Newbie-switching Z axis feed

[AiR_GuNNeR]

I'm learning Mastercam at work off hours and have been getting along pretty well figuring it out. I am performing a contour operation with 4 finish cuts, and .060 Finish steps. I have my origin set to the top of the part. When I generate the tool path, it starts above the surface and ends on the part. I tries entering in -.060 for Finish steps but negative numbers are not allowed.

How do I get MasterCam to step starting at the surface of the part?

TIA,
Eric

[beekeeper]

check where your top of stock is set and other settings are on the linking parameters page

[emonje]

& Depth. If you have selected curves from top of the part (instead of bottom) MC will cut only down to this height & you'll have to manually set cut depth to cut to final depth.
Set Depth to Absolute then put -(thickness of part) then see what happens.
Put minus sign in total depth, not in step.

[AiR_GuNNeR]

Originally Posted by beekeeper check where your top of stock is set and other settings are on the linking parameters page

Thanks beekeeper,
I see that now. I'm a bit surprised to see it there. I would have though it would be on the same page as where you set your cut per steps, etc..
By the way, I used to keep bees with my father. He still has four hives.

[AiR_GuNNeR]

Originally Posted by emonje & Depth. If you have selected curves from top of the part (instead of bottom) MC will cut only down to this height & you'll have to manually set cut depth to cut to final depth. Set Depth to Absolute then put -(thickness of part) then see what happens. Put minus sign in total depth, not in step.

Thanks emonje,
I have it working now with your and beekeeper's help. Just for grins, I selected the bottom surface and reset the depth to zero. That worked as well, but a mistake in selecting, (I think I must have picked up an extra entity), had a set of lead-ins and outs crossing the part. I fixed this easy enough once I realized that I had two separate lead ins/outs, but it had me wondering if I ever needed to do it, how can you define where the lead in and out point is?
I went through the help file, but didn't find anything.

[beekeeper]

[QUOTE=AiR_GuNNeR;967003 how can you define where the lead in and out point is?
I went through the help file, but didn't find anything.[/QUOTE]

Go to you toolpath parameters under cut parameters 2nd choice down is lead in and lead out open that up and there you can adjust your lead in and lead outs if you are wanting to start at a point create a point where you want to start select that point then chain your geometry just below the box with all the settings is the option use starting point select that and set all the above parameteres to zero the left hand side controls entry the right controls exit if you want the same for both click the arrow between them and they will move them vaues to leaad out be careful if you are using a lead out point you want to lead out to you must select it after chaining your drive chain so you would start with a point then chain your gemoemtry then the point you want to exit to. This works great when wanting to generate small holes using an endmill and dont have room for lead in and lead out and you dont want a hickey where you start and stop in the hole

[AiR_GuNNeR]

Once again, thanks for the reply beekeeper. What I am struggling with is I have created a point that I can see on the edge. I delete the original chain, then in the chain manager, I right click but the "Start Point" option is grayed out. Add chain is the only entity selection available. If I select that, I can't select only the point. Perhaps I'm creating the wrong kind of point? I created the point with Create|Point|Dynamic.
Let me know if you need any screen shots.
Thanks again,
Eric

[beekeeper]

you got a couple options is your point on the chain. the quickest would be to move it off the chain a .100 or so if posible then select the point then the chain. You might be able to select single snap on the point then select chain and chain your geometry. I think in what you are trying to do I would adjust my start and end points without point using the lead in and lead out. How you created the point shouldnt matter once created a point is well just a point.

[AiR_GuNNeR]

Since I only had to single click on edges, faces, etc...I didn't realize that you have to DOUBLE-click on points to select them...sheesh!

Thank you all for holding my hand through this....
Eric