Re: Mastercam post pro

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., "Marcus & Eva" <implmex@a...> wrote:

>

Hi Marcus:
My father in law has professionaly access to Mastercam and I thought
it could have been interesting to have a compatibility between his
work and mine (hobby) but I will forget it as it is far to
complicated and to expensive for me. I will try to find another good
and chaeper program eaven if less powerfull, as hobbyist I don't
need the top performance.
Thank you for your reply
cheers



Hi Patrick:

>
> Postprocessors in Mastercam area real cast iron bitch to write if

you don't

> know their syntax, and those dirty buggers at CNC Software Inc

won't give

> you any help at all.
> They used to publish a post processor manual but dropped this

practice after

> version 6 when it became apparent to them that they could make

LOADS of cash

> by holding users hostage for posts.
> So...like almost all machine shops, you're on your own if you want

to roll

> your own.
> You'll get nothing but stupid platitudes if you ask the boys for

help (along

> with raised palms in the "give me cash position").
>
> Here's what I've done: (Yes Tim, I'm legal on MasterScam too)
> First, you've got to know how your controller reads G

code...everything from

> what headers and footers to how it reads I and J words, to whether

it needs

> decimals or not, etc etc.
> Next, you've got to find a post that's reasonably close.
> The best way to do this is to output some simple stuff from each

of the

> posts you have got access to (There is a large post library that

comes with

> Mastercam but many of these posts are not set up too well and will

output

> some "funny stuff". You can also download "educational" posts from

time to

> time from the net.)
> Next, you doodle with the post file (it's just a text file and

will edit in

> Notepad) by trial and error until you figure out what to add or

delete or

> fiddle to get it to output the code your machine needs.
> If there's a feature in one post that you'd like, ( perhaps the

ability to

> add the tool dimensions at each tool change) you can cut and paste

it from a

> post that you know will do what you want.
> After many hours and many curses, you will have your post, and a

smattering

> of an understanding of the syntax which you will promptly forget

again.

> Everyone I know does it this way...and everyone I know is

aggravated at

> Mastercam for turning this into an after-purchase "stick- it- to-

'em-

> again".
> By contrast, Featuremill has a beautiful little utility that will

allow you

> to scratch-write a nice post from a conversational type menu...too

bad the

> program itself is so much less powerful than Mastercam.
>
> The other alternative is to cough up the bucks.
> Cheers
>
> Marcus
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Patrick J" <patrick@d...>
> To: <CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y...>
> Sent: Monday, November 25, 2002 1:36 PM
> Subject: Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Mastercam post pro
>
>
> > I have also been wondering how it would be possible to
> > output something from Mastercam to say Master5cnc/EMC or simular
> > stepper/servo control programs.
> >
> > If I understand this correct, it takes a post-processor
> > that makes 'the right' G-codes for the controller in question.
> > I very much doubt that the boss @ work will pay for a

postprocessor

> > so is there any way to make a mastercam postprocessor yourself ?
> >
> >
> > TIA
> > CNCwannabe ;-)
> >
> > PS: I have access 2 Mastercam trough work, so plz stop bit***ng
> > about 'bootledded soft'. Its quite rude to insinuate the worst,

alteast

> > from where I come! DS
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Tim Goldstein" <timg@k...>
> > > It all depends upon what controller program you are using. The
> controller
> > > program is what deals with the parallel port to drive the

Geckos. So,

> what
> > > software are you using to read the G-code you plan to output

from

> > Mastercam?
> > > Without knowing that we have no way to help you.
> > >
> > > BTW, I want to mention that this group does not condone or

support

> > > bootlegged software. I only mention this because there has

been a fair

> > > amount of discussion recently about Mastercam. Knowing the

general cost

> it
> > > is not normally a hobby use package. If you have a legal copy

that is

> > great,
> > > but if you are using illegal copies please discuss it

elsewhere.

> > >
> > > Tim
> > > [Denver, CO]
> > > Sherline products at Deep Discount
> > > & credit card ordering of Mach1 CNC control
> > > www.KTMarketing.com/Sherline
> >
> >
> >
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