MCU is the ultimate collection of tools and utilities for your toolpaths. It works directly with your toolpaths, using the same files you send to your CNC machine. MCU doesn't require any tedious setup, and most styles of toolpath are automatically recognized as they open and features a direct link to Mastercam. Although it would be impossible to describe everything you can do with MCU, a short list would include functions such as: graphical editing, verification, file and entity analysis, backplotting, and graphical file comparison.

Multiple "active" views into the CNC file

3D dynamic backplot view of the file.

Each view (graphic, edit, and tree) is actively linked with each of the others to provide more information together than would be possible alone. A brief description of each of the views follows:

Graphics View: a 3D dynamic backplot drawing of the CNC file:

Zoom, rotate, pan
Pick entities and chains of entities
Dynamic forward and reverse backplotting (backplot as you scroll)

Edit View: a text view of the CNC file, which can be edited and saved:

Direct link from MCU to Mastercam.

Renumber
Insert/delete spaces
Undo/redo typing
Find/replace text
Selection of lines by range
Automatic detection of file type. Open a CNC file, and the standard MCU interface opens. Open any other type of file, and the interface changes to a standard text editor! MCU was designed to be the one editor that works for all your editing needs.

Tree View: the CNC file is sorted by tool call, and further sorted by paths within each tool:

Change visibility in the graphics area by selecting tools in the tree
Select lines in the edit view by selecting tools in the tree view
Assign tool geometry and colour

The Toolbox

The toolbox provides detailed information about the CNC file and also contains controls to work with the file.

General information - such as: the physical size, the low point and high point, the number and type of entities and the cutting time length. This information is available for the entire file, a single tool or even just two entities.

Detailed geometric information - This information is automatically updated as entities are selected from the edit view or the graphics screen. Also displays the current feed and speed for any selected entity.

Other standard MCU features:

World's easiest and most powerful CNC file interpreter. Most CNC file types are automatically recognized without the need for customization, including Fanuc style, Heidenhain, Dynapath, Anilam and more.
Visual import customization is available for the few CNC styles that are not automatically recognized.
Highly optimized for speed in all areas of the program
Drag and Drop support
MCU Explorer included. MCU Explorer is a free 3D CNC file viewer that works inside Windows Explorer (not available for WinNT)
Interactive "Quick tours" which use MCU to show you MCU!
Multiple view-ports in the graphics view.
Toggles for the visibility of tools, endpoints, rapid motions, axis and more.
Colour coding by entity type
Support for Fanuc style NURBS
Support for non-interpolated rapids ("dog-leg" rapids)

Graphical Edit

Visually inspect your editing.

Imagine visually checking your editing with the push of a button, easily returning to any revision you made along the way, then visually comparing your changes from the original file to any particular revision.

MCU's Graphical Edit option will make you wonder how you ever edited a CNC file without these powerful tools. You have to see this option in action to understand the full power.

Graphical refresh - When you begin to edit a file, the refresh button lights to let you know that there are changes to the file, and that you can make a new revision and see the changes by pushing the button.

Revision history - The revision history keeps a list of each revision that is made during a session. You can step through the revisions, or go directly to any particular revision at any time.

Graphical Compare

The graphical compare feature allows you to SEE the smallest changes between revisions of the same file or even between two different files. And it works with both the backplot and with solid verify models. Graphical compare locks the files into the same 3D space then lets you toggle between the files. If something moves... it's different. It's that simple.

Verify

The Verify option works with 3-Axis milling type toolpaths to create a 3D solid model of a part based upon the motion of the path and the shape of the tool.

MCU's Verify option provides unbelievable detail in seconds, not hours and the model can be referenced right from the graphics screen! If you see a problem, just click on it, and the line of code that made it is instantly highlighted.

Merge

The Merge option temporarily combines multiple CNC files to allow analysis and verification of the files as if they were a single file.

This is especially useful to anyone who creates separate files for each of the operations needed to make a complete part. Merging is far more powerful, much faster, and a lot easier then saving and reloading stock models to check for potential problems.

Multi-Axis Backplot for Mastercam

Multi-Axis backplot – Dynamic vector lengths and backplotting, the ability to pick vectors from the screen and more allow you to check your multi-Axis toolpaths like never before. Specifically designed for NCI entity number 11.

MCU Explorer

MCU Explorer allows you to view your CNC files while browsing folders with Windows Explorer. This powerful utility is provided free of charge.

If you have purchased MCU, it becomes even more powerful, allowing full 3D manipulation of the CNC file and if you have the Verify option, even a quick 3D solid verification of the toolpath, all within Windows Explorer!

When you find the file you are looking for, a click of a button instantly opens the selected file in the full MCU interface for detailed editing or analysis.