Does Madcam work with Rhino ver. 2?
No, madCAM will only run with Rhino3.0 or Rhino 4.0.

I get the message that the plugin is not loaded.
Please check if you have the latest service release for Rhino

How is the post-processing / tool selection accomplished from within madCAM?
First you create the cutters from the cutter dialog with settings for cutter geometry and parameters for feed, speed and tool number. Load a cutter and calculate toolpath(s). Each toolpath will be stored in Rhino in separate layers.  The toolpaths will be post processed in the same order as they are kept in the Rhino layer dialog. For changing the order, it’s just to move them up or down in the layer dialog. You can also hide toolpaths that not is supposed to be post processed. Each toolpath remember which cutter it was created from. When post processing, it’s just to click on the post process icon, and all visible toolpaths in the Rhino dialog will be posted.  There are a couple of predefined post processors included with the package when downloading madCAM, but you can also create your own from a text editor, or send us an example of the output code for your machine and we will create it for you. The postprocessor to use, is set from the madCAM settings dialog.

I want the roughing cut to go only half way down the part.
Use the clipping planes from madCAM and place the top clipping plane above the part and the bottom plane half the way down. 

Do I need to convert the model to an IGES or STL? or will it read the NURBS model surface? 
MadCAM use a mesh that is automatically created in Rhino from the nurbs-surfaces within a tolerance set in madCAM. This means that madCAM will be able to take any format that Rhino is able to read.

Can I use project curves to engrave?  
Yes you can. There is one thing to think about and that is to make sure that the negative stock to leave value isn’t bigger than cutter radius. For example: If using a Ľ inch cutter you can't set the stock to leave more than -1/8 inch. If using very small cutters, create an offset surface below the original surface and use that when calculate the toolpath

How do i set the safe clearence for clearing clamps that are holding the job?
The rapid traverses are measured from the highest point on the model below the actual travel of the rapid traverse plus safe clearance. If having clamps that are above the work piece, you can just draw rectangular planes that enclose the clamps in xy and place them above the highest point of the clamps. Export the planes together with the model. This will make the planes part of the model and the rapid traverses will go above them.

Can it be launched without launching Rhino 3D?
MadCAM is a plug-in for Rhino 3.0/4.0 and cannot run alone. We started develop
madCAM as a standalone system, but its much more powerful when its
integrated with Rhino because you can use all the visualisation tools and
functions for curves and surfaces in one system

When I remove the clipping planes there seems to be an invisible clipping plane. The clipping planes are always kept in madCAM but they are only visible in Rhino on demand by clicking on the clipping plane button from madCAM regions toolbar. Each time selecting the model for toolpath calculation, the clipping planes will be placed down at the bottom of the work piece and above the top of the work piece. If the clipping planes are visible in Rhino, madCAM will read them before creating a toolpath. This gives the opportunity to change them by moving them in Rhino.

If I create a "Planar finishing" toolpath on a surface that is very steeply sloped, Why will MadCAM only produce a toolpath that runs on the non-sloped portions of the surface?
The planar finishing will not cut steep surfaces. If cutting a cavity with 90 degree steep surfaces, it isn’t possible to cut the cavity with planar finishing only. This would break the cutter. The planar finishing is meant to be combined with z-level finishing. To get surface smoothness with high tolerance, the cutting depth should be as constant as possible. It is meant to cut the relatively steep surfaces with z-level finishing first and then cut the relatively horizontal surfaces with planar finishing. If calculating the z-levels first and then calculate the planar finishing afterwards without changing cutter, madCAM will create the planar finishing toolpath from the same basic geometry, which will save time. (MadCAM will only calculate a new basic geometry when changing cutter or region).  
The z-level finishing should in most cases be machined before the planar finishing, because the steep surfaces then can be machined from the highest to the lowest level with a constant cutting depth. The constant cutting depth gives a smoother cutting, with less vibration which results in better surface smoothness. Additionally, this method of cutting material from the highest to the lowest level will prevent the shaft above the cutting length of the cutter from colliding with the un-machined material during machining of bottom surfaces. The un-machined material is the “stock to leave” from the roughing toolpath. Sometimes it can be a lot of rapid traverses if cutting with z-levels on single surfaces. To minimize the rapid traverses you can set the direction to “Optimize” and the link method to “regions” in the z-level dialog. This will make the toolpath much more connected. If you would like to cut with planar finishing for all surfaces (including steep surfaces), then you can use the “from boundary curve”. If selecting a rectangle on the top of the work piece, it will do the same thing as the planar finishing without region curves. If you would like to cut inside regions, it’s just to select the regions as boundary curves.

Do I get nice 3D surfaces, very smooth and no "steps"?
You will get nice 3D surfaces and the smoothness is controlled from a tolerance and the stepover between the toolpaths

How do I define the workpiece - which is fixed and measurements taken - on the machine? 
It’s just to place the model in Rhino as you would like to have it in your machine. The coordinates in Rhino will be the same as for the output. It is also possible to move the model together with toolpaths afterwards. For example: If you have created toolpaths with z=0 in the lowest point on the model and you would like to machine it with z=0 on the top of the model. Select the model and toolpaths and move it downwards in Rhino and then select the model again for madCAM. (MadCAM needs to know which surfaces that are included when calculating the rapid traverses, therefore it’s important to select the model again after it’s moved in Rhino.

 

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Does madCAM generate tool paths to avoid full width cuts?
When using the roughing toolpath, madcam tries keeping the toolpath as connected as possible for avoiding traverses. You are able to set a step over between the toolpaths for controlling how much of the cutter that will cut in the material. Of course it will be the whole diameter for the first cut, if starting inside a pocket, but the other cuts will have the step over distance of the cutter in material. You can also control all lead-ins with a ramp, for smoother approach. The ramp will be applied on every approach.    

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