New user with a Cam tech router and Master cam 7.1 and 9.1 need info Re: config

[jrm7997]

We have a 48"x48" Cam tech router with Master cam 7.1 and 9.1. I have two students that are interested in using this equipment but we can't get it running.

I understand there is two pieces of software. Camplot and Master Cam.

This is what we have done so far. Hopefully someone can point us in the right direction.

We have installed Master cam 7.1 on our fastest available computer. We have a copy of 9.1 but didn't install it because it arrived from another school weeks after we started. 9.1 is installed on a slower computer so a second student could at least start learning the software.

Next we installed camplot. As per the old instructions I change two lines in mill7.cfg. Line 414 nc file to C:\camplot and line 508 changed nc to read cnc and line 550 to make camtech.pst the default post.

I moved a copy of camplot.pst into the c:\mill7\pst directory.

At this point we are stuck. I started camplot and tried to get it to send the img info but it failed. Would someone have a nice order of operation to configure this system? I don't even know if I have the right order of changes to make. Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

[mastercamguru]

I'm not sure what Camplot is, but there is nothing holding you back. Mastercam is all you need to get the machine up and running . Mastercam v7.1 amd v9.1 are somewhat the same until you toolpath, then they are different animals. My advice is to use the most current version available. Maybe v7.1 will be ok for drafting, and 9.1 for drafting and toolpathing. Reason why is, I remember v7.1 as not having an operations manager, and if I remember correctly, doesn't save toolpaths in the part file, only an NCI file. If you are licensed for more than one seat of v9.1, start with a clean install of v9.1 on both computers. If you have modified the config file without creating a backup, a clean install will revert you to original configuration. If there is a post file for Camplot that is useful for your machine, add it to posts directory(you can select it from within Mastercam - if you really need it). I would say you are ready to learn Mastercam now. No other software should be necessary. Camplot sounds like an application to verify toolpaths, which you don't really need. Mastercam v9.1 has backplot and verify, which should be fine to verify the toolpath for function and safety. No third party software should be needed for any reason.

[tobyaxis]

We have a 48"x48" Cam tech router with Master cam 7.1 and 9.1. I have two students that are interested in using this equipment but we can't get it running.

I understand there is two pieces of software. Camplot and Master Cam.

This is what we have done so far. Hopefully someone can point us in the right direction.

We have installed Master cam 7.1 on our fastest available computer. We have a copy of 9.1 but didn't install it because it arrived from another school weeks after we started. 9.1 is installed on a slower computer so a second student could at least start learning the software.

Next we installed camplot. As per the old instructions I change two lines in mill7.cfg. Line 414 nc file to C:camplot and line 508 changed nc to read cnc and line 550 to make camtech.pst the default post.

I moved a copy of camplot.pst into the c:mill7pst directory.

At this point we are stuck. I started camplot and tried to get it to send the img info but it failed. Would someone have a nice order of operation to configure this system? I don't even know if I have the right order of changes to make. Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

You might be able to get some answers on the Emastercam Forum. These guys know their Mastercam.

You can also try to find out from the original Dealer in which the Software was purchased. They may have a record of the configurations needed.

Here is a link to the Emastercam Forum.

[cadcam]

Mastercam 7.1 was the intro to the ops manager and the option for solids in MC. this was the first attempt at tool path associativity. tis was only in the 2d paths as V8 came the options for surfacing and multi axis. as for the drawing and paths there was allot of changes. One simple one is the integration of the WCS system.

I do say install the 9.1 as this will be easer for most including Mastercam EDU to help. as V7 has gone to Sunset and is no longer supported.

As for using the camplot as your post for the machine. do we know what version this is setup for as it may only support 7.1 or 9.1. I am postive that it will not support both as the NCI has change between the to two versions of MC.

I know this really does not get you going but we need to start some were.

[jrm7997]

Thanks. I think today I will have them move V9.1 onto the computer hooked up to the router. It makes sense to have the newer software operating with the router.

I understand that V9.1 will recognize the post and eliminate camplot as the intermediary between the router and software for setting up the tool paths. However, with camplot I think you needed to send the operating system to the router consul. Without the OS I don't think there is any other way of making the consul work. That would mean that I will still need to have camplot operating.

I will check out Emastercam right now.

The original dealer for this system is long gone. We do have a master cam dealer locally and I may still contact them but I don't have any hope of spending money with them. Tight school budgets.

Thanks for the responses I'll let you know how it works out.

[hans@eureka-tec]

CAMPLOT is a job spooler-downloader that makes the table operate. No other program will send jobs to the machine, not MasterCAM not anything 3rd party, only CAM Tech's Camplot and TPCWin.
The MasterCAM Driver simply generates the dialect of Gcode that CAMPLOT understands which is then converted to it's own format (*.DSA) and sent to the machine.
CAMPLOT was CAM Tech's path to standard Gcode and Windows, previously a DOS program was used to generate toolpaths.

CAMPLOT handles com port communication and first boots the machine (sends the operating system CMC.IMG), then send any and all valid jobs in the c:\camplot folder. Valid jobs include *.plt, *.dxf, *.rdy and of course the Gcode files *.ncc, *.cnc, *.nc.

Once the job is translated and sent, the original job is moved to the C:\Camplot\Complete folder.
If a job is too large to fit at the controller, CAMPLOT will offer to SPOOL the job (a cumbersome and slow affair).

If you are having problems getting CAMPLOT to talk to the machine, try different com ports in CAMPLOT, try Windows in Safe Mode, try opening the C:\Windows\Camplot.ini and remove the Ignore com port= line (restart CAMPLOT).
Any other problems contact me - I can help!

Hans

[jrm7997]

Wow this is an old post Hans. Thanks for the response as it is still relevant. In fact, we just got the last version updated to X5 and are waiting on a new computer to run it.

I was just thinking about the camplot INI and getting the post program from In-House solutions, our mastercam supplier.

I laughed when I read the last paragraph. The serial port problem was my number one reason for hating the camtech table. Once it was running it worked great but ......

Hopefully we will be up and running again in the next month or two. It will depend on our tech department and how quickly they supply and connect the new computer. One of the bad parts about a school district.

Thanks again and I am sure I will be posting more about this in the near future.

BTW, I have printed this out because I expect the serial port problem again.

CAMPLOT is a job spooler-downloader that makes the table operate. No other program will send jobs to the machine, not MasterCAM not anything 3rd party, only CAM Tech's Camplot and TPCWin.
The MasterCAM Driver simply generates the dialect of Gcode that CAMPLOT understands which is then converted to it's own format (*.DSA) and sent to the machine.
CAMPLOT was CAM Tech's path to standard Gcode and Windows, previously a DOS program was used to generate toolpaths.

CAMPLOT handles com port communication and first boots the machine (sends the operating system CMC.IMG), then send any and all valid jobs in the c:\camplot folder. Valid jobs include *.plt, *.dxf, *.rdy and of course the Gcode files *.ncc, *.cnc, *.nc.

Once the job is translated and sent, the original job is moved to the C:\Camplot\Complete folder.
If a job is too large to fit at the controller, CAMPLOT will offer to SPOOL the job (a cumbersome and slow affair).

If you are having problems getting CAMPLOT to talk to the machine, try different com ports in CAMPLOT, try Windows in Safe Mode, try opening the C:\Windows\Camplot.ini and remove the Ignore com port= line (restart CAMPLOT).
Any other problems contact me - I can help!

Hans

[hans@eureka-tec]

We are working on a snap-in replacement for the old CAM Tech CMC2 controller, which allows the table being run from a laptop (anything Windows with a USB port).
This also make it easer for using large files at the table as there now is no file size limit.
Check Eureka-cnc.com for progress.

Hans