Mazatrol MatrixCAM

[CNCRim]

Offline programming only.
How is it? Compare it with Camlink?

[MrMazak]

MatrixCam is a pc version of your control. There is no file management at all. The cad interface is weak and it is tied to one computer due to a pci card that has the Mazatrol system software on it. Avoid it, it is a poor cad/cam solution compared to MazaCam or even Camlink.

[jimiscnc]

Mr Mazak nails it. But I'll embellish it anyway. Matrixcam is offered in 3 versions; T, M and MT, in any and all combination's. At the Mazak Tech Centers it is used for mazatrol training and is very very good for that.

The coolest thing about it is that you can "replicate" any Matrix controlled machine on a fully equipped seat of Matrixcam, so if you're starting out with Matrix equipped Mazaks and stick with nothing but Mazaks it will prove to be a great benefit over time to have Matrixcam.

Matrixcam and the obscure Mazak Camware also available from Mazak co-exist in a schizophrenic fashion.

Mazak Camware was developed by Mazak UK and is roughly equivalent to Solutionware or Griffo in it's functionality.

Mazak, when I was there, wanted to delineate the two products - Camware was forbidden to migrate to Matrix compatible, so Mazak expected customers to buy both systems if they had multiple Mazak generations to support.

Camware covers from T1/M1 through Fusion ONLY.
Matrixcam covers Matrix, and perhaps what ever new control comes next. Mazatrol generations last roughly five years, so 2011 may be the year for next generation Mazatrol?

Matrixcam does offer a few features not available at the machine: a difficult to master 2D CAD package that is integrated into Mazatrol arbitrary shape programming. You can draw the shape with this and it will pop the geometry right into the figure portion of the Mazatrol Unit.

The second dubious additional benefit is that you can reverse post Matrix source programs into Fusion compatible programs. Can't do that at the machine. (FYI - per corporate Mazak policy, it is possible to load Fusion Programs directly into Matrix machines. You have to fill in the blanks where Fusion had no equivalent function. Matrix lathe controls, for example, allow the stock allowance to be specified per unit, and Fusion this info was in the first line (AKA "common unit") and could only be mentioned once per program.)

Matrixcam is a wonderful device to help Mazak customer support deal with issues. Customers can email the "machine cam data save" file to Mazak and the tech will have a 100% carbon copy of the entire machine, including parameters, programs and tool data and even alarm history. This is wonderful capability I used to use all the time. However, if I was an end user shopping around for Mazatrol capability on the PC, Matrixcam would be my enthusiastic fourth choice!

-jim

[CNCRim]

Thanks Mazak and special to Jim, give me the information I looking for.

[psychomill]

These are all good points and I didn't think of MatrixCam in this manner. I don't use it as a programming platform but as a "machine" platform. Since I can replicate any machine with it (Matrix controls), that's what I use it for. I can check EIA or Mazatrol, change machine parameters, run macros, check barriers and other interferences, any codes available, etc, etc. It's a also a good training tool for the "new" guys....

However, if you're looking to use it as a CAD/CAM solution, I'd go with something more intended for that. You can certainly program with MatrixCam for EIA or Mazatrol, but the graphics are comparable to what you have at the machine. But as I've always believed, that's what MatrixCam was intended for... machine control simulation... not a full blown CAD platform...

[riccardo]

where i can find offline programming?

bye

[CNCRim]

Originally Posted by riccardo where i can find offline programming? bye

Which offline programming you want? Mazak Matrix? go to mazak web.