Does SolidCAM have a central location where all existing machining parameters can be edited for all operations without having to go back to the original dialog boxes where the machining parameters were entered? Here is an example of what I mean.

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=5ln1mkkdzmu&thumb=4

No it does not. When do you use this function?

An example of when I would want to use this function would be when I am handed an $80 coolant through drill and I need to make changes to 30 operations. Those 30 operations are now using a regular twist drill and a G83 deep hole drilling cycle with a low feed rate. Now I wish to use a G81 cycle with a faster feed rate and the proper M code to turn on and off the high pressure coolant. No doubt I could think of hundreds of other situations if I really though about it. I prefer editing a spreadsheet to trying to use Mastercams Edit Common Parameter approach. A spreadsheet is faster and more direct in this situation.

You can globally update certain parameters related to the tool: including the tool definition, speed, feed and coolant. Will that be sufficient? There is no equivalent in SolidCAM to the function you described.

Let's think about something very seriously. Every time you add a function to software, you make it more functional, but you also make it more cumbersome. There is just no way around that.

The key is to strike a balance, based on how many customers need something, and how often they'd use it.

If something is not used often, you might be better off to just reprogram those operations, rather than clutter the interface with a function that is used once in a blue moon. With feature based drilling, it's not that hard to reprogram all the drill holes.

I'm just articulating this because this is something the software designers have to be constantly thinking about, and striking this balance.

I see things in SolidCAM that are not in other systems I've used and visa versa. Before I ask SolidCAM to add any of the latter, I really think about it and wonder if adding the function is worth the added complexity. One of the things I like most about SolidCAM is it is a really clean interface, and thus simple to learn and a pleasure to use. I haven't so far found much I'd add, once I apply the above thought process to it.

Your opinion?

“You can globally update certain parameters related to the tool: including the tool definition, speed, feed and coolant. Will that be sufficient?”

In a word: No.

“There is no equivalent in SolidCAM to the function you described.”

Thank you for being honest and direct about this.

“The key is to strike a balance, based on how many customers need something, and how often they\'d use it.”

I don’t speak for anyone but myself. I need a central location where all existing machining parameters can be edited for all operations. I also want to be able to group and ungroup operations in this central location.

“I\'m just articulating this because this is something the software designers have to be constantly thinking about, and striking this balance.”

It is my opinion that most of those who design cam software don’t have much of a vision for the tools that are really needed by cadcam programmers to make their jobs less tedious and more efficient. If they do have a good vision they seem to get side tracked easily and what the user is often left with is an unfinished tool set where workarounds and compromise are the norm.

Is NextGenMfg the name of your new company that sells SolidCAM? Seems like a good name because I do not feel that most current cam software can be improved as easily as someone who has the right vision and starts from ground zero designing a cam system to run inside of Solidworks.

Re: "If they do have a good vision they seem to get side tracked easily and what the user is often left with is an unfinished tool set where workarounds and compromise are the norm."

That is so true. I think some of this is hard to avoid. Users want things, and they ask for them. The CAM developers (software engineers really don't know what a CNC programmer needs), just tries to fill all the requests. When that happens, the result can be software that isn't a relevant to what people need.

As they say, "The road to ruin is paved with good intentions." You need a gatekeeper who has a lot of real world experience, and who is willing to sort the "wouldn't it be nice if" requests from the serious requests. In other words, they have to have a strong vision of what they want the software to be, and be stubborn about adhering to that vision.

Re: "Is NexGenMfg the name of your new company that sells SolidCAM?"

Yes. I am the new reseller for SolidCAM in this area. I was looking for a solution that was a Gold partner with SolidWorks. I think this integrated approach is where things should be. It also runs inside of Inventor; the same product, except it is call InventorCAM in that case.

If you or your customers need Solidworks help there is a new web site that was started for the exclusive purpose of helping Solidworks users. It's ad free and it's troll free.

www.solidmentor.com

An example of when I would want to use this function would be when I am handed an $80 coolant through drill and I need to make changes to 30 operations. Those 30 operations are now using a regular twist drill and a G83 deep hole drilling cycle with a low feed rate. Now I wish to use a G81 cycle with a faster feed rate and the proper M code to turn on and off the high pressure coolant. No doubt I could think of hundreds of other situations if I really though about it. I prefer editing a spreadsheet to trying to use Mastercams Edit Common Parameter approach. A spreadsheet is faster and more direct in this situation.

Is this a one-time situation or something that that will be rolled out out over a multitude of jobs. If it is the latter and something that widespread in the shop, then I would edit the GPP file of the post to substitute the G83 call, the feedrate and add the thro' coolant codes. For the former, well, this approach works but you could end up with lots of different versions of the post - not a good idea.

It's the kind of change we make all the time to our programs. We feel this functionality is a must in a cam program. Apparently so do others:

http://supportbb.gibbscam.com/showthread.php?t=1240

I'll submit this as an enhancement request.

I am now running SolidCam 2009 SP1 and I see there is an option in the CAM Setting page called Tool settings. If you select the Show in CAM Manager setting then you will get the tool number just above the operation name in the cam manager tree. Once you have this, you can then click on it to make changes to the feeds and speeds! This will then update all the feeds and speeds in the tree that use that tool. Still cant change the drilling cycle with out going into the interface!