[Welcome to the GibbsCAM Support Center ] Recently Changed Articles

File is "is an older Mac file and must be updated on that platform". What is this?

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:54:19 GMT

Question: Why does it say "*.vnc is an older Mac file and must be updated on that platform"?

Answer: This message will occur when GibbsCAM is unable to recognize the file being opened as a GibbsCAM part file. This can be an indication that the file was transferred from a Macintosh system without first being updated.

However, in most cases this message occurs when a file has been renamed with a .VNC extension. If you are unsure open the file in Wordpad by right-clicking on the file and selecting 'Open With'. If the file does not start with RFIL it is unlikely it is a GibbsCAM file.

You can also get this message when a file has become badly corrupted. If you had a crash while saving your file it is possible the file has been corrupted.

Possible causes of crashing:

Poor video drivers. Video drivers are the cause of nearly all random crashed. If you are experiencing random crashing it is recommended you download and install the latest available drivers from the card or chipset manufacturer. The article found HERE has more information on this.
Network drive usage. GibbsCAM is not currently optimized for opening and working on files on a network volume. It is likely you will encounter problems if you work in this manner. It is recommended you copy the file to your local drive to work on it then copy it back to the network when you are done.

General tips to solve installation issues

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:50:12 GMT

Having trouble loading GibbsCAM?

Errors during installation or when launching GibbsCAM for the first time. This includes DLL and installer errors. Try these steps:

Uninstall GibbsCAM
Restart your system
Login as an administrator
Temporarily disable any anti-virus or anti-spyware applications
Go to c:/program files/common files/
Delete (or rename) the Installshield folder. (If it will not delete or rename note the filename preventing. Hit alt-ctrl-del and select Task Manager. Click on the Processes tab and look for the file you noted earlier. Right-click on the file and select End Process)
Reinstall GibbsCAM from the installation CD or download file.
Confirm GibbsCAM will launch normally and re-start your anti-virus and anti-spyware software.

Hardware key driver issues:

Follow steps 2-6 above
Go to Add/Remove Programs
Uninstall any instances of Sentinel System Driver or Sentinel Protection Installer (if running a Rainbow Sentinel SuperPro key) or HASP drivers (if using a timed key)
Download the current Sentinel drivers or HASP drivers and install them
Launch GibbsCAM. If you still receive a Hardware Key Missing error you may have installed the wrong version of GibbsCAM. Uninstall Gibbs and re-install being sure to select the correct key type.

How do I import the basic materials included with version 7.3.1 and later?

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:47:58 GMT

How do I import the basic materials included with version 7.3.1 and later?

If you have a material file you've modified from a previous version you should follow the instructions HERE

Start GibbsCAM 7.3.1 or later
Go to File→Plug-ins→Misc→Import Material
Change to your GibbsCAM installation folder (default location is in the c:Program FilesGibbsGibbsCAM path)
Open the Extras folder
Select the file called BasicMaterialDB.txt
Click Open

No other dialog will appear. The basic materials should have been imported into your existing material file. You can confirm this by going to File→Materials.

Steps for completely removing Gibbs from your system and reinstalling

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:46:54 GMT

On occasion a setting or file may become corrupt and may require you to uninstall and reinstall GibbsCAM. If your system is acting erratically please perform the following steps to completely uninstall Gibbs and reinstall a clean copy:

If possible, launch GibbsCAM. If GibbsCAM will not launch browse to:

C:/Documents and Settings/[LOGIN NAME]/Application Data/Gibbs/[GIBBS VERSION] (Windows XP
C:/ProgramData/Gibbs/GibbsCAM/[GIBBS VERSION] (Windows Vista and Windows 7)

and skip to step #5
Go to Plug-Ins-->Misc-->Pathfinder-->User Preferencesbr />(this will cause a window to open)
Close GibbsCAM but leave the newly-opened window open
Delete the contents of this folder. If you have customized files that mat be stored here it would be a good idea to back these up at this time.
Close the folder window
Go to Start-->Control Panel (Some systems may have Control Panel under Start-->Settings)
Double-click Add/Remove Programs (or Programs and Features in Windows Vista and Windows 7)
Locate the version of GibbsCAM to be repaired and click Remove
When step 8 is complete insert the GibbsCAM installation CD and follow the prompts to reinstall GibbsCAM.

Will GibbsCAM operate under Windows XP x64?

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:31:58 GMT

11/2/2006

Extensive testing of GibbsCAM in Windows XP X64 has not yet been performed. However, we have tested the current 64-bit drivers with both USB and parallel Rainbow Sentinel Superpro hardware keys and have been able to launch and run GibbsCAM with the system configuration shown below.

Current hardware key drivers can be found here.

System configuration:

AMD Athlon 64 3200+
Windows XP X64
nVidia geForce FX video (with current drivers)
1GB RAM
GibbsCAM v8.0.6

The performance of GibbsCAM on Windows XP 64-bit seems about the same as on regular Windows XP. Please note that while we have begun testing this OS we have not yet certified it for use with GibbsCAM. The possibility exists that errors could occur as a result of using the 64-bit version of Windows XP. If you have the choice we recommend using the regular 32-bit version.

Video Card Performance testing results

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:29:05 GMT

Video Card Performance

General Performance Testing Comments

Ten parts (three lathe/MTM, five fixed milling, and two rotary milling) were used as a comprehensive FlashCPR performance test suite. All tests were performed with the latest available drivers from the video chipset manufacturer and at factory clock rates. All tests were performed twice to verify low testing variance.

Lower scores (shorter bars) are better. The row titled GDI Generic is a baseline score obtained by disabling hardware acceleration. Row titles are given by the renderer name reported by the driver; in all but one case, this is the exact model of the card. The Radeon X1800 Series tested is actually a Radeon X1800 XT. Please note that AGP and PCI-E results are not directly comparable to each other; the baseline for the AGP testbed system is somewhat slower. See the graphs for details.

AGP Performance Testing Results

Test bed used for AGP performance testing: AMD Athlon 64 3000+ on a Gigabyte GA-K8NS-939 (nForce3 chipset), with 1GB of dual-channel DDR-400.

PCI Express Performance Testing Results

GibbsCAM Settings for Quality and Performance

If you are using a relatively modern video card (GeForce2/Radeon 8500 or newer) with a reasonably large amount of memory (128Mb+), turning Display Lists on can improve performance significantly. Note, however, that if you are using a card without hardware geometry acceleration, or one with less than 128Mb of memory, turning Display Lists on can actually result in a significant slowdown.

Partial Updates can increase performance on certain configurations, and has no effect in others; several of the quality problems mentioned in the first part of this document are caused by the Partial Updates setting, however.

Vertex Arrays, like Display Lists, can be used improve performance on modern cards with large amounts of memory. In some limited-memory situations (particularly those in which the video memory is shared with the system memory), Vertex Arrays can cause a slowdown; in general, however, it is recommended to leave Vertex Arrays turned on.

GibbsCAM v9 NLO installation instructions

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:31:25 GMT

ABOUT GibbsCAM v9 NETWORK LICENSE INSTALLATION PROCESS

Document Version 1.1

Starting with version 9.0 GibbsCAM Network License Installation uses the same installation media as the Hardware Key Lock version. The Installation process has also been simplified. The creation and installation of the license file can now be done via the internet or manually using electronic or physical mail when the customer's environment does not allow internet access.

Step 1

Setting up the server.

a) Run ' NLO Server Registration Setup.msi' to install the Registration Tool and support files.

Select the installation folder for Registration Tool.
Click 'Next'.
Installation is complete. You can now access the Registration Tool from the location you specified or through the Start->All Programs->GibbsCAM NLO Server->GibbsCAM Registration Tool menu.
If you have a hardware key please plug in the key and download and install the hardware key drivers on your server.

b) If you are running the v8 FlexLM license server on this same system you will need to stop that service and make a small change to the configuration.

Run LMTools.exe and change it to Configuration Using Services
Change to the Configure Services tab and uncheck 'Start Server at Power-up'
Change to the Start/Stop/Reread tab (say Yes to save your changes) and click Stop Server.

c) Run Start-->All Programs-->GibbsCAM NLO Server-->GibbsCAM Registration Utility ***Vista users - you may need to right-click the application and select ';Run as Administrator'; in order for this to run properly.***

Select Network License Server as the Registration Type
Click on Run Registration Tool
Enter your Product Code and registration information, click Finish.
A license file, 'license--.lic', will be created in your deployment directory.
Select Yes in response to, 'Would you like to install RLM license server applications in ?'
If your Windows Firewall is turned on you will be asked to open two ports.
Select Yes in response to, 'RLM server application copied. The RLM server uses ports 2764 and 2765. Do you want these ports opened in the windows firewall?'
Select Yes in response to, 'Would you like to start the RLM server as a Windows Service', unless you prefer to start the RLM server manually from a command prompt.

Step 2

Installing the client software on each node.

a) Install the GibbsCAM software on each client machine.

b) Be sure the RLM server is running.

The RLM server contains an embedded Web Server which is started automatically on port 9000 when RLM is started. To use the web server, simply point your browser to: http://ServerHostName:9000 or http://ServerHostName:5054 and select. 'Status', (example: http://nancy-pc1:9000)

c) Deploy your license file on each client machine.

You can do this manually or GibbsCAM can do this for you when you launch the system for the first time. GibbsCAM will detect that no valid License is in place and License Installation screen will display. The License Installation dialog allows you enter in the product code. Use the same product code that was used for the server.

Other NLO Points of Interest

o The 8.x (and older) FLEXlm server and GibbsCAM v9.0 RLM server do not run simultaneously but since the installation of the RLM server does not affect the FLEXlm installation you may choose to use either solution at any time.

o Documentation for RLM can be found at http://www.reprisesoftware.com/RLM_Enduser.html

o FAQ for RLM can be found at http://www.reprisesoftware.com/enduser_faq.htm

o The latest RLM End-User Download Bundle can be found at http://www.reprisesoftware.com/enduser_kits/enduser_download_dir.htm

STEP BY STEP NLO INSTALLATION PROCESS

1. The first step is setting up the server.

a) Run 'NLO Server Registration Setup.msi' to install the Registration Tool and support files.

Select the installation folder for Registration Tool and click 'Next'

Installation is complete. You can now access the Registration Tool from the location you specified or through the Start->All Programs->GibbsCAM NLO Server->GibbsCAM Registration Tool menu.

c) Run RegistrationTool.exe: ***Vista users - you may need to right-click the application and select ';Run as Administrator'; in order for this to run properly.***

Select Network License Server as the Registration Type.

Enter your Product Code and registration information, click 'Finish' to activate over the internet. If your server is not connected to the internet you can save the file (license.glc) and e-mail it to registration@gibbscam.com.

***IMPORTANT TIP - MAKE NOTE OF THE HOST NAME BELOW. IT IS USED TO ASCERTAIN THE STATUS OF THE SERVER AS DETAILED IN STEP 2B BELOW***

A license file, 'license--.lic', will be created in your deployment directory.

Select Yes in response to, 'Would you like to install RLM license server applications in ?'.

If your Windows Firewall is turned on you will be asked to if you would like to open two ports. Select Yes in response to, 'RLM server application copied. The RLM server uses ports 2764 and 2765. Do you want these ports opened in the windows firewall?'

Select Yes in response to, 'Would you like to start the RLM server as a Windows Service', unless you prefer to start the RLM server manually from a command prompt.

2. The second step is installing the client software on each node.

a) Install the GibbsCAM software on each client machine using the same product code that was used for installing the server.

b) Be sure the RLM server is running.

The RLM server contains an embedded Web Server which is started automatically on port 9000 when RLM is started. To use the web server, simply point your browser to: http://ServerHostName:9000 or http://ServerHostName:5054 and select. 'Status', (example: http://nancy-pc1:9000/)

c) Deploy your license file on each client machine.

You can do this manually or GibbsCAM can do this for you when you launch the system for the first time. GibbsCAM will detect that no valid License is in place and License Installation screen will display. The License Installation dialog allows you enter in the product code. Use the same product code that was used for the server.

Run the Registration Tool using the Product Code from the server this client will be using.

You will not be prompted for contact information on NLO client machines.

Select 'Activate Product' to complete your license deployment. Your license data will be retrieved from the Gibbs Activation Service and placed in the appropriate Application Data folder.

Repeat the second step, installing GibbsCAM product and deploying license file, for each client machine.

Program needed to open Autodesk Inventor .IPT files

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 14:41:59 GMT

***UPDATED 4/29/10. This version of AutoDesk Inventor View will read up to and including Inventor 2011 files. If a previous version of Autodesk View is installed on your system be sure to uninstall it prior to installing this new release.

In order to open .IPT or .IAM files in Gibbs you must have Autodesk Inventor View installed. This free application can be downloaded here:

Autodesk Inventor View 2011 for 32-bit systems
Autodesk Inventor View 2011 for 64-bit systems

Non-English versions of this application can be found HERE.

If you are having trouble opening IPT files you may have the wrong version of AutoDesk Inventor View installed. Please download and install this release. Be sure to remove previous installations of AutoDesk Inventor View using the Add/Remove Programs control panel.

IMPORTANT NOTE: You must have the ACIS (SAT) Import option in GibbsCAM to use this direct-read functionality.

How do I check which video card and driver I have?

Fri, 21 May 2010 19:15:14 GMT

The following steps will allow you to check the type of video adapter you have as well as the driver version in Windows 2000 and Windows XP:

Minimize or close any open programs
Right-click the desktop and select Properties
Click on the Settings tab
Click the Advanced button
Click the Adapter tab. The adapter type is shown here.
Click the Properties button
Click the Driver tab. The driver version and driver date are shown here.

The following steps will allow you to check the type of video adapter you have as well as the driver version in Windows Vista

Minimize or close any open programs
Right-click the desktop and select Personalize
Click on the Display Settings selection
Click the Advanced button
Click the Adapter tab. The adapter type is shown here.
Click the Properties button
Click the Driver tab. The driver version and driver date are shown here.

The following steps will allow you to check the type of video adapter you have as well as the driver version in Windows 7

Minimize or close any open programs
Right-click the desktop and select Personalize
Click on the Display link
Click on the Change Display Settings selection
Click the Advanced Settings link
Click the Adapter tab. The adapter type is shown here.
Click the Properties button
Click the Driver tab. The driver version and driver date are shown here.

If the driver date is more than a year old it is likely there is an update available. NVIDIA drivers can be downloaded clicking on the link. If you have some other type of video card this tech article may be useful.

.ZOOB files are left behind when using online help

Thu, 13 May 2010 03:35:47 GMT

The following are the steps that will provide the customer a version of the Online Help module that will use the javascript implementation instead of the java. This solution will force the GibbsCAM online help system to utilize Java in a different fashion and should correct the issue where .ZOOB files are left when attempting to save a file.

Please be sure that:

You are using the latest version of GibbsCAM (v9.3.18 or later)
That the Environment Variable is added while GibbsCAM is NOT running

To force Javascript the user needs to add the following GCFORCEJSHELP System Environment Variable

Go to Start and right-click the Computer or My Computer icon
Select Properties
Click on the Advanced System Properties link
Select the Environment Variables button
Select New and configure the new variable as shown below

Using solid body for stock in lathe causes problem

Tue, 04 May 2010 17:48:10 GMT

Rendering and Profiler use a Parasolid function called Spun-outline Profile. This function doesn't work properly on every part. We are working with the authors of the Parasolid kernel to improve this functionality and will continue to update GibbsCAM as they come available.

Known side effects of Spun-Outline failures are:

The system is crashing when the user triggers CPR or Profiler.
It takes forever to start CPR or Profiler.
The shape provided by Profiler is wrong.

File-->Preferences-->Machining

Downloads

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 13:54:48 GMT

Hardware Key Drivers

Rainbow Sentinel Superpro driver v7.6.1
Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP/Vista (32-bit and 64-bit)/Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit)/ Server 2003 (32-bit and AMD 64-bit)

Aladdin HASP Key driver
Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 2003 Server, Windows XP 64-bit

GibbsCAM Add-Ins

NPT Processes
Includes all available sizes of ID & OD NPT threading definitions in Standard and Metric

Moorpark Font for PC systems
Single-stroke engraving font

Third-party Applications

Autodesk Inventor View 2011 for 32-bit systems
Autodesk Inventor View 2011 for 64-bit systems
Required application for opening .IPT and .IAM files in GibbsCAM (Solids and ACIS (.SAT) Import option also required)

Winzip
Extraction utility for .ZIP files

Go!Zilla
Download manager for use when large downloads are interrupted before finished.

FileZilla
Good FTP client. Open-source and free. Click here for information about connecting to the GibbsCAM FTP site

I've changed my NLO license and need to reactivate the server. How?

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 15:34:51 GMT

Untitled 1

Please follow these steps in order to reactivate your server. This should be done any time there is a change to your license.

Go to your Services list and stop the GibbsRLMServer service (leave this window open for the last step)
Go to Start-->All Programs-->GibbsCAM NLO Server-->GibbsCAM Registration Utility
Be sure it is set to Network License Server and select Run Registration Tool
Enter your product code and select Next
Enter your contact information and select Finish
Start the GibbsRLMServer service

Getting license files for a new server

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:17:31 GMT

If you are setting up a new server please follow these steps to begin the process of having your license files created. These steps should be followed for new installations as well as sites where the server is being changed.

Click HERE to download the Gethost application.

Place this application on the system that will act as your server and run in. Click on the 'Save to File' button and e-mail the resulting file to nlo@gibbscam.com.

Gethost.exe is designed to collect the IP and MAC addresses of the system and save them to a file in a format that allows us to create the license files. We will generally e-mail the license files and installation instructions in 24-48 hours.

You can save some time by completing and faxing THIS FORM to our Sales department at 805-523-0006.

If you need the LMTools configuration utility please click HERE.

Gibbs Technical Support e-mail notifications sign-up

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 23:55:37 GMT

Untitled 1

We have established a list for e-mail notifications from Gibbs tech support. We will be using this list almost exclusively for notices of free online training. We may send an occasional e-mail about some critical issue but no marketing will be done through this mailing list. If you'd like to be added to this list please click HERE. In the e-mail change <subscriber name> to your first and last name.

Instructions for unsubscribing will be included in all e-mails in the event you change your mind about being included on this list.

Hardware requirements for running GibbsCAM

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:11:43 GMT

System Requirements

For version 9.5+

Updated 2/10/10

The system supports all monitors capable of running at a resolution of 800x600 or higher. The GibbsCAM window is dynamically resizable from approximately 640x525 to the highest resolution your monitor will support. Please be aware that with monitors running higher monitor resolutions, you will need more RAM to support solids and Cut Part Rendering and a better video card. Recommended and actual requirements do not have a definite value. Your requirements will vary depending on the type of part you are trying to cut and the complexity of the part. The more complex a part, the higher your system requirements. If you use only the basic Mill or Lathe modules the Minimum settings for Production shown below are quite adequate. If you are regularly making parts that are prismatic solids with thousands of faces, the recommended SolidSurfacer system shown below could be considered a minimum. We recommend using the latest available service pack from Microsoft as we experience greater reliability with the newer software.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

The following CPUs supported by V9.3 are no longer supported by V9.5:

Intel Pentium II and Pentium III

Intel Celeron processors <= 1.3Ghz

AMD Athlon and Athlon XP

AMD Duron and Sempron (32-bit)

Core Requirements

If you are running very complex parts or toolpaths you may require higher specifications

Minimum

Windows XP SP3, Windows Vista, Windows 2003 Server R1 or later, Windows 7
Intel Pentium 4 or newer (including Celeron 1.7Ghz (or higher) and Xeon, Pentium M, Core, Core 2, and Core i5/i7) AMD Athlon 64 or newer (including Sempron 64, Turion 64, and Phenom)
256 MB of total RAM with at least 64 or more MB not being used by other applications
A quality 3D accelerated video card with the latest drivers installed (Click HERE for specific information)
512 MB of hard drive space for virtual memory

Recommended

Windows XP SP3, Windows Vista, Windows 2003 Server R1 or later, Windows 7
Intel Pentium 4 or newer (including Celeron 1.7Ghz (or higher) and Xeon, Pentium M, Core, Core 2, and Core i5/i7) AMD Athlon 64 or newer (including Sempron 64, Turion 64, and Phenom)
512 MB of total RAM or better
A quality 3D accelerated video card with the latest drivers installed (Click HERE for specific information)
At least 1 GB of hard drive space more for virtual memory

Where are the posts the Wire EDM module stored?

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:26:51 GMT

Question:

Where are the posts the Wire EDM module stored?

Answer:

To find the Wire EDM post processors follow these steps:

Launch GibbsCAM
Go to Plug-Ins→Misc→Pathfinder→All Users Preferences
In the window that appears double-click the EDM folder
Double click the Posts folder

If you have a customized EDM post processor you would place the two files in this folder.

If you wish to attempt to customize your own post processor the .PP file is the actual post file. Be careful making any changes to the post and be sure to create a back-up file.

Deburring video

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:26:22 GMT

The video below demonstrates a method for deburring your parts. Click on the video window to activate the ActiveX control then click the play button to watch the video.

If you see no video click HERE to download the necessary codec.

How do I display more than one stock body?

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:25:59 GMT

Yes, you can define multiple stock bodies:

Example:
If you have four bodies that you want to define as stock you will have to initially select two of the bodies to do a Union. You can then add the third body to the two bodies you have just designated as stock, then the fourth body. You can only add bodies one at a time.
1. Go into the Solid Modeling Pallet
2. Select two bodies
3. On the Solid Modeling Pallet, click Union.

A Union will be applied to the two selected bodies, you can keep adding a body to create more than 2 pieces of stock.

Right clicking on the body and going to properties allows you to choose either, Part, Fixture or Stock.

What happened to the Get Draft Angle plugin?

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:25:38 GMT

In order to install the Get Draft Angle plugin in version 7.0.x or higher please perform the following tasks.

Open the GibbsCAM installation folder and go to the Extras/plugins folder.
Select GetDraftAngle.dll and select Edit-->Copy
Click Back until you are in the GibbsCAM installation folder and open the plugins folder
Go to Edit-->Paste. This will copy the selected file into the plugins folder
Start GibbsCAM. In the plugins menu you will see a choice for Calc Taper Angle

How do I change a solid model from Inches to Metric or vice versa?

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:25:15 GMT

When using File-->Open to open an import file (DXF, IGS, X_T, SLDPRT, STEP, IPT, ETC) the increments will automatically be adjusted to match the increments defined in the file. In most cases this will result in a Gibbs part file in mm. If you need the file to be in inches please follow these steps:

Open GibbsCAM
Create a new part file and be sure the increments are set to Inch and the correct machine type is selected
Go to File-->Import and import your file
Go to View-->Shrink Wrap

The resulting file should remain in inches as desired.

When I machine a surface it machines the wrong side

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:24:04 GMT

Problem: I am applying toolpath to a surface but it is machining the wrong side of the surface.

Solution: Unlike solid models, surfaces have a positive and a negative side. You can see this in GibbsCAM by clicking on the Indicate Sheet Side button

One side will display as red while the other is blue. If the side you need to machine is red select the surface (it will turn yell) and go to Modify→Toggle Sheet Side. If you de-select the surface you should see that the red and blue sides have swapped.

Hole Manager tutorial

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:23:41 GMT

Hole Manager

The purpose of this tutorial is to familiarize you with the use of the Hole Manager tool located in the Wizards pull-down menu within GibbsCAM. This tool works with solids so the 2.5D Solids option or the SolidSurfacer option is required. Version 7.0 or later is required for this exercise.

Click HERE to retrieve the part used in this exercise.

Steps:

Open Hole Manager Tutorial.VNC
Select the solid in this part and go to Wizards→Hole Manager
Click the Run AFR button. AFR stands for Automatic Feature Recognition and will identify all the holes in this part.
Select Create New Data Set and click OK
Select 1 CS per Orientation (do not select Use Part Origin) and click OK
A list of 17 holes will be created with all the characteristics detailed for each hole
Click the Auto Group button near the bottom of the Hole Manager page.
Select Process Parameters and click OK. Holes of the same size and CS will be grouped together.

Select Group 1 and click the Hole Wiz button

A window will appear to define the drill hole. Spotting and Drilling should be checked by default on this page. Click the button with the red check mark to see if the needed tools exist. They do not. Click the Create Tool links for the spot drill and drill to create the two tools needed for these holes and close this window.

Click Next
On the Create pattern & select page the only item you will generally need to edit is the Entry Clearance field. Set this to .1
Click Next
Click Build Processes
Click Build Operations
Click Finish and close the Hole Manager window.
Render the part and you will see the four one inch holes spot drilled and drilled.
Close Cut-part Rendering
Go to Wizards→Hole Manager
Click on Group 2 and click the Hole Wiz button
Uncheck Spotting
Click the red check mark and create the tool needed for these holes (close the Hole Wizard Checker window)
Click Next
Set the Entry Clearance to .1
Click Next
Click Rebuild Processes
If the button on the bottom says Rebuild Operations it will replace the operations highlighted on the right. If you click an empty operation tile the button will change to Build Operations
Click Build Operations
Click Finish and close the Hole Manager window
Go to Cut-part rendering

There are other hole groups in this part you can use to practice with this tool. The real value of this tool is evident on holes like the second group we machined. The angle of the CS, the centerpoint, and the depth of the holes may not be known and can be difficult to ascertain.

How do I get geometry from a solid?

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:23:15 GMT

Import the solid into GibbsCAM
From the upper tool bar menu select Show Edges. The edges of the Solid will appear.
You can either
1. select an edge that you would like to extract geometry or select more than one edge by holding the Ctrl key for each edge or
2. Using the Edit menu, Select/Edges will select all edges of the Solid
Once the Edges have been selected that you would like to extract go to the Geometry Pallet and click on the Geometry from Solids button.
The first tile on the new pallet is Geometry Extraction.
The tolerance is set to a default of zero. Leave this at zero if you are extracting geometry for use as trim data or contraint geometry. If you are attempting to get circles and lines to machine enter .001 in the tolerance and then click the Do It button.
You should have the extracted geometry, you can turn off Show Solids from the Task Bar on the upper left hand side to hide the solid and just see geometry. Make sure that you have Show Geometry turned on. Both buttons are located on the top row of buttons on your screen.

How do I reorient a solid body (v7.0 and older)?

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 23:48:39 GMT

Reorientation of a solid body using coordinate systems

This document is intended to provide a step-by-step procedure for reorienting an imported solid body. This example requires the use of coordinate systems which is only available if you have the Advanced Mill option. Most SolidSurfacer customers will have this option.

Identify a planar (flat) surface on your imported body
Depress the face selection button and select the planar face
Open the CS list and create a new coordinate system
Open the CS modification pallet (directly below the CS list button) and right-click on the Align Plane button and select Align Plane Through and Move. Be sure that your planar face is still selected for this step. If you have additional part bodies that need to be moved with your part be sure they are all selected for the next step.
Select Modify-->Change CS (XYZ). This will associate the selected body with the new CS.
Click on the XY preset on the CS modification pallet. This will modify the current CS to align with the XY plane. Your body may be upside down at this point. If it is select the Depth Axis button on the CS modification pallet.
Select View-->Shrink Wrap.
Change to CS#1
Select the body and select Modify-->Change cs (XYZ)
Highlight CS#2 in the CS list and click on the trashcan.
Your part should now be oriented properly to the XY plane and should be fully contained within the stock definition.

Next we will move the part origin to a desired point on the model.
Turn on Edge Selection.
Select an edge that would help identify the new origin. This could be a corner or a circle.
Open the geometry pallet, select Geometry from Solids and select Geometry Extraction from the sub-menu.
Specify a tolerance of .001" and click the Do It button. This should result in geometry being created from the edge selected. If you selected a circular shape it will be necessary to generate the center point of the circle at this point. This function can be found on the point pallet.
Select Modify-->Move Part Origin.
At this point it is important that the Origin dialog remain the active dialog. Be sure not to click any other feature or dialog after opening the Origin dialog.
Hold down the ALT and SHIFT keys on your keyboard. The mouse pointer should turn into a square, Place the square over the point created in step #15 and click. This will load some values in the Origin Dialog. Hit Do It on the Origin dialog.
You should now have your part in the correct orientation with the correct part origin