[michael_mccarthy]

Hello MadCAM Forum:

I am using Rhino 7 (rhino_en-us_7.38.24338.17001) and MadCAM 7 (madCAM70en-US_20240702).

Simulate says:

This tool path contains no valid search path to the cutter tool!
Unable to simulate this tool path.

Postprocessor says:

does not exist in the current tool library!
Post processor toolpath group error!

I have been a MadCAM user for many years, and I am well aware of how to set up a machine in the MadCAM options, select a postprocessor and tool library. I tried recalculating my toolpath, and selecting the right cutter again from my tool library.

I thought that a Windows 11 update from 23H2 to 24H2 might have caused this problem, because it cropped up just after, but even with a completely new install of 23H2, and then fresh installs of both Rhino and MadCAM, I still see the same problem.

Rhino seems to be working fine.

An interesting observation: when simulate reports the error, I can close the error dialog, then click on the pause button, then click on the play button to simulate again, and it works. This suggests that there is some inconsistency in how MadCAM finds a cutter for simulation.

Unfortunately, I haven't found any way to work around the postprocessor error.

Can any help me resolve this problem? I really want to get some real work done.

Thank you very much,

Michael McCarthy

[michael_mccarthy]

Would upgrading to Rhino 8 and MadCAM 8 resolve this problem?

[michael_mccarthy]

Okay, I'm on my way to resolving this issue.

I created a simple new rhino file to see if I could reproduce the problem, just a small surface with a simple curve on it. Then select surface in MadCAM, select cutter, then toolpath along the curve. Then both simulate and postprocessor work normally.

So there's something problematic about my original file.

I tried selecting all objects, then export selected to a new file, and the problem persists. If I select a few curves and copy to clipboard, then paste into a new file, that works.

So there's something about the total combination of curves, points, and surfaces in the original file that is problematic, and this is even if I am just using one simple curve to create a toolpath along.

Does MadCAM have some limitation in how many elements there can be in a file?

I will experiment some more, but before long I have to get some work done.

Thanks for listening.