Tài liệu MastercamX Getting Started Guide ppt

You shall not: a copy except as provided below, adapt, modify the Software; b publish, display, disclose or create a derivative work from the Software or any part thereof; c de-compile o

Getting Started Guide

Mastercam X Getting Started Guide

July, 2005

Mastercam® Getting Started Guide

Date: July 15, 2005 Copyright © 2005 CNC Software, Inc — All rights reserved.

First Printing: July 15, 2005 Software: Mastercam X ISBN: 1-883310-41-5

IMPORTANT NOTICE! PLEASE READ THIS STATEMENT AND THE SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT

COMPLETELY BEFORE USING THIS SOFTWARE.

BY CONTINUING TO USE THIS SOFTWARE, YOU (EITHER AN INDIVIDUAL OR A SINGLE ENTITY) INDICATE YOUR INTENTION TO BE BOUND BY AND ACCEPT THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS SOFTWARE LICENSE IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, YOU MAY NOT ACCESS OR OTHERWISE USE THIS SOFTWARE AND WILL IN FACT BE PROHIBITED FROM DOING SO THIS COMPUTER SOFTWARE MAY BE USED ONLY PURSUANT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET FORTH BELOW, AND SOLELY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ACCOMPANYING SECURITY MECHANISM (UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED IN THE "EXCEPTIONS TO SECURITY MECHANISM REQUIREMENTS" SECTION OF SUCH TERMS AND CONDITIONS) WHICH MUST BE PRESENT ON YOUR COMPUTER (OR NETWORK AS APPLICABLE) AT ALL TIMES DURING SUCH USE.

Read This If You Have Received This Software From A Third Party: If you received

this Software from someone other than an authorized CNC Software, Inc reseller, you do NOT have a legal software license (For example, if you acquired this Software simply by buying a machine or Software from the former owner or from

an auction, you do not have a valid license.) You should contact CNC Software, Inc (860-875-5006) in order to obtain a new and valid license Use of this Software without a valid software license is unlawful, a violation of the Copyright Act and may expose you to criminal liability under 17 United States Code Sec 506, including fines and damages.

Software License If you have paid a license fee, CNC Software, Inc ("CNC") a Connecticut

corporation with its principal place of business at 671 Old Post Road, Tolland, Connecticut, 06084 hereby grants to you a non-exclusive, non-transferable license (the "License") to use this software program (the "Software") and its

accompanying documentation (and, if applicable, to permit your authorized employees to use them), solely in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Software License Agreement You may use the Software solely for your internal business purposes and solely in conjunction with the accompanying hardware or software device, method, scheme or other security measure provided by CNC which allows a user to access the Software and prevents unauthorized access to the Software (the "Security Mechanism") The Software, any updates to the Software (including any that you download through the Internet), and the Documentation shall hereinafter collectively be referred to as the "Software" and are all governed

by this License.

Restrictions You may not use the Software without a Security Mechanism provided by CNC or

CNC’s suppliers When CNC or CNC’s suppliers provide you with a single-user Security Mechanism, the Software may only be used (in executable code form only) on a single computer to which the Security Mechanism is physically attached In the event CNC or CNC’s suppliers provide you with a multiple-user Security Mechanism for use over an internal network (a "Network Security Mechanism"), the Software may be used: (a) in executable code form only; (b) only

on end-user computers that are connected to the internal network to which the Network Security Mechanism is attached; and (c) only by the number of users and

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accessed by the number of end-user computers for which licenses were purchased and as further allowed by the Network Security Mechanism You may physically transfer the Software from one computer equipped with a single-user Security Mechanism to another only if the Security Mechanism is included in the transfer and is installed with the new computer.

You shall not: (a) copy (except as provided below), adapt, modify the Software; (b) publish, display, disclose or create a derivative work from the Software or any part thereof; (c) de-compile or translate, disassemble, create or attempt to create, by reverse engineering or otherwise, the source code form of the Software from the executable code of the Software; (d) remove any proprietary notices, labels or marks from the Software; (e) sell, rent, lease, distribute or otherwise transfer or provide all or any part of the Software to any person or entity without the prior written consent of CNC; (f) use the Software to provide outsourcing, service bureau, time sharing or other services to any third party; or (g) sublicense, assign, delegate or otherwise transfer your rights in the Software, under the Software License Agreement or any of the related rights or obligations for any reason without the prior written consent of CNC You shall not circumvent, bypass, modify, reverse engineer, disassemble, disable, alter, enhance or replicate the function of the Security Mechanism in any manner whatsoever Any attempt to do

so shall result in automatic termination of this License without prejudice to all other legal rights and remedies of CNC.

Copying Restrictions You may make one (1) copy of the Software for backup or archival purposes,

provided that you reproduce all proprietary notices of CNC on any such copy.

Non Transferable You may not transfer or assign the Software or this Software License Agreement or

any rights or obligations hereunder Any attempt to do so will automatically terminate this License without the need for notice This termination is without prejudice to all other legal rights and remedies of CNC.

Intellectual Property Rights The Software is and includes intellectual property of CNC All associated

intellectual property rights, including, without limitation, worldwide patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret rights, are reserved CNC retains all right, title and interest in and copyrights to the Software, regardless of the form or media

in or on which the original or other copies may subsequently exist This Software License Agreement shall not constitute a sale of the Software and no title or proprietary rights to the Software are transferred to you hereby You acknowledge that the Software is a unique, confidential and valuable asset of CNC, and CNC shall have the right to seek all equitable and legal redress, which may be available

to it for the breach or threatened breach of this Software License Agreement including, without limitation, injunctive relief Unauthorized copying of the Software or failure to comply with the above restrictions shall result in automatic termination of this License and this Software License Agreement without prejudice

to all other legal rights and remedies of CNC.

Confidentiality You acknowledge that the Software contains proprietary trade secrets of CNC and

you hereby agree to maintain the confidentiality of the Software using at least as great a degree of care as you use to maintain the confidentiality of your own most confidential information You agree to reasonably communicate the terms and conditions of this Software License Agreement to those persons employed by you who come into contact with the Software, and to use reasonable best efforts to ensure their compliance with such terms and conditions, including, without limitation, not knowingly permitting such persons to use any portion of the Software for the purpose of deriving the source code of the Software or defeating the Security Mechanism.

Enforcement Obligations In the event you become aware that any person or entity in your employ or under

your control in a manner not authorized by this Software License Agreement is

using the Software, you shall immediately use reasonable best efforts to have such unauthorized use of the Software immediately cease You shall promptly notify CNC in writing of any unauthorized use of the Software of which you become aware.

Limited Warranties CNC WARRANTS THAT THE MEDIA ON WHICH THE SOFTWARE IS

DISTRIBUTED WILL BE FREE OF DEFECTS IN MATERIAL OR WORKMANSHIP FOR A PERIOD OF THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER PURCHASE THE FOREGOING LIMITED WARRANTY EXCLUDES DEFECTS ARISING OUT OF ACCIDENT, NEGLECT, MISUSE, FAILURE OF ELECTRIC POWER AND CAUSES OTHER THAN ORDINARY AND AUTHORIZED USE EXCEPT FOR THE FOREGOING LIMITED WARRANTY, THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS, WITH ALL FAULTS." YOUR SOLE REMEDY AND CNC’S SOLE OBLIGATION HEREUNDER SHALL BE, AT CNC’S SOLE OPTION, REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE MEDIA OR REFUND

OF THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE SOFTWARE ANY USE BY YOU OF THE SOFTWARE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK THIS LIMITED WARRANTY IS THE ONLY WARRANTY PROVIDED BY CNC REGARDING THE SOFTWARE TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, CNC DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE CNC IS NOT OBLIGATED TO PROVIDE ANY UPDATES TO THE SOFTWARE SHOULD THE SOFTWARE PROVE

DEFECTIVE FOLLOWING ITS PURCHASE, YOU (AND NOT CNC, ITS DISTRIBUTOR, OR RETAILER) ASSUME THE ENTIRE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR OR CORRECTION AND ANY INCIDENTAL OR

CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES.

Note on Documentation: While CNC makes every effort to ensure that its

Documentation for the Software is accurate and up-to-date, it cannot guarantee the Documentation at all times represents the latest operation and functionality of the Software The content of the "Getting Started Guide," "User Manual" and other documentation for the Software is provided for informational purposes only The

content of the Documentation may be changed without notice to you CNC expressly disclaims any warranty or representation that the Documentation is an accurate and/or current reflection of the Software’s operation and performance.

Limitation of Liability

IN NO EVENT WILL CNC, OR ITS EMPLOYEES, SHAREHOLDERS, DISTRIBUTORS

OR SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, OR LOSS OF BUSINESS INFORMATION) ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT OR THE SUBJECT MATTER HEREOF EVEN IF CNC HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES CNC’S ENTIRE LIABILITY WITH RESPECT TO ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THIS SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT OR OTHERWISE SHALL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT OF THE LICENSE FEE PAID BY YOU FOR THE SOFTWARE SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

Indemnification You shall indemnify and hold harmless CNC, its officers, directors, employees,

suppliers and agents from and against all losses, settlements, claims, actions, suits, proceedings, judgments, awards, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees (collectively "Losses") which arise out of or as a result of any breach of this Software License Agreement

by you or your employees, agents, resellers, dealers or sub-dealers and shall

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reimburse CNC for any and all legal, accounting and other fees, costs and expenses reasonably incurred by any of them in connection with investigating, mitigating or defending any such Losses.

Educational Pricing If this Software was obtained through or in accordance with a CNC "Educational

Pricing" plan, option, grant, schedule or program, it may not be used by anyone, including you, to conduct any computer aided design, computer aided drafting, computer aided machining, or training activities that, directly or indirectly, generate or otherwise result in monetary revenues for the benefit of any individual

or any entity, other than the school that originally received this Software.

Termination This Software License Agreement is effective until terminated You may terminate

this Software License Agreement at any time by returning to CNC all copies of the Software under your control and by returning the Security Mechanism to CNC

CNC may terminate this Software License Agreement if CNC determines, in its sole discretion, that you have violated the terms of this Software License Agreement

Upon termination of this Software License Agreement, you agree to immediately return to CNC all copies of the Software, return the Security Mechanism to CNC, and certify to CNC in writing that all known copies, including backup copies, have been returned All provisions relating to confidentiality, proprietary rights, indemnification and non-disclosure shall survive the termination of this Software

License Agreement You may not transfer this Software to the purchaser of any equipment on which the Software may be resident You may not transfer this Software via liquidation, bankruptcy, auction, close of business, or any other method that does not involve an authorized Mastercam reseller This License is for you alone In the event you breach the provisions of this Section, CNC shall be

entitled to liquidated damages in the amount of Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000), plus its reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs.

General This Software License Agreement shall be construed, interpreted and governed by

the laws of the state of Connecticut, without regard to conflicts of law provisions

The sole jurisdiction and venue for any litigation arising from or related to this Software License Agreement or the subject matter hereof shall be in an appropriate state or federal court located in Hartford, Connecticut You hereby submit to the personal jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the District of Connecticut and to the Superior Court of the State of Connecticut This Software License Agreement shall constitute the entire agreement between you and CNC with respect to the subject matter hereof Any waiver or modification of this Software License Agreement shall be valid only if it is in writing and signed by both parties hereto If any part of this Agreement is found invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this Agreement shall be interpreted so as

to reasonably effect the intention of the parties.

U.S Government Restricted

Rights

The Software provided hereunder is a "commercial item," as that term is defined in

48 C.F.R 2.101, consisting of "commercial computer software" and "commercial computer software documentation," as such terms are used in 48 C.F.R 12.212

Consistent with 48 C.F.R 12.212 and 48 C.F.R 227.7202-1 through 227.7202-4, the Software made available to the United States of America, its agencies and/or instrumentalities, is provided with only those rights set forth in this Agreement

Use, duplication or disclosure of the Software by the government is subject to the restrictions as set forth in subparagraph (c)(1) and (2) of the Commercial Computer Software-Restricted Rights clause at 48 C.F.R 52.227-19, as amended, or any successor regulations thereto.

Export Restrictions You represent and warrant that you will not, without obtaining prior written

authorization from CNC and, if required, of the Bureau of Export Administration of the United States Department of Commerce or other relevant agency of the United States Government, export or re-export, directly or indirectly, the Software from

the United States to (i) any country destination to which export is restricted by the Export Administration Regulations of the United States Department of Commerce; (ii) any country subject to sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, United States Department of the Treasury; or (iii) such other countries to which export is restricted by any other United States government agency You further agree that you are solely responsible for compliance with any import laws and regulations of the country of destination of a permitted export or re-export, and any other import requirement related to a permitted export or re-export.

Exceptions to Security

Mechanism Requirements

CNC software programs Mastercam Design LT and Mastercam Demo do not require the use of Security Mechanisms, and the provisions in this Software License Agreement relating to Security Mechanisms do not apply to your use of such programs, provided, however, that such provisions shall apply to your use of all other Software provided hereunder.

Survival All provisions of this Software License Agreement relating to confidentiality,

non-disclosure, CNC’s proprietary rights, disclaimers, and limits of liability, or indemnification by Customer shall survive termination of this License for any reason.

Reservation of Rights All rights not expressly granted are reserved by CNC.

Trademarks Mastercam™ is a registered trademark of CNC.

Windows, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, and Windows XP are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation Mastercam Verify is created in conjunction with MachineWorks Ltd.

Printed in the United States of America.

Printed on recycled paper.

1 Introduction to Mastercam X 1

w Starting Mastercam 2

Learning about HASP and NetHASP 3

w Getting Help 4

Using Online Help 4

Mastercam X Documentation 6

Mastercam Support and Services 8

w The Mastercam Workspace 10

Mastercam Terms and Concepts 11

Graphics window 12

Status bar 12

Toolpath and Solids Manager tabs 13

Toolbars 14

Interactive prompts 15

Tool tips 15

Dialog boxes 16

Ribbon bars 17

Learning Mode 20

AutoCursor and Visual Cues 20

General Selection ribbon bar 20

Sketcher 21

Live, fixed and phantom entities 22

Chaining 23

Right–click menus 23

Shortcut keys 25

Machine Definition / Control Definition Managers 25

Toolpaths 26

Libraries (operations, tools, materials) 27

w Mastercam Menus 28

File Menu 29

Edit Menu 30

View Menu 31

Analyze Menu 32

Create Menu 33

Solids Menu 34

Xform Menu 35

Machine Type Menu 35

Toolpaths Menu 36

Screen Menu 37

Settings Menu 38

Help Menu 39

w Customizing Your Workspace 40

Customizing Toolbar Settings 41

Opening, Saving, and Resetting Toolbar files 45

Customizing Toolbar Functions 45

Drag and Drop Visual Cues .47

Adding Functions and Toolbars .48

Customizing the Right-Mouse Button Menu .49

Adding Separators to Toolbars / Menus 50

Creating and Saving Toolbar States 51

Hiding / Showing Toolbars .52

Using the Toolbar Right–Click Menu .55

Mapping Customized Keyboard Shortcuts 56

Opening, Saving, and Resetting Key Mapping files 57

Adding or Modifying Shortcut Assignments 58

Removing Shortcut Assignments 59

w Setting Defaults and Preferences (Configuration) 60

Configuring Mastercam X 60

Managing Configuration Files 61

Setting Default Values 62

Tolerances 63

Files 64

Converters 64

Screen 65

Colors 66

Chaining 67

Shading 68

Solids 69

Printing 70

CAD Settings 70

Drafting Dimension Properties 71

Start / Exit 76

Toolpaths 77

Post Processing 78

Backplot 79

Verify 80

Merging Configuration Files 81

Changing Units of Measure (Metric / Inch) 82

w The Role of Machine and Control Definitions 83

Control Definitions and Toolpath Defaults 85

Working with Post Processors 85

w Opening and Translating Files 86

Saving Files 87

Opening Files with Other Applications 89

2 Design 91

w Drawing and Design Basics 92

Using the AutoCursor Ribbon Bar 92

Visual Cues 93

Entering Position Coordinates 94

Using FastPoint Mode to Enter Coordinates 94

Customizing AutoCursor behavior 95

Selecting Entities 97

Using the General Selection ribbon bar 97

Chaining 102

Chaining Wireframe Geometry 103

Chaining Solids 105

Setting Attributes 106

Setting Attributes for New Entities 106

Changing Entity Attributes 110

Setting Z Depth 114

Working in 2D and 3D Mode 114

Changing the Graphics Window Display 115

Zooming 116

Setting Viewports 117

Setting Planes / Views / WCS 118

Views, Planes, and Coordinate Systems 119

Using WCS and Tplanes to Set Up Toolpaths 126

Lathe Coordinate Systems 128

Editing Your Work 132

Undo / Redo .132

Delete / Undelete .133

w Creating Geometry 134

Using the Sketcher Toolbar 134

Editing “Live” Entities 135

Creating Points 136

Creating Lines 137

Creating Arcs and Circles 137

Creating Miscellaneous Shapes 138

Creating Fillets and Chamfers 140

Creating Splines 141

Using the Spline End Conditions ribbon bar 142

Creating Primitives 142

Guidelines for Working with Primitives .143

w Modifying Geometry 144

Editing Entities 144

Trim / Break submenu .144

Transforming Entities 146

Assigning New Attributes to Transformed Entities .148

Analyzing Entities 148

Working with Levels 150

Setting the Main Level .150

Using the Level Manager Right–click Menu .152

3 Machining 153

w Machining Process Overview 154

w Choosing a Machine and Control Definition 155

Selecting a Machine Definition 157

Editing Machine Definitions 159

Working with Control Files and Control Definitions 161

Accessing the Control Definition Manager 163

Building the Post Processor List 164

Validating the Control File / Post Processor .166

Working with Control Properties 167

Tolerances 168

Communications 169

Files 170

NC Dialog 171

NC Output 172

Miscellaneous Integer / Real Values 173

Work System 175

Tool 176

Linear 177

Arc 178

Rotary 179

Feed 180

Cutter Compensation 181

Machine Cycles 182

Subprograms 186

Operation Defaults 187

Text 188

w Setting Machine Group Properties 192

Working with the Toolpath Manager 192

Using the Insert Arrow 194

Creating Machine Groups and Toolpath Groups 195

Setting Machine Group Properties 197

Files tab 198

Tool settings tab 199

Stock setup tab 200

Safety zone tab 201

w Creating Toolpaths 202

Mill Toolpath Types 203

Contour Toolpaths 204

Circle Toolpaths 206

Drill Toolpaths 207

Feature-based Drilling 212

Pocket Toolpaths 212

Wireframe Toolpaths 213

Specialized Toolpaths 214

Surface Toolpath Types 215

Multi-axis Toolpath Types 217

Selecting Geometry for 5-axis Toolpaths 219

Lathe Toolpath Types 220

General Turning Toolpaths 221

Mill / Turn Toolpaths 222

Miscellaneous Operations 224

Router Toolpath Types 224

Block Drilling Toolpaths 225

Nesting Toolpaths 226

Engraving Toolpaths 228

Toolpath Chaining Techniques 229

Working with Open and Closed Chains .230

Chaining Direction .230

Chaining Contour Toolpaths .231

Synchronizing Chains 231

Selecting Tools 232

Selecting a tool .233

Managing Toolpath Operations 236

Using Toolpath Manager icons 237

Displaying Toolpaths 240

Guidelines for Working with Operations .241

Editing Operations 242

Editing Common Parameters .243

Changing the NC File Name 245

Renumbering Tools .246

Renumbering Work Offsets .247

Reversing Toolpaths .248

Recalculating Feeds / Speeds 248

w Backplot and Verify 249

Backplotting Operations 249

Verifying Operations 252

Running the Verification .253

w Post Processing 255

Post Processors, and Control / Machine Definitions 256

About NCI files .256

Post Processing Toolpath Operations .257

4 Examples 259

w Example 1: 2D Geometry and Toolpaths 261

Drawing 2D Wireframe Geometry 262

Getting started 262

Creating construction guides 264

Drawing arcs 268

Drawing the arms 270

Finishing the drawing 274

Creating a Toolpath 277

Setting up a machining job 277

Creating the toolpath 282

Previewing the toolpath 288

Posting the toolpath 290

w Example 2: Working in Different Planes 293

Drawing the Door in 3D 294

Drawing the outline of the door 294

Drawing the striker plate and doorknob openings 300

Drawing the hinge pockets 306

Machining the Door 312

Setting up the job 314

Creating the pocket toolpaths 317

Drilling the screw holes 324

Milling the holes 327

w Example 3: Lathe and Mill/Turn Applications 333

2D Turning Toolpaths 334

Setting up the job 334

Roughing the Outer Diameter 339

Cleaning out the remaining stock 346

Finishing the OD 351

C-Axis and Mill/Turn Toolpaths 358

Machining the hexagon 359

Drilling the bolt holes 367

Milling the flat holes 373

Index 385

chapter 1

Introduction to

Mastercam X

This chapter covers the following topics:

¬ Starting Mastercam page 2

¬ Getting Help .page 4

¬ The Mastercam Workspace page 10

¬ Mastercam Menus page 28

¬ Customizing Your Workspace page 40

¬ Setting Defaults and Preferences (Configuration) page 60

¬ The Role of Machine and Control Definitions page 83

Welcome to Mastercam X! Mastercam X is a powerful CAD/CAM cation you use to design parts and create complete machining opera-tions Whether you are new to Mastercam or a long time user, the

appli-Mastercam X Getting Started Guide is designed to get you up and

running—quickly, effectively, and efficiently To help you make the most

of Mastercam X, use this guide to:

̇ Get a basic orientation to the interface and functions

̇ Customize and configure Mastercam for optimum efficiency

̇ Understand the fundamentals of using Mastercam to design and cut parts

̇ Reinforce your skills through practice exercises

Starting Mastercam

This document assumes that you have successfully installed Mastercam X, have completed the necessary post-installation proce-dures, and are ready to begin using Mastercam to design and machine parts

Note: For information on installing Mastercam, see the Mastercam X Installation Guide included with your software, or contact your local Reseller.

In this section, you will learn about:

Note: Mastercam Wire will be available with a future release.

w To start Mastercam:

1 Double–click the Mastercam icon on your Windows® Desktop:

Or select Mastercam from the Windows Program menu By

default, Mastercam starts up in the Design application

2 To open a machine-specific Mastercam product (for

example, Mill, Router or Lathe), select a machine definition

from the Machine Type menu.

Note: You can also switch between Mastercam products by choosing certain functions from the drop-down menus or tool- bars, or by selecting an operation from the Toolpath Manager.

Learning about HASP and NetHASP

Mastercam uses two types of licensing: single-user licensing and

network licensing A single-user license requires a special piece of

hardware called a HASP (sometimes called a dongle or SIM) attached

to the parallel or USB port on your computer If you receive the

following message when starting Mastercam, this component is

either missing or not configured properly:

Refer to the Mastercam X Installation Guide or contact your local

Reseller for assistance

Network licensing requires a NetHASP to be installed on a computer

on your network If any of the following messages display when

starting Mastercam, contact your network administrator for

assis-tance:

̇ Error checking out a [Mastercam product name] license No

licenses have been purchased for this product.

̇ Active NetHASP server not found.

̇ All available licenses are in use.

Getting Help

Topics in this section include:

̇ Using Online Help (page 4)

̇ Mastercam X Documentation (page 6)

̇ Mastercam Support and Services (page 8)

Using Online Help

The How do I get here link expands into text that provides

naviga-tional information

Tabbed dialogs deliver help on dialog boxes Click the Field

defini-tions tab to view field definitions

The Field definitions tab provides pop-up topics of dialog box

controls

Every topic provides an e-mail link you can use to contact CNC

Soft-ware Technical Documentation for feedback

Mastercam X Documentation

Your Mastercam installation includes a suite of documentation tools you can use to make the most of your Mastercam experience These documents are designed to get you up and running quickly, and to provide ongoing education and support as you work with basic and advanced features

In addition to the Mastercam X Getting Started Guide you are

currently reading, your Mastercam X documentation includes:

̇ Mastercam X Installation Guide (printed document):

Provides detailed instructions for installing HASP and NetHASP devices, and Mastercam X It also includes informa-tion on installing upgrades and update codes, and trouble-shooting

̇ Mastercam X Quick Reference card (printed document and

PDF): Provides a graphical summary of Mastercam X key features and functions

̇ Mastercam Transition Guide (printed document and PDF):

Assists Mastercam Version 9 users with the process of migrating their settings, libraries, and parts to Mastercam X Includes PDF checklists to use as migration worksheets

̇ Mastercam Version 9 to X Function Map (PDF): Maps all

functions available in Mastercam Version 9 to a Mastercam X equivalent

̇ Comprehensive context-sensitive Help: Embedded,

compiled HTML Help system, located in the Mastercam

̇ Mastercam X Reference Guide (PDF): Supplements the

Help and other Mastercam product documentation Includes comprehensive conceptual information, detailed overviews, examples, definition of terms and workflow-related informa-tion on using Mastercam X and its functions To open, choose

Help , Mastercam X Reference Guide.

̇ Mastercam X Post Parameters Guide (PDF): Describes

changes to the MP parameter model for Mastercam X It introduces the new parameters for machine definition, control definition, and machine group properties, and presents examples on how to access them It includes a

complete list of all the post parameters available in

Mastercam X plus a transition map of changes to Version 9

parameters

Notes:

• You must install Adobe® Reader® (version 3.0 or higher)

before you can view or print PDF documentation.

• All PDF documents are available from the Mastercam X

\Documentation directory.

w To view a PDF document:

1 From the Mastercam menu, choose Help, Mastercam X

Reference Guide This automatically opens the Adobe

Acrobat Reader to display the document

TIP: To display the PDF document in its own window, rather

than in a Web browser window, deselect the option to Display

PDF in browser in the Reader’s Internet preferences page For

more information on setting this and other preferences, refer to

the Reader Help

2 To navigate through the document, use the bookmark list in

the left-most pane of the Reader window, or use the Search

functions

3 To view information, scroll through the pages using the

mouse wheel or the scroll bar on the right side of the Reader

window

You can view PDF documents in three different page layouts This

affects how some Reader functions work, and also affects links in the

PDF document To change the layout, choose View, Page Layout and

one of the following options:

Single Page—Selects all the text on a page of the PDF document

(with the exception of graphics or text that is part of a graphic)

̇ To select all text on the current page, choose Edit, Select All.

̇ Select a link to display the page the link is on

Continuous—Arranges the pages in a continuous vertical column.

̇ To select all the text in the PDF document (with the exception

of graphics or text that is part of a graphic), choose Edit,

Select All

̇ Select a link to “jump to” the link destination, which displays

at the top of the window

Continuous-Facing—Arranges the pages side by side, with the first

page displayed on the right

PDF Guidelines

̇ Embedded links within the document—red text, or a hand icon that displays when the cursor is moved over text—take you to information on the selected topic

̇ You can expand and collapse the Bookmark list To expand a bookmark (show subtopics), click on its plus symbol (+) To collapse it (hide subtopics), click the minus symbol (–)

̇ If the Reader toolbar does not appear, press the F8 key to

Mastercam Support and Services

Use the following Web sites to find information on Mastercam:

For assistance with installing Mastercam, its SIM or NetHASP, or to obtain more information on using Mastercam, contact your local Mastercam Reseller If your Reseller is unavailable, you can call CNC Technical Support Services Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m., USA Eastern Standard Time

When calling CNC Software for technical support, please follow these guidelines:

̇ Be sure you have already tried to contact your Mastercam Reseller

̇ Provide the serial number of your SIM HASP or NetHASP

site

Divi-sion Web site

̇ Be ready to describe the problem in detail Write down what

happened, particularly if you cannot call immediately after

the problem occurs

̇ Be in front of your computer when you call

̇ If possible, try to duplicate the problem before calling Our

Support Services technician may require you to duplicate the

problem while you are on the phone

̇ When you call, have ready a complete description of your

hardware, including your operating system (OS), central

processing unit (CPU), graphics card and settings, and

memory

You can also leave a message for CNC Support Services twenty-four

hours a day, seven days a week via our e-mail or Web site addresses

When sending e-mail, please include:

̇ The serial number of your SIM HASP or NetHASP

̇ Telephone number and contact information where you can

be reached

̇ Files required to reproduce an issue, such as MCX and post

files

TIP: Use Mastercam’s Zip2Go utility to gather Mastercam part

data into a compressed Z2G file This utility makes it easy to

provide your Reseller or CNC Support Services with a file

attachment that contains the information they need Zip2Go

scans the machine groups in your current part file and captures

information such as your Mastercam configuration, machine

definition, and post files For more information on using

Zip2Go, please refer to the Mastercam Help

Important Contact Information

Address CNC Software, Inc

671 Old Post RoadTolland, Connecticut, 06084-9970USA

The Mastercam Workspace

Use this section to learn about:

̇ Mastercam Interface Elements

̇ Mastercam Terms and Concepts (page 11)Figure 1-1: Mastercam interface element overview

Title bar

AutoCursor ribbon bar

General Selection

Function ribbon bar

Interactive prompt Graphics windowMenu bar

Prompt area Toolpath Manager / Solids Manager Status bar

(Operations Manager pane)

Vertically docked tool bar and most recently used (MRU) function bar

Mastercam Terms and Concepts

In this section, you will learn more about the terms identified in

Figure 1-1: Mastercam interface element overview on page 10, and

fundamental Mastercam concepts and features, including:

̇Toolpath and Solids

Manager tabs (page 13)

̇Live, fixed and phantom entities

Graphics window

This is the main workspace in Mastercam where you view, create, and modify geometry, drafting entities, and toolpaths

Figure 1-2: Mastercam graphics window

Note: Mastercam is configured to display numeric data using a default Metric or Inch base unit of measure Mastercam makes it easy to switch between these measurement systems whenever the part data requires the change For more information, see Setting Defaults and Preferences (Configuration) on page 60 and

Changing Units of Measure (Metric / Inch) on page 82.

Status bar

The Status bar appears along the bottom of the Mastercam window You use its functions to edit the current settings for entity colors, attributes, levels, and groups, and to define the view and orientation

of entities in the graphics window

Figure 1-3: Mastercam Status bar

Note: You can also access Status bar functions from various Mastercam menus and toolbars.

To customize the Status bar by changing the order in which the fields

appear or removing options, click the Status bar configure option (!)

This opens the Customize Status bar dialog box where you can

change the Status bar layout or reset it to the default setting

TIP: Unless you select entities prior to making changes,

changing attributes, views, and planes applies only to the

enti-ties and toolpaths you create; existing entienti-ties and toolpaths

retain the attributes that were effective when they were

created

You can use the Status bar and Analyze functions to change

attributes associated with existing entities For more

informa-tion, see Changing Entity Attributes on page 110

Toolpath and Solids Manager tabs

The Toolpath Manager and Solids Manager tabs appear in the

Opera-tions Manager pane, a central location where you can manage all the

elements of the current job

Figure 1-4: Toolpath Manager / Solids Manager pane

You can show or hide the Operations Manager pane by choosing the

View, Toggle Operations Manager function Hiding the Operations

Manager expands the graphics window view to fit the full width of the Mastercam window.

TIP: Use standard Windows methods to resize the Operations Manager pane, the graphics window, or the entire Mastercam window, as necessary

̇ The Toolpath Manager tab is where you define setup

param-eters, such as file defaults, tool settings, stock setup and safety zones You also use this tab to view, organize and edit machine groups, toolpath groups, and operations A toolpath operation consolidates all the information needed to create a particular toolpath

̇ If Mastercam Solids is installed, when you work with a solid

model, the Solids Manager tab lists each solid in the current

file You can expand the tree structure of a solid to view its history (a list of the operations that were performed to construct the solid), and its toolpaths

Toolbars

Toolbars are collections of functions represented by icons Arrows in the toolbar represent a submenu of functions you can view and select

in a drop-down list

Figure 1-5: Example: toolbar

Choose a function in the toolbar by clicking it Mastercam provides a set of default toolbars to help you get started, but you can customize

them to meet your unique needs In the Settings, Customize

func-tion, you can choose to show, hide, or redefine toolbars, create completely new ones, and define a personalized right-mouse button menu that contains the functions you use most often For more infor-mation, see Customizing Your Workspace on page 40

Interactive prompts

Some functions use interactive prompts Prompts appear as small text

boxes in the graphics window after you select a function They guide

you through performing the necessary actions required to complete

the function For example, the following prompt appears when you

choose the Create line endpoint function from the Create, Line

menu:

After you select an endpoint in the graphics window, the first prompt

is replaced with another instruction:

In this example, as you create additional lines, the prompts continue

to appear in succession until you choose to exit the function

TIPS:

• You can drag a prompt to any position in the Mastercam

window Subsequent prompts appear in the new position

• You can change the size of the interactive prompt by scaling

it up or down To do this, position the cursor in the prompt,

right–click, and choose Small, Medium, or Large.

Tool tips

Tool tips display when you hover the mouse over a function icon or a

button in a dialog box or ribbon bar They help you to identify the

function or option

Figure 1-6: Example: Tool tips

Dialog boxes

Dialog boxes appear when you must enter information to complete a selected function Many dialog boxes allow you to interact with the graphics window For example, you can enter values in the dialog box fields by temporarily returning to the graphics window and selecting a position, entity, or toolpath

You can expand some dialog boxes to show additional fields By default, they appear in a contracted format

Figure 1-7: Example: dialog box, contract and expand

To expand or contract the dialog box, click the double arrow buttons, located

in the upper left corner

To return to the graphics window and select a position or point, choose the Position button

Ribbon bars

Ribbon bars function like dialog boxes but look similar to toolbars

Ribbon bars open when you activate many Mastercam functions You

use them to create, position, and modify the geometry

Figure 1-8: Example: ribbon bar

TIP: When you create geometry with ribbon bars and dialog

boxes, you can edit an entity as long as it remains live You will

learn more about entity states later in Live, fixed and phantom

entities on page 22

In the Mastercam workspace, a blank Ribbon Bar displays just above

the graphics window to indicate the default ribbon bar position

When you choose a function that uses a ribbon bar, the function

ribbon bar replaces the blank Ribbon Bar placeholder You can

change the default position, and dock or undock the ribbon bar If you

undock the blank Ribbon Bar, it is removed from the Mastercam

window until you choose a function that uses a ribbon bar Then the

ribbon bar displays in the last undocked Ribbon Bar position

Navigating ribbon bars

There are three ways to move between buttons and fields in ribbon

bars You can:

̇ Use the mouse to click buttons and place the cursor in a

particular field

̇ Use the Tab key to move the cursor between fields.

̇ Press a shortcut key to activate the button or field associated

with that key For example, type T to activate the Tangent

button

TIP: Use tool tips to identify shortcut keys

Note: Some ribbon bar buttons and fields may be unavailable

(appear disabled) depending on the options you choose.

Locking and unlocking fields

The data in ribbon bar fields can be frozen (locked) to prevent the value from changing when you reposition the cursor in the graphics window Each field has three states:

TIP: You can also hold down the Shift key and press the field's

shortcut key to hard-lock the field

Entering values in fields

In addition to typing values in ribbon bar and dialog box fields, or using the cursor to dynamically update fields, you can use one of the following methods to enter field values

̇ Click the drop-down arrow in the field to choose from a list of values previously entered into the ribbon bar These values are saved in the registry and remain available, even after you end the current Mastercam session

̇ In many numeric fields, you can right–click in the field to access a menu of data entry shortcuts

Unlocked—The normal and default state of a

ribbon bar or dialog box field is unlocked This state allows the field to change to the position of the cursor in the graphics window

Soft-locked —When soft-locked, the data is only

frozen for the next entity you create After an entity is created, the field returns to the unlocked (default) state To soft-lock a field,

type a value into the field and press Enter

Notice that the button next to the field appears pressed in, signifying a soft-locked state

Hard-locked—When hard-locked, the data is

frozen until you manually unlock the field You hard-lock a field to use a specific value repeat-edly, for example, when creating multiple dupli-cate entities To hard-lock a field, enter the value and either click the button next to the field or

use Shift+click The button remains selected

and the field is colored, indicating that the value

is locked To unlock a field, click the button next

to the field

Figure 1-9: Data entry shortcuts right–click menu

To choose a shortcut option, select it from the list or type the

corresponding letter Then select an entity in the graphics window

to automatically enter its specified value in the field

Docking and undocking ribbon bars

You can undock a ribbon bar by double–clicking in any gray space

area in the ribbon bar or single–clicking and dragging it to the

graphics window Once the ribbon bar is undocked, you can easily

drag and drop it anywhere in the Mastercam window You can dock it

again by dragging and dropping it in the toolbar section or by

double–clicking the ribbon bar title bar

Notes:

• You can dock ribbon bars only in a horizontal position This

differs from toolbars, which can be docked horizontally or

vertically.

• If you undock and then close a ribbon bar (by clicking the x in

the upper right corner) it is removed from the Mastercam

window This does not cause a problem; it will display the next

time it is required by the function.

Learning Mode

Learning mode is similar to a tool tip, but applies only to ribbon bars

It provides information on the ribbon bar and its functions, including the default shortcut keys When Learning mode is active, it appears when you place the cursor in any ribbon bar button or field

Figure 1-10: Example: Learning mode

To turn Learning mode on or off, choose Settings, Configuration In the Configuration dialog box, choose the Screen properties page and select/deselect the option to Use Learning Mode prompts.

AutoCursor and Visual Cues

You use the AutoCursor ribbon bar to:

̇ Track cursor position

̇ Manually enter X, Y, and Z coordinates

̇ Detect and snap to points as you move the cursor over etry on the screen

geom-AutoCursor is active whenever Mastercam prompts you to select a position in the graphics window The AutoCursor ribbon bar works in conjunction with the cursor to eliminate steps and make it easier to select and enter points in complicated and congested geometry.Figure 1-11: AutoCursor ribbon bar

When a position is detected, AutoCursor displays a visual cue to the right of the cursor to identify the type of position Endpoints and midpoints of curves, lines, arc center points, and point entities are all detected and highlighted by AutoCursor In addition, AutoCursor can snap to angle, nearest, tangent, perpendicular, horizontal, and vertical conditions For more information, see Using the AutoCursor Ribbon Bar on page 92

General Selection ribbon bar

For most Mastercam functions, you use the General Selection ribbon bar—in addition to or in combination with standard Window’s selec-tion methods—to select entities in the graphics window The General

Selection ribbon bar is also active any time you can select entities

prior to choosing a function

The General Selection ribbon bar has a Standard Selection mode and

a Solids Selection mode The default mode is Standard Selection If

you initiate a Mastercam function that might apply to wireframe or

solid entities, you can use options to switch between selection modes

Figure 1-12: General Selection ribbon bar

For more information on using general selection methods, see

Selecting Entities on page 97

Sketcher

Sketcher is the suite of Mastercam X functions you use to create basic

geometry dynamically by moving the mouse and clicking in the

graphics window Basic geometry includes points, lines, arcs, splines,

fillets, chamfers, and primitives It does not include drafting,

trans-form, modify, surfaces, or solids

Figure 1-13: Sketcher toolbar

To sketch an entity, choose an entity type from the Sketcher toolbar

drop-down list or from the Create menu, set its ribbon bar or dialog

box options, and sketch the entity in the graphics window For many

types of geometry, you also use the AutoCursor to create and edit

entity properties

Live, fixed and phantom entities

Entities in Mastercam have three states: live, fixed, and phantom

̇ Live entities are those in the process of being created You can

edit their properties using options in the selected function ribbon bar or dialog box, remove them from the graphics window, or “fix” them

̇ Entities become fixed entities when they have been accepted,

for example, when you press Enter or click OK or Apply to

complete a function

̇ When you create entities dynamically using the mouse, they are drawn with a dashed white line This is called the

phantom state When you choose the final position to create

the entity, the entity becomes live

Figure 1-14: Example: Phantom entity

Note: Lines always appear as solid.

After you create an entity using one of the Sketcher functions, it remains live until you exit the function, start a new function, or create another entity Live entities are designated by a live entity color When you accept an entity, it changes to the normal entity color

After entities become fixed, you can edit them using the Edit,

Analyze , and Xform menu functions.

TIP: To define Mastercam color defaults, choose Settings,

Configuration, and select the Colors properties page.

Chaining

Chaining is the process of selecting and linking pieces of geometry so

that they form the foundation of a toolpath, surface, or solid When

you chain geometry, you select one or more sets of curves (lines, arcs,

and splines) that have adjoining endpoints Chaining differs from

other selection methods because it associates order and direction to

the selected curves Chaining order and direction affect the way

Mastercam generates surfaces, solids, and toolpaths

Mastercam provides several chaining methods in the Chaining dialog

box, which opens whenever a function requires you to chain entities

As you chain geometry, the entities appear highlighted in the same

color as selected entities

The Chain Manager lists all the chains for the operation and provides

the utilities you need to rechain geometry Since chaining determines

the cut order, tool rapid moves, and the direction of tool movement,

you may find that you need to modify the chaining after generating a

toolpath For more information, see Chaining on page 102 and

Tool-path Chaining Techniques on page 229

Right–click menus

Mastercam provides a number of right–click menus For example, in

the Toolpath Manager tab, right–click to access an extensive list of

functions and submenus for working with machine groups, toolpath

groups, toolpaths, operations, setup sheets and more In the Toolpath

parameters dialog box and tab, right–click to choose from a number

of functions related to tools, tool libraries, and toolpath parameters

for the selected toolpath operation

Figure 1-15: Examples: Right–click menus

Here are just a few of the places where you can use right–click menus:

TIP: Right–click menus are common to many Mastercam functions; when in doubt, right–click to see if one is available

Toolpath Manager Toolpath Parameters tab

̇ Toolpath Manager tab ̇ Solids Manager tab

̇ Tool parameters tab ̇ Machine Definition Manager

̇ Drill Point Manager (Mill/Router)

̇ Toolpath parameters tab (Lathe)

̇ Post Text page (Control Definition)

̇ Tool parameters tab (Mill/Router)

̇ Chain Manager