No Worries G-Code. I thought you may be able to use the rest of the Sample files contained in the Install download as opposed to the one file on the FTP.

Which ever.

What version are you using? Mastercam X2 MR2 Sample Files Install and then try it again.

??

Bump:

quote: Sure it is. I am currently forced to use both MC and SolidCAM. I thought my comment was reflecting on the the whole of the products as a tool not just one aspect. You can very easily pick apart software in comparisions and at the end of the day feel that you have to settle anyway. My question is does it have to be that way? I'm not in the business of closing my eyes to more viable solutions and in recent years have dedicated substancial resources in keeping those eye open. I am not advocating SolidCAM, as if I was I may have become a dealer for the product.....the same goes for CAMWorks. At the same time I've taking a good hard look under the hood as from multiple perspectives.

I actually don't think that he is a dealer as I was offered the dealership for Western Canada recently and walked away from it. I am an advocate of integration and have been for a long time.

quote: Solidcam is not a bad product. I nearly bought it myself. I'm just trying to get a rise out of Jay K. me thinks he's a SolidCam dealer I think so!

hyperMILL is the same in the sense that you can go work/create additional toolpaths while others are being processed. You can even go and modify the one being processed if a change is needed mid stream.

I wouldn't discount SolidCAM in a comparision against HSMWorks as it is not a fair comparision. HSMWorks has done a nice job with what they have put together, SolidCAM still has alot more breadth though. The HSM in SolidCAM is a similar to the module in Mastercam and is more mature in it's development. If we are going to look at the whole picture. I still don't like SolidCAM as a whole but that is not to discount it's functionallity as a whole.

Hey Gcode, I agree once you get into the specialty 5 axes modules the price get start going up pretty quick, but the main stream 2.5D, 3D and regular 5axes modules are competitive and in some cases priced very competitive to others. I've ran them all, meaning SolidWorks Gold Partner CAM products as well as Mastercam, and worked for In-House Solutions for a couple of years out here on the West Coast.

PS The hyperMILL/SolidWorks product is available NOW and is a SolidWorks Gold Level Partner! Check it out! Keith

quote: FBM will run inside Mastercam. I'm sure it will work on any solid, created in Mastercam or imported from Inventor or SolidWorks. Mastercam in SolidWorks is an entirely new and seprate product. It will run INSIDE SolidWorks and is designed to comptete with SolidCam/Camworks/HSMWorks Don't forget about trying to compete with Open Mind's hyperMILL/SolidWorks integrated product. I'm along time Mastercam User and have been using X since the release of alpha (I've put it through the paces) and I've recently recieved training in the new hyperMILL/SolidWorks integrated product all I can say is Nice Work Open Mind and CNC Software really has their work cut out for themselves. I urge anyone that is considering SolidWorks Integrated CAM Product to take a serious look at hyperMILL (Don't let the name fool you, Mill/Turn is an option). This is not a true competion! Keith Solid Code Solutions

quote: To not run it at all. Vista is NOT ready for CAD/CAM prime time, not by a longshot. John Don't you really mean that Mastercam is not ready for Vista by a long shot. CNC Software is dealing with enough of its own functionality problems than to focus on dealing with what is current. Whom ever reads this be assured that there are CAD-CAM systems working within Vista just fine and that this these devoted Mastercam diehards no matter how noble there intent on dolling out facts.....thes e facts are always a bit scewed. Not to say Vista is perfect by any means but one should always be careful on where the finger is pointed.

LOL

The WCS seems to add a whole other flavor to the files stability I find.

The 250 meg file was recently in MR1 I believe and was a using WCS. No duplication of entities if I could help is.....multiple solids with multiple Machine groups to manage individual plates, slides, core cavities so on and so forth. This was not done to see how gig I could make a file but it is amazing sometimes how quickly a file grows as soon as you strat surfacing....not simple sh$%

This is more to be able to gage compare stability and the details surrounding large file sizes and/or high quantity of operations.

I just hit a personal record for the number of operations in one file (327). These are all 2.5D toolpaths and started to get a little quircky towards the 300 mark.....I'm working with the dealer with that problem. I'm curious and would like to get a sounding on what others have achived either in file size and/or operation count. BTW largest file size was around 250MB

Grabed the wrong image. It is supposed to show the a joined chamfered face.

I think what MIG is try to say is the lack of capability using solid selection to drive the chain for the thru pocket that has Chamfers at both sides (ajoining topo face to pocket and pocket to bottom face). [/img]

John how are you using 4GB of ram. Are you using 64 bit?

Roger, That's cool!

Roger, Here you go! SolidCAM HSM 3.1.3 Facetting tolerance Before the machining, SolidCAM generates a triangular mesh for all the faces of the 3D model geometry used for the operation. The Facetting tolerance is the accuracy to which triangles fit the surfaces. The smaller the value the more accurate the triangulation is, but the slower the calculation. The 3D model geometry will be triangulated and the resulting facets will be saved. The triangulation is performed on the 3D model geometry when you use it for the first time in a SolidCAM HSM Operation. If you use the 3D geometry in another operation, SolidCAM will check the tolerance of the existing geometry. It will not perform another triangulation as long as the facets have been created with the same surface tolerance. Just to let you know I processed the benchmark in SolidCAM with a facet tol. of 0.0001 and a cut tol. of 0.0001 and still processed the three toolpaths including the faceting in 2 min 45 sec. I realize you may not care or give two shi#s but there are other like my self that are a little more open minded.

Steve, That is possible and I'm going to look into it futher and will let you know. It will be a good know.