I have to say that I really do love the flexibility and control that the Masso controller provides versus the Buildbotics controller that came with my original X-50 Woodworker. But there is one thing that, as far as I can tell, Buildbotics provided that Masso does not (unless I just don’t know where to look for it.)
After loading a file, the Buildbotics controller would provide a cut time. This time indication would count down as the cut progressed, so that I could always see how much more time was left until the completion of the cut. I found this quite useful. So far as I can tell, Masso does not provide this information.
If I am wrong, I would very much appreciate it if someone could let me know.
I run VCarve Pro and have calibrated the estimated cut time to closely match the actual runtime, now within about 1–2 minutes on a 40-minute carve. I monitor the runtime directly on the Masso controller and track the percentage of completion on both the machine and my computer. Since I send my files via WiFi, the progress percentage is also displayed there, making it easy to track the carve in real time.
The problem with the runtime and percent completed is that it is counting lines of code in the g-code. A lot of straight lines or a lot of curves at the end can distort the percentage s.
True, that’s why I just look at the software simulation for best case time estimate. I very often alter the feedrate while running anyway. It takes as long as it takes, it doesn’t matter what the clock says.
It’s a minor issue for me in the scheme of things, but I did find the cut time indicator useful from time to time.
I had one situation where Fusion calculated a cut time of around 2 hours. But when I loaded the g-code into my Buildbotics, it gave me a cut time of over 14 hours! Not sure how to explain that discrepancy, but it motivated me to go back into Fusion and find a different strategy. I ended up finding a combination of tool paths that, between them, took just a little over an hour to cut.
But again, not a deal breaker. Maybe a feature that MASSO could add down the road.
I don’t think fusion has any way to know the rapid speeds of the machine, so all rapid motions will result in innacurate times?? Maybe it’s a setting I’ve never seen.
I find shorter programs with tool changes are really slowed down from the probing cycle after a tool change.
I wish Masso displayed the cut time. Seems suprising they wouldn’t have that feature built in.