MastercamX not so easy with easy projects

[X7racer]

OK I have some very simple projects. the project is to make a logo on a sign, all i have is a rough drawing of the lines I need to follow, easy enough to draw out until I tried to get a toolpath to follow them, in Mastercam the only options (I see)are to go to the left or right of the line I laid out. How can I get Mastercam to let me make a toolpath down the center of the line without giving me errors like open boundries or open chains, or facing everything except the line?

All I am trying do is have my .750 bull nose endmill follow the line I laid out at a specific depth that I specify. I also am not using the full width of he endmill, just need the radius.

[tstom]

If your trying to use contour set your compensation type to "off" and the cutter will follow the geometry centerline

If Mastercam says you have open chains...you do ..most of the letters are just lines and arcs try windowing in the letters instead of picking the letters individually it will ask you for a search point just pick a point on one of the letters if it doesn't complete the chain then you have to fix the geometry

post a file if you need more help there are plenty of guys here that are willing
do a search for a video by CNCadmin on engraving he lays it all out for you

Nothing worth doing is easy but this is a pretty easy operation in MC

[cadcam]

Review this video.
http://www.mastercam-cadcam.com/engr...raving101.html

[X7racer]

Wow great!
This is what I was looking for, excellent information.
It's not easy learning so many different cad/cam programs, Bobcad for my wire EDM's, Camworks for my lathe, and now learning Mastercam for the machine center.
Something else just came up that maybe someone can explain, but has been happening since I got this computer/Mastercam setup, when I save a file to my hard drive I get a error message saying " cannot write file please check your read only file attributes", It works fine saving to my USB flash drive and from there I can manually transfer them back to my hard drive. Does anyone else know about this issue?

One more thing, the feed and speed calculations that Mastercam comes up with seem excessively slow or fast from my experience, for example, cutting a .250 slot in cold roll steel, .125 depth. with a .250 Tin flat roughing end mill, came up with .91 feed rate and spindle speed of 611. This is way to slow from my experience, normally the same situation on the Bridgeport would be 6 inches per minute and a spindle speed of 3000. On the other way I used a .500 carbide endmill making a .375 deep slot in cold roll steel and Mastercam came in the neighborhood of 6.8 IPM with 600 RPM, needless to say it snapped the $20.00 bit the minute it started cutting. So what can be done about this to make the correct calculations?

Thanks again, Dave

[Mike Mattera]

There are some support files that might be written when your working on a job. I would write everything to the Hard drive and then copy iy to the flash when you need to move it.

Suggestion: Get rid of BobCam and Camworks and use Mastercam for everything. 1 system, with 1 set of consistent rules for everything.

Mike Mattera

[g-codeguy]

Originally Posted by X7racer Wow great! This is what I was looking for, excellent information. It's not easy learning so many different cad/cam programs, Bobcad for my wire EDM's, Camworks for my lathe, and now learning Mastercam for the machine center. Something else just came up that maybe someone can explain, but has been happening since I got this computer/Mastercam setup, when I save a file to my hard drive I get a error message saying " cannot write file please check your read only file attributes", It works fine saving to my USB flash drive and from there I can manually transfer them back to my hard drive. Does anyone else know about this issue? One more thing, the feed and speed calculations that Mastercam comes up with seem excessively slow or fast from my experience, for example, cutting a .250 slot in cold roll steel, .125 depth. with a .250 Tin flat roughing end mill, came up with .91 feed rate and spindle speed of 611. This is way to slow from my experience, normally the same situation on the Bridgeport would be 6 inches per minute and a spindle speed of 3000. On the other way I used a .500 carbide endmill making a .375 deep slot in cold roll steel and Mastercam came in the neighborhood of 6.8 IPM with 600 RPM, needless to say it snapped the $20.00 bit the minute it started cutting. So what can be done about this to make the correct calculations? Thanks again, Dave

I've never given a thought to how Mastercam came up with their feeds and speeds. I always change them to how I want the tool to run. Besides editing each tool as you program it, there are at least 2 other ways to come up with the feeds and speeds. Both undoubtedly better for you than what Mastercam suggests because you are the one who sets them.

Previously I always modified the feeds & speeds when I programmed the tool. That is because I seldom used Mastercam for the final G-code program. I usually just cut-and pasted a path into my manual program. I now have to do everything in Mastercam.

So my preferred method at this time is going to be to set feeds and speeds in a material library for all the various materials we run. Mastercam can be set to run the feeds and speeds from the material library. This way I will only need one tool library. The library may get a little big, but you can always select to show only those related to a specific type operation. Example: Right Hand, Groove, O.D. tools only.

I had originally started tool libraries for each material. Feeds and speeds were set for each tool in the library. Mastercam can be set to run the feeds and speeds from the tool. Didn't take me long to limit my tool libraries to three. I then wound up editing the feeds and speeds anyway.

At this stage in the game I feel it is more advantageous for me to use Material libraries to set my feeds and speeds.

Sorry, but I can't help you with your first question. I consider myself computer illiterate. Kind of sad for a guy who has been using one for 23 years to program lathes .

[cajahawa]

You may need to check your write privileges for Mastercam if you are unable to save to a drive. If you have an IT person they should be able to help.

[X7racer]

Thanks for the responses.
As to respond to Mike M, I wish I could use one program, unfortunately, the government contracts and engineers are very specific and use BobCad proprietary files, If I was to convert them, well lets say I would end up staring at steel bars for a very long time, same goes for the Camworks and the lathe, different government engineering company using proprietary files. I make parts for the AR15 rifle and some sort of missile parts.
G-codeguy, I have been setting up my own tools to, it's getting easier, I just have a lot of tools and probably will continue setting the feed and speeds manually until someone comes up with the right stuff.
cajahawa, hmm call the IT guy huh??! **** I am the IT guy, and the machine guy, the electrical guy, plumbing guy, gopher guy, etc. etc, haha, only running a 2 man shop here, I think I figured it out though.
Thanks for the responses, they have all been very helpful.