Design and other General Features
Improved handling of Inch and Metric parts
Prior to Version 9 users had to be careful when working with files that were created in units other than the system default, especially with Toolpaths and Solids.
All part files now store information
regarding the units used to create it, when a file is loaded the configuration
file with the correct Units will be loaded if it is not already the default.
Files can be converted from Inch to
Metric or Metric to Inch by going into Screen, Configure and changing the
current configuration file from one unit to another. When the file is saved it
will store the units it was converted to. Users also have the ability to have
Mastercam automatically scale the part during this process.
The
icon at the lower-left corner of the screen also includes the current system
units as well.
Some of the sample files used as examples are only available in Inch or Metric to serve as an example of this new functionality.
Chaining option - Surface Edges available for Single Selection
A new chaining option allowing users to select a surface edge when in Single selection mode is now available. Prior to Version 9 users first had to create edge curves on the surface first. With this option set the system will automatically create the edge curve and use it with the function currently in use. Use the sample part Surface Edge Selection.MC9 to experiment with this new capability.
Chaining option – Sorting of Nested Chains
Since the release of Mastercam’s new Nesting product there has been a need to allow more control over the sorting of chains during selection. This is critical when creating toolpaths for a Router because of how the material is held on the table. The machine needs to cut the inside nested chains first before the outer chains. Here users can select Inside to Out, Outside to Inside, including optimization. There is also a new switch to reverse the direction of inner chains so compensation of Contour toolpaths will happen on the correct side. You can load Nested Chain Sorting.MC9 to see the results of each option.
Chaining Option – Dynamic Start Positions
Mastercam has always relied on endpoints, and in some cases the midpoints, of entities to create toolpaths. In Version 9 users have the ability to dynamically change the start point of a chain to anywhere along the chains boundary. This can be done during the initial chain selection by selecting the Change Start menu option or by editing existing toolpaths with the Start Point option found in the Chain Manager accessed through the geometry icon in the Operations Manager. This capability is available in both Mill and Lathe.
Expanded Attributes Settings
The Style / Width dialog box found in the Version 8 secondary menu has been enhanced to include all possible attributes. Users can still change Color and Level independently, but they can also set them along with Line Style, Line Width, and Point Style in one location.
Printing and Plotting line widths
As printers and plotters have been introduce with higher resolution the lines output from Mastercam have become increasingly harder to see. This has been especially difficult when faxing the output. With Version 9 users can control the pixel width of the printed output. This will create bolder prints without forcing the user to modify their line widths in the MC9 file. This change affects printing and plotting only when Windows drivers are used. Defaults for this and other settings can be set in Screen, Configure, CAD Settings, Hardcopy.
Entity Attribute Manager
In response to many user requests for more ways to manage the geometry inside of Mastercam we have created the Entity Attribute Manager. This new function, found under the Attributes button in the secondary menu, allows users to set specific rules for what attributes are used in the creation of entities. With minimal keystrokes users can setup the system so that all dimensions are created on Level 100, in Red, with a Line Width of 2. As long as the Entity Attribute Manager is active all dimensions will be created with those attributes without forcing the user to set them before starting. The same rules can be applied to existing files or during translations from IGES, DWG or any other file format supported by Mastercam. To access the EA Manager open the Attributes dialog box, activate the EA Mgr switch, and press the EA Mgr button.
Autosave
A new option to save the part after every Toolpath operation is created or generated has been added. Instead of being strictly time based the system will save the file when important data is being created.
Improved Selection Masking
With Version 9 it is now easier to set a specific selection mask. A new tree structure improves access to all entity types. The attributes information is now available on the same dialog box, making it much more efficient to define your selection mask.
View Manager
In an effort to make working with named views for Graphics, Construction, and Toolpaths, we have created the View Manager. Users can now create, name, edit, and activate named views from a single dialog box. The View Manager can be accessed from the Named menu option in C-Plane and T-plane found on the secondary menu. The View Manager is also part of the new WCS functionality
Working Coordinate Systems
One of the changes inside of Version 9 that can greatly increase productivity in many ways is the new WCS, or Work Coordinate System. The WCS is found in the secondary menu and is part of the new View Manager dialog box. Mastercam has always been a 3D product with a single Work Coordinate System defined around the Top View. The WCS provides the ability to temporarily reassign which View is the Top. This is especially helpful when working with Aerospace or Automotive parts that were created in the orientation to where they are being used in the whole project. Use the sample files WCS 1.MC9 and WCS 2.MC9 to experiment with this powerful feature.
Improved Right-Click Menu
Options for Dynamic Pan and Zoom have been added to the right-click menu. A new option in Screen, Configure, Screen allows the use of “Free Mode” during Dynamic spin. This method of dynamically rotating the part is similar to many of today’s current CAD products.
Delete Duplicates
Users now have the ability to determine exactly what defines a duplicate entity. In previous versions of Mastercam only X, Y, Z coordinates were considered when determining duplicates. Unfortunately this could remove geometry that users wanted to keep. Now users can use any combination of attributes to determine if two entities are identical. Load Delete Duplicates.MC9 and follow the instructions found in File, Properties.
Alternate Configurations at Startup
With Version 9 users can use any configuration file when starting Mastercam. Prior to this change the software would always start with either the Inch or the Metric configuration file for the system defaults. This always forced users to load customized config files, which could easily be forgotten. Now multiple users on the same system can customize the Mastercam shortcuts to load their specific configurations. By editing the target line in the Mastercam shortcut any customized CFG file can be loaded at startup.
Analyze - Small Surfaces
From time to time users have run into problems with surface files created on other CAD systems. We often find small surfaces lying on top of existing surfaces that complicate calculations or give results that a less than desired. This has especially been apparent while developing some of the new Solids capabilities for Version 9. The small surfaces function allows the user to specify a minimum surface area. It interrogates the part, identifies the surfaces smaller than the designated area and allows the user to change the color so they then can decide what to do with them. The part Small Surfaces.MC9 contains an extra surface that creates an open sheet solid; follow the directions in the File, Properties of the MC9 file to experiment with this feature. These small surfaces affect toolpaths negatively as well. We often find surfaces that have an area smaller than the total tolerance for machining. Most of the time these small surfaces have little effect on the final toolpath, but they can slow down calculations. It can be helpful to analyze every CAD Model that is imported for surface machining. Set the minimum surface area to be the same as your toolpath tolerance, then you can identify and deal with any small surfaces that exist in the part.
Analyze – Check Solid
As more and more people import Solids from other systems into Mastercam we are discovering that some of the imported data contains errors that cause problems with Toolpaths. The Check Solid option interrogates a Solid to identify any problems that could result in bad toolpaths. Check Solid is found in the Analyze, Surfaces menu just below the Small Surfaces option.
Analyze Edit - Redefine
A redefine button has been introduced for Lines, Arcs, and Points. This enables the user to completely recreate the entity without changing it’s ID#. This is especially useful when drastic changes need to be made to Wireframe entities used in Solids or Toolpath creation. Prior to this change users were forced move each endpoint one at a time.
Create
All of the functions found on the second page of the Create menu have been modified to increase efficiency and ease of use.
Create – Chamfer
This functions dialog box has been redefined for ease of use. Select the method of 1 Distance, 2 Distances, or Distance and Angle, and the dialog box changes to prompt for the correct input. This function also supports line-to-arc and arc-to-arc chamfers in addition to the line-to-line capabilities found in Version 8.
Create - Letters
This function has been greatly simplified and reorganized with a single dialog box. Now each of the 3 methods works identically.
Create – Pattern
A simplified interface along with the ability to preview parts before they are loaded makes this feature easier to use.
Create – Ellipse and Polygon
These functions have been improved with an easier interface and more feedback to users so there is no guesswork in what is being created.
Create – Bounding Box
This useful function has been upgraded for Version 9 with a Dialog Box that matches the one found in Job Setup.
Create – Spiral/Helix
The ability to create Spirals and Helixes has been added to the long list of Create options available in Mastercam. This function incorporates the abilities of the Spiral and Thelix c-hook utilities into a single, easy to use, dialog box.
Create – Add-Ins
This new menu contains three items, Fplot, Gear, and Htable. These are standard C-hooks that have been distributed with Mastercam for several versions. Creating the Add-ins menu frees up more room in Create, and makes more room for users and 3rd party software developers to add new features.
Modify – Drag
A new dialog box improves the interaction at the same time more capabilities have been added.
Xform – Squash
The Squash functionality available in Version 8 only as a c-hook utility has been added to Xform. Squash enables users to flatten geometry on to the current Construction Plane at a desired depth. Use the sample Squash.MC9 to experiment with this capability.
Xform – Scale and Scale XYZ
These two functions have been combined into a single dialog box. Users have the option of Uniform or XYZ scaling. When a type is selected the dialog box changes to allow for the input needed for that option.
Entities in Background Color
Now when users are warned about entities in the background color they are given an opportunity to change the color immediately.
Dialog Box Focus
Version 9 will now remember the last tab visible in a specific dialog box and make it visible the next time the function is entered. A nice feature when working with dialog boxes with multiple tabs.
Function Key Mapping
Function key mapping has been expanded to include F11 and F12.
