What’s New in Mastercam X4 New in Mastercam web.pdfTitle: What’s New in Mastercam X4 Author: CNC Software, Inc., Technical Publications Dept. Subject: Mastercam X4 Created Date:

What’s New in Mastercam X4May 2009

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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 X4

Mastercam® X4 WHAT’S NEW IN MASTERCAM X4

Date: May 2009Copyright © 2009 CNC Software, Inc.— All rights reserved.First Printing: May 2009Software: Mastercam X4Part Number: X4-Pack-WN

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 ......................................................................2

General System Enhancements.........................................................3

Dynamic Planes .......................................................................................3

Tutorial: Using the dynamic gnomon to set a plane ..........................4 Dynamic Xform ......................................................................................11

Tutorial: Moving geometry using Dynamic Xform............................11

Wireframe Feature Recognition in Chaining .......................................17

Tutorial: Chaining geometry using wireframe feature recognition ...17

User-Defined Setup Sheet ....................................................................22

Level Manager Improvements..............................................................23

Managing Levels on the Status Bar.....................................................25

Viewsheet Enhancements ....................................................................25

File Translator Updates .........................................................................26

Design Enhancements..........................................................................27

Translate 3D Improvements .................................................................27

Trim Divide/Delete .................................................................................28

New Visual Cues for Trimming.............................................................28

Mill Level 1 Enhancements................................................................29

New Tree-Style Dialogs for 2D Toolpaths ...........................................29

Dynamic Mill ..........................................................................................30

Holder Definition in 2D Toolpaths ........................................................31

IV • WHAT’S NEW IN MASTERCAM X4

FBM Drill .................................................................................................32

Tutorial: Machining a large hole with FBM Drill ..............................32

Tutorial: Mapping hole sizes to drill cycles .....................................36

FBM Mill .................................................................................................41

Mill Level 3 Enhancements ................................................................45

Multi-Threading Support .......................................................................45

Toolpath Refinement..............................................................................47

Tutorial: Adjusting toolpath results using Toolpath Refinement .......47

Minimum Tilt in Multiaxis Toolpaths ...................................................54

New Tree-Style Dialogs for Curve 5-axis and Drill 5-axis..................54

Circle Mill 5-axis Toolpath ....................................................................55

Router Enhancements ..........................................................................57

Bump Nesting.........................................................................................57

Tutorial: Adjusting nesting results using Bump Nesting...................57

Vertical and Horizontal Cutoff in Nesting.............................................63

Lathe Enhancements .............................................................................65

Grooving Enhancements .......................................................................65

Create Turn Profile .................................................................................69

New Tree-Style Dialogs for C-axis Toolpaths .....................................70

Round Boring Bar Display in Verify ......................................................71

Wire Enhancements ..............................................................................73

Agievision Workflow .............................................................................73

Post Enhancements ...............................................................................75

Updating Posts for Mastercam X4.......................................................75

Support for Lathe Tool Inspection ........................................................76

Agievision Support.................................................................................77

New Operation Parameters ..................................................................78

Post Debugger Improvements ..............................................................78

IntroductionWelcome to Mastercam X4! Mastercam X4 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 X4 has to offer you and your shop.

You can quickly access some of Mastercam X4’s new and exciting features through the What’s New toolbar and menu. Go to Help, What’s New in the Mastercam menu to view some of the new functions that Mastercam X4 offers.

Notes:

• If you migrate your toolbar settings from a previous version of Mastercam, the What’s New in X4 toolbar will not be available.

• Some of the options on the What’s New toolbar are only available if you have certain products enabled on your Mastercam SIM.

Before You BeginWhat’s New in Mastercam X4 outlines the new features in each Mastercam product level. Each chapter’s title corresponds to the Mastercam product that contains the features. For example, the Mill Level 1 Enhancements chapter discusses new functionality that you can access in Mastercam X4 Mill Level 1 or higher.

Tutorial RequirementsMany chapters in this book contain short tutorials on new features in Mastercam X4. 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 X4 products. All tutorial files are located in the ..\Documentation\ExampleParts folder of your Mastercam installation.

Start Mastercam using your preferred method:

Double-click Mastercam’s desktop icon.

Or

Launch Mastercam from the Windows Start menu.

2 • WHAT’S NEW IN MASTERCAM X4

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 your skills at your own pace. For more information on Mastercam University, please contact your Authorized Mastercam Reseller, visit www.mastercam.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 X4 Installation Guide

Mastercam X4 Administrator Guide

Mastercam X4 Quick Start

Mastercam X4 Reference Guide

Mastercam X4 Transition Guide

Mastercam X4 Quick Reference Card

Mastercam X4 Wire Getting Started Guide

mailto:[email protected]


http://www.mastercam.com



http://www.emastercam.com



http://www.mastercamedu.com




General System EnhancementsMastercam X4 introduces several features to improve your productivity, no matter what level of Mastercam you own.

Dynamic PlanesDynamic Planes is a new method for defining construction planes (Cplanes), tool planes (Tplanes), planes, and work coordinate systems (WCS) in Mastercam X4. You can now define the desired plane using an interactive graphical gnomon to establish the plane's origin and orientation.

Everything centers on using the gnomon and its position-sensitive functionality. The gnomon is made of an Axis Origin and three axes, each consisting of a First Leg, Axis Label, Second Leg, and Axis Arrowhead. Each piece has its own functionality.

1 Axis Origin - Select to place the origin of the gnomon in 3D space. You can use AutoCursor positions, type in XYZ values, or sketch a point. Generally, this is the first manipulation of the dynamic gnomon.

2 First Leg - Select to move the gnomon along the selected axis. Move the gnomon along the scale displayed in the graphics window. You can also use AutoCursor positions, type in XYZ values, or sketch a point.

3 Axis Label - Select to rotate around a perpendicular axis. Rotate the gnomon along the scale displayed in the graphics window. You can also use AutoCursor positions, type a rotation angle, or sketch a point.

Selecting the axis label for rotation follows these rules:

X axis label = rotate around Y

Y axis label = rotate around X

Z axis label = rotate around X


4 Second Leg - Select to rotate around a perpendicular axis. Rotate the gnomon along the scale displayed in the graphics window. You can also use AutoCursor positions, type a rotation angle, or sketch a point.

Selecting the axis second leg for rotation follows these rules:

X second leg = rotate around Z

Y second leg = rotate around Z

Z second leg = rotate around Y

5 Axis Arrowhead - Select to align the gnomon to existing geometry. You can also use AutoCursor positions to place the gnomon on an entity. You may align the gnomon to:

a line or solid edge

tangent to a spline or arc

normal to a surface or solid face

TIP: You can modify the behavior of the gnomon with the Gnomon Settings dialog box. Access this dialog box by clicking the Settings button on the ribbon bar or dialog box or by holding the [Ctrl] key and right-clicking anywhere in the graphics window.

Using the dynamic gnomon to set a plane1 From the Mastercam menu, choose File, Open.

2 Go to ..\Documentation\ExampleParts and select DYNAMIC_PLANES.MCX.

3 Press [Alt + S] to shade the surface in the file.

GENERAL SYSTEM ENHANCEMENTS • 5

4 Choose Planes, Dynamic planes from the status bar.

The Dynamic Plane dialog box displays and the dynamic gnomon appears in the graphics window. The first step is to position the plane’s origin.

5 Move the gnomon around the graphics window. The gnomon picks up on various AutoCursor positions on the wireframe geometry.

6 Move the gnomon to the left end of the spline, and click once to set the origin.


Sliding the Gnomon1 Click on the first leg of the Y axis. A sliding scale displays along the Y axis.

2 Move the gnomon back and forth along the scale. Notice that the value in the Y field of the Dynamic Plane dialog box updates as you move the gnomon.

TIP: You may also use AutoCursor positions, type in XYZ values, or simply sketch a point to set an axis position.

3 Click the Settings button on the Dynamic Plane dialog box to display the Gnomon Settings dialog box. You can adjust the gnomon behavior here, including snap increments and gnomon size.

4 Set the Linear increment to 10 and choose OK.


TIP: If you deselect the Activate Linear Snap check box, you can position the axis anywhere along the scale, not just at the snap positions.

5 Move the Y axis along the scale again. Notice that the scale increments are now different.

6 Move your cursor to the center point of the circle. The gnomon references the AutoCursor position and uses it as the value for the Y position.

7 Click the right-hand end of the spline to set the gnomon.


Rotating the Gnomon1 Click on the Y axis label. A dial displays

and you can now rotate around the X axis.

2 Click to select a position.

Note: The red increments on the dial indicate the rotation angle.

3 Click on the second leg of the Y axis. You can now rotate around the Z axis.


4 Enter 45 in the Rotation field on the Dynamic Plane dialog box, and press [Tab]. This quickly rotates the Y axis by 45 degrees.

5 Click once anywhere in the graphics window to set the Y axis position.

6 Click on the second leg of the Y axis again, and move your cursor to the corner of the shaded surface. The gnomon tilts to align with this point.

7 Click the 2D/3D switch on the status bar at the bottom of the screen to change to 2D mode.


8 Move your cursor again to the corner of the shaded surface. The point projects down to the flat plane you are rotating within.

9 Click again on the 2D/3D switch to return to 3D mode.

10 Click once anywhere in the graphics window to set the Y axis position.

Aligning an Axis1 Click on the Z axis arrowhead, and move around the graphics window. The Z

axis snaps to align with each piece of geometry. Notice how the axis adjusts to changes in the surface normal of the shaded surface.

2 Slide the Z axis along the spline and press [F] to flip the Z axis at various points along the spline.

3 Press and hold the [Ctrl] key, and click the right button on your mouse to display the Gnomon Settings dialog box.


4 In the Axis Alignment group box, deselect the Line option. This section sets what types of geometry Mastercam considers when aligning an axis.

5 Click OK to close the Gnomon settings dialog box.

6 Move the gnomon around the graphics window. Notice that the gnomon no longer snaps to align the Z axis with the line.

7 Select any position for the gnomon, and click once to set the axes.

8 Click OK on the Dynamic Planes dialog box to complete the function. The New View dialog box displays.

9 Type a name in the Name field, and select the Set as WCS option.

10 Choose OK. The WCS, tool, and construction planes are now set to your new plane.

Dynamic XformImagine being able to translate and rotate geometry in a single, on-screen control. That's what the new Dynamic Xform function offers you. It combines the ease of the new graphical gnomon from Dynamic Planes with the power of Mastercam’s Xform features.

Moving geometry using Dynamic Xform1 From the Mastercam menu, choose File, Open.


2 Go to ..\Documentation\ExampleParts and select DYNAMIC_XFORM.MCX.

3 Press [F9] to display the world origin and axes. Notice that the part is not in a standard Mastercam orientation.

4 Press [F9] again to clear the world axes from the graphics window.


5 Choose Xform, Dynamic Xform from the Mastercam menu.

6 Select the solid part, and press [Enter].

7 On the Dynamic Xform ribbon bar, confirm that you are in Move mode and are creating a single copy.

Positioning the GnomonThe first task is to orient the gnomon to the way you want to move the part.

1 Click to place the gnomon origin on the bottom left corner of the part.

2 Click the Manipulate axes button on the Dynamic Xform ribbon bar. This allows you to continue positioning the gnomon.

3 Click on the Y axis label to position the Y axis.


TIP: The icon next to the cursor indicates whether you are in Manipulate axes mode or Manipulate geometry mode. You can press the [Ctrl] key to switch between modes.

4 Move the cursor to the top left corner of the part. A Visual Cue displays when Mastercam snaps to the endpoint.

5 Click on the endpoint to set the Y axis position.

6 Click on the X axis label to start positioning the X axis.

7 Move the cursor to the bottom right corner of the part. A Visual Cue displays when Mastercam snaps to the endpoint.

8 Click on the endpoint to set the X axis position.


Moving the Geometry1 Click the Manipulate geometry button

on the Dynamic Xform ribbon bar. This allows you to move the selected geometry.

2 Click on the first leg of the X axis and slide from side to side to translate the part along the X axis.

TIP: You can also enter a translation position on the Dynamic Xform ribbon bar.

3 Click anywhere along the scale to position the X axis.

4 Click on the axes origin, and move the cursor around the graphics window to start translating the part to a new origin.

5 Click anywhere in the graphics window to select a new origin position.


6 Click on the Z axis label, and notice that you can rotate around the X axis.

7 Enter -110 in the Angle field of the Dynamic Xform ribbon bar, and press [Tab] to position the Z axis.

8 Click once in the graphics window to return to the Dynamic Xform ribbon bar.

9 On the Dynamic Xform ribbon bar, select World axes, and click the Align with Axes button. This aligns the geometry with the world coordinate system.

10 Select World origin from the Move to origin drop-down list, and click the Move to origin button.

11 Click OK on the Dynamic Xform ribbon bar to complete the transformation.

12 Right-click in the graphics window, and choose Clear Colors to return the part to the original color.


13 Press [F9] again to see that the part is now moved to the world origin and oriented to match the standard Mastercam views.

Wireframe Feature Recognition in ChainingOn wireframe parts with many similar chains mixed with other geometry, chaining can become a tedious, error-prone, manual process. With Wireframe Feature Recognition, you only chain an example of the geometry you want to use and then click a button. Mastercam automatically finds all other occurrences of the geometry and chains them as well. You can use this function to select specific holes for Circle Mill toolpaths or for slots to cut with Pocket or Contour toolpaths.

Chaining geometry using wireframe feature recognition1 From the Mastercam menu, choose File, Open.

2 Go to ..\Documentation\ExampleParts and select WIREFRAME.MCX. This example contains over 850 individual shapes.


3 Press [F1] and draw a zoom window around the left side of the part.

4 Choose Analyze, Contour from the Mastercam menu. The Chaining dialog box displays.

5 Click the Chain Feature Options button to display the Chain Feature dialog box. This dialog lets you set criteria for determining which geometry is similar.

6 Select Identical in the Feature Precision group box. This option looks for chains that are exact geometric matches. The chains must contain the same number of entities with the same measurements.

7 Click OK to close the Chain Feature dialog box.


8 Chain the small horizontal slot on the left side of the part.

9 Click the Chain Feature button on the Chaining dialog box.

Notice that Mastercam selects all of the identical geometry in the graphics window. The prompt indicates that 72 chains are selected.

10 Click the Chain Feature Options button again.


11 Select the Shape Match option in the Feature Precision group box. This option looks for chains that are similar in shape. The selected chains can have the same features and arrangement of features but differ by size.


13 Chain one of the kidney shapes on the part.

14 Click the Chain Feature button again on the Chaining dialog box.

Notice that Mastercam found the identical shapes, along with similar shapes that are smaller and larger.

15 Click the Chain Feature Options button again.


16 Select the Shape Perimeter filter option in the Feature Precision group box, and select <= (less than or equal to) from the drop-down list. This option looks for chains that are the same size or smaller than the selected chain.


18 Chain one of the larger circles on the part.

19 Click the Chain Feature button again on the Chaining dialog box.

Notice that Mastercam chained all arcs that are less than or equal to the reference arc. In total, Mastercam chained 620 shapes with just a few clicks.

TIP: You can save your Chain Feature settings and recall them for future use by choosing the Save and Load buttons on the Chain Feature dialog box.


User-Defined Setup SheetThere is a new setup sheet available in Mastercam X4. The new ActiveReports™ setup sheet can be enabled in the Toolpaths page of the System Configuration dialog box. The GUI and .SET options are also still available.

The new setup sheet lets you add project and customer information, including custom screen captures. You can even add drafting and notes while you're capturing images.


Level Manager ImprovementsIn Mastercam X4, the Level Manager is easier to use and more powerful than ever. The dialog box has been reorganized so it requires less screen space. In addition, you can press [Alt + Z] to quickly open and close the Level Manager.


The Level Manager also allows you to perform more level manipulation inside the dialog box by using new options on the right-click menu.

Purge empty levels - Removes levels and level names that contain no geometry.

Renumber level - Moves entities to an unused level while maintaining the level name, level set, and display status.

Cut - Removes geometry from a level and keeps it available for pasting.

Copy - Copies geometry from a level.

Paste - Places the cut or copied geometry into a level.

Delete - Removes geometry from a level. You can also press the [Delete] key. Since this is a delete function, Undo and Redo are available.


Managing Levels on the Status BarThe level name is now displayed along with the level number on the status bar. If you open the drop-down list, all of the levels and descriptors are displayed using the same List Level settings from the Level Manager.

You can enter a level name in the status bar when you define a new level by typing the level number followed by a colon and the name. For example, to define level 10 as a new level with the name cavity, type 10:cavity (no spaces) in the Level box on the status bar.

Viewsheet EnhancementsIn Mastercam X4, you can recall every option on the status bar (except Groups) as part of a viewsheet. Right-click on any viewsheet tab and choose Settings to specify which status bar functions to recall in the viewsheet and which ones to ignore. The Automatically restore bookmark settings option resets the viewsheet to the bookmark automatically when you switch from one viewsheet to another. All of these options are also available on the Screen, Viewsheets page of the System Configuration dialog box.


File Translator UpdatesThe following list shows which file formats are supported by Mastercam X4’s file translators.

ACIS - R19

Alibre Design - V11

AutoCAD® DWG, DXF, DWF - 2009

Autodesk Inventor IPT, IAM, IDW - 2010

CATIA® V5 - R19

KeyCreator® - V8.5

Parasolids® - 20

Pro/E® - Wildfire4

Rhino® - 4

Solid Edge® - ST

SolidWorks® - 2009

Design EnhancementsMastercam X4 Design makes drawing and editing your geometry more efficient than ever before.

Translate 3D ImprovementsThe Xform, Translate 3D function has been revamped in Mastercam X4 to make it faster and more efficient. If you are moving or copying geometry to a pre-defined plane, you can just select the name from the drop-down list.


Trim Divide/DeleteThis useful function now can delete any isolated entities with no intersections. Entities with a single point of intersection at an endpoint are also automatically deleted.

New Visual Cues for TrimmingWhen trimming entities, Mastercam X4's auto-preview feature displays the results of the selected function as you move the mouse over the final entity selection. A solid line represents what geometry will be created. A dashed line represents what geometry will be removed.

Mill Level 1 EnhancementsMill Level 1 in Mastercam X4 features an improved interface for 2D toolpaths, new machining strategies, and enhancements to the Feature Based Machining (FBM) toolpaths.

New Tree-Style Dialogs for 2D ToolpathsMastercam X4 continues the migration to the tree-style dialogs and the 2D toolpaths are the next to get this facelift. You will not notice any differences in the Mastercam menus. However, when you select a contour or a drill operation, a new interface displays. Operations that require chains are organized together and toolpaths that require points or arcs are organized together.


The following toolpaths now use the tree-style dialogs:

One of the benefits of this interface, beyond a unified look with other toolpaths, is the ability to change toolpath types. If you begin a drill toolpath from the menu, select several points or arcs, get into the interface and realize that Drill was not the correct option but Circle Mill is better, you can simply switch styles and continue on. There is no need to exit the toolpath and begin again — all geometry remains selected. You enter the appropriate parameters, and process the toolpath.

Dynamic MillDynamic Mill is a new pocketing routine for Mastercam X4. It has been added to the 2D HST tree-style dialog as an additional toolpath type.

Contour Slot Mill Point

Pocket Drill Helix Bore

Facing Circle Mill Thread Mill

MILL LEVEL 1 ENHANCEMENTS • 31

Dynamic Mill gives you the ability to utilize the entire flute length of the cutting tool, saving both time and money. It also offers flexible retract options to keep the tool down in smaller parts and rapid retract on larger parts.

In addition, Dynamic Mill supports many powerful entry methods, including a custom entry method that makes it easier to program complex pocket shapes. Micro lifts have been incorporated from the Peel Mill toolpath to further refine the dynamic pocket motion and avoid excessive heat build-up. Both the powerful entry methods and the micro lifts support custom feeds and speeds to further productivity and generate safe motion.

Holder Definition in 2D ToolpathsAll 2D toolpaths that use the new tree-style dialogs (point-based, chain-based, and 2D high speed) include a Holder page in the tree control. This page is similar to 3D high


speed toolpaths, but the information is only used for Backplot and not for gouge-checking the toolpath.

FBM Drill

Large Hole MillingCustomers asked for a better solution to the problem of machining holes larger than their drills and for creating flat-bottom holes without using a mill for drilling. FBM Large Hole Milling is designed to answer this need. With it, you can set thresholds for through holes, counterbores, and flat-bottomed blind holes when FBM Drill will switch from using a drill cycle to using Circle Mill or Helix Bore toolpaths.

Machining a large hole with FBM Drill1 From the Mastercam menu, choose File, Open.


2 Go to ..\Documentation\ExampleParts and select LARGE_HOLE.MCX.

This part features a one inch hole in the center that is too large to drill effectively.

3 From the Mastercam menu, choose Toolpaths, FBM Drill.

4 Click the Detect button at the top of the FBM Drill dialog box to find the holes in the part.

The one inch hole appears at the bottom of the feature list and is set to be drilled by default.

5 Select the Hole milling page from the tree control and select the Through holes check box.


This page includes options to determine what holes are machined with either a circle mill or helix bore toolpath instead of drilling. In this case, any through holes one inch or larger will be machined with a circle mill toolpath.

6 In the Automatic tool selection group box, enter 35% for the maximum tool diameter and 20% for the minimum tool diameter.


7 Select the Circle Mill page from the tree control. This page allows you to set parameters for the circle mill toolpath or use the default toolpath parameters.

8 Click the Detect button again to re-detect the holes. Notice that the one inch hole is now re-assigned as a circle mill operation.


9 Click OK to accept the Circle Mill default values and generate the toolpaths. Mastercam creates a circle mill toolpath to machine the hole in the center of the part.

Hole MappingFBM Drill now allows you to build a mapping table so that when a specific hole size is encountered during detection, it is automatically assigned to a specific drill cycle and tool. This can be useful on parts where holes that are intended to be tapped are created with the pilot hole diameter rather than the finished hole diameter.

Mapping hole sizes to drill cycles1 From the Mastercam menu, choose File, Open.


2 Go to ..\Documentation\ExampleParts and select HOLE_MAPPING.MCX.

The circular set of holes are all ¼-20 tapped holes drawn with a 0.201 diameter.

3 From the Mastercam menu, choose Toolpaths, FBM Drill.

4 Click the Detect button at the top of the FBM Drill dialog box to find the holes in the part.

5 Select the Hole Mapping page from the tree control and select the Hole mapping check box to enable this feature.

6 Right-click anywhere in the hole mapping table and select Add to start a new hole map entry.

7 Enter 0.201 for the diameter and press [Tab] to move to the next column.


8 Select Tap RH from the Hole type drop-down list and press [Tab] to move to the next column.

9 Select the MCX: Tap RH tool from the Finish tool drop-down list to complete the hole map entry.

10 Click the Detect button again to re-detect all of the features. All of the 0.201 holes are now set as Tap RH holes instead of Drill holes.

Notice that the counterbore features were not automatically assigned to a tool. You can quickly make this adjustment.


11 Click the Select common features check box at the bottom of the feature list and select one of the counterbore holes. All the counterbores are highlighted.

12 Right-click in the Finish tool column on the right and select Finish tool > MCX: Drill from the flyout menu. This tool is applied to all the counterbore holes.


13 Click OK to generate the toolpaths.

Pre-DrillingFBM Drill now includes a simpler way for pre-drilling to only drill the pilot hole diameter and not perform any pre-drilling up to that hole size. The Pre-drill pilot holes only check box on the Pre-drilling page generates only pilot hole pre-drill cycles followed by finish hole drill cycles, such as tapping or reaming.

Create Additional GeometryThis new option on the Setup page allows FBM Drill to create additional geometry while creating the drill toolpaths. This geometry can be used to select holes for multiaxis drilling. The Vector of drill engagement option creates a vector from the top


of the hole to the deepest depth of the hole, taking tip compensation and tool selection into account.

FBM Mill

Slug CuttingUsers who work with wood and composite materials on large vacuum table machines will definitely appreciate this enhancement in how FBM Mill handles through pockets. FBM Mill now detects when a through pocket area is large enough for a vacuum table to hold down the resulting slug. Instead of pocketing the entire area, Mastercam uses a contour operation to cut the outermost passes of the profile, leaving behind a slug that is held in place by the vacuum table.

Note: The Slug cutting page is available only when the Through features check box is selected on the Feature detection page.


Large Hole MillingIn Mastercam X4 Mill, FBM Mill provides a method other than pocketing to machine round features. The Hole Milling option lets you mill round features using pocket,


Circle Mill, or Helix Bore toolpaths. You can activate Hole Milling on the Feature detection page.

If you select Hole milling, the Hole milling page becomes available in the tree control. Use this page to select either Circle Mill or Helix Bore toolpaths for machining and to set tool selection ranges. Like Large Hole Milling in FBM Drill, you can set parameters for the Circle Mill or Helix Bore toolpaths, or use the operation defaults.


Mill Level 3 EnhancementsMastercam X4 offers several enhancements for Mill Level 3 and Router Pro users, including support for multi-threaded processing, new filters for improved finish results, and an updated interface for Curve 5-axis and Drill 5-axis toolpaths.

Multi-Threading SupportMulti-threading is a special form of program multitasking that allows a single program to execute portions of itself concurrently (as opposed to a single-threaded program, which executes in a linear mode). This processing mode allows Mastercam to split the programs that regenerate its largest, most complex toolpaths into smaller, separate program threads that execute simultaneously. Programs that are multi-threaded can process more quickly and efficiently.

In Mastercam X4, multi-threaded toolpath processing is available for all of Mastercam's 3D surface high speed toolpaths (HST), and for the following multiaxis toolpaths:

Multisurface 5-axis

Flowline 5-axis

Port 5-axis

You can enable/disable multi-threaded toolpath processing as part of your Mastercam configuration for all Mastercam sessions (Settings, Configuration, Toolpaths page).


Or you can use the Toggle Multi-Threading button to turn it on or off for the current Mastercam session.This button is located on the What’s New in X4 toolbar, and in the Settings, Customize dialog box in the Multi-Thread Toolpath Manager category.

Once you activate multi-threaded processing, whenever you generate/regenerate 3D HST and multiaxis toolpaths, you can continue working in Mastercam once the toolpaths have been sent to the Multi-Threading Manager (MTM). This dialog box shows you all existing threads, along with their current states, progress bar indicators, and processing status.

You do not have to wait for the toolpath regeneration to complete before starting another Mastercam function. Mastercam continues to process these toolpath files in the background.

You can use the Toggle Multi-Threading Manager button to control the display of this dialog box for the current Mastercam session. This button is also located on the What’s New in X4 toolbar, and in the Settings, Customize dialog box in the Multi-Thread Toolpath Manager category.

When processing toolpaths in multi-threaded mode, the Toolpath Manager displays two icons to indicate that toolpaths are being processed as threads in the Multi-Threading Manager. The icons are green or yellow spools of thread.

Green icons indicate threads that are being processed in the MTM.

Yellow icons are assigned to dependent toolpath threads (for example,

rest toolpaths). Dependent threads require data from prior “parent” toolpath threads. Dependent threads cannot begin processing until the MTM completely finishes processing the parent thread (including translation of the binary NCI data).


Toolpath RefinementMastercam X4 adds a new toolpath refinement feature — 3D Advanced Toolpath Refinement — to 3D surface toolpaths. The 3D Advanced Toolpath Refinement helps you optimize cycle times and produce better finishes with your 3D surface toolpaths. This new feature combines the existing arc/line filter with new functionality that supports smoothing, randomizing points, creating minimal points, maintaining a consistent distance between points, and even converting arc motion to all G1 motion.

Adjusting toolpath results using Toolpath Refinement1 From the Mastercam menu, choose File, Open.

2 Go to ..\Documentation\ExampleParts and select REFINE.MCX. This part includes four surface high speed toolpaths.

3 In the Toolpath Manager, expand the first toolpath in the list.

4 Click the Parameters icon to display the Surface High Speed Toolpaths dialog box.


5 Select the Arc Filter/Tolerance page from the tree control. Notice that the Total tolerance value is set to 0.001.

6 Click the Refine toolpath button to open the Refine Toolpath dialog box.


In the Tolerances Distribution section, Mastercam displays the formula it uses to apply the 0.001 Total Tolerance value. For this toolpath, the percentages of Line/Arc filter tolerance and Smoothing tolerance are set to 0%, making the Cut tolerance 100% of the Total tolerance value. This indicates that the 3D Advanced Toolpath Refinement feature is not in effect.

7 Select the Smoothing Settings check box to activate smoothing for the toolpath. This automatically adjusts the Smoothing tolerance in the Tolerances Distribution to 5% of the Total tolerance and reduces Cut tolerance to 95%.

8 Select the Line/Arc Filtering Settings check box to activate line/arc filtering for the toolpath. Line/arc filtering and smoothing tolerance are applied approximately equally.


9 Slowly move the + slider, located immediately after the Cut tolerance field, to the right. This adjusts the ratio between the two sections in 5% increments, but respects the final number for the total tolerance.

10 Move the slider in between the line/arc filter and the smoothing tolerance to the left. This adjusts the ratio between the two fields.

Notes: There are other ways to change the distribution between the fields:

• Type values directly into the fields

• Use the sliders in the My preferences section.

11 Click Cancel to close the Refine Toolpath dialog box.

12 Click Cancel to close the Surface High Speed Toolpath dialog box.

Examining the Toolpath Results1 Select all four toolpaths in the Toolpath Manager and click the Backplot

button.

2 Expand the Backplot dialog box using the arrow button in the upper left corner so you can see all four toolpaths.


3 Select the first toolpath.

4 Select the Display Endpoints button to see the entity endpoints within the tool motion.

5 Zoom in on a section of the part. The first toolpath has no filter applied, so you can see how the points line up with neighboring points. This introduces the potential for a low-quality surface finish.


6 Select the second toolpath in the Backplot dialog box. The Refine Toolpath filter is turned on for this toolpath, which randomizes the point placement to avoid patterns.

7 Select the third toolpath in the Backplot dialog box and notice the reduction in the number of points. For this toolpath, the Minimize number of points option in the Smoothing section is selected, which further filters the toolpath and creates smaller NC files.

8 Select the last toolpath in the Backplot dialog box. This toolpath uses the Use Fixed Segment Length option in the Smoothing section. No two points are more than 0.04 inches apart, which is ideal for high speed machining.

9 Click OK to close the Backplot dialog box.


Toolpath Refinement Frequently Asked QuestionsMastercam X4’s Toolpath Refinement gives you a single control panel for two powerful methods of toolpath improvement. The first method — Line/Arc Filtering — you may already be familiar with. The second method of toolpath refinement — Smoothing — is new to Mastercam.

Note: The Cut Parameters Smoothing option used to round corners in high speed toolpaths is unrelated to 3D Advanced Toolpath Refinement.

Here are a few commonly asked questions that should help you decide if the new Smoothing feature is for you:

Which toolpaths use Toolpath Refinement?All 3D surface toolpaths and surface high speed toolpaths have the option of using Toolpath Refinement. This includes both roughing and finishing toolpaths.

What does Toolpath Refinement Smoothing do?Smoothing distributes a toolpath’s node points, avoiding the clustering and grouping of points that can cause marks and other imperfections. It does this through shifting, removing, and/or adding node points along an already generated toolpath.

What are the benefits?Smoothing delivers three clear benefits on certain parts:

Superior finish quality. Tests show a much smoother, consistent finish with fewer visible tool marks on many parts.

Reduced machining time. Smoothed toolpaths eliminate many of the small moves common to 3D toolpaths, letting you run the program at much higher feed rates.

Reduced tool wear.

How do I access the Refine Toolpath options?Choose a 3D surface toolpath or a surface high speed toolpath from the Mastercam Toolpath menu or toolbar.

Then choose one of the following actions based on your toolpath selection:

For tree-style toolpaths:

1 Choose the Arc Filter/Tolerance page.


2 Enter a Total Tolerance value.

3 Click the Refine Toolpath button.

For tab-style toolpaths:

1 Choose the toolpath's parameters tab (for example, Rough radial parameters or Finish project parameters).

2 Enter a Total Tolerance value.

3 Click the Total Tolerance button.

Try out this powerful new technique and see for yourself the smoother, faster results it can deliver. You can also use it together with Mastercam’s standard Line/Arc filtering, as the two techniques work well together.

Minimum Tilt in Multiaxis ToolpathsThis new feature automates tool axis motion when the tool or holder encounters a potential collision with a selected surface. These options are available in Port 5-axis, Flow 5-axis, and Multisurface 5-axis toolpaths. You can enter a clearance distance to maintain between the tool shank/holder and the part. For Mastercam X4, this function can only be used with a lollipop cutter.

New Tree-Style Dialogs for Curve 5-axis and Drill 5-axisMastercam continues to convert toolpaths to the new tree-style dialog boxes. The new dialogs for Drill 5-axis and Curve 5-axis streamline the programming process.


Circle Mill 5-axis ToolpathThe new Circle Mill 5-axis toolpath is useful for creating circular pockets normal to a surface, parallel to a line, or referencing a plane in order to insert an object such as a fastener. It can also generate round holes at any orientation where drilling is not


desirable. You can access this toolpath by choosing Toolpaths, Multiaxis, Circle 5 axis from the Mastercam menu.

Router EnhancementsMastercam X4 Router provides new functions that give you additional control over your router machining jobs.

Bump NestingMastercam X4 allows you to perform automatic nesting with just enough manual intervention to achieve the best possible result in the least amount of time.

Adjusting nesting results using Bump Nesting1 From the Mastercam menu, choose Settings, Configuration and select the

English (Inch) configuration file.

2 Click OK to close the System Configuration dialog box.

3 Choose Xform, Geometry Nesting from the Mastercam menu.

4 Click the Open button at the bottom of the Nesting dialog box.

5 Go to ..\Documentation\ExampleParts and select BUMP.NSTX. This file contains settings from a previous Mastercam nesting session.

On the Sheets tab, the sheet size is preset to 24x12 inches and the sheet margin is set to 0.25 inches.


6 Click on the Parts tab. Two copies of each part have been requested, using a 0.25 inch part-to-part distance to accommodate tool size.

ROUTER ENHANCEMENTS • 59

7 Click OK to create the nesting results. The Nesting Results dialog box displays.

8 Click the Drag button at the bottom of the Nesting Results dialog box to enter Bump Nesting mode.

The graphics window shows the nested geometry and the Bump Nesting ribbon bar displays.

Copying and Rotating Part Geometry1 Click the Copy button on the ribbon bar.


2 Click anywhere on the number 4 shown in the following picture.

3 Use your mouse to move the copied geometry around the open area on the right side of the sheet. You can see that the part-to-part distance is respected.

4 Press the [+] and [-] keys to rotate the part ten degrees in either direction.

5 Hold down the [Ctrl] key and press the [+] and [-] keys again to rotate the part one degree in either direction.


6 Move the new geometry down next to the lower number 4. Notice that it can be difficult to align with both the number 4 and the lower edge of the sheet.

7 Press and hold the left mouse button. An additional arrow displays that can be pointed towards the bottom edge of the sheet to bump against two edges.

8 Release the left mouse button to place the copied geometry.

Deleting and Moving Part Geometry1 Click the Delete button on the ribbon

bar.

2 Click on the number 4 that you just created to delete it from the sheet.


3 Click on the letter E at the center of the nested geometry.

4 Press [Esc] to exit Delete mode.

5 Click the Move button on the ribbon bar.

6 Click on one of the letter C parts and try to drag it into the space left in the center of the sheet. Due to the part-to-part distance, it will not fit in the space.


7 Click anywhere on the right side of the sheet to place the letter C.

8 Click on one of the number 4 parts and move it to the open space in the center of the sheet. Because this part is smaller, Bump Nesting allows you to place it in the space.

TIP: You can press the [+] and [-] buttons to rotate the part within the space for more efficient sheet usage.

9 Click once to place the part.

10 Click OK on the ribbon bar to return to the Nesting Results dialog box.

The Minimum Quantity Not Achieved dialog box displays because you deleted one of the letters and a minimum quantity of two was set for each part.

11 Click OK to continue.

12 Click OK to accept the nesting results and complete the nesting process.

Vertical and Horizontal Cutoff in NestingNesting can now generate a toolpath for vertical and horizontal cutoffs in order to preserve rectangular remnants for future use. If you wish to make horizontal and vertical cutoffs, you can use the Trim settings to choose which cut to make first. The


horizontal and vertical trim check boxes in the Results dialog are used to specify which cuts to make.

Lathe EnhancementsMastercam X4 Lathe provides many new features to make your lathe jobs faster and more efficient, including several enhancements for grooving toolpaths, better functionality for creating turned profiles, and a user-friendly interface for C-axis toolpaths.

Grooving EnhancementsMastercam X4 includes several improvements that provide a new level of control for Lathe grooving toolpaths.

Multiple Chains Grooving OptionThe new Multiple chains option allows you to select more than one groove for a groove toolpath.

When you use this option to chain multiple grooves, the chaining function is impacted in the following ways:

The type of chain in the Chaining dialog box defaults to Partial Chain.

You are prompted to select an entry point or chain the inner boundary.

Using the Partial Chain method, select the first entity and then the last entity.

Using the Point method, select an entry point or points.

You can then select a retraction point or complete the chaining process.


Because the grooves can be different widths, you can only select the new Middle overlap option on the Groove Finish parameters tab.

LATHE ENHANCEMENTS • 67

Feed and Speed Settings for Finish PassesNew parameters in Mastercam X4 Lathe allow you to set speeds and feed rates specifically for finish groove passes, making it easier to produce your desired finish.

Corner Dwell on Finish GroovingThe Groove finish parameters page now includes a Corner Dwell option. The dwell occurs at the intersection of the wall or corner geometry and the flat bottom of the groove. Dwell may not work in odd-shaped grooves.


Independent Feed Rate for First PlungeThe Groove rough parameters page has a new option to set a feed rate specifically for the first plunge move, providing precise control of your toolpath motion.

Tool InspectionMastercam X4 Lathe also provides the ability to program tool inspections into your groove toolpaths. You can program safe approach and retract locations for performing the tool inspection. You can also define specific conditions for when you want to inspect the tool.


IMPORTANT: This feature only works if the post is customized to capture the new information in the NCI file. For more information, see Support for Lathe Tool Inspection on page 76.

Create Turn ProfileCustomers asked for a better solution to the problem of generating a turned profile from a solid. Mastercam X4 includes a new function for doing this, which replaces the Solid to 2D Profile function in Mastercam X3. The Turn Profile functionality is a subset of the Create, Silhouette Boundary functionality.

You can access this new function by selecting Create, Turn Profile from the Mastercam menu. After you select an existing solid, solid face, or surface, the following dialog box displays.


Two methods are available for generating the turned profile:

Spin — Designed for complex, non-symmetrical geometry containing Mill and Turn features. The entire model is spun to generate the profile of the maximum turned envelope for the component. This option can also be used on symmetrical geometry.

Slice — Designed for symmetrical, revolved geometry and a simple slice is taken through the model.

The final profile can be limited to the Upper or Lower profiles or both sides. The new function always uses the current WCS X axis as the axis of rotation and the resulting profile is created in the Top view of the active WCS.

New Tree-Style Dialogs for C-axis ToolpathsSince C-axis toolpaths are very similar to the 2D chain-based and point-based toolpaths, these toolpath dialog boxes are also being converted to the new tree-style dialog. This will help maintain consistency between Mastercam Mill and Mastercam Lathe.


Round Boring Bar Display in VerifyMastercam X4 now shows round boring bars in Verify. The display is a simplified representation of round tools, including boring bars. Collision checking is performed in the background against the 2D profile as it has always been.

All boring bar-type tools, including any custom boring bars, are now created with the new, simplified round representation. For other tool types like General, ID groove, and ID thread, the option to create a round tool shank is available.


Wire EnhancementsMastercam X4 Wire provides a new, customized interface if your wire machining processes include using Agie EDM with Agievision controls.

Agievision WorkflowIn Mastercam X4 Wire’s new Agievision mode, the wirepaths and related dialog boxes are intentionally designed to closely resemble the actual Agievision interface for a familiar look and ease of use. This new Agievision support also includes a complete set of machine definition/control definition/post processor files. You can identify these files by the _AWF in the file names.

AGIE GENERIC AGIEVISION_AWF 4X WIRE.WMD

AGIE GENERIC AGIEVISION_AWF 4X WIRE MM.WMD

AGIE GENERIC AGIEVISION_AWF 4X WIRE.CONTROL

AGIE GENERIC AGIEVISION _AWF 4X Wire.PST

Select one of the Agievision AWF Wire Machine Definitions (WMD files) to switch Mastercam Wire into the Agievision mode. Once you switch to this mode, the Toolpaths menu shows the following wirepaths:


As you go through the pages in the wirepath dialog boxes, you will see the Agievision-specific parameter pages that anyone familiar with the Agievision will instantly recognize.

Notes:

• Mastercam X4 still includes the Agie C-Hook. This means that you can still run and maintain your current Agie C-Hook files using your current Agie machine definition and post.

• Since these new Agievision wirepaths are Agievision-specific, they are not compatible with existing wirepaths that have been created with the Agie C-Hook. The part geometry can be reused, but all the wirepaths must be recreated using the new interface.

Post EnhancementsMastercam X4 includes a number of post enhancements that support the other new X4 features. Your \Documentation folder includes two additional resources for posts information:

Post Debugger User’s Guide — Describes how to use the post debugger, including a tutorial example and quick reference.

NCI & Parameter Reference — Lists all of the NCI codes and associated parameters, 20000s-series codes, and all the operation parameters. It includes procedures and examples for accessing each type of value.

Updating Posts for Mastercam X4All posts need to be updated before they can be used with Mastercam X4. Use the UpdatePost C-Hook to update them. This is installed in your \chooks folder and is run like any other C-Hook. If you try to use a post that has not been updated, Mastercam displays an error message.

UpdatePost will make the following changes to your post:

The header will be updated with the latest version number, 13.00.

String initialization will be updated to conform to current best-practice standards.

The following picture shows the new string initialization. All such statements will use the : operator, with the string value in double-quotes " ". This also applies to blank strings.

UpdatePost also includes routines that search for references to specific parameter numbers and validates them against known changes. If your original post tries to read a


parameter with a number that has changed, the following line will be written to the updatepost.log file:

PARAMETER DATA - - Possibly incorrect parameter number detected: 99999. Please check the parameter number.

When you see this message, look up the parameter number in the tables in the NCI & Parameter Reference and make sure that your post is actually referencing the parameter that you want.

Note that UpdatePost only looks at parameter numbers in fprm tables. Postlines that are inside postblocks are not validated. Here is one example:

pparameter$ if prmcode$ = 10068, z_stock = rpar(sparameter$, 1)

Support for Lathe Tool InspectionThe generic lathe posts supplied with Mastercam have been modified to support the new tool inspection retract moves for lathe groove toolpaths. To implement this feature, there are two enhancements to the NCI output for lathe groove toolpaths:

A retract move to the inspection position. This is indicated by the same 70000 cur_cflag$ (rpd_typ$ = 7) used for the Mill tool inspection feature in the surface high speed toolpaths.

A comment that is written to the NCI just before the 70000 move. A new 29999 NCI code has been created for this comment.

Unlike other 20000s lines, which are written to the NCI before the tool change line, the 29999 is written in the middle of the toolpath, at the point where the tool inspection is to take place.

The following picture shows the NCI code for a lathe groove toolpath, with and without the tool inspection. You can see how the retract move and new codes are implemented.

POST ENHANCEMENTS • 77

If you are not using one of Mastercam’s generic lathe posts, you (or your reseller) will need to modify your post to properly process the new NCI codes. UpdatePost will not make these changes for you. See the NCI & Parameter Reference for detailed instructions and examples.

Agievision SupportThe Agievision interface introduced with Mastercam X4 includes many new dialog boxes that mimic the look and feel of the Agievision control. A new range of parameters has been established, 22000–22999, to encapsulate these settings and pass them to the post. These are then read and stored during pparameter$ like any other 20000-style parameters.

This represents a significant change from how Agie data was written out by the Agie C-Hook used in Mastercam X3. The C-Hook wrote the data to a separate .ADT file to be read by the post, instead of the 22000 parameters. Posts written for the new Agievision interface therefore need to be completely different.

The Agievision interface supplied with Mastercam X4 includes a complete post, along with a machine and control definition:

AGIE GENERIC AGIEVISION_AWF 4X WIRE.WMD

AGIE GENERIC AGIEVISION_AWF 4X WIRE MM.WMD

AGIE GENERIC AGIEVISION_AWF 4X WIRE.CONTROL

AGIE GENERIC AGIEVISION _AWF 4X Wire.PST

When you select the Agievision machine definition, the correct post is automatically loaded.

The new Agievision interface also includes a new control definition page that supplies key information to the post.


This information is used to validate the post and ensures that the selected post has been properly configured for the interface. This means that any current Agie posts (posts that had been developed to work with the Agie C-Hook) will not work with the new interface.

See the NCI & Parameter Reference for detailed lists of all the new 22xxx parameters and other information about the Agievision post.

New Operation ParametersMastercam X4 includes many new operation parameters to support the new toolpath types and other new features. These new parameters are itemized in the NCI & Parameter Reference.

Traditionally, operation parameters have been numbered from 10000–19999. Since we are running out of numbers in this range, new parameters are now numbered in the 40000s.

Post Debugger ImprovementsThe Mastercam Post Debugger, which was introduced in Mastercam X3, has several significant enhancements.

Run Turbo mode - Lets you quickly preview your NC output so you can set breakpoints, add variables to the watch list, and otherwise identify areas of interest that you want to look at closely.

Expanded NC Output - Lets you see each element of each NC line as it is output, and identify the specific postline element or statement that output it.

In addition, the documentation has been significantly enhanced, including a quick reference, FAQ, and tutorial example. Click the new Help button on the debugger toolbar, or open the Post Debugger User’s Guide directly from the \Documentation folder.

Documents

What’s New in Mastercam X4 New in Mastercam web.pdfTitle: What’s New in Mastercam X4 Author: CNC Software, Inc., Technical Publications Dept. Subject: Mastercam X4 Created Date: