Master Cam

What’s New

What’s New in Mastercam X5September 2010

Be sure you have the latest information!

Information might have been changed or added since this document was published. The latest version of this document is installed with Mastercam or can be obtained from your local Reseller. The ReadMe file (ReadMe.htm) includes the latest information about new features and enhancements.

II • WHAT’S NEW IN MASTERCAM X5

Mastercam® X5 WHAT’S NEW IN MASTERCAM X5

Date: September 2010 - Rev 1 October 2010Copyright © 2010 CNC Software, Inc.— All rights reserved.First Printing: September 2010Software: Mastercam X5Part Number: X5-What's New

TERMS OF USE Use of this document is subject to the Mastercam End User License Agreement. A copy of the Mastercam End User License Agreement is included with the Mastercam product package of which this document is part. The Mastercam End User License Agreement can also be found at: www.mastercam.com/legal/licenseagreement/

http://www.mastercam.com/legal/licenseagreement/

III

Contents

Introduction .................................................................................................1

Before You Begin .....................................................................................1

If You Need More Help ............................................................................2

Additional Documentation ......................................................................3

Mastercam Customer Feedback Program ............................................3

General System Enhancements.........................................................7

Installation Location Changes ................................................................7

New Mastercam File Extensions ...........................................................7

Separate Installation for Mastercam Art...............................................8

Dynamic Plane Improvements ...............................................................9

Tutorial: Creating a new view using Dynamic Plane .........................9 Spin Controls ..........................................................................................13

New Visual Cues....................................................................................13

Resizing Dialogs .....................................................................................14

Toolbar Highlight ....................................................................................14

Default Change for Importing Solids ....................................................14

File Translator Updates .........................................................................15

Design Enhancements..........................................................................17

Assigning Colors to Solid Faces...........................................................17

Tutorial: Setting colors for solid faces and features ........................17

Solid Patterns .........................................................................................21

Tutorial: Creating a circular solid pattern ........................................21

Solid and Surface Analysis Tools.........................................................25

Tutorial: Analyzing draft angles and part curvature.........................25

Modeless Solid Dialog Boxes ...............................................................30

IV • WHAT’S NEW IN MASTERCAM X5

Entering Quick Arc Diameters ..............................................................30

Tutorial: Creating a circle based on a tap size.................................30

Improved Bolt Circle Creation...............................................................32

General Mill Enhancements...............................................................35

New Tool Library Format ......................................................................35

Tool Assemblies .....................................................................................35

ISCAR HEM Support ..............................................................................36

Mastercam Machine Simulation ..........................................................37

Tutorial: Using machine simulation .................................................38

Unselecting Points in Drill Point Selection ..........................................42

Setup Sheet/ActiveReports Improvements.........................................43

Default Setting for Locking Feed Rates ...............................................46

Offset and Profile Tolerance Controls Moved .....................................46

Mill Level 1 Enhancements ................................................................49

New 2D HST Toolpaths .........................................................................49

Tutorial: Creating dynamic area mill and core mill toolpaths ...........50

Tutorial: Creating a dynamic contour toolpath.................................58

Island Facing in 2D HST Toolpaths ......................................................64

Circle Mill Improvements ......................................................................65

Transform Toolpath Enhancements .....................................................66

FBM Mill .................................................................................................74

FBM Drill .................................................................................................77

Mill Level 3 Enhancements ................................................................81

New 3D HST Toolpaths .........................................................................81

Solid Chain Support in Multiaxis Toolpaths ........................................85

New Multiaxis Toolpaths ......................................................................86

Improved Multiaxis Toolpath Interface ................................................88

Tutorial: Creating a multiaxis toolpath .............................................88

V

Router Enhancements ........................................................................101

Block Drill Support in FBM Drill ..........................................................101

Importing Solids into Toolpath Nesting .............................................102

Automatic Toolpathing Enhancements .............................................102

WCS Support for ATP Single Part Processing..................................104

Lathe Enhancements...........................................................................105

New Plunge Turn Toolpath .................................................................105

Tutorial: Creating plunge turn toolpaths ........................................ 105

Stock Eject Option for Chuck Miscellaneous Operations ................115

Cutoff Toolpath Enhancements ..........................................................115

Roughing Toolpath Improvements .....................................................117

Plunge Parameters - Front Clearance Angle .....................................118

Tool Compensation Enhancements ...................................................119

Boring Bar Holder Improvements.......................................................121

Turn Profile Enhancements .................................................................122

Wire Enhancements ............................................................................125

New Power Library Format ................................................................125

Art Enhancements................................................................................129

New Art Toolpaths ..............................................................................129

Export to 256-Color Grayscale Images..............................................130

Post Enhancements .............................................................................131

NCI Lines for Transform Custom Parameters ...................................131

Eject Stock Option for Lathe 903 Line ...............................................134

20800 NCI Line for Multiaxis Comp in Control .................................135

NCI Support for New Wire Power Libraries......................................136

VI • WHAT’S NEW IN MASTERCAM X5

IntroductionWelcome to Mastercam X5! Mastercam X5 features a new suite of CAD/CAM tools focused on delivering speed and efficiency for your machining jobs. We are sure that you will benefit from what Mastercam X5 has to offer you and your shop.

You can quickly access some of Mastercam X5’s new and exciting features through the What’s New dialog box that displays the first time you start Mastercam X5. By clicking on topics on the left side of the dialog box, you can see examples of new features, watch videos, and learn the basics about all Mastercam X5 has to offer. To get back to this dialog box at any time, choose Help, What’s New from the Mastercam menu.

Note: Some of the options shown in the What’s New dialog box are only available if you have certain products enabled on your Mastercam SIM.

Before You BeginWhat’s New in Mastercam X5 outlines the new features in each Mastercam product level. Each chapter’s title corresponds to the Mastercam product that contains the

2 • WHAT’S NEW IN MASTERCAM X5

features. For example, the Mill Level 1 Enhancements chapter discusses new functionality that you can access in Mastercam X5 Mill Level 1 or higher.

Tutorial RequirementsMany chapters in this book contain short tutorials on new features in Mastercam X5. To complete these tutorials, you should meet the following requirements:

You must be comfortable using the Windows® operating system.

You must have installed your Mastercam X5 products. All tutorial files are located in the ..\Documentation\ExampleParts folder of your Mastercam installation. For 32-bit Windows systems, these files are stored in C:\Program Files\mcamx5; 64-bit Windows systems use C:\Program Files (x86)\mcamx5.

Start Mastercam using your preferred method:

Double-click Mastercam’s desktop icon.

Or

Launch Mastercam from the Windows Start menu.

If You Need More HelpThere are many ways to get help with Mastercam, including the following:

Mastercam Help—Access Mastercam Help by selecting Help, Contents from Mastercam’s menu bar or by pressing [Alt+H] on your keyboard. Also, most

dialog boxes and ribbon bars feature a Help button that opens Mastercam Help directly to related information.

Online help—You can search for information or ask questions on the Mastercam Web forum, located at www.emastercam.com. You can also find a wealth of information, including many videos, at www.mastercam.com and www.mastercamedu.com.

Mastercam Reseller—Your local Mastercam Reseller can help with most questions about Mastercam.

Technical Support—CNC Software’s Technical Support department (860-875-5006 or [email protected]) is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. USA Eastern Standard Time.

Documentation feedback—For questions about this or other Mastercam documentation, contact the Technical Documentation department by e-mail at [email protected].

Mastercam University—CNC Software sponsors Mastercam University, an affordable, online learning tool with more than 180 videos to let you master skills at your own pace. For more information on Mastercam University,

http://www.emastercam.com

http://www.mastercam.com

http://www.mastercam.com

http://www.mastercamedu.com

mailto:[email protected]




http://www.mastercamu.com






INTRODUCTION • 3

please contact your Authorized Mastercam Reseller, visit www.mastercamu.com, or email [email protected].

Additional DocumentationYou can find more information on using Mastercam in the following materials, located in the \Documentation folder of your Mastercam installation:

Mastercam X5 Installation Guide

Mastercam X5 Administrator Guide

Mastercam X5 Quick Start

Mastercam X5 Reference Guide

Mastercam X5 Transition Guide

Mastercam X5 Quick Reference Card

Mastercam X5 Wire Getting Started Guide

Version 9 to X Function Map

Mastercam X5 NCI & Parameter Reference

Mastercam X5 Post Debugger User’s Guide

Mastercam Customer Feedback ProgramThe Mastercam Customer Feedback Program is an optional data feedback tool. The program is completely voluntary. If you choose to turn this functionality on, it runs during every Mastercam session, automatically collecting and sending usage information to CNC Software, Inc. (CNC).

The data is used only for quality and product improvement purposes. It helps give CNC an idea of the relative value of various functionalities within its products. The data does not include user model data or any information that could be used to re-create models. This program cannot and will not collect data for the purpose of reverse engineering.

IMPORTANT: The Mastercam Customer Feedback Program will at no time collect data that is not relative to Mastercam. No sensitive, personal, or otherwise private data will be gathered.





The program is turned off by default. You must choose to participate in the program by clicking the option shown below in the Mastercam Customer Feedback Program dialog box.

This dialog box appears the first time you open Mastercam after an install. To participate, select the “Yes” option and click OK.

You can change your status at any time. To change your participation settings, select Customer Feedback Program from the Help menu.

The types of data that Mastercam collects includes the following:

The Mastercam build number

Your SIM number

INTRODUCTION • 5

The name of the function you called and how you accessed it (toolbar button, hot keys, menu)

CNC combines the data gathered from Mastercam Customer Feedback Program participants to answer the following types of questions:

Which Mastercam functions are used the most, and which are used the least?

Which file translators are used, and how often?

Which C-Hooks are used and how often?

Which commands are used sequentially or in conjunction with each other?

Note: The lists above are not comprehensive. These are examples of the types of data CNC collects.

If you are running the Mastercam Customer Feedback Program, an icon (shown below) displays in your Windows program tray in the bottom right corner of your computer screen.

Notes:

• Participating in this program does not impact your processing time or computer performance.

• If you are running the Mastercam Customer Feedback Program, the tool automatically closes when you exit Mastercam.

• The data gathered by this program is sent to CNC when you exit Mastercam, or after a specific number of transactions.

• If you do not have an Internet connection, the data is saved to your local drive. The next time you start Mastercam, the program attempts to send the data. If the data cannot be sent over a period of five days, it is automatically purged from your system.

• You can turn your participation settings on and off at any time during a Mastercam session.

General System EnhancementsInstallation Location ChangesTo be more compatible with Microsoft® guidelines and security measures, the default installation directory for Mastercam is now C:\Program Files\mcamx5 for 32-bit operating systems and C:\Program Files (x86)\mcamx5 for 64-bit operating systems. This change requires that user-modifiable data be relocated from the installation location to two different locations, depending on whether the data is user-

specific or shared.

For 32-bit Windows systems, non-modifiable files (including documentation) are stored in C:\Program Files\mcamx5 and C:\Program Files\Common Files\Mastercam; 64-bit Windows systems use C:\Program Files (x86)\mcamx5 and C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Mastercam.

For more information, see the Mastercam X5 Installation Guide and the Mastercam X5 Transition Guide installed in your Mastercam installation \Documentation folder.

New Mastercam File ExtensionsMastercam file name extensions now include a version number. The following file types are affected:

The POWER, Post, NC, and NCI file extensions are unaffected.

Operating System Data Locations

Windows XP User-specific data: C:\Documents and Set-tings\<Username>\My Documents\my mcamx5Shared data: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents\shared mcamx5

Windows Vista and Windows 7

User-specific data: C:\Users\<Username>\Docu-ments\my mcamx5Shared data: C:\Users\Public\Documents\shared mcamx5.

.MCX-5 .GMD-5 .MATERIALS-5

.EMCX-5 .LMD-5 .OPERATIONS-5

.DEFAULTS-5 .MMD-5 .TOOLS-5

.CONTROL-5 .RMD-5 .WMD-5


Separate Installation for Mastercam ArtIn Mastercam X5, Mastercam Art is not automatically installed with all other Mastercam products. To install, select the Mastercam Art option from the installation interface.

The Art Design Library is only installed if you select the Art Sample Files during installation.

Note: You must have a licensed copy of Mastercam Art to modify or create Art surfaces and operations. If you do not have Art installed, you can still import, view, and machine Art models.

GENERAL SYSTEM ENHANCEMENTS • 9

Dynamic Plane ImprovementsYou can now access the interactive Dynamic Plane gnomon from the View Manager. Click the Create From button to return to the graphics window and make a new view based on the currently selected view.

The Dynamic Planes dialog box has also been enhanced. Within the dialog box, you can now name the view you created using the interactive gnomon, assign a work offset code, and automatically align the Work Coordinate System (WCS) to your new view.

Creating a new view using Dynamic Plane1 From the Mastercam menu, choose File, Open.

2 Go to ..\Documentation\ExampleParts and select NEW_VIEW.MCX-5.

3 Press [Alt +S] to shade the part surfaces and make it easier to select geometry.

4 On the status bar at the bottom of the screen, click WCS and select View Manager from the menu.

The View Manager dialog box opens.


5 Click Create From to make a new view based on the current Top view.

The Dynamic Plane dialog box displays and the dynamic gnomon appears in the graphics window at the current view origin.

6 The next step is to reposition the view origin. Click once on the ball that represents the gnomon’s origin and then drag it to the left end of the front edge of the part.


TIP: Use the AutoCursor position indicator to make sure you select the endpoint of the line.

7 Click on the second leg of the Y axis (the piece between the arrowhead and the letter Y) and rotate it 90 degrees to point towards the back of the part.

8 Click again to set the Y axis position.


9 In the Dynamic Plane dialog box, type MY VIEW as the name of the new view.

10 Select Set as WCS to change the WCS to the new view.

11 Click OK to return to the View Manager.

12 The icon indicating which view is the current WCS has moved to the new view. Click OK to close the View Manager.


Spin ControlsSpin controls have been added to geometry creation and Xform functions to make it easier to enter values. Click on a spin control to incrementally increase or decrease a parameter value. Set spin control increments from the Spin Control property page in the System Configuration dialog box.

New Visual CuesThe background color of the Attributes button changes to red when the Entity Attributes Manager is active. A tool tip lists your settings so you no longer have to open the Entity Attributes Manager to see them.


In addition, when you roll the mouse over the Only button, a tooltip lists your masking selections. You no longer have to open the Only dialog box to see your settings.

Resizing DialogsThis additional functionality has been applied to many Mastercam dialog boxes and improves their usability. Resizable dialogs have a gripper at the lower right corner of the dialog box.

Toolbar HighlightWhen you activate a toolbar (either using the Toolbar States dialog or the right-click Toolbars menu), the system momentarily highlights the new toolbar by displaying a flashing rectangle around the toolbar.

Default Change for Importing SolidsPrior to Mastercam X5, when you imported a solid using one of the Mastercam file converters, wireframe edge curves were created on all the solid edges. In an effort to


reduce part size and complexity, this option is now off by default. To turn this option on, choose Settings, Configuration from the Mastercam menu, and select the Edge curves check box on the Converters page.

Note: You can turn this option on or off for individual files using the Options button in the File Open dialog box.

File Translator Updates ACIS: R20 SP2

Autodesk Inventor: 2011

ProEngineer: Can now read files created in Educational version of ProE

SolidWorks: 2010 SP2.1

Unigraphics: NX7

Design EnhancementsAssigning Colors to Solid FacesThese new functions assign different colors to individual solid faces and features. Mastercam applies colors over the solid body according to a set hierarchy. In this hierarchy, feature colors are applied over the solid color, and face colors are applied over the feature color. Use these colors to more easily select solid areas for toolpathing and other operations.

Setting colors for solid faces and features1 From the Mastercam menu, choose File, Open.

2 Go to ..\Documentation\ExampleParts and select SET_SOLID_COLORS.MCX-5.

3 Press [Alt + S] to shade the part surfaces.

4 From the Mastercam menu, choose Solids, Face/feature colors, Set solid face color.

5 Select color 138 by either typing the number in the Color dialog box or selecting the color from the grid.

6 Click OK to complete the color selection.

7 Select the part floor and the face surrounding the large center hole.

8 Click End Selection in the General Selection ribbon bar to complete the face selection.


The selected areas now display with an orange face color applied over the green solid color.

9 Click the Solids tab in the Operations Manager to access the Solids Manager.

10 Click Set solid feature color on the Solids toolbar.

11 Select color 9 by either typing the number in the Color dialog box or selecting the color from the grid.

12 Click OK to complete the color selection.

DESIGN ENHANCEMENTS • 19

13 Click on Drill holes 1 through 8 in the Solids Manager. The part display updates as you click on each feature.

14 Click End Selection in the General Selection ribbon bar to complete the feature selection.

Using Face and Feature Colors for Toolpath SelectionOnce you have assigned colors to solid faces and features, you can use those colors to make selection easier for surface toolpaths. In addition, Mastercam now highlights solid faces in the current selection color when selecting for machining.

Note: The following exercise requires Mastercam Mill Level 3.

1 From the Mastercam menu, choose Machine Type, Mill, Default to select the default mill machine definition.

2 Choose Toolpaths, Surface High Speed to create a new surface toolpath.

Note: Mastercam may display two prompts - one regarding Advanced 3D Toolpath Refinement and one to set the NC file name for your toolpath. Click OK on both dialogs to proceed.


3 Click Activate solid selection on the General Selection ribbon bar to pick solids for the toolpath.

4 Click All on the General Selection ribbon bar.

5 Click the Color button.

The Select All dialog box lists the colors you added to the model.

6 Select color 138 and click OK. Both of the orange solid areas are selected.


7 Click End Selection in the General Selection ribbon bar to complete the feature selection.

8 Click OK on the Toolpath/surface selection dialog box to confirm the surfaces you want to machine.

9 (Optional) Complete the surface toolpath by selecting a tool and entering the toolpath parameters.

Solid PatternsIn Mastercam X5, you can create a pattern of solid features by selecting source geometry and producing multiple copies of it on a part in a grid (rectangular pattern) or around a center point (circular pattern). You can also click in the graphics window to place copies (manual pattern).

Creating a circular solid pattern1 From the Mastercam menu, choose File, Open.

2 Go to ..\Documentation\ExampleParts and select PATTERNS.MCX-5.


4 From the Mastercam menu, choose Solids, Pattern, Circular pattern.

5 Click the Select source button on the Circular pattern dialog box to pick a solid feature.

6 Select the small bone-shaped feature near the center of the part.

7 Press [Enter] to return to the Circular pattern dialog box.


The green check mark next to the Solid Feature option shows that you successfully selected a solid feature.

8 In the Parameters group box, increase the number of instances to 7 and select the Full circle check box. The part dynamically updates as you change the number.

Note: The Angle parameter is disabled because Mastercam automatically calculates the angle between instances when you select Full circle.


Editing the Pattern ResultsUsing the following steps, you can adjust the number of instances in the solid pattern. You can also make changes to the original geometry and the changes are reflected throughout the solid pattern.

1 Click the Remove instances button and click on any two of the copies on the part.

2 Press [Enter] to return to the Circular pattern dialog box.

3 Click the Reset instances button to replace the copies you removed.

4 Click OK to close the Circular pattern dialog box.

5 Click the Solids tab in the Operations Manager to access the Solids Manager.

6 Click on the Parameters icon for the Extrude Boss feature to make changes to the original geometry.


7 On the Extrude Chain dialog box, select the Draft check box to tilt the walls of the boss.

8 Enter 2.0 for the distance to reduce the height of the boss.

9 Click OK to close the Extrude Chain dialog box.

The boss is marked as “dirty” and needs regeneration.

10 Click Regen all in the Solid Manager. The original boss and all the copies from the circular pattern are updated.

11 Press [F1] and zoom in on any of the bosses to inspect the changes.


Solid and Surface Analysis ToolsAnalyze the curvature of a surface to identify undercuts and minimum radius with two new Analyze functions: Analyze Draft Angle and Analyze Curvature. These new functions shade areas of the model with user-specified colors and support both surfaces and solids.

Analyzing draft angles and part curvature1 From the Mastercam menu, choose File, Open.

2 Go to ..\Documentation\ExampleParts and select ANALYZE.MCX-5.


4 From the Mastercam menu, choose Analyze, Test Surfaces and Solids, Draft angle.

5 Click Regenerate the display to see the initial analysis results.


The part displays with color coding to indicate different draft angle conditions.

6 Click the Vertical surface color button, select color 158 from the Color dialog box and click OK.

The new vertical color displays immediately.

Vertical

Horizontal

Positive angle less than 3 degrees

Remainder (what is not marked by another color)


7 Type 1.0 for the Positive angle less than field and press [Enter].

The vertical area reduces based on the tighter criteria.

8 Click OK to close the Analyze Draft Angle dialog box.

9 From the Mastercam menu, choose Analyze, Test Surfaces and Solids, Curvature.

10 Click Regenerate the display to see the initial analysis results.


The part displays with color coding to indicate different types of curves.

11 Type 1.0 for the Radius less than field and press [Enter].

12 Select the Display only internal radii check box. This option shades all fillets that are internal from the perspective of the reference plane and less than the value entered in the Radius less than setting.

13 Deselect the Flat check box to make it easier to see the internal curves.

14 Change the Remainder color to 159 by entering the number or by selecting it from the Color dialog box.

Remainder (what is not marked by another color)

Radius less than 2 mm

Flat


15 Press [F1] and draw a zoom window around the area shown in the following picture.

The red areas show where material could be left behind when your toolpath uses a tool with a corner radius larger than the internal, or concave, radii in your part geometry.

16 Click OK to close the Analyze Curvature dialog box.


Modeless Solid Dialog BoxesYou can now access immediate mode functions, such as Fit and Zoom, while any Solid dialog box is open. Immediate mode functions interrupt a function, and when they have finished, they return to the function.

Entering Quick Arc DiametersIn Mastercam X5, you can specify diameters quickly and without consulting paper drill charts. Standard letter and number drill and tap sizes have been added to all Mastercam calculable fields.

Creating a circle based on a tap size1 From the Mastercam menu, choose File, Open.

2 Go to ..\Documentation\ExampleParts and select ADD_TAP_HOLE.MCX-5.

3 If needed, press [Alt + S] to shade the part surfaces.

4 From the Mastercam menu, choose Create, Arc, Circle Center Point.

5 Click on the blue point above the center circle and drag outward to draw a temporary circle.

6 Click again to set the temporary circle diameter.


7 Right-click in the Diameter field on the Circle Center Point ribbon bar and select B = Tap tables to access the tap drill sizes list.

8 Select the M12x1.75 metric tap size.

9 Click OK to select the hole size.

Mastercam automatically fills in the correct diameter to accommodate the selected tap size.


10 Click OK on the Circle Center Point ribbon bar to complete the circle.

Notes:

• You can also type # and a drill number from 1-97, or type # and a drill letter from A-Z in a calculable field to automatically enter the correct diameter (English units only).

• You can choose Solid hole diameter from the right-click menu to have Mastercam return the diameter of a selected solid hole.

Improved Bolt Circle CreationBolt circle is no longer a .NEThook and is now a function of Mastercam. It has also been enhanced to give you the ability to:

Draw circles in 2D or wrapped around a diameter.

Draw circles around a full circle or along a total sweep angle.

Preview and, if desired, flip the results.

Remove individual circles.

Create a center point.


Select Create, Bolt Circle from the Mastercam menu to access the function.

General Mill EnhancementsNew Tool Library FormatMastercam X5 supports two different tool library database formats. Tool libraries with the .TOOLS-5 extension use the traditional Mastercam proprietary database format. This is the same file format used in prior versions and continues to be the native file format for MCX-5 files. Libraries with a .TOOLDB extension will use a new SQL-style database format.

The new TOOLDB database format not only supports libraries of tools, but also has the ability to store materials, tool holders, tool assemblies and cutting parameters. This new format makes it easier for tool manufacturers and other third-party developers to interface with Mastercam. This new database is just the first step in an effort to improve tool support in Mastercam.

Tool AssembliesAssociating a tool with a holder is now possible in Mastercam X5. Prior to this modification, if you assigned a holder to a tool in an operation and recalled that tool later, the holder would be lost and have to be reconfigured for each subsequent operation. Also, if you changed the holder, you would have to remember to go back and change every operation that referenced it individually.

Once a holder is added to a tool, the resulting tool assembly can be used in subsequent operations without further user interaction beyond normal tool selection. The only interaction change occurs when you need to modify a holder and the tool assembly is referenced in more than one operation. When this happens, the following dialog box displays:

You can select one of the following three options:

Update assembly and all operations that use the assembly - (default) updates all other operations in the same machine group referencing this tool.


Create a new assembly - adds the current configuration as a new assembly and uses Mastercam's default tool numbering to assign a new tool number.

Modify only current operation - adds a new assembly and retains the current (duplicate) tool number.

Note: The current Save to library functionality available in the toolpath parameters has not been modified to save an assembly to the library.

ISCAR HEM SupportThe following Mill toolpaths now support ISCAR HEM (High Efficiency Machining) and RCTF (Radial Chip Thinning Factor) speeds and feeds calculation functionality:

2D HST - Dynamic Area Mill, Dynamic Core Mill, Dynamic Rest Mill, Dynamic Contour

3D HST - OptiRough

This new functionality requires that you select an appropriate ISCAR cutting tool from the tool library. The HEM calculations use the necessary attributes stored with the tool in the tool library.

GENERAL MILL ENHANCEMENTS • 37

If you select the Iscar HEM check box on the Tool page, you can set the HEM factor to maximize speed and efficiency by entering a value or by using the slider bar. The feed rate and spindle speed are automatically set based on this value.

In addition, the Stepover field on the Cut Parameters page changes to a drop-down list. You can only select a 5%, 7%, or 10% stepover.

Mastercam Machine SimulationMachine simulation is a safe and cost effective way of proving out multiaxis toolpaths by helping you detect collisions between your stock, tool, and any machine components before sending any code to your machine tool. Use machine simulation to test possible multiaxis fixture scenarios and find the ideal location for machining a particular job. You can try out different positions on your machine table without spending costly time dry-running your machine tool.

Machine simulation is capable of simple backplotting, verifying stock removal, and full machine tool simulation with collision checking. Use the Mastercam simulation toolbar to access startup settings and select the desired machine, work piece, fixture components, stock definition and tolerances.

Note: Machine simulation does not simulate Lathe or Wire toolpaths.


Using machine simulation1 From the Mastercam menu, choose File, Open.

2 Go to ..\Documentation\ExampleParts and select SIMULATION.MCX-5.

To run machine simulation, you need a Mastercam Mill or Router part file that includes at least one toolpath and a surface or solid model of the workpiece.

3 Click Simulation startup settings on the Machine Simulation toolbar.

If the Machine Simulation toolbar is not displayed, right-click in any open area at the top of the screen and choose Machine Simulation to display the toolbar.

4 Select the Machine drop-down list at the top of the dialog box to see a list of all the machine configurations installed with Mastercam X5. The Preview window displays the currently selected machine.


IMPORTANT: Machine simulation does not use the machine definition associated with your toolpaths. This allows you to test your toolpaths on multiple machine configurations.

5 Select 6_5AXGEN_VMCHTAC from the machine list.

6 Select the Geometry drop-down list. By default, machine simulation loads all visible surface and solid geometry as the workpiece, but you can control this by selecting one of the Geometry options.

7 Select All elements from the list.

TIP: Similar controls are available on the Simulation tab for the Fixture setting. For example, you can move all your fixture geometry to a specific level and turn the display on or off.

8 Click Simulate at the bottom of the dialog box to go directly into the simulation. The workpiece is positioned on the table.


This simulation mode shows kinematic (machine) motion and includes collision checking, but does not display material removal.

9 Click Run near the top left corner of the screen to begin the simulation.

10 While the simulation is running, click Workpiece focus to display only the tool and the workpiece.

This focus option keeps the workpiece stationary and moves the tool around the workpiece.


11 When the simulation ends, move the slider on the progress bar at the bottom of the screen back to the beginning of the toolpath.

12 Click Machine focus to display the machine and the workpiece again.

13 Move the speed slider to make the simulation faster or slower and click Run again to see the results.

14 Click Exit to return to the graphics window.


Unselecting Points in Drill Point SelectionTwo new buttons have been added to the Drill Point Selection dialog box that let you unselect entities without having to close the dialog box and start the selection process again.

Unselect - unselects the last drill point you selected. You can click it more than once to remove drill points one at a time.

Unselect all - unselects all points you selected during the current drill point selection function. This does not exit you from the point selection function, but allows you to start your selection over. Choose Yes to unselect all selected points or No, which cancels your “unselect” request.

When you use the single point selection mode (default), the Unselect and Unselect all buttons only become active when you choose the points to unselect and press the [Esc] key as prompted. These buttons may become active upon other actions that complete the single selection method, such as clicking another button in the Drill Point Selection dialog box.

If you access an existing drill toolpath in the Drill Point Manager to add more points, the Unselect and Unselect all buttons:

Only work on new points. Those already included in the toolpath are not affected.

Are inactive until you add points that can be unselected.

Become inactive again once all newly added points have been unselected.


Setup Sheet/ActiveReports ImprovementsMastercam X5 includes several enhancements for all functions that use ActiveReports, including setup sheets:

Mastercam X5 has been updated to use the latest version of ActiveReports. Default templates and customized templates created with the previous version of ActiveReports (version 3) will continue to function without updating.

In the latest version of ActiveReports Designer (version 6), the Tag parameter replaces the DataField parameter for the SubReport control. When linking a subreport to a report, enter the subreport's path expression in the Tag parameter.

Nesting reports in Mastercam X5 now can include material information. Our default template does not call this information so you will have to edit the template with ActiveReports Designer.

Save custom capture images for setup sheets to a specified folder. Click the Browse Folder button in the Capture Images ribbon bar and specify a folder.

You can now define default templates for all ActiveReports reports on the Reports property page in the System Configuration dialog box.


Note: Mastercam applies the setup sheet default defined in this dialog box if there is no template defined in the Control Definition Manager (Files page).

Customize General Information for a setup sheet from the Setup Sheet dialog box. You can change the order of existing labels or create new ones.

Add custom XML tags for additional user-defined information. Edit the template with the ActiveReports Designer to call on the custom tags. When creating a setup sheet, you can enter the information in the Additional Parameters dialog box.


A new XML data source enhances access to operation, tool, and offset information.

New tags have been added to the XML data source. For more information on these new tags, please see Mastercam Help.

A new set of subreports for Manual Entry Operations is included with the default templates.

Note: Manual entry operations are not included in the sample files.


Default Setting for Locking Feed RatesThe Lock Feed rates parameter is now selected (activated) on the Toolpaths page in the default system configuration files. Prior to Mastercam X5, this option was deselected. When activated, Mastercam locks any feeds and speeds that you manually enter for your tool settings in toolpaths.

These feeds and speeds values do not change until you re-enter them or choose the Re-initialize speeds & feeds option from the Tools page right-click menu.

Note: This functionality is now also available for Lathe. In Lathe, the affected fields are on the Toolpath Parameters page and include Feed Rate, Plunge Feed Rate, Spindle Speed, and Finish Spindle Speed. For more information about other Lathe enhancements in Mastercam X5, see Lathe Enhancements on page 105.

Offset and Profile Tolerance Controls MovedThe Profile tolerance and Offset tolerance controls moved from the Arc Filter/Tolerance page in Mastercam X4 to the Cut parameters page in Mastercam X5 for


Mill/Router tree-style toolpaths. These parameters are now located in the Corner rounding group box (previously the Smoothing group box).

Mill Level 1 EnhancementsNew 2D HST ToolpathsThe original Dynamic Mill toolpath is now split into two application-specific toolpaths: Dynamic Area Mill and Dynamic Core Mill. Mastercam X5 also adds two new dynamic milling toolpaths to the 2D high speed toolpath group: Dynamic Rest Mill and Dynamic Contour.

To access the dynamic milling toolpaths, choose Toolpaths, 2D High Speed from the Mastercam menu. After selecting the entities to machine, choose one of the dynamic milling toolpaths from the Toolpath Type list.

Dynamic Area and Core MillSelect Dynamic Area Mill to contain the tool within pockets or pockets with islands. Use Dynamic Core Mill when you need to approach material from the outside while still avoiding desired areas.


Creating dynamic area mill and core mill toolpaths1 From the Mastercam menu, choose File, Open.

2 Go to ..\Documentation\ExampleParts and select DYNAMIC_CORE_AREA.MCX-5.

3 From the Mastercam menu, choose Toolpaths, 2D High Speed.

Note: Click OK if you are prompted for an NC file name.

4 Select the green chain on the floor of the pocket in the upper right corner as the toolpath chain.

5 Click OK on the Chaining dialog box to complete the chain.

MILL LEVEL 1 ENHANCEMENTS • 51

6 Select the Dynamic Area Mill toolpath type.

7 On the Tool page, click the Select library tool button and select the 12mm flat endmill from the tool library.

8 Click OK on the Tool Selection dialog box to return to the toolpath parameters.

9 On the Cut Parameters page, make the following adjustments:

Set the Toolpath radius to 10% to reduce sharp corner motion between the cut passes. This parameter controls the size of the arc on and off each pass.


Set the Micro lift distance to 0.5mm. This is the distance the tool lifts off the part on back moves to help clear chips and minimize excessive tool heating.

Set the Stock to leave on walls and Stock to leave on floors to 0.5mm to leave material for a future finish toolpath.

10 On the Depth Cuts page, deselect the Depth cuts check box to turn this option off.

11 On the Entry Motion page, make the following changes:

Enter 5.0mm for the Helix radius to control the size of the entry helix.

Enter 0.5mm for the Z clearance to add some extra height before the entry moves.


Enter 10.0 for the Plunge angle to set the angle of descent and pitch for the entry move.

12 On the Linking Parameters page, enter 40.0 for the retract height to make sure you have enough clearance between pockets.


13 On the Arc Filter/Tolerance page, set the Filter ratio to 3:1. This sets the ratio of the filter tolerance to the cut tolerance, both of which add up to the total tolerance. For more information on filters and tolerances in Mastercam, see Mastercam Help.

14 Click OK to complete the toolpath.

15 Press [F1] and draw a zoom window around the toolpath to see it in closer detail. You can see how the toolpath starts from the inside of the part and works its way towards the outer boundary, changing shape as needed to accommodate the pocket.

TIP: If you copy this toolpath to the other two closed pockets and rechain, the toolpath automatically adjusts to each new boundary shape.


Adding a dynamic core mill toolpath2D high speed core mill toolpaths require two chains. The outside chain represents the stock boundary, allowing the toolpath to move freely outside this area. The inner chain defines the limit of the toolpath.

1 Right-click in the graphics window and choose Fit to view the whole part.


3 Select the orange line as the first chain.

4 Select the purple edge around the top of the part as the second chain.



6 Select the Dynamic Core Mill toolpath type.

7 Mastercam remembers all the other settings you made for the area mill toolpath, so you do not have to re-enter them. Click OK to complete the toolpath.


Dynamic Rest MillThe new Dynamic Rest Mill toolpath behaves in a manner similar to the current 2D high speed rest mill toolpath, only it uses dynamic milling motion instead of core mill or area mill motion for the rest operations. The following picture highlights the dynamic motion used to clean up the additional material in the corners of the part.


In addition, the existing Rest Mill and the new Dynamic Rest Mill toolpaths include a new Rest Material page, expanding your ability to specify the targeted rest material.

Dynamic ContourNew in Mastercam X5, Dynamic Contour - also based on the dynamic milling algorithm - uses an intelligent, efficient high speed contouring strategy to remove material along walls. The Dynamic Contour toolpath supports multiple passes and can optionally include finishing passes.

Creating a dynamic contour toolpath1 From the Mastercam menu, choose File, Open.

2 Go to ..\Documentation\ExampleParts and select DYNAMIC_CONTOUR.MCX-5.



4 Select the top orange curve as the toolpath chain. Make sure that your chain points in a clockwise direction.

TIP: If your chain points counterclockwise, click Reverse on the Chaining dialog box to flip it.


6 Select the Dynamic Contour toolpath type.


7 On the Tool page, click the Select library tool button and select the 6mm flat endmill from the tool library.

8 Click OK on the Tool Selection dialog box to return to the toolpath parameters.

9 On the Cut Parameters page, make the following adjustments:

Set the Stepover to 1.0mm to control the distance between cutting passes in the X and Y axes.

Set the Toolpath radius to 10% reduce sharp corner motion between the cut passes. This parameter controls the size of the arc on and off each pass.

For the Gap size parameter, select Distance and enter 200.0mm. If the distance from the end of one pass to the start of the next pass is less than this distance, Mastercam does not create a retract move as defined on the Linking parameters page.

Set the Micro lift distance to 0.5mm. This is the distance the tool lifts off the part on back moves to help clear chips and minimize excessive tool heating.

For the Motion>Gap size, retract parameter, select When exceeding a distance from the drop-down list. This option adds retracts when the next cut pass begins at a distance that is greater than the gap size.

Set the Stock to leave on floors to 0.5mm to leave material for a future finish toolpath.


10 On the Contour Wall page, set the following parameters:

For Radius of tool that shaped the stock, enter 15.0mm. This parameter uses the tool radius from a previous operation to better define the shape of the stock removed by the dynamic contour toolpath.

For Stock thickness, enter 3.0mm. This sets the amount of stock in XY that the toolpath removes.


11 On the Depth Cuts page, deselect the Depth cuts check box to turn this option off.

12 On the Linking Parameters page, enter -9.525 for the depth.



14 Press [F1] and draw a zoom window around the toolpath on the right side of the part to see it in closer detail. The consistent tool motion ensures you do not overload your tool when machining just the walls of the part.


Island Facing in 2D HST ToolpathsMastercam's standard 2D pocket island facing functionality is now included in the following 2D high speed toolpaths:

Rest Mill and Dynamic Rest Mill

Area Mill and Dynamic Area Mill

Core Mill and Dynamic Core Mill

When you select Use island depths on the Depth Cuts parameter page, Mastercam passes the tool over the island until it reaches the depth of the island. It then goes around the island until it reaches the final depth.

You can also turn on Island facing independent of Depth cut settings. When activated, Mastercam faces the top of all islands selected for the toolpath at their defined depth. Facing quickly cleans the stock from the top of the islands, qualifies them, and creates an even surface for future operations. After each depth cut is made, the islands between the last depth cut and the current depth cut are faced. Mastercam orders the islands from lowest to highest to ensure the most efficient material removal.


Circle Mill ImprovementsCircle Mill now allows for feed rate and spindle speed overrides for Finishing and Semi-finishing passes.


New high speed transitions also reduce tool motion outside the cutting passes.

Transform Toolpath EnhancementsThe Transform Operation toolpath includes many improvements in Mastercam X5.


1 Remove comments - when selected, the resulting NCI of the transform operation no longer contains any comments (NCI line #’s 1005 thru 1008) from the selected source operations.

2 Source operations tree control

You can transform Manual Entry operations.

You can select operations that reference solids when Create new operations and geometry is enabled. The solid is not copied, only the surfaces, chains, or points needed to create the toolpath.

The source operations tree now only lists operations within the same machine group.

3 Method - Tool plane

Include origin - an operation’s tool plane contains both an origin and a view. When transforming by tool plane, X5 allows you to choose whether to have the origin travel along with the view when a tool plane is transformed. Leaving this option deselected works well with 5-axis toolpaths as when unchecked the tool plane’s origin remains stationary while the tool plane’s view is moved about.

Save views - this option saves the transformed tool planes created during regeneration to the View Manager when Create new operations and geometry is deselected. When Create new operations and geometry is selected, the Save views option is forced to On and disabled.

4 Source - There are two types of toolpath information that a transform operation can extract from its source operations to use as its own:

NCI - refers to the actual NCI lines of the source operations. If you select this option, the transform reads, copies, and transforms each of the source operation's NCI lines. This option is available only for the Translate and Rotate methods.

Geometry - refers to the source operation's toolpath entities and their associated geometry entities. If you select this option, the transform copies and transforms the source operation and its geometry, regenerates a new toolpath and then claims those NCI lines as its own. This mode ensures all cutting directions, cutter compensations, and entry and exit motion come out as if you transformed the geometry and programmed it all manually. This is the only option available for the Mirror transform method.


Translate Method ChangesFor the Translate transform method, many of the changes were made to improve consistency between the geometry transform and toolpath transform interfaces.

1 Delta - an incremental move of the source operation from its current position. Works the same as Rectangular, except that you specify delta XYZ coordinates instead of X and Y distances.

2 Instances - determines the number of copies Mastercam creates and the spacing between these copies. These options are the same as geometry transform.

Note: The Copy source operations option on the Type and Methods page affects the total numbers of instances created.

3 Pattern parameters - these options are the same as geometry transform.


Rotate Method ChangesAs with the Translate improvements, the addition of the Instances parameters was made to improve consistency with the geometry transform interface.


Mirror Method ChangesThe new Cutting direction options for the Mirror transform method control whether Mastercam applies the same cut direction, tool compensation, start point, and selection order defined in the source operation to the mirrored operations.

Reverse order - maintains the same start point for the mirror transform toolpath as the source toolpath but reverses the order of the mirror transform toolpath's geometric entities, including chain direction, point order, and, for surface toolpaths, selection order. This also reverses cut direction and cutter compensation settings in the mirror transformed operation.

Deselect to apply the same cut direction and cutter compensation settings from the source toolpath to the mirror transformed operation. You can choose whether to maintain the same start point, or maintain the same start entity for the mirror transform toolpath as the source toolpath.

Maintain start point - makes the mirrored transform operation use the same start point as the source operation. The cutting direction may differ however, based on whether you also selected Reverse order. In the following examples, the source operation displays on the left, and the mirrored transform operation on the right.


Note: If you select the Reverse order check box, Mastercam automatically chooses the Maintain start point option.

The following picture shows the cutting direction that results when you mirror a source contour operation configured with a clockwise cut direction and choose to Reverse order and Maintain start point for the mirrored transform operation.

Mastercam reverses the cutting direction from clockwise to counterclockwise and maintains the same order of the toolpath’s geometric entities (start point, chain direction).

Mirrored operationOriginal operation


The following picture shows the results when you deselect Reverse order and select Maintain start point:

Mastercam maintains the source operation's start point and the clockwise cutting direction in the mirror transform operation. However, the first entity in the chained geometry changes accordingly.

Maintain start entity - available only when Reverse order is deselected. Choose this option when you want the mirrored transform operation to use the same entity in the chained geometry as the source operation and the same cutting direction.



The following picture shows the results of choosing this option Mastercam changes the start point of the mirrored operation to maintain the start entity.



FBM Mill

Drafted Wall MachiningFBM Mill now recognizes and cuts tapered walls when you select the Recognize tapered features check box on the Setup page.


On the Finish tools page, you can match the wall draft angle on finish passes using a tapered tool.


You can also specify a stepdown value for tapered walls on the Roughing, Restmill, and Wall finish pages.

Linking Parent Operation to a SolidThis new feature ensures that you know when an FBM Mill operation needs to be updated based on changes to your solid model. Mastercam now marks the FBM parent operation, as well as the Detect button in the parameters, as “dirty” when you modify and regenerate a solid model. You need to edit the FBM parent operation, re-detect the features, and regenerate the FBM operations when the solid model has been changed.


Output 3D Arcs for Rough EntryOn the FBM Mill Roughing page, select the Output 3D arc moves check box to create 3D arcs for the entry motion.

FBM Drill

Note: For information about FBM Drill changes in Mastercam Router, see Block Drill Support in FBM Drill on page 101.

Saving Feature SettingsInformation set on the Features page, such as hole type, assigned finish tool, suppressed state, and plane assignment, is saved within the part file after you click OK. The saved settings will be applied to existing features even if you click Detect again. Selecting Cancel discards the current changes and restores previously saved settings.


Additional 4th Axis ControlsFBM Drill now outputs tool planes that support drilling toolpaths in a rotary axis environment. The FBM Drill Setup page includes a 4th axis output group box and an Axis of Rotation drop-down list.

When your active machine definition is configured with a rotary axis, you can select this check box, then use the dropdown to define the axis of rotation. When the Machine Definition option is selected (default), Mastercam generates tool planes based on the


machine definition's rotary axis configuration. You can override this assignment by selecting another axis of rotation.


Reversing Planes on Multiple HolesThe Features page in FBM Drill now allows you to select and reverse the plane on multiple holes at the same time. Right-click in the Planes column for the holes and select Plane from the right-click menu.

Mill Level 3 EnhancementsNew 3D HST ToolpathsMastercam X5 adds new roughing and finishing toolpaths to the already powerful 3D high speed suite of toolpaths.

OptiRoughThe new 3D surface high speed OptiRough toolpath supports cutters capable of machining very large depths of cut. It uses an aggressive, fast, intelligent roughing algorithm based on Mastercam’s 2D high speed dynamic milling motion. Access this new toolpath by choosing Toolpaths, Surface High Speed. After selecting the surfaces to machine, choose Roughing as the Toolpath Type, and then select OptiRough.

A single OptiRough toolpath can cut material in two directions: on step downs (-Z) and step ups (+Z). This highly efficient bi-directional cutting strategy removes the maximum amount of material with the minimum of step downs, significantly reducing cycle times.


As step downs are calculated, the dynamic roughing motion clears the material in the -Z direction, avoiding any islands. The numbers in the following picture indicate the cut order.

If you activate step up cuts in the toolpath’s Cut Parameters, Mastercam calculates additional slices in the +Z direction to remove any material left behind between the step downs - for example, islands or large scallops on angled walls.The step up cuts use a 2D high speed dynamic rest motion to clear leftover material. Step up cuts are ordered between step downs.

TIP: Because step up cutting is optional, you can use this toolpath for aggressive roughing without calculating the rest portion of the toolpath, which can be time-intensive.


Hybrid FinishHybrid machining is the latest addition to the list of finishing toolpaths and is designed to address both steep and shallow regions of your models. This powerful toolpath benefits from newly developed technology comparable to Waterline and Scallop motion. Access this new toolpath by choosing Toolpaths, Surface High Speed. After selecting the surfaces to machine, choose Finishing as the Toolpath Type, and then select Hybrid.

Hybrid finish supports a user-defined limiting angle to distinguish the steep regions from the shallow regions, and also includes a separate steep stepdown and shallow stepover.

The Steep stepdown value in this section defines the constant Z distance between adjacent stepdowns. Mastercam uses these stepdowns in combination with the Limiting angle and Shallow stepover to calculate cut passes for the hybrid toolpath.

Mastercam first slices the entire model into sections defined by the Steep stepdown distance. It then analyzes the drive surface's slope transition between each stepdown along the specified Limiting angle.


If the drive surface's slope transition distance within the stepdown distance is less than the applied limiting angle, the hybrid toolpath considers it steep and a single 2D waterline cutting pass is generated.

Otherwise, the stepdown is defined as shallow. Mastercam uses the Shallow stepover value to create 3D scallop cut passes along the shallow slope for the shallow stepdown.

Note: If a combination of steep and shallow areas exist within a single stepdown, the entire stepdown is considered shallow

Hybrid machining generates the steep and shallow motion in one seamless toolpath, maintaining a logical cutting order based on a top-down approach.


Existing 3D HST linking is used to ensure all entry, exit, and transition motion is smooth and free-flowing.

Solid Chain Support in Multiaxis ToolpathsYou can now chain solid loops, faces, or edges for certain aspects of multiaxis toolpaths. This applies to the following areas:

Drive curves - Curve toolpaths

Tool axis control chains - Curve, Flow, Multisurface, and Port toolpaths


New Multiaxis ToolpathsMastercam X5 introduces eight new triangular mesh toolpaths to the Multiaxis family. The triangular mesh toolpaths can be found under the Surface/Solid toolpath type.

These new toolpaths support surface, solid and STL input. The strategies are very similar to Mastercam’s 3-axis strategies, including roughing, parallel finishing, constant Z finishing, constant cusp (similar to scallop machining), flat, pencil, and projection machining.


What makes these toolpaths different is that they benefit from multiaxis options such as tool axis control, collision checking, and linking. For example, they can be locked to 3 axis output while still supporting undercut machining with lollipop cutters.


Improved Multiaxis Toolpath InterfaceMastercam X5 introduces a unified interface and a streamlined workflow for Multiaxis toolpaths. Use the following process for all multiaxis toolpaths:

1 Begin by selecting the toolpath family.

2 Select the toolpath type.

3 Proceed through the branches of the tree structure until all necessary parameters have been set. The tree structure will change based on toolpath family and type selections.

The tree is laid out in the logical order of setting your toolpath parameters. Simply advance along the tree structure, choosing your options and setting your parameters along the way, to create the desired multiaxis toolpath.

Creating a multiaxis toolpath1 From the Mastercam menu, choose File, Open.

2 Go to ..\Documentation\ExampleParts and select MULTIAXIS.MCX-5.

3 Press [Alt+S] if necessary to shade the part.

4 From the Mastercam menu, choose Toolpaths, Multiaxis.

Multiaxis toolpaths can all be accessed from a single menu option.


The Toolpath Type page has been organized to make it easier to access the desired toolpath.

The classic Mastercam toolpaths are located under the Classic button.

Multiaxis toolpaths that machine wireframe geometry are grouped together under the Wireframe button.

If you need to mill or drill holes, select toolpaths from the Drill/Circle Mill button.

5 Select the Msurf toolpath type from the Classic toolpath family.

Entering Tool ParametersOnce you have selected a toolpath type, the next step is to set up your tooling.

1 Select the Tool page from the tree control on the left side of the dialog box. The tree structure is designed to flow from the top down in logical order.


2 On the Tool page, click the Select library tool button.

3 Click New Library at the top of the Tool Selection dialog box to select a different tool library.

4 Select the MILL_MM (NEW).TOOLS-5 tool library file and click OK.


5 Select the 12mm ball endmill and click OK to return to the toolpath parameters.

TIP: The green check mark next to the Tool page in the tree control indicates that you made changes on this page.

6 On the Holder page, click the Open Library button.

7 Select the BT40.HOLDERS file and click OK.


8 Select the B4C4-0020 holder.

Note: For more information about tool assemblies in Mastercam X5, see Tool Assemblies on page 35.

Entering Tool Motion ParametersThe next several pages in the tree structure focus on controlling the tool motion while cutting material and between passes.

1 On the Cut Pattern page, set the following parameters:

Select Sphere from the Pattern options drop-down list to match the tool motion to the spherical shape of the part.

Select Spiral from the Cutting method drop-down list to generate spiral tool motion.

Select Computer from the Compensation type drop-down list.

Enter 0.03mm for the Cut tolerance to determine the accuracy of the multiaxis toolpath. A smaller cut tolerance value creates a more accurate toolpath, but may take longer to generate the toolpath and create a longer NC program. This value is also used to eliminate duplicate positions and as a tolerance when compensating to surfaces.

Enter 3.0mm for the Across stepover to control the distance between passes.


Enter 5.0mm for the Along stepover to limit tool motion. The value specified is the distance between generated vectors along the selected geometry.

Notice that as you select different options, the images on the right update to give you a clearer picture of what each parameter does.

2 Click Select next to the Pattern options drop-down list to set the sphere dimensions that control the tool motion.


3 The Sphere Options dialog box establish the dimensions and location of the sphere used as the cut pattern for the toolpath. Enter the sphere dimensions shown on the following picture and click OK.

4 Click Flow parameters at the bottom of the Cut Pattern page.

5 Click Cut direction on the Flowline data dialog box. This changes the direction of the tool motion so it circles around the part.


6 Click OK to return to the toolpath parameters.

7 On the Tool Axis Control page, make the following changes:

Select Pattern surface from the Tool axis control drop-down list to keep the tool axis normal to the spherical surface.

Select the Angle increment check box and enter 1.0 for the angle. The value is an angular measurement between adjacent tool vectors. An additional vector is added to the toolpath when the angle between calculated vectors is greater than the angle increment value.


8 On the Collision Control page, enter 1.5mm for the Stock to leave for compensation surfaces.

9 Click Select next to the Compensation surface(s) to return to the graphics window for surface selection. Compensation surfaces are used to drive the tool tip location.

10 Click the arrow button to select the compensation surfaces.

11 Draw a window around the entire part to select all the surfaces.

12 Click End Selection in the General Selection ribbon bar to complete the surface selection.


13 The Toolpath/surface selection dialog box now shows 171 surfaces selected. Click OK to return to the toolpath parameters.

14 On the Linking page, change the following parameters:

Enter 25.0mm for the Retract to set the height that the tool moves up to before the next tool pass.

Enter 5.0mm for the Feed plane to set the height that the tool rapids to before changing to the plunge rate to enter the part.

In the Keep tool down within group box, select the Distance check box and enter 20.0mm as the distance value. If the distance from the end of one pass to the start of the next pass is less than this value, Mastercam does not create a retract move. The tool moves directly between the passes at the feed rate.


15 On the Home/Ref. Points page (under the Linking page), enter 250.0 for the X, Y, and Z home position values.



Simulating the Toolpath ResultsNow that your toolpath is complete, you can see the results on a simulated machine tool.

1 Click Run Simulation on the Machine Simulation toolbar.

If the Machine Simulation toolbar is not displayed, right-click in any open area at the top of the screen and choose Machine Simulation to display the toolbar.

2 Click Run near the top left corner of the screen to begin the simulation.


You can watch the entire toolpath as it might appear on a machine tool.

3 Click Exit to return to the graphics window.

Note: For more information on Machine Simulation in Mastercam X5, see Mastercam Machine Simulation on page 37.

Router EnhancementsBlock Drill Support in FBM DrillTo minimize tool change time, FBM Drill now recognizes block drill units that are configured in the active Router machine definition. FBM Drill can assign block drill tools and generate block drilling toolpaths.

If the active machine definition contains one or more block drills, the FBM Drill Tools page displays a Machine Definition group box and Use Block Drill check box.

When Use Block Drill is selected (default), Mastercam adds the block drill to the tools it selects for the FBM Drill-generated drill cycles.


If more than one block drill is available in the Machine definition, choose the Select button to open the Drill Block Selection dialog box where you select the drill block to use. Holes that cannot be block drilled are single-point drilled.

For more information on other new features in FBM Drill, see FBM Drill on page 77.

Importing Solids into Toolpath NestingIn Mastercam X5, both Rectangular and TrueShape Nesting support solid operations, including operations created by FBM toolpaths. FBM parent operations, however, are not yet supported.

Automatic Toolpathing EnhancementsMastercam X5 includes several improvements to Automatic Toolpathing (ATP).

You no longer have to be in Mill or Router to run ATP. When running ATP, the ATP machine definition overrides Mastercam's machine definition.

You can overwrite or append new levels to an existing scan.

ROUTER ENHANCEMENTS • 103

You can create new operations from the Strategy Explorer. Choose File, New Operation and select an operation from the submenu, or click the Add a new operation button and choose an operation from the drop-down menu.

Three new options have been added in the Options dialog box for cutlist configurations:

Filter level 0

Combine views

Ignore blanked levels option - also applies to Single Part Processing.


WCS Support for ATP Single Part ProcessingSelect the Use Active WCS option to use the current WCS setting when creating the ATP operations. If the option is not selected, ATP uses the WCS from the operation library specified in the active strategy.

Lathe EnhancementsNew Plunge Turn ToolpathISCAR and Mastercam have worked very closely to develop Mastercam X5's new Plunge Turn toolpath. ISCAR's plunge and turn tools have long been the industry standard for producing highly efficient grooving and turning toolpaths on lathe parts. However, due to the complex motion and cutting methods required, use of these tools was typically relegated to manual programming. With Mastercam X5 Lathe, clearance values, options to eliminate hanging ring burrs, and wide step avoidance have been added to support the ISCAR plunge and turn tools.

Creating plunge turn toolpaths1 From the Mastercam menu, choose File, Open.

2 Go to ..\Documentation\ExampleParts and select PLUNGE_TURN.MCX-5.

This file already contains a facing operation to clean material from the front of the part. The next step is to use the Plunge Turn toolpath to perform a grooving operation.

3 From the Mastercam menu, choose Toolpaths, Plunge Turn.

Note: The first time you select the Plunge Turn toolpath during a Mastercam session, you may see the following message reminding you that only specific tools are appropriate for this toolpath:

To disable this message, select Don’t display this message again and click OK.


4 Select Chain in the Grooving Options dialog box and click OK to define the groove.

5 Select the chain shown in the following picture. The green arrow indicates the start of the chain and the red arrow indicates the end of the chain.

Note: The selection color was changed from yellow to blue to make the chain easier to see. To change the selection color, choose Settings, Configuration from the Mastercam menu and use the options on the Colors tab.

6 Click OK to complete the chain.

LATHE ENHANCEMENTS • 107

7 On the Toolpath parameters tab, select T0202 from the library as the tool for the toolpath.

8 On the Plunge turn shape parameters tab, make sure Use stock for outer boundary is selected. This option is required for the Plunge Turn toolpath.

9 On the Plunge turn rough parameters tab, set the following options:

Set the Stock to leave in X and Stock to leave in Z to 0.5mm to leave material for a future finish toolpath.


Set the Depth of cut to 3.0mm, which equals 60% of the tool width. This percentage is the maximum cut depth recommended by ISCAR for their tools in this toolpath.

TIP: If you enter a cut depth larger than 60% of the tool width, Mastercam displays a warning.

In the Wide step cleanup group box, select the Cleanup steps check box and enter 60% for the Maximum width. This option removes steps that are too large to remove on a finish cut. Such large steps can remain when the wall is angled. The toolpath adds one or more passes if the extra width is more than the specified maximum percent of tool width.

10 On the Plunge turn finish parameters tab, select Negative in the Prevent hanging ring group box. A hanging ring occurs when the tool pushes off, rather than cuts, a small piece of material from the edge of the cut. With this option enabled, the toolpath includes plunge moves in the negative direction


(which matches the cut direction) to remove this extra material without manual intervention.



12 Click Backplot in the Operations Manager to take a closer look at the plunge turn toolpath.

13 In the Backplot dialog box, click Display tool, Display holder, and Quick verify to see the tool, holder, and material removed during the backplot.


14 Click Play on the backplot VCR bar to run the backplot. Notice the extra steps added to handle the wide areas and the additional plunge moves to prevent hanging ring burrs.

15 Click OK to complete the backplot.

Adding a toolpath for the angled grooveAngular grooves can be some of the most difficult grooves to program. But the Plunge Turn toolpath includes options specifically for these areas on your part.

1 From the Mastercam menu, choose Toolpaths, Plunge Turn.

2 Click OK to define the groove using a chain, similar to the previous toolpath.

3 Select the chain shown in the picture at right. The green arrow indicates the start of the chain and the red arrow indicates the end of the chain.

4 Click OK to complete the chain.


5 On the Toolpath parameters tab, make sure the T0202 tool is still selected and click Tool Angle.

6 Enter -45 for the tool angle to rotate the tool to match the groove geometry.

7 Click OK to return to the toolpath parameters.

8 On the Plunge turn shape parameters tab, click Floor to set the groove angle from the groove floor.


9 Select the line that represents the groove floor in the graphics window.

10 Select the Use stock for outer boundary check box to reduce the tool load on the first cut.

11 On the Plunge turn finish parameters tab, notice the Tool deflection backoff parameter. This parameter accommodates the unique ISCAR Groove/Turn inserts which “rock” in the holder as they travel across material in either direction. This value accounts for the tool deflection.



13 Select the second plunge turn toolpath in the Operations Manager and click Backplot to review the toolpath motion.

14 Click Play on the backplot VCR bar to run the backplot.

15 Click OK to complete the backplot.


Stock Eject Option for Chuck Miscellaneous OperationsThis enhancement is specifically for users programming multiple spindles. Until now, you couldn't start with stock in both spindles, and then use the Stock Transfer miscellaneous operation because Stock Transfer does not allow a chuck with stock in it to pick off stock in another spindle. The new Eject stock option on the Lathe chuck page of the Lathe Chuck Properties dialog box allows you to eject the stock from the pickoff chuck, so you can use Stock Transfer later on.

Cutoff Toolpath EnhancementsMastercam X5 Lathe includes the following improvements for cutoff toolpaths. On the Cutoff parameters tab of the Lathe Cutoff Properties dialog box:

The option to define the entry amount (for both the main cut and clearance cuts) and incremental retract radius from the stock model, rather than the selected cutoff point.

A new Back Face Stock parameter so you can select the cutoff point on the back of the finished part and still leave stock for back facing.

The ability to apply a secondary feed rate and spindle speed at a defined radius.


In addition, on the Stock Update Parameters dialog box, you can now keep both pieces of stock after the cutoff operation. You can access this dialog box by clicking the Stock Update button on the Toolpath parameters tab.


Roughing Toolpath Improvements

Tool InspectionAfter successfully adding tool inspection to groove toolpaths, Mastercam X5 adds similar functionality to the roughing toolpaths. This feature allows tool inspection between depth passes, after a specified cut length, or after a specified time. You can access the feature from the Rough parameters page of the Lathe Rough Properties dialog box.


Exit AmountRough turn strategies can now accommodate for open space at the end of a toolpath. The Exit amount parameter extends the cut beyond the stock by the specified amount.

Plunge Parameters - Front Clearance AnglePreviously, the Lathe Plunge parameters dialog box had an option for a clearance angle only from the back of the tool. Because tool orientation is relative to the cut direction, the “back” can be on either side of the tool, depending on the chain direction. The Lathe Plunge parameters dialog box now contains selections for both a front and back clearance angle. You can access these new options by clicking the Plunge Parameters button on the Rough parameters page of the Lathe Rough Properties dialog box or the Finish parameters page of the Lathe Finish Properties dialog box.


Tool Compensation EnhancementsA number of improvements have been made to lathe cutter compensation to fix these problems:

Air cuts caused by offsetting the stock boundary by the stock to leave amount.

Air cuts caused by offsetting the part boundary past the stock boundary.

The contour loses depth during cutter compensation and causes missed cuts.

Gaps between the offset part boundary and stock boundary cause missed cuts.


In addition, when cutter compensation in control is used, the machine controller is responsible for offsetting the geometry by the tool radius. But some machine controllers cannot handle internal arcs smaller than the tool radius. Lathe toolpaths now include an option in the Tool Compensation group box called Optimize cutter comp in control that removes internal arcs smaller than the tool radius. This option is only available if you select Control for cutter compensation.


Note: If you want to revert to the tool compensation available prior to X5, access the Mastercam applet by choosing Start, Programs, Mastercam X5, MCAMX Control Panel Applet. The options to change the lathe cutter compensation are on the Toolpath support page.

Boring Bar Holder ImprovementsMastercam's verification and collision checking has been enhanced to create a more accurate visual representation of boring bars, while still maintaining accurate collision detection.

For visualization verification in Backplot and Verify, Mastercam creates a 3D representation assembly from a 2D profile. This profile is provided by either the tool


parameters or custom tool. Collision checking is not done with the 3D model. It continues to check for collisions as it previously did.

Turn Profile EnhancementsMastercam X5 has refined the Turn Profile function introduced with X4 to more quickly generate more accurate profiles from solids for all your turning applications.


Choose Create, Turn Profile from the Mastercam menu to access this function.

Select Use solid properties to use Parasolids to directly compute the turned profile. This method quickly generates accurate line/arc geometry in most cases. If the Parasolid function fails, the polygon mesh method is used. This check box is only enabled if Spin is selected and you have not selected any surfaces.

Wire EnhancementsNew Power Library FormatIn addition to Mastercam Wire's current POWER libraries, Mastercam X5 adds TECH power libraries. These new database files make it easier than ever to select the correct power settings based on your machining needs. A TECH library is machine control specific. For example, when you load an EDM machine definition such as the Mitsubishi or Makino supplied with Mastercam X5, it loads the control-specific TECH-based library. You can see this in the following two control definition areas:


When you are creating a wirepath using a TECH-based machine/control definition, the power library settings can be accessed through the Wire/Power page of the wirepath dialog boxes.

Notes:

• TECH power libraries are not associated to wirepaths. When first creating a wirepath, Mastercam Wire reads the power settings from the library, but allows them to be changed for the current operation. When editing the wirepath, Mastercam Wire retains the power settings that you set.

• All wirepaths based on the TECH power libraries have up to 9 passes, except for tapered contour wirepaths with a land, which can have up to 18 passes; 9 for the primary cut, and 9 for the tapered cut.

WIRE ENHANCEMENTS • 127

• Default TECH power library settings can be modified per operation by clicking the Tech buttons on the Wire/Power page to get to the Technology Database dialog box.

Art EnhancementsNew Art ToolpathsMastercam X5 includes four new Art toolpaths. All of these toolpaths restrict the toolpath to a closed geometry chain and support nested chains. Additionally, the new spiral toolpaths can cut from the inside out or from the outside in. They are especially useful to the coining, engraving, and paper embossing industries.

Parallel - Horizontal Contained Spiral - Circular Contained

Spiral - Rectangular Contained Spiral - Follow Boundary Contained


Export to 256-Color Grayscale ImagesMastercam Art now has the ability to export to a 256-color grayscale image. Exporting to one of the three standard graphic formats yields a superior quality file that you can use to laser-cut 3D images.

From the Art menu, select Export Active Art Base Surface and save the Art Base Surface to one of the following graphic formats:

BMP

JPG

TIFF

Post EnhancementsNCI Lines for Transform Custom ParametersOne of the new features in Mastercam X5 is the ability to define custom parameters for transform operations. You can define up to four integer parameters and four real (decimal) parameters.

These values work in much the same way as other custom parameters for drill operations and miscellaneous operations. The following sections describe how to take advantage of this feature.


Defining the Field LabelsThe Control Definition Manager includes a new Text page called Transform Operation. Use it to enter the desired labels for the fields.

Supporting the New Parameters in Your Post Two new NCI lines make the values available to your post:

1031 for the custom reals. This line calls a new entry postblock, ptransreal$.

1032 for the custom integers. This line calls a new entry postblock, ptransint$.

Each line has 10 parameters.In X5, only the first four are supported; parameters 5-10 are for future use.

New predefined variables store the values:

trans_mr1$-trans_mr10$ for the custom reals

trans_mi1$-trans_mi10$ for the custom integers

POST ENHANCEMENTS • 133

The new lines are output following the 1020 line.

The new predefined variables retain their values until the next 1031/1032 is output. This means that the post writer needs to reset them between transform operations.

Note: The Mastercam generic posts do not contain any default implementation of the new postblocks. Post writers who want to use this feature in X5 need to declare and initialize the new postblocks from scratch.


Eject Stock Option for Lathe 903 LineLathe chuck operations for X5 now include an Eject stock option.

When you select this option, clmp_op$ is set to 3. This value is output as the second parameter on the 903 NCI line.


20800 NCI Line for Multiaxis Comp in ControlMastercam X5 now supports multiaxis compensation in control. Enter the desired tool diameter in the Cut Pattern page. The default value is the diameter of the operation’s selected tool, but you can override this default with any desired value.

This value is output on a new 20800 NCI line and is available to your post.

This new NCI line is output for Mill, Lathe, and Router toolpaths, except for Lathe misc ops. It is output for tool changes and for null tool changes where the operation changes. It is output following the 20009 line for mill tool changes, and the 20112 line for lathe tool changes. If the operation is not a multiaxis operation, the value is zero.


NCI Support for New Wire Power LibrariesMastercam X5 introduces new Wire power libraries stored as XML-based .TECH files. Several new 20000 NCI lines have been created to support the new Technology Database interface that accompanies these files. These new NCI lines follow a scheme similar to what was used in X4 for the Agievision interface.

Lines 22001-22005 are shared with the Agievision interface.

Lines 22101-22113 are new lines, created specifically for the new power library data.

Before you can use the new libraries, you must enable the Technology Database interface by selecting any of the new Wire machine definitions that include (TECH) in their names. For X5, these machine definitions include Makino and Mitsubishi machines.


Like the Agievision interface, the control definitions for the TECH machines are keyed to the Machine model selected on the Control Model page. Unless you select either Mitsubishi or Makino, Mastercam does not enable the new features

Use the sx_nci_default$ variable to validate the Machine model selection:

For the Makino, sx_nci_default$ = 100.100

For the Mitsubushi, sx_nci_default$ = 50.50

The sx_nci_default$ variable works just as it does with the Agievision interface. For more information on validating the Agievision post, see the Mastercam X5 NCI & Parameter Reference installed in your Mastercam installation \Documentation folder.

The text string for the Machine model is output with the 22001 line.

Note: For the Makino and Mitsubishi machines, the Control version option is disabled. This option is always output as 0 on the 22002 line.

NCI Output for TECH FilesWhen the interface is enabled, NCI lines 22001-22113 are output for each roughing cut and skim pass, for both primary and taper cuts. The data that you see and select in the


Technology Database dialog box is read from the XML data in the .TECH file; not all of it is visible in the dialog box.

Use the picture on the previous page, the following picture, and the table below as a guide to the NCI output. See the online help for Mastercam X5 to learn to use the

different options when programming Mastercam.

NCI Line Description

22001 Machine model string from control definition.22002 Not used;always 0.22003 Not used; always blank.22004 Piece material (string).22005 Wire material (string).22101 Machine string; used to identify the library.22102 Control string; used to identify the library.22103 Units integer. 0=inch, 1=metric.22104 Power library comment. This is a single string that is used

for the entire library.


Note: The Makino and Mitsubishi machine definitions supplied with Mastercam X5 include posts that already implement these features. If you use these machine definitions and posts, you need no additional programming to support the new libraries.

22105 Quality description/label. This is a comment that applies to the individual pass.

22106 Machining condition code. This is output as a string, although it only contains numeric data. This is also output with the tool change lines (NCI 1000/1001/1002) as the ccode$ parameter.

22107 This line consists of a string of six numeric values:1 Minimum thickness of primary piece.

2 Maximum thickness of primary piece.

Note: Not all parts will have different values for maximum and minimum thickness. In these cases, a single thickness value will be output in both places.

3 Primary Ra. If the selected Finish (Ra) is a range of values, the value output with this parameter will be the average.

4 Minimum thickness of taper piece.

5 Maximum thickness of taper piece. See note after parameter 2.

6 Taper Ra. If the selected Finish (Ra) is a range of values, the value output with the parameter will be the average.

22108 The class Method for primary cuts (string).22109 The class Method for taper cuts (string).2211022111

Miscellaneous file paths (if any). These are read directly from the .TECH file.

22112 Finish (Ra) string for primary cuts.22113 Finish (Ra) string for taper cuts.

NCI Line Description

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