tool list - many others have said to use DEPTH but that is operation specific.

Has anyone had success creating a calculated field? Trying to find a workaround for the Min-Z when NOT using the top wcs. I think it can be done with a calculated field, but I am having no luck getting ANY result - only errors.

I know. My boss was more or less looking to see if we can improve on the surface finishes to help reduce the polishing costs. I have some programs in the shop right now with some new filter settings. Waiting to see how they turn out.

This is what I received from our reseller: Solids Add-On package will also no longer be sold separately, this will be automatically included with Design, Lathe, Wire, Mill and Router and Entry products at no additional charge. For those of you without Solids currently this allows you to create solids right in Mastercam and modify Solid models that you get from other CAD systems. This also includes the translating (Xform command in Mastercam) to orient the models in the system as you desire. Mill products will now be sold only as "Mill" and "Mill 3D" Replacing the Mill 1,2,3 Levels. This means that all previous Mill 1 customers will be getting Mill Level 2 functionality, which includes limited 3D Surface machining with no upgrade fees required. If you'd like more information on what 3D capability you will now have, please contact us. Mill 3D has received many new toolpaths and improvements over the past few releases. Please contact us as well for info on how these new toolpaths can improve your current process. Mastercam for Solidworks is now available to all Mill and Lathe Customers. If you have seats of Solidworks, this allows you to run the CAM portion of Mastercam right inside of Solidworks. MC4SW Requires Solidworks 2013 or newer 64bit license. All Entry level customers will now be getting the 3D Verify Option instead of just backplot. I'm just curious what people are using for tool and operation setup sheets.

I received a newsletter from my reseller last week saying that with the new X9 release all Level 3 licenses will now include a Mastercam for Solidworks license. I have read that X+ is not compatible with MC4SW. What are people using for setup sheets? Active Reports? .SET files?

I am trying to use the VBS script from above. It seems to only post the tools from the 1st machine/toolpath group. How do you get it to post from a second machine group?

Thanks for the response Roger. My boss and I were at an AMBA supplier meet and greet and CamTool was showcasing their software and had some sample parts. My boss was looking at the parts and looked at me and asked why the parts we machine didn't look like that (they were almost a mirror finish). So the past 2 days I have been doing research on my arc filter settings and I started looking at my smoothing settings. I think that is where I am going to start. We finish all our mold cores and cavities in our Roeders so I know the machine likes the point to point code. I am going to try a fixed segment length of 5% on my next job (ball cutter finishing). I appreciate the help with this, Brian Bylls PM Mold

Opti toolpaths and the Hybrid toolpaths always take a bit of processing before sending them to the treading manager. Some longer than others. This have been happening to me for a few MCX versions. I have just accepted that it will take some time to process. What gets me is that the Opti and Hybrid toolpaths will sometimes take over all 12 cores in my computer and put my CPU at 100 % (which renders my computer useless).

This is going to sound a little funny, but how are you regenerating your programs? Are you clicking the icon at the top of the tool manager with the tool holder and the green arrow? OR are you clicking on the toolpath itself to regenerate it (clicking on the line with the red X will give you a pop up box asking if you would like to regenerate the program and continue)? If you click on the line with the red X it will not send the tool regeneration to the multi thread manager. You MUST use the icon at the top of the tool manager. I am working with a new guy who only knew 2D coming here. He kept complaining the the computer was taking forever to regenerate a toolpath. When I looked to see what he was doing his computer was sitting there spinning its wheels while trying to compute a toolpath. I talked to him for a bit and we worked it back to him clicking on the line with the red X to regenerate the toolpath. Now he has no problems when he clicks the icon at the top. For 2D work it's not a big deal because it regenerates it right away. I confirmed this on my machine and my machine reacts the same. Hope this helps!