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IndustryArena Forum > CAM Software > Mastercam > .NC program question
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    29

    .NC program question

    I deleted a .MCX but still have . NC program, can I run .NC program inside of mastercam to regenerate toolpaths and then modify or do I have to redraw everything

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
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    339
    Yes you can. Open your NC program with a text editor. At the very top of the program type the word START all by its' self on it's own line. Save it and close. Then in Mastercam bring in the file and run it using either open or input NC file. It should generate the part for you. But keep in mind you will have to verify that your geometry is the correct size. What you will probably see is the tool path so you can offset your geometry to the inside using Mastercam. Then the geometry will be correct and you won't have to redraw it. But you still may have to edit corners to get rid of the radius there. Just use the Fillet function set on Zero Radius and pick the 2 lines to bring the corner back to sq. Hope this helps you.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    29
    I did what you said but it would not open using (file - open) it said not reconized and there is no input NC file that I can find I have X3.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
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    339
    Is your file extention (file name here).NC ? Just a few years ago I could open .NC files with mastercam V9. I hope they haven't removed the feature because it was a handy thing to have. I used to type the code and have mastercam draw it for me. mmmmm Could you post your .NC file so I can look at it? I can input .NC code into Alphacam.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Posts
    3578
    You are talking about the opton to reverse posting. this option is no longer there as there were to many varibles for diffrent machines. and this only gave you center of tool path only.
    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)
    Cadcam
    Software and hardware sales, contract Programming and Consultant , Cad-Cam Instructor .

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Posts
    339
    Yes it did only give you the tool path to center of tool. So I would just off-set the tool path to the inside 1/2 the dia. of the tool and change the tool path into geometry. From there I could make a "To Scale" print and also retool path it etc. I'm glad alphcam still has the feature. I can take some else's G code and get a part.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
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    3578
    You will not be able anyone code as you would need a different reverse post to be able to know the codes. simple 2d may work but allot of the multiaxis and 3d you will have a bad time. I believe that companys should back up there Cad files to save these issues in the future.
    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)
    Cadcam
    Software and hardware sales, contract Programming and Consultant , Cad-Cam Instructor .

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Posts
    339

    Red face

    It would be impossible to get a part DXF from an NC program that was generated to do work on a casting or parts held in fixtures etc. What I would do is look at the code and see what's going on. You can tell if there is a table rotation or an index on an indexer these won't work either. But if you can glean from the code the tools that actually shape the part. You can cut the NC code up into single tool operations. Then just run each operation to see what happens, rather than running the entire code and just getting a bunch of lines that are meaningless. The use of sub routines will not work either unless you have the sub so you can also convert that to see what it makes/does.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
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    3578
    Well there is a good example but having some thing like Predator Editor that has allot of reverse editors built in you can backplot the paths and see what they do.
    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)
    Cadcam
    Software and hardware sales, contract Programming and Consultant , Cad-Cam Instructor .

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    153
    Quote Originally Posted by Boots View Post
    Yes you can. Open your NC program with a text editor. At the very top of the program type the word START all by its' self on it's own line. Save it and close. Then in Mastercam bring in the file and run it using either open or input NC file. It should generate the part for you. But keep in mind you will have to verify that your geometry is the correct size. What you will probably see is the tool path so you can offset your geometry to the inside using Mastercam. Then the geometry will be correct and you won't have to redraw it. But you still may have to edit corners to get rid of the radius there. Just use the Fillet function set on Zero Radius and pick the 2 lines to bring the corner back to sq. Hope this helps you.
    you could do that in mastercam ? or are you confusing "start" with alphacam ?

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Posts
    339
    No not confused here. I could put start at the beginning of the NC program above the % sign and that's all that was needed. Alphacam does the same thing. Under the file menu in Alphacam there is a command "input NC" . It used to also be in Mastercam. But I guess it has been sence removed and is no longer an option ?

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    153
    I called my friend in a shop that has 9.1 sp2 on a system on the floor; he called back and said he tried a few things but it doesn't work. I recall we were able to verify our hand written nc code in class on mastercam 7- that was 10 years ago- it would be nice to do that because my coding is very very rusty these days from disuse.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    4396
    Quote Originally Posted by laszlozoltan View Post
    I called my friend in a shop that has 9.1 sp2 on a system on the floor; he called back and said he tried a few things but it doesn't work. I recall we were able to verify our hand written nc code in class on mastercam 7- that was 10 years ago- it would be nice to do that because my coding is very very rusty these days from disuse.
    If your hand coding is rusty you can get back up to par with NC Plot.

    www.ncplot.com
    Toby D.
    "Imagination and Memory are but one thing, but for divers considerations have divers names"
    Schwarzwald

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)

    www.refractotech.com

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
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    1876
    Quote Originally Posted by Boots View Post
    No not confused here. I could put start at the beginning of the NC program above the % sign and that's all that was needed.
    You can not do that with Mastercam.

    The closest thing possible is RP. The next closest thing would be File/Converters/Ascii, and that's not going to give you much you can use. It also does not require START at the beginning of the file.
    Matt
    San Diego, Ca

    ___ o o o_
    [l_,[_____],
    l---L - □lllllll□-
    ( )_) ( )_)--)_)

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    153
    Quote Originally Posted by tobyaxis View Post
    If your hand coding is rusty you can get back up to par with NC Plot.

    www.ncplot.com
    Thanks !

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by laszlozoltan View Post
    Thanks !
    Your welcome!:rainfro:
    Toby D.
    "Imagination and Memory are but one thing, but for divers considerations have divers names"
    Schwarzwald

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)

    www.refractotech.com

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