Hello All, I've run across a problem several times and it's cost me hours and hours of work. I lost 45 min. this morning. I wasn't sure what was causing it but I think I've pinned it down. I'd like to let everyone know about it so it can be avoided and, perhaps, we can get a patch for it. Here's the glitch: I needed to create a small lead in line for a tool path. I went- Create, Line, Horizontal, then I noticed my C-plane was in Top. I then selected C-plane, Named and selected my copy of system view- front (the part I'm working is on center of rotation on a horizontal mill). I finished creating the line, opened Operations manager and ALL tool paths associated with the front C-plane needed to be regenerated (that's about 50 ops in this case). I then reopened View Manager and there were two System Top Views and the copy of front view I had originally created for this part was gone. Basically this program is now corrupt. If it is saved at this point and reopened an alarm that says "There are two system view Tops, Overwrite- Yes/No". Regardless of which option you pick all named views, tool definitions and operations go into Cyberspace. The Groups will still be in the Operations Manager but EVERYTHING else is gone. This doesn't happen every time, but when it does it can be catastrophic. Earlier versions would not allow the C-plane to be changed while in Create mode, which was cumbersome if you were working with multiple named views and forgot to change to the one you needed before creating geomentry. It's a good feature of V9 but it needs a fix. Has anyone else encountered this glitch?

No. I'm putting the slots in parallel to the X axis using multiple work offsets for each different angle. I can't do this with the corner ruonder and do to spindle time constraints I don't want to sweep those surfaces with a 3-D path and a ball E/M.

I have 21.6" dia. cylinder with several horizontal slots in it. I will be putting the slots in on a horizontal mill. after fininishing the slots I need to put an 1/8" edge radius them with a corner rounder. To prevent gouging this requires rotary milling. I've set my toolpath to Rotary Axis, Axis Substitution in X but instead of it backplotting and posting at the required 72.11 deg orientation, I'm getting 54 deg orentation. Is this caused because of a post setting or the way I defined geometry? Any input is appreciated.

Happy Monday All, I have a large part with multiple Ops and multiple fixtures. I would like to use my STL file for verification, progresively (sp), throughout the mfg. process. I can convert a STL file, created in verify, from a previous op, translate and rotate it, merge my solid for the next op's fixture but I can't save this new file as a complete STL. Is there a way to merge 2 STL files with the ability to open the new file in verify complete? I hope this makes sence!

I had an even worse problem. I created a program from a V8.1.1 conversion, posted the program, ran the part, saved the the source file as MC9 and went home for the night. The following day I opened the source to make a minor edit and I got an alarm "This program has duplicate views, do you still want to open it?" (if I remember correctly). I wasn't quite sure what that meant but I said Yes. When the file opened ALL of my tool paths were gone along with 13 defined tools. The only saving grace was the fact that I had already ran the part. I've run into this twice and no longer convert MC8s to MC9s for fear of having it happen again. Has anyone else seen this?

Have you tried a pocket, "True Spiral" and converting the toolpath to geometry then driving a tool on that geometry?

I am attempting to creat a helicoil tap operation library. I want to creat a new set of taps in the tool library and would like to create an STI TAP RH icon and have these tools listed as STI TAP RH in the library. Is it possible for me to do this from a users level or am I limited to using only the pre defined tool types?

Thank you for all the info. I'll hook up with that Chook and give it a try. Sounds like just what the Dr. ordered.

I have had several occasions where I wanted to window select several hundred holes with arc mask on but I had a customers solid and there were multiple Z levels associated with the same diameter hole. I was unable to distinguish between the different Z's and ended up selecting and editing individual holes which became very time consuming and allowed for human error. If anyone feels a Z Depth Mask Feature would be useful please post you opinion. Perhaps enough responces will create a justification for this option.