Modifying .vpl for Mitsubishi

[Crewman35]

I have 2 Mitsubishi lasers that we currently post to but have to manually add a header in the .NC file for each nest due to the Post processor not having all the required information in it. Other than ASTI, has anyone used a reseller to modify a .vpl to have all the required information in the NC code? ASTI has informed me that they don't have the expertise to modify the .vpl to meet the requirements. I can see the necessary function when I look at the Custom NC tab, but I really don't want to have to create it from scratch. Or is there a way to input what code is already there from the existing .vpl and further modify it?

Thanks,
Chris W.

[CAMeleon]

Aside from ASTI, Arkance Systems seems to be the only other listed provider on ADSK's help page.
https://help.autodesk.com/view/FABRICATION/ENU/?guid=GUID-61CD687E-26A5-40BE-A2E6-E22DD0F6EA7C

I would strongly suggest against the custom NC route.
While the feature itself did have bright potential, I do not think it has been maintained/upgraded in quite some time. While I have gone this route in the past for various machinery setups, I always found the feature to be clunky, glitchy, and a cause of countless crashes.
There are also downstream effects of a Custom NC setup as well, such as graphical views while viewing NC.... (Cut Color indication not clear/incorrect.... 300 circles of various sizes all throughout a sheet).... but when pulled up at the hardware, no visual issues, and cuts as expected!

Since you mention that it is just a header that is needed to be filled/added to your cut file, if you are a powershell wizard you might could easily achieve this.

While at ASTI several moons ago we created a "folder monitor" program.... this was an exe that resides in the system tray/startup that monitored the CNC folder where your cut files go.
Once a cut file with a specific extension (in this case your Mitsubishi's default extension) hits the folder, the powershell script opened the file, inserted a header/various data within the cut file, and then saved it......
As long as that's the only variable you're missing I don't see why you couldn't achieve this.

At the end of the day... If a listed organization is unable to do the work, and the software does not give users an easy, non error filled way to achieve it on their own, then the CAM user base is strongly at risk as new machinery continues to be brought to market.

[Darren Young]

I regularly have people reach out on this.

It's taken me to 2 months to get even just get dates to setup a meeting w/Arkance.  As such, I'd not recommend them. If a discovery meeting is this difficult, I'd never trust them with my money for custom work.

That said... I'm in the process of exploring offering this as a service in the future in some form. That certainly won't help anybody in the short term and is a longer play. Nothing to count on at this point.

That said... I do know somneone who had made the Custom UI based post in CAM work for a Mitsubishi. As they said... it doesn't fully leverage the machine and leave a lot to be desired but if all youre doing is cutting Commercial HVAC duct fittings... it's "good enough".

There's also any other number of workarounds, hacks, outside the box thinking and creative compromizes that can be made to get you where you need to be.

I did reply to your direct Email so if you didn't get it, let me know and I'll resend.