What’s
New in Mastercam X MR1/SP2
This release of Mastercam X serves as both a Service Pack for those customers who do not have current Maintenance and as a Maintenance Release for those who do. If you have active Maintenance, the title bar at the top of the Mastercam window will say “MR1.” Those without active Maintenance will display “SP2.” All users share in the corrections we made since SP1, but only Maintenance users have access to the newest and hottest functionality. We do not guarantee that every time we issue a Maintenance Release, a parallel Service Pack will accompany it, but in this case, we believe that an SP is appropriate.
This release also includes several videos about new functionality in Mastercam X MR1/SP2. To view these videos, go to the \Documentation folder and double-click on the Mastercam X MR1.html file. You will need the latest version of Macromedia® Flash® to view the videos, which you can download from http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash. You can also view the videos using the Windows Media Player 9 Series or later, or Microsoft Internet Explorer. To download or update the Windows Media Player, go to the Windows Web site, http://www.microsoft.com/downloads, and choose Windows Media Player.
Important Installation Issues
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Wire General Subtle Interaction Change for General Selection Windowing Version 7 Color Dialog Box Layout Level Manager Contrasting Row Colors Router |
Mill · New Dialog Box Layout for Toolpaths · Scallop · Raster · Pencil · New Tool Holder Definition and Gouge Checking · HST Icon Mastercam External Communications Bugs Fixed in MR1/SP2 |
Important Installation Issues
CNC Software recommends that you install Mastercam X MR1/SP2 in the /mcamx directory, replacing your current Mastercam X installation. However, Mastercam X MR1/SP2 can be installed in a separate folder (McamX-MR1) and can coexist with a previous Mastercam X version on a single computer. If you choose to do this, the installation program will give you the opportunity to preserve settings you have customized by running a migration utility that copies customizable files (for example, configuration files, machine and control definitions, post processors, etc.) to the new installation folder. It does not copy part files.
The Mastercam X MR1/SP2 migration utility copies all user-created customizable files as well as CNC Software-provided files that have changed (that is, files that have a modify date different from the creation date). It also backs up newly installed customizable files. To do this, the utility creates a filename.bak in the same folder before replacing the installed file with the customized file of the same name. This assures that you will have access to both customized files and the newly installed versions.
The Mastercam X MR1/SP2 migration utility copies files from the following folders in your existing Mastercam X folder to the same folder structure in the new installation:
Note: Files marked read-only will not
be copied.
|
Directory |
Files |
File extensions |
|
(root directory) |
NetHASP configuration (nethasp.ini) Communications settings (mcomm.cfg) |
mcomm.cfg |
|
\cnc_machines |
Component libraries |
.gmd |
|
\config |
Configuration files Machine definitions Control defintions Key mappings Toolbar mappings Note: The default config files (mcamx.config and mcamxm.config) will be migrated if they have been modified. |
.config .mmd, .lmd, .rmd, .wmd .control .kmp .mtb |
|
\lathe\ops |
Operation libraries |
.operations |
|
\lathe\posts |
Post processors |
.pst |
|
\lathe\tools |
Tool libraries |
.tools |
|
\mill\ops |
Operation libraries |
.operations |
|
\mill\posts |
Post processors |
.pst |
|
\mill\tools |
Tool libraries |
.tools |
|
\router\ops |
Operation libraries |
.operations |
|
\router\posts |
Post processors |
.pst |
|
\router\tools |
Tool libraries |
.tools |
|
\wire\ops |
Operation libraries |
.operations |
|
\wire\posts |
Post processors |
.pst |
|
\wire\power |
Power libraries |
.power |
|
\common\editors\mastercam\machines |
|
.xml |
|
\nesting |
Nesting defaults |
.defx .nslx |
|
\materials |
Material libraries |
.materials |
|
\vb |
VB Scripts |
.vbs |
Note: C-Hooks will not be
migrated because of possible incompatibility with Mastercam X MR1/SP2. Please
contact the C-Hook vendor for an updated version. Updated CNC Software C-Hooks
will be installed automatically.
The Mastercam X MR1/SP2 migration
utility also migrates the current user registry settings for the user who is
running the installation program, unless a registry entry for Mastercam X
MR1-SP2 already exists.
Mastercam X Wire
The MR1/SP2 release includes Mastercam Wire. The MR1/SP2 release includes the first release of Mastercam Wire on the Mastercam X platform. For more information about this product’s features and functions, see the Mastercam X Wire Getting Started Guide, the Mastercam X Transition Guide revised for MR1, and the Mastercam X online help.
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|
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Documentation and Online Help
Introducing Mastercam X MR1 documents the major MR1 enhancements. It fully describes the new surface high speed toolpaths and the Toolpath Editor. This document is also incorporated in the Reference Guide. It is installed automatically in the \Documentation folder and is published only in PDF.
The Post Parameter Reference has been updated and expanded to include screen captures of all the machine definition, control definition, and machine group properties pages, annotated with the parameter number or pre-defined variable name for every field. A “What’s New” section describes the key changes to MP for Mastercam X. It also has been updated with the latest 20000 series tool parameters and operation parameters for the new high speed surface toolpaths. It is installed automatically in the \Documentation folder and is published only in PDF.
The Mastercam X Wire Getting Started Guide covers the basics of wire geometry creation, wire machine and control definitions, and gives an overview of wirepaths and parameters. It is intended as a companion to the Mastercam X Getting Started Guide. This document is installed automatically in the \Documentation folder and is published only in PDF.
The Mastercam X Transition Guide (Revision 1.02) provides step-by-step instructions for tasks that a user may need to perform when upgrading from previous Mastercam versions. It has been updated to include Wire tasks such as migrating power settings libraries, and using the new flushing options in the machine definition. It also provides a detailed procedure for moving machine and control definition files and post processors. This document is installed automatically in the \Documentation folder and is published only in PDF.
In addition, the online help has been updated throughout to reflect all of the many MR1 enhancements, great and small. Video clips have been integrated with the online help for high speed surface toolpaths to complement the overview videos by focusing on specific new toolpath techniques made possible by the new toolpaths, such as toolpath filleting, use of tool holders, and linking strategies.
About Box
With the ability to update your software so easily from one version or update to another, we realized that there is a need to report the date of the executable file and to give you details on any updates you have run. The Details button will open a new window and show you the updates you have installed to that point so you can tell exactly what you are running.
Graphics
Until now, users running with a gradient background noticed that after deleting entities, a “ghost image” of those entities in the non-gradient background color was still visible on the screen. MR1 takes care of the need to refresh the screen by adding a stencil buffer to handle these cases.
Chaining
To make everyone more efficient in chaining, we have added hot keys to simplify the interaction. Now you can set the chaining method using the following keys instead of having to change the mode with the mouse: C=Chain, P=Partial, T=Point, W=Window, A=Area, S=Single, G=Polygon, V=Vector, L=Last, E=End chain, U=Unselect, and R=Reverse.
Create Circle Edge Point
A minor change was made to this function to have a 2-point circle rather than a 3-point circle as the default.
Create Arc Tangent
Based on user requests, we added more options to this function. Arc Tangent to 3 Entities, Circle Tangent to 3 Entities, and Arc Tangent to 2 Entities (Non-trimmed Fillet) have been added for your convenience.
Bolt Circle
This option is no longer just a .NETHook. It has been added to the drop-down menu bar under Create.
Silhouette Boundary
A new C-Hook called SilhouetteBoundary.dll has been added to simplify the creation of tool containment boundaries for machining. It prompts you to select surfaces or solids, and upon selection, it produces entities that can be used for a tool containment boundary. The entities are created in the current Cplane at the current Z depth. At this time, this function is only intended for tool containment boundaries. The resulting boundaries may not always be accurate enough to be used for other purposes.
Clearing the Selection List
We received many requests for a simple way to clear the selected list of entities. Starting in MR1/SP2, if [Esc] is pressed while no function is currently active, the selection list is cleared.
Surfaces
Extensive work has gone into rewriting and improving surface trimming, creation of edge curves on surfaces, surface flowline creation, and creation of curves at surface intersections. All of these changes should make it easier for you to create, edit, and manipulate models as needed for machining. Future releases will contain even more improvements to surface modeling.
Solid Extrusion Chaining
We made it easier in MR1 to change the direction of the solid being created. Instead of having to open an option to change the direction of the normal arrow, pick the chain and the direction arrow flips for you. This is a real timesaver!
Solid Chaining for Toolpaths
We improved the ability to set the chain direction when selecting edges and loops on solids. It now works like normal wireframe chaining.
Subtle Interaction Change for General Selection Windowing
We received many comments regarding how easy it is to accidentally begin a window selection by just clicking in the graphics window. We made a small change to window selection in General Selection and Chaining that will eliminate this nuisance. The first point of a window selection will not be created unless you hold down the mouse button and move the mouse before releasing the button. The interaction for window selection is now Click-hold-move-release-click. This may take a few tries to get used to, but you will quickly realize that it eliminates many inadvertent windows and reduces keystrokes.
Version 7 Color Dialog Box Layout
A number of users have asked about the C-Hook that changes the layout of the Color dialog box back to the dialog used in Version 7. We have included this C-Hook (V7COLORS.DLL) in MR1/SP2. If you use this C-Hook and then realize that you don’t like the way the Version 7 colors were laid out, you can reset them by opening the Customize tab of the Colors dialog box and choosing the Reset button. Then make sure you open your Configuration file and save the change.
Level Manager Contrasting Row Colors
Many users have asked for a way to turn off the contrasting colors used on alternating rows in the Level Manager. You can now right-click in the Level Manager to turn contrasting rows on or off.
The default state is to have the Contrast Rows turned off, and whatever setting you choose will be saved in the registry. From now on, the Version 9 Level Manager will only show the outlines.
Reset Cplane to Top
Many users have requested that we add back the functionality that automatically resets the Cplane to Top when you switch to the Isometric view. To accommodate everyone, we added a Configuration option to the CAD Settings page called Reset C-plane to Top in Iso Gview to perform this function. By default, this option is on, so if you liked the new way it was working in X, you will need to turn it off.
General Router
· Block drill operations get their feed rate/spindle speed from defaults regardless of toolpath properties.
· We added a new and improved block drill definition wizard to the Machine Definition interface.
Block Drill Definition (details)
In order to take advantage of the new block drill definition tool, it is much easier to create an empty block drill from the right mouse button context menu in the Machine Configuration window of the Machine Definition Manager. Select the menu option as shown below:
This will bring you to the block drill component properties page with an empty block drill pre-loaded into the station browser. Select Create from the right mouse button menu as shown below:
This will bring you to the new Block definition dialog where you can define a complete block and even populate the stations with a default drill with just a few simple mouse clicks
· New icons for easy aggregate tool identification.
Nesting
There have been several changes to the sorting options available in toolpath nesting. The Advanced button in the sorting options group box has been corrected to open the Advanced Sorting dialog box.
We also changed how database order works for this release. Prior to MR1/SP2, database order was actually the order the parts got nested onto the sheet. Typically, this means large parts first, and then smaller parts to fill in. This option is now called None (nested order). The new Database option respects the order in which the operations appear in Mastercam’s database rather than nested order.
There are two new check boxes available when using the Maximum Vacuum option. The first option allows nesting to re-order chains within a single operation that contains multiple chains. The second option gives nesting permission to re-order operations within each cluster.
Door
The Door program has been improved to allow better interaction with Mastercam’s Automatic Toolpathing (ATP). The level names are now automatically maintained.
We also added the ability to export each individual door to a separate MCX file so the entire directory can be automatically imported into an ATP session.
Toolpath Editor
Based on user requests for editing capabilities similar to Version 9, the Toolpath Editor has been brought into Mastercam X. To access the function, right-click on the operation you wish to edit in the Toolpath Manager and choose Toolpath Editor. The functionality is the same as Version 9.
Multi-Pass Thread Mill
The thread mill toolpath has been expanded to support multiple rough passes, multiple finish passes, and multiple spring passes. Override control for feed rate and spindle speed are available for the finish passes.
New High Speed Toolpaths
Seven new high speed surface machining (HST) toolpaths have
been incorporated into MR1/SP2. These are new toolpaths which include a new
interface for toolpath creation. These
new toolpath types are tailored to high speed machining because they offer smooth
cutting motion and smooth entry/exits. But they are also useful for many
machining applications because they offer several cutting styles, you can
change the cutting style easily, and they have controls like steep/shallow
angle limits, rest passes, and holder gouge checking. We plan to add much
more to HST in future releases.
There are a few
functions in the HST toolpaths for Mastercam X MR1/SP2 to which we would like
to draw your attention. For more detailed information on these new toolpaths, please
see the Mastercam online help files.
1)
Rest passes in Area Clearance and Core
Roughing – HST has the ability to
define a theoretical roughing tool in nearly all toolpath types. The
theoretical roughing tool is used to clip the toolpath so it cuts with the
smaller finish tool only in places where the larger roughing tool didn’t
fit. This is similar to Surface Finish Leftover and should be used only
when a small amount of material remains. The theoretical roughing tool
shouldn’t be confused with rest roughing. For this functionality, use a
Surface Rough Restmill toolpath.
2)
Rest passes in Pencil – To use Pencil to clean up just the sharp
corners of a part, disable Rest passes and limit the number of offset passes to
zero. This generates a toolpath that moves just along the creases
(corners) of the part. To use Pencil as a Finish Leftover operation (to machine
material left by a larger tool), there are two methods available. You may
enable rest passes and disable the offset pass limit. This will yield a
toolpath with pencil and pencil offsets only in the regions where the larger
tool won’t fit. Alternately, you may disable rest passes and enable the
offset pass limit and set the limit to a small number of offset passes (1 to
10, for example). This will yield a toolpath which machines the material
left in the corners and might be smoother (and shorter) than the previous
option. If you intend to use HST/pencil to machine the entire part, then
disable rest passes and disable the offset pass limit. This will yield a
toolpath which will machine the entire part conforming to it perhaps better
than HST/scallop or surface/finish/scallop.
3)
Stock to leave in HST – When you switch from a HST roughing
toolpath type (Core roughing or Area clearance) to a HST finishing toolpath
type, you will likely need to reset (or zero) the stock to leave.
4)
Scallop height in HST – When setting your stepover for HST
finishing cut styles, you may want to know what the scallop height is for your
current tool. Change your toolpath type to Scallop, go to the Cut
Parameters page and view/enter your desired scallop height. Then switch
back to your original toolpath type.
5)
Keep tool down within option in HST – After machining a
region and before machining the next region, HST must decide to either lift the
tool or keep it down. The decision is made using the Keep tool down
within option on the Cut Parameters page. You can set this option as a
fixed distance or as a percentage of your tool diameter. If the distance
is too small, the tool may retract or lift more than you desire. If the
distance is too large, the tool may stay down on the part too long. This
is a difficult parameter to set automatically because it depends on your
material, tool, and other cutting parameters, but HST will modify the setting
when you change cutting styles. This should work in most general cases but
for some parts, you may need to make this distance shorter. Examples of
such cases are one way (or down or up) cutting in finish styles or core
roughing on small parts (electrodes).
New Dialog Box Layout for Toolpaths
The new layout will allow you to select or change toolpath styles of an existing or new toolpath. So if you created a Raster toolpath, you can edit or copy the toolpath and change it to a Horizontal Area toolpath. This will save time by not requiring you to re-select your geometry, tool, feeds, etc.
Core Roughing
An intelligent algorithm that cuts the part from the outside in. This toolpath changes cutting method to inside out when internal pockets are encountered. This strategy minimizes the need for helical ramping or full-width cutting.
Area Clearance
This toolpath type is similar to Core Roughing in that the toolpath is generated from a set of surface profiles at different Z depths. Area Clearance is designed for clearing large amounts of material starting from the center of the part and working outwards.
Waterline
This toolpath is generated from a set of surface profiles at
Z depths and is best suited for semi-finishing and finishing. Waterline passes are best suited for surfaces whose angles
are between 30 and 90 degrees.
Scallop
This toolpath will generate 3D passes at a constant distance from each other along the surface of the part.
Horizontal Area
Flat areas are found and passes are created at each of those levels.
Raster
This toolpath type includes a set
of parallel passes with a stepover along a line at a set angle. Similar to
Finish Parallel.
Pencil
This toolpath will identify all the “seams” of the part and develop a toolpath along those seams. Additional cuts can be added that are offset from the initial pass. This toolpath style was introduced in Mastercam X and has been enhanced in MR1.
New Tool Holder Definition and Gouge Checking
This new interface, built into the new style dialogs, allows you to define a holder (or choose one from a library) and gouge-check the holder during toolpath generation. The Holder clearance option allows you to enter an additional holder clearance value.
HST Icon
An entry has been made in the function table so that an icon
can be placed on any toolbar to activate the High Speed Toolpaths.
HST Default Values
Additional formulas have been added for many fields in the HST toolpath pages. These formulas allow the default values to be calculated from the selected tool geometry. The result is a set of defaults that will yield a very good toolpath with little user input.
Surface Finish Scallop
A new check box called Sharp corner smoothing has been added to the Surface Finish Constant Scallop parameters page.
When this check box is turned on, it enables smoothing of the Scallop 3D Collapse cut motion. This smoothing process only works on the toolpath motion associated with a given 3D Collapse cut. It has nothing to do with smooth entry/exit motion for a given toolpath cut.
5 Axis Toolpaths
Swarf5ax currently creates upper and lower rails when surfaces are selected as the walls. These rails are always divided proportionately to create uniformly spaced tool vectors. There have been several requests to provide an option for Swarf to use the existing rulings when surfaces are selected as the walls.
A check box called Use Wall Surface Rulings was added to the Swarf 5-axis Parameters dialog box. This check box is only enabled when surfaces are selected for the walls and only with 5-axis output.
Mastercam Editor Enhancements
We have added several new NC functions for this release.
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· Find XYZ Extents |
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· Mark All Tool Changes |
|
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· Next tool |
|
|
· Previous tool |
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· Add Block Numbers |
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· Remove Block Numbers |
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· Remove Spaces |
We also added the ability to configure what extensions the editor recognizes as NC code. By selecting Options from the Tools menu, you can add additional extensions to the dialog shown below.
Mastercam External Communications
The communications software includes several corrections including:
· Assert RTS or DTR line when corresponding advanced port settings are used with Software Handshaking or No Handshaking methods.
· Empty lines are no longer stripped from files.
· Correction to Port in use error
Backplot
New functionality in Backplot:
|
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- The two new buttons are shown in the red box. - Left button enables the Restrict mode. - Right button resets back to Show all. |
When the Restrict button is selected, all current plotted toolpaths are erased. The remaining path from this restrict point to the end of the selected toolpaths now becomes the entire extents of the path that can be plotted. The backplot progress slider will reset, with the entire slider range representing the remaining toolpath that can be displayed from the current restrict position onward. You can continue to plot the path and click the Restrict button as many times as desired. Each time, the toolpath remaining (from the restrict position to the end) becomes the entire path that can be plotted. To clear from the restrict mode, click the Reset button.
These bugs were reported to us by external sources. We found and corrected over 200 additional bugs internally during the MR1/SP2 development cycle. We appreciate all the feedback from customers, resellers and Beta sites.
Design
ID cnc00013432 Product Design Version X
Major
Category Screen Minor
Category Chg Colors Sub
Category
Description update v7colors.dll to work with Version
10. I find the random placement of the colors in 256 color mode very annoying.
I have often wondered why the software doesn't ship with a more coherent
arrangement in the colors dialog by default.
ID cnc00013072 Product Design Version X
Major
Category Create Minor Category Arc Sub Category Create Arc Tangent
Description While in the create arc tangent command if
the user hits Escape to get out of it the ability to undo/redo
is
lost and a new instance of MC must be opened in order to get it back.
ID cnc00012818 Product Design Version X
Major
Category WCS Minor Category Sub
Category
Description "User" views in this file have
view numbers within 1-7, which shouldn't be allowed.
ID cnc00012742 Product Design Version X
Major
Category Analyze Minor
Category Angle Sub Category
Description Analyze Angle is unable to detect the .11
angle between the green and pink lines (level 2). It reports 0.0
and
180. See also level 1 for customer's part.
ID cnc00012690 Product Design Version X
Major
Category File Minor Category Open Sub Category Pro/E
Description The X Pro/E importer appears to be much,
much slower than V9. The customer has provided 3 examples
3 files
all converted on the same CPU healing off MC9 & MCX all solids
converted
with 0 errors.
All
time is min/sec
file
1 mc9 0:15 mcX 3:21 (1434 faces 6.7MB file in pro e)
file
2 mc9 1:05 mcX 25:18 (4725 faces 15.MB in pro e)
file
3 mc9 0:21 mcX 4:34 (2054 faces MB in pro e)
ID cnc00012689 Product Design Version X
Major
Category Screen Minor
Category Unblank Entity Sub
Category
Description