SW2005 sp3 & MasterCAM9.1

Jeff,

Stupid question I know, but are you using the same file so as to compare apples to apples, or are you saying that it appears slower. Also, how are you getting from SW to MC; Iges, Parasolid?? The reason that I ask is I would like to try it for myself and let you know my findings.

Thanks, Muggs

Muggs.... we are using a parasolids inside Mastercam.... The file we are using as a test runs super slow on 2 different boxes with mastercam.... It takes approx. 30-45 minutes to get a tool path... now to add more gas on the fire of confusion, we partially redid the model on another solidworks box with SP3 and it does the tool path super fast on one and not on another... The models were both created the same way... Who knows, we are all at loss... My VAR hadnt heard of any issues but not sure if i believe him :) thanks for the help... Let me know your results...

Jeff

ok, more to add after some other trials... We opened the original part file inside solidworks and saved it out as a parasolid for our programmer... And lo and behold it worked like it should... The only thing i can figure is that somehow the translator in MasterCAM is goin nuts... The programmer opens up the *.sldprt file up in MasterCAM and then it runs it thru a converter over to a Parasolid... anyhoo, thanks again for the help, i am curious as to the results you get...

Jeff

Hey Jeff,

I just tried a couple of different models that I knew were created in something before SP3, and then opened them up in SW SP3 and there doesn't seem to be any difference. One thing though; I don't use the MasterCam Direct add-in, I Save-As binary parasolid from SW and File>Convert>Parasolid into MC. Could that be the difference?

Muggs

Is there a reason behind not using the MasterCAM Direct Add-IN or are you more comfortable with what solidworks spits out? We had very good success with the original model when we did what you said with dumping the model outta solidworks as a parasolid then opening that parasolid into mastercam... we have a call into our MasterCAM reseller and hopefully they may be able to resolve our issue... Until then, i think we will be dumping out parasolids for the programmer... Thanks for your help.. If anyone else has anything to add, i am all ears..

Jeff

Hey Jeff,

No reason really, just the way I've always done it, and because I know that MC likes parasolids.

Muggs

Jeff,

One of the reasons I use parasolid is I can create a machining origin in SW, and output the file relative to that origin. MC direct pulls the file in at the default SW origin so you have to jump through a few small hoops, in MC, before you can program.

Also,, in the past MC hasn't kept up with the versions of parasolid used by SW. They've been pretty good about writing add ins to deal with this, but my way works better for me.

Regards

Mark