What is Mastercam Machine Group Properties dialog box

• Files tab
• Tool Settings tab
• Stock Setup tab (Mill/Router)
• Stock Setup tab (Lathe)

• Toolpath directory

Enter the path for the NC file to be created when you post the operations from this machine group, or choose the following button to select a directory:

When you post the files, you can create and name a separate NCI file, if desired. If you select operations from several machine groups, Mastercam creates a separate NC file for each group, according to each group’s settings.

• The default path and extension are set in the Files section of the control definition.
• Working with files

Separate sections of this tab let you choose the files for the machine definition; default tool and operations libraries; and toolpath defaults. For each type of file, you can do the following:

• Select a file by choosing the Open button next to the file name.
• Edit the file by choosing the Edit button next to the file name.

Default paths and file names are read from the Files section of the control definition. If you select a different machine for this machine group, these files and paths will be replaced with the values from the control definition for the new machine.

• Working with the machine definition

By default, this tab displays the name of the machine definition that was active when the machine group was created. You can choose a different machine in the same way as choosing other types of files.

When you select a new machine, Mastercam loads a copy of the machine definition in your part file. When you click the Edit button to view or make changes to the machine definition, you are only changing the local copy stored in your part file, not the machine definition stored on your hard drive. Selecting a new machine definition will update the other paths and file names with the defaults in the new control definition.

Notes:

• The control and post are displayed for information purposes only. You can only change them by editing the machine definition.
• If there are already operations in the machine group, be very careful when selecting a different machine to ensure the new machine supports all the toolpath features that have been programmed.
• Working with comments

If you wish, use the Group comment box to record comments that apply to all the operations in this group. Mastercam also lets you record operation-specific comments in the Toolpath parameters tab, or machine-specific comments in the machine definition.

• Use the Output comments to NC file section to control which comments will be processed by the post and added to the NC file. Comments which are not included in the NC file will still be displayed in Mastercam.
• Use the NC Output section of the control definition to set the defaults and enter the maximum number of characters allowed for comments.

Note: If you get to the Files tab from the Edit Operation Defaults dialog box, all fields except Group comment will be disabled.