Less Powermill has stopped working.
See attachment.
Sorry, Powermill just crashed on me twice in a half hour and I needed to vent!
I've sort of created a work around to this problem but it might not apply to everyone. I started out with trying to macro out changing the strategies in the favorites toolbar (different machines need different strategies) and I ended up making a macro that changes my keyboard shortcuts, favorites menu, and toolbar layout based on what operation I'm doing. Works wonderfully for me. If you are interested, I could send you a copy of my macro.
You'll notice this section in the text
// TURNS ON PROGRAMMING TOOLBARS
TOOLBAR MAIN RAISE
TOOLBAR SIMULATION RAISE
TOOLBAR MACHINETOOL RAISE
CUSTOMISE SHOW 5
CUSTOMISE SHOW 4
CUSTOMISE SHOW 2
I found that you have to assign a number to the start of the toolbar name so it is always in the same spot in the list like:
This way the macro will always grab the right toolbar and any new toolbars added just need to be named with the next sequential number.
I'm not sure if this helps but hopefully you can make some use out of it!
I do exactly the same . When you get to 10 11 12 etc place an underscore in front _10 _11 _12
However this is still not a perfect solution . The buttons can still move around when you open up a second powermill .
They don't move far but still annoys me 🙂 .
My Powermill starts up with 4 buttons . Based on the operation I will be doing.
S H E and C S-Soft H-Hard E-Existing C-Colour . By pressing the appropriate button only buttons related to that operation get loaded.
The exception is C which fires of the Colour Macro/Script
Ken
If you macro it out to turn all the toolbars off first and then turn them on in order, they should open in the same order every time. Works for me.
I fire it of from the PMUSER . When PM loads up only 4 custom toolbars (buttons) show. S H E C
The problem is if you open a powermill tool bar in another pwermill session it effects user tool bar positions.
It may be that like me you don't tend to change the powemill tool bars in your sessions.
If you don't then the user tool bars have less tendancy to move.
Ken
Hi,
I would like to see a higher CAD/CAM integration, not just with Powershape with Inventor too.
1-Have the option that, just with one mouse click. You can change from CAD to CAM environment and regenerate the toolpaths.
2-Role environments, store toolbars and create users working areas.
For example, programmer 1 aero-parts (Role type 1), programmer 2 castings (Role type 2) etc
3-On the other hand, more feature recognition capabilities.
4-Develop turning toolpaths for multitasking machines and other machine tools that have turning capability.
5-Can simulate all kind of machine tools.
Thanks to everyone for their comments and suggestions! We really appreciate the time you've taken to respond.
I'm sure there are more ideas out there in the PowerMill community and would encourage more of you to add your thoughts below.
Thanks again!
Mostly interface things..
Like, the NC program window should be allowed to resize to your liking.
In fact, ANY pop up should be allowed to resize.
Context clicking.
I should be able to right click on any surface and have the option to turn off the layer, or solo it from the right click.
Streamlining the Feeds and speeds.
There's some redundancy with buttons, and the options need to be cleaned up..
2D Improvements needed.
Lots to add here, however:
Rather than making it bloatware, make it bulletproof first...
Pickwhips
Allow for small icons to be able to able to pickwhip other strategies for parameters, rather than having to right click, and type in "Edit>Set named parameter"
Last but not least:
Bring the prices back down to earth!!!!!
Half kidding.
We're using Powermill strictly because of legacy usage, and not wanting to revert to another program.
We'd be blind not to admit that lower end/cost softwares aren't getting better by the day.
In fact, if I was asked to choose a new software for the future, I'd have to argue pretty hard to keep Powermill.
But I digress.
PM Robot:
PM:
Nc Programm output in queue
viewmill complete new
Turning for lathe we have a HAAS TL-2 German support told me that that is not working or did someone have an Optionfile and can help me out.
boundrys and patterns easier to draw like in SolidWorks the sketching funktions that would be nice.
A better Database for tool and holder
machining wireframe profiles :
possibility to set inside or outside closed pattern ( no left or right that change according the verse of costruction of curve) and possibility to set multiple step side ( ex: distance 3 step 0.2 )
In addition:
Some toolpath specific flag to be able to tell the postprocessor that machining is to be done on the sub-spindle (on 2 spindle mill-turn machines).
A flag/command/toolpath/something to pass to the postprocessor, with needed geometric info, to be able to automatically postprocess a part-move between main and sub spindle.
Wishlist of changes for the Tool database.
STP files
Importing 3-D files for tool creation. (STP or STEP files)
Maybe PowerMill can then automatically generate the Toolshape as a pattern or something. (see screenshot below)
Using the above pattern it should be possible to define the cutting edge and ALL the non-cutting edges. (Maybe by using the create composite curve function)
NON-cutting edge Cutting edge NON-cutting edge 2
It seems we cannot define that second Non-cutting edge in the current version of Powermill. In Normal 3 axis machine it might not be so important as you can program the ramp angle in each toolpath, BUT we almost had a collision in 5-axis machining because of this. Luckily our operator stopped the machine before anything broke.
The only way you can define a radius mill now (as fas as I found) is by defining a radius tip mill, which assumes that the Mill has a cutting edge at the bottom which clearly is almost never the case when using mills with inserts.
So with a gauge and collision check the software does not find this as a collision.
Now it is not always possible to create tools that actually have the same shape and dimensions similar to the real tool(s). With more and more 5 axis machining going on (and also the more complex 3 axis machining), I think this should be possible because not being able to do this will have lots of gauges and collision as a result that PowerMill will not find.
More parameters in the Tool Database.
The tool suppliers have a lot of information in their catalogs about each Tool, but we cannot use them in PowerMill. Yes, I know about the User defined settings with each Tool and that we can write Macro’s using these parameters to check things, but I think it would be great to have these features build in the software. Below I have listed some possible extra parameters that could prove useful to the end users.
1. Maximum Depth of cut allowed.
If we define a cutting edge of let’s say 20 mm, it does not always mean that the Tool can handle a depth of cut of 20 mm, it could be that the maximum allowed cutting depth is maybe only 5 mm.
We should be able to put this information directly in the Tool Settings and maybe let PowerMill give some warning or collision if we exceed this value.
2.Max Ramp angle.
Yes, now we can set this with each toolpath. But this is not so much related to the toolpath, it is the shape of the tool which defines this maximum Ramp angle, so it should be set with each Tool.
This way the programmer can set a ramp angle for each toolpath, but PowerMill can check with this parameter and give a warning or something if the programmer exceeds the Maximum ramp angle for this tool.
3.Maximum allowed revolution per minute.
Maybe some users with high speed machines and high spindle speeds would find this useful also. PowerMill could also check for this, and if the programmer sets a speed that the tool can’t handle, give a warning or automatically change to the maximum setting.
4.Some tool suppliers also gives the maximum and minimum diameter for helical interpolation of holes. This could also be used in the helical bore drilling cycles.
It would be nice, if the toolpath stored the model names/or non-empty level names, what presented during calculation.
The project tree could be clever, there should be hierarchy items for setups, what could store machinetool, simulation workplane, fixture (names or models), output workplanes, etc.
It could give a better overview, if the project tree were something like an excel worksheet, see image (from NX..).
The levels' buttons could be similar to Powershape, separately from project tree.
The project tree is very long, i have to scroll up and down all the day. It need some redesign.
Would be great to have the POWERMILL IDEA section for such type of topic in order to be able to vote for some of these great ideas : https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/community-ideas/powermill-add-it-to-idea-s-submit-section/idi-p/65072...
It will offer the possibility to define the more wanted feature requested by the users.
What I'd like to see in PM2018
-- A probing interface, just to probe the block, or the part to locate the Ncprogram Output Workplane.
-- Set a different spindle speed when the tool is doing a ramp, and the possibility to set a dwell at the end of the ramp so the spindle can accelerate or decelerate to its cutting speed. Like that : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDcRiIc5Q1E between 00:05 and 00:16
Alex