I am using the current 2.5 D software and my company is looking to upgrade to 3D. I was wondering how difficult is to learn. They are considering sending me to class but id it is as easy as 2.5D I dont think I will need it. Does any one have and experience on the 3D software they would like to share. The reason for the upgrade is they took a job that has fixtures that have to milled in 3D and we are in a time crunch.

Thanks Robert

In this world, if you have an employer who is willing to invest in you, by sending you for training, say "Thank You".

You could probably learn the software by playing with it, but being taught by a person with experience in the software will put you well ahead!

I will go to the train if they offer it, but the fixtures that they need me to make are due in 30 days. Also due at that time is the four machines that will have 90% of the parts machined by me. I wont have time to go to training before the job is due. Also my company has said that they are going to send me for training for the Feature Cam that we have now but havent in the 2 years that I have been running it.

If you are doing the work on a 3 axis mill that you are use to than there will be little change. If you will be using a new 4 or more axis machine than understanding the machine will be the problem. FM will operate much the same. Feature rec. is cool if that comes with your 3D package.
Gary

Hi.. you go for training...send us the drawings of the part we will do gcode initially 4 u...bcause due to time constraint, but after u get trained then u have to play with ur software and mill so that the training become fruitful to u...
We can help u in this way dude...

If you are doing the work on a 3 axis mill that you are use to than there will be little change. If you will be using a new 4 or more axis machine than understanding the machine will be the problem. FM will operate much the same. Feature rec. is cool if that comes with your 3D package.
Gary

Salesman came into today with some demos to check out. We are getting the feature recognition with the 3D. He also helped with some problems we have with current version. It might take a couple of days to play with it to get used to it. The biggest problem I see us having is the engineers drawing the parts correctly. They have a bad problem not drawing in scale or constraining properly. I have to get a better comp to run on. I hope that they get the software next week. I have to get the fixtures made by Dec 12th along with all the other machine work I have to do.

Yea if your going to program it from somebody else's model then yes its got to be right or your going to be pulling your hair out. Even though the model looks right if its not sewed together properly then your going to have some problems getting the tool pathes to do what you want. I would suggest using a parasolid model instead of an iges. You sure you dont work where I do? They are far more interested in getting a job done rather than having someone trained then do the job. A trained person will get the job done far more quicker than having to do trial and error to get it done. Crazy how they think around here sometimes, I dont understand there logic.

The software came in yesterday and the computer should be here tomorrow. I should have it all set up by the end of the week. I still have some fixture work to do before I get started on the 3D stuff. I also have some parts that needs to be run first. I am also going to be off nest week for vacation and the get started on the 3D work. The engineer that is going to designing the parts is new, been here a couple of weeks. He came by today to look at the mill to check for clearances on the spindle and work height.