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IndustryArena Forum > CAM Software > SprutCAM > SprutCAM 12 soon
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  1. #41
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
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    3063

    Re: SprutCAM 12 soon

    Quote Originally Posted by mountaindew View Post
    It would catch me if the tool and operation were listed at start of g-code file but no code in body. I have seen this before for different reasons and not clear if it was my problem or the programs. I tend to use CAD, CAM, Calculators...….. all at same time and this can make the system act flakey. I see an error with how 2d operations loose surface level values if you delete any operation before it. This possible error has been there for years. I know to just open the parameters dialog box and then close it to fix the values. Because this has been there for years I figured it was more me and how I set it up or something and not an error in the program updating the data.
    The tool change for the spot drill and twist drill were posted, but there was no move other than in the safe plane. Also, for the SC11 project that was opened in SC12), in the strategy tab and under the "Cycle type" section, the "NC code format" drop down field was missing, but it came back once I deleted the ops and recreated them from scratch on SC12. The hole interpolation and tapping ops that followed the two drill ops appeared to post just fine so I'm guessing that something changed in the way SC12 internally handles the simpler hole making ops.

    Stuff like this drives me nuts.

  2. #42
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    2151

    Re: SprutCAM 12 soon

    Quote Originally Posted by MichaelHenry View Post
    so I'm guessing that something changed in the way SC12 internally handles the simpler hole making ops.

    Stuff like this drives me nuts.
    I agree, and find chasing my tail is normal at times for this program. Version 11 had an added value "tolerance" in drill operations that was set to a null value in all my older cam files. As a result I would get an error on compile. Quick review of operation fields showed this empty and typing a value into the field "0" is all it required to fix the problem. btw, I see some problems like this in all the complex software I use. The program is getting better and I can get results one way or another. An example is after years of use I just figured out how to set and or use the 2d operation with a zero Z depth of cut and not get errors. Handy when your working with 4th axis indexed operations. If I dig in there seams to always be a way to machine it.

  3. #43
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    Jun 2006
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    3063

    Re: SprutCAM 12 soon

    It's not unusual for me to spend 10-50x as much time getting the CAM done as the machining job itself takes but I can go weeks between SprutCAM sessions so am not a typical customer.

  4. #44
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    2151

    Re: SprutCAM 12 soon

    Quote Originally Posted by MichaelHenry View Post
    It's not unusual for me to spend 10-50x as much time getting the CAM done as the machining job itself takes but I can go weeks between SprutCAM sessions so am not a typical customer.
    Sometimes this is very true. I try to take notes with screen clips of new operation setups or any useful settings to aid with next time I need it. Most the time I reload a similar part with similar setup and rebuild the program with a new model. In some of those cases it takes only minutes to have a detailed multisided part program ready to run. So far the new version has me more or less confused on how to use the tool table system correctly. I have read the help a number of times and decided the program does not work the way the help explains the concept. One problem is they added tool number separate from tool ID and best guess is it still tries to use tool ID as the number also and gets me and the software confused on any new tool I create, edit and add to main database. The unpredictable results drives me crazy at times. Lucky for now most my tool tables are static and I can avoid editing tools for the most part and thus be productive.

  5. #45
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    Jun 2006
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    3063

    Re: SprutCAM 12 soon

    I've been back on CAM milling projects lately and having very problems with those on admittedly simple projects. I really wish that SC had a facility for saving the revised parameters for a machine definition so that they could be reloaded any time one chose. I'd like to have default settings for the Tool Library, G30 coordinates and a few other features. As it is now, every time I switch from one machine to another, I have to remember to change those values and its very annoying since one expects the computer or program to minimize work rather than create extra work.

    I should probably follow your approach and just save default projects that incorporate the setup as I want it. Unfortunately, I spend so much time fighting with SC and trying to get it do what I want than the desire to deal with that is gone once I finally get a project to work.

  6. #46
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    Nov 2007
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    2151

    Re: SprutCAM 12 soon

    Quote Originally Posted by MichaelHenry View Post
    I've been back on CAM milling projects lately and having very problems with those on admittedly simple projects. I really wish that SC had a facility for saving the revised parameters for a machine definition so that they could be reloaded any time one chose. I'd like to have default settings for the Tool Library, G30 coordinates and a few other features. As it is now, every time I switch from one machine to another, I have to remember to change those values and its very annoying since one expects the computer or program to minimize work rather than create extra work.

    I should probably follow your approach and just save default projects that incorporate the setup as I want it. Unfortunately, I spend so much time fighting with SC and trying to get it do what I want than the desire to deal with that is gone once I finally get a project to work.


    A few clean templates for different types of parts will save time. I found most of my current problems with the tool table stem from predefined operations that used tools with no location and rack I.D.s. After a few hours of poking around I figured this out and fixed the problem. Then went to my master tool table and edited those same 2 fields to match. This fixed the problem with all new projects using a clean template and new current tool table. I also had to edit the 2 tool data fields in all the user defined mill operations or using these would also cause problems!

    The other method I use to save time is reuse of an old part program that is similar. "boom" Those same 2 data fields are '0" in every part program before this update. Not a problem if you don't want to change anything when it comes to tools and tool table. If you do or try and use the old part program for a new part. Sprutcam gets confused and thinks all the tools are the same and your in for a big fight. I did set down and figure out a way to edit the tools in an old program so I can use/ update them for future projects. Still some of this is a real pain to fix. The developers should have included code that detects this and fixes it "not that hard". Not lead the user down a path of confused horror.

    Not clear to me what the difference is with all post, tormach post and all the machine settings. I only use the pcnc1100 mill section. I would guess preset file templates for each machine would aid in the process. A leaste until the next version

  7. #47
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    Jun 2006
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    3063

    Re: SprutCAM 12 soon

    I only use SC with the Tormach mill and lathe right now, but would like to use a Pocket NC some time in the near future. That's a small, benchtop 5-axis mill. SC tells me that one of the available SC posts might work so the all post version might pay off for me at some point down the road.

  8. #48
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    138

    Re: SprutCAM 12 soon

    Hey guys check out what came out in SC12.0.2! new tool window

    admittedly I have been busy on some projects and stuck with 11.5 until I find time to mess with SC12 and I was also waiting on it to mature a bit, and seems that I will start few projects and see how it goes, esp with this new tool window! its quite flexible

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCgZauxoxhw

  9. #49
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    138

    Re: SprutCAM 12 soon

    Quote Originally Posted by MichaelHenry View Post
    I've been back on CAM milling projects lately and having very problems with those on admittedly simple projects. I really wish that SC had a facility for saving the revised parameters for a machine definition so that they could be reloaded any time one chose. I'd like to have default settings for the Tool Library, G30 coordinates and a few other features. As it is now, every time I switch from one machine to another, I have to remember to change those values and its very annoying since one expects the computer or program to minimize work rather than create extra work.

    I should probably follow your approach and just save default projects that incorporate the setup as I want it. Unfortunately, I spend so much time fighting with SC and trying to get it do what I want than the desire to deal with that is gone once I finally get a project to work.
    I believe if you go to the actual files, of the machines they are all in xml and you can edit with notepad or something else, and their are ways to change some of the values that you can simply read, and that should work, not sure if I posted that some place here in the past or not.

  10. #50
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    2151

    Re: SprutCAM 12 soon

    Quote Originally Posted by drutort View Post
    Hey guys check out what came out in SC12.0.2! new tool window
    The tool data base part of this program has been a mess for years. The new release seams to improve this a great deal. I keep current on updates, something I never did in the past. New installer works well enough to trust it full time. All in all, the new tool database interface and structure is a very welcome change and very long overdue.

  11. #51
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    Jun 2006
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    3063

    Re: SprutCAM 12 soon

    I also like the new tool window, but wish there more options for customizing tool profiles, especially for turning tools.

  12. #52
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    138

    Re: SprutCAM 12 soon

    Quote Originally Posted by MichaelHenry View Post
    I also like the new tool window, but wish there more options for customizing tool profiles, especially for turning tools.
    I noticed that they are coming out with patches quite frequent for SC12, I recommend having auto check for updates on then, or manually checking every day, looks like just today or maybe yesterday, update came out to fix some critical bug in tool window

  13. #53
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    Jun 2006
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    3063

    Re: SprutCAM 12 soon

    Quote Originally Posted by drutort View Post
    I noticed that they are coming out with patches quite frequent for SC12, I recommend having auto check for updates on then, or manually checking every day, looks like just today or maybe yesterday, update came out to fix some critical bug in tool window
    I've been checking for patches whenever SC 12 starts to act oddly, but I only use it a few times per week at most so don't have much occasion to check.

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