Laszlok,

Mine seems to be running just fine. From what I understood, the patch was really only taking care of some converter problems? That's at least what I read from Mastercam's site.

Andrew

I understand that XP has security issues, and possible little bugs that may make something crash, but do you guys (or your computer tech guys) honestly think that even if you have the most secure setup that someone couldn't break into it? No matter what you are running or whatever, there is someone that is going to be able to get into it. Why do you think that there are pirated copies of basically every software on the internet? Someone can always figure out a way around a roadblock. I've been running XP and XP64 for as long as I can remember now, and any crash I've personally had (aside from Mastercam crashes ) have had something to do with hardware or me messing with something.

I don't want to sound like I'm bashing on anyone, but we have to look at this in a realistic way. This isn't some fantasy world .

But back on subject, let's not get sidetracked from the true issue....MASTERCAM ISSUES

Can one of these patches make it so I can use turbo verify when it's not based on TOP planes? Or make it so it can actually process trochoidal cuts? Or address the tool holder collision thing I brought up in another thread? I had that problem with defining custom tools in the past. Can't think of anything else off the top of my head right now.

Andrew

Shows up in part and on verify. I would love to verify all my operations, but that as I said before, doesn't work well when you can't use "turbo" mode (part not completely based on TOP TOP planes. I don't understand though why when its told that the tool is hanging out the 1.x" why wouldn't they take the bottom of the tool holder into consideration? Mastercam knows that the tool is only so long, and the tool holder essentially starts where the tool ends, not only that, but if you look at the verify of that part, you can see just how far over the gouging occurred.

I've since modified my programs, and made my tool hang out as far as I needed. I guess my questionconcern comes back to why on earth wouldn't they take the bottom face of the tool holder into consideration? I can't imagine that it would be that hard to add into the program if holder checking in XY axis is already there.

Andrew

I knew I could do a radial toolpath, my concern is the fact that my toolholder crashes into my piece when using the HST Core roughing operation. I've got the other operations for this done, but have had to have my tools hanging out further than I would prefer.

Andrew

I made a file of something "like" what I am cutting. Good example where others can investigate, without customer situations I upped it to my server. Check the link:

z2g File (right clicksave as)

Do a backplot, ignore the crashes on the outside of the part (assume that stock is gone), but note the collisions on the tops of the bosses. This is a model I drew up quickly for a reference. The result was worse on the actual model I have been working on. During the roughing operation I used on the actual part, it left far more stock on the tops of the bosses; resulting in the tool holder rubbing rather signifigantly (more than 0.050″). Fun times as you can imagine. Believe me, I would love to verify all my parts, but when you have to wait 35+ minutes for a verify on one operation.....I feel like Any help is much appreciated. Thanks

Andrew

After much toolpath regeneration amongst other things, I decided it is time to ask why my toolholder is crashing into my work in my HST's. Here is the scenario:

12mm ball end mill

19mm Tribos holder

tool length = 1.7 (From bottom of holder)

Toolpath: HST Core Roughing

DOC= 0.095

stepover= 30% (.078" min .142" max)

Spindle = 16,000rpm

Trochoidal cuts on (default settings)

Key ingredient here:

HOlder = 19mm holder 4.1" OAL

Holder Clearance = 0.1" (though I would play it safe)

Now, in mastercam I told it that my tool was only hanging out 1.68" instead of the 1.7" that it is. I figured this would just aid in added clearance if the need be.

On with the toolpath, I get down to where the toolpath is cutting. The part is 3" tall. Imagine it is kind of like a half circle with ribs on the sides of it. The tops of the ribs are below the top (0) by about 1". For some reason Mastercam feels it is OK for the toolholder to hit the tops of these ribs, amongst other things. I have holder clearance set to .1" which should in essence be more than enough. Is mastercam not taking into account that this is a roughing operation (leaving .010" on sidesfloor) and not "remembering" that there is stock on the top of things? What am I missing here? Any thoughts or Ideas would be much appreciated. I'll give my reseller a call here in a bit after I get the machine back up and running. Boggeling me here.

Andrew

ps

x2MR2

I'll try if mastercam finishes regenerating a toolpath anytime soon . I'm still having issues with doing math in mine, I still get exactly what I showed in my picture above. I'm going to try adding spaces and see what I get. Not quite sure how they could have changed something that big accidently, maybe in reality it's something small?

Andrew

well talk about odd. hitting enter works, hitting tab doesnt. thanks for the headsup.

Andrew

Sorry, mine must be doing something screwy then. If you look at the image below, you will see that I input 12mm into my dialog box, I hit Tab to accept the value and am shown the "must be greater than 0" error. What am I doing wrong? Please note that this is for every dialog box where I would normally do a simple math equation. I also read through the "whats new" document.....while it showed new things related to math in dialog boxes, it didn't help much.

andrew

I noticed that I can no longer do math equations in any of the parameter boxes in any toolpath. So when I need to do say 20% of .5, I have to use a separate calculator rather than putting ".5x.2" in the parameter box. Any ideas? This is in MR2 and in both HST's and 2d toolpaths. THanks

Andrew

I'll call shortly, but I just sent them something in regards to the troichodal cuts. Crashing the tool into a wall. lol I love it. I might be kicking up to 45 axis shortly. We're putting a new control on our mikron. I'm pushing for it to be able to handle 2 extra axis. I'll see how that goes.

Andrew

haha sounds like a plan. We've been on maintenance for as long as I can remember. I'll give them a call today.

Andrew

gcode,

I've thought about joining the beta program. I guess I have either been busy or concerned about being "that guy" complaining about everything. Let me get my machine up and running here again, and I'll have a looksy into it. I assume I should give my reseller a call in regards to this?

Andrew

I think the biggest problem with Mastercam bug issues is that the resellers are the ones doing the work to findfix them. I understand resellers should have tech support, but at the same time, they are the resellers....not the software engineersdesigners. I can't count the number of crash reports I've sent in to QC at mastercam, asking for at least some sort of response. Not a single one. They either don't look at them, or get so many that they can't respond to them. If this is the case (and especially with Mastercam reporting record sales numbers), hire some more staff!

Andrew

CNC apps,

Glad to hear they are making headway on the uphill battle. I've been following the same tolerance guidelines there for quite some time. I do tighten them up a bit depending on the situation. Who knows....maybe before long mastercam will be able to do cam work more like solidworks.....and to think I used to think that relations and all that were crazy.

Andrew

might get the same response as each time before:

"wait for the next release"

andrew

Colin,

That is more or less my point. Basically all of my toolpaths are large, so yeah I get screwed due to the fact that if I push the ESC button once or 18 million times, I'm left to deal with either a crashed mastercam, or wait for it to finish up the toolpath and hope it doesn't take long. With the small toolpaths, it usually doesn't matter; it's short anyways, so in the amount of time that you'd be waiting for it to "esc" after one push of the button, you're ending up waiting the same amount of time as if you just let the toolpath finish out processing.

CNC apps,

Maybe if we all managed to get Mastercam to have some sort of better verify (I have done programs that will process all toolpaths for single mold in less time than mastercam will do a single cavity in, and with greater detail). Let's admit it; Mastercam is a mix n match of other manufacturers softwaretechnology. This from Company A. That from company B. It's the obvious that this is the weak point in the software. Don't we all want the same thing? A better software package? Backing up a programs weak points doesn't help anything. Explaining ways around them for now is one thing in regards to helping people out.......forgetting about the real problem is another.

Andrew

crazy^millman,

Maybe mastercam has changed their ways, but the last I understood it is that when you open multiple instances of Mastercam, it doesn't start up a new unique temp file, having the potential of things being saved improperly. I'm still told by my reseller that the safest option is to have a 2nd computer running Mastercam to do other things while your other computer crunches away. Heck they even thought I was crazy for running anything else on my computer that has Mastercam running on it (winampinternetemailetc).

88matt,

I've canceled out and still have had the toolpath go dirty. Maybe it is more in the HST's than anything else.

Anyone have any other ideas on the batch process? Is there a way to batch process and still be able to do something in Mastercam (in the same instance of mastercam) at the same time?

Andrew

CNC apps guy,

Please correct me if I'm wrong here, or am using the Batch process incorrectly, but I can not do anything else in mastercam while it is batch processing. I see that as no benefit, unless you are talking about having a 2nd instance of Mastercam open. As much as I don't mind having multiple instances of other applications open, I feel the possible cost far outweigh the benefits when it comes to multi mastercams being open.

David,

We run into that rather often as well here. Weird how if you just click on parameters, you may have to regenerate a toolpath. Anyone have an idea on this one?

Andrew

Rick,

I totally understand what you're saying, and myself have found little tricks around certain situations in the different HSM toolpaths. Heck at one of my last classes I went to, I was showing the teacher other ways around doing things than what the mastercam book said. I understand I have to work around Mastercam's shortcomings. I also understand that yes, when I'm cutting a part with a .5mm or less end mill, the processing times are going to be above average. I have had though where like JMC, I can change nothing, and the toolpath will process, but the first time (after waiting a rather long time) I will get the error of no valid cut zone.

Not only this, but I'm curious what people do when they do go to process a lengthy toolpath, when they realize they input a wrong parameter and now are stuck with the Mastercam White screen of death? I know you should always save before you do anything "substantial" in mastercam, but having to use task manager to shutdown mastercam is never fun.

Andrew

Does anyone else feel this is a huge problem? The fact that one small parameter could be "off" and the potential of hours of downtime. Huge Huge problem. I'm sure others would agree?

Andrew

Don,

Even with toying with those settings, toolpath crunch time is lengthy to say the least. Not only that, but once Mastercam starts a crunch like that, you may as well buy a yoyo and start honing your skills. Waiting 4+ hours for one toolpath is out of this world. How about the fact that Mastercam can be crunching numbers for extended periods of time, only to respond with "no valid cutting zone found"?

Purely based on the facts of:

A. Only 1 instance of Mastercam should be run at a time.

B. Mastercam has no "background" processing for toolpaths

C. Mastercams' poor verify speedsintegration

Mastercam falls behind most anything else out there.

Is mastercam the most powerful? I'm curious what oem manufacturers use. It is hard for me to fathom the idea that companies find these kinds of waiting times for single toolpaths acceptable.

Andrew

100000

9:27

XP Pro x64 SP2

AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual 4600+ 2.41ghz

2.00GB Ram

Nvidia Quadro FX560 (dual monitors)

Mastercam open on Left monitor

Firefox (3 tabs open)

Winamp (with a little Zeppelin playing ) (off external 250gb usb drive)

Calculator

Microsoft Excel (2007)

Above 4 open on Right monitor

ill do some more messing around later. gotta get other thingys done first

andrew

K yeah. I always seem to forget that it doesnt have it until I start cutting. I could instead of going from a 6mm tool to a 2mm tool, toss a 3 or 4mm in between, but I know the tools can handle the extra material, but as i'm sure you know, they just don't like when they get tossed into the corners. Now if only we could invent tools that never wore out

Andrew