Newbie with some *simple* questions for mcam gurus

[scoXcel]

Hello, I am working as a machine operator in a shop that I have after hours access to and my boss says if I learn Mastercam and can start programming some jobs in addition to my current responsibilities he will give me a significant raise. Please pardon my butchery of machinist lingo as I am sure I will be misusing a lot of technical terms.

We have some training CDs and manuals on hand that I've thumbed through but I can't find some simple information that I've been looking for just to get a handle on the order of events which take place between concept and manufacturing with Mastercam.

I have never used any CAD or CAM software so I am starting from scratch. The guys who use Mastercam at my place of work are not very open to sharing information as they see it as competition and they have been there for many many years but I have not. I do however have a strong desire to learn but limited funds to do so. What I lack in funds I know I can make up for in determination and time I'm willing to invest in learning.

My first question is can someone please provide a flow chart of sorts which outlines the steps from a customer providing a drawing with a parts geometry to actually machining the part. I only need the steps which take place in Mastercam as I already know the steps inside the machine such as setup and actually machining. For example what I'm looking for would look something like this:

1) create geometry in mastercam using surfaces, solids, etc.
2) create toolpaths from geometry
3) ...
4) ...
5) ...
6) create g-code and send to machine

I guess what I'm confused by is what I've picked up in conversations with our programmers over the last 12 months and what I've seen when glancing over their shoulders. It appears that sometimes they will create solids and/or surfaces and then create toolpaths from that and other times they just create some geometry which are not solids nor surfaces and create their toolpaths from that *flat* geometry.

Maybe a description of what you think is going on from what limited info I can provide or at least put into words and when or why you would work in 2D geometry versus working from solids or shapes. Some Mastercam files I've opened to look at contain no solids at all under the solids tab yet some of these parts are quite complex finished products. I'm having a hard time making sense of any of this so I'm hoping someone here can put themselves in my newbie shoes and figure out where my confusion is coming from and set me on the right path to figuring all of this stuff out.

I have other questions but this is already running on so I'll post more once I get a grasp on this much.

Thank you for all of your help.

Scott

[txcncman]

Having the concepts of manual machining before venturing into the CNC programming world will benefit you greatly. One is much more successful at CNC programming if they can mentally envision how a part will actually be cut inside the CNC machine. As far as which techniques are best to use when programming an individual part, there is no rule book. There is not a series of yes/no questions to be answered to determine how to do it. It is a matter of experience in machining and practice with the software, trying different selections until the results desired are obtained.

[scoXcel]

Sounds like one of the guys I work with. Rather than encourage someone taking the initiative to learn and advance with the company they avoid the question and tell me nothing about what I asked about. I came to this forum because I saw similar questions to mine being answered here so no offense but if you don't know the answer or simply don't care to give me some help I don't need to know what your opinions are as to what I should or shouldn't be doing.

Thanks anyways.

[cadcam]

scoXcel he was in ways answering as a teacher of this there is allot more then just here how. you have to read and review the books and CD's you have as they will give you some samples to walk thru then come here and also my other board eMastercam | Your Online Mastercam Source were you will find my FTP server with tones of free info and all Mastercam users.Between the both we will be able to help you as you go thru the starting points and farther.

So what books do you have?

[FantomMfg]

I am a CNC machine operator. I took classes at my local Community College that offered Mastercam courses. We used Emastercam.com book, Mill level one, or Amazon.com, Learning Mastercam X5 mill 2d step by step. These books were excellent from a beginners stand point. For 3D, we used Emastercam's Mill level 3 tutorial. You can also take online courses at Mastercam University, Mastercam.com, Hope this helps.

[cadcam]

I also have to throw in the www.eapprentice.com live Webanar class's to.Along with the Mastercam U.

[Joesph Jackman]

Having the concepts of manual machining before venturing into the CNC programming world will benefit you greatly. One is much more successful at CNC programming if they can mentally envision how a part will actually be cut inside the CNC machine. As far as which techniques are best to use when programming an individual part, there is no rule book. There is not a series of yes/no questions to be answered to determine how to do it. It is a matter of experience in machining and practice with the software, trying different selections until the results desired are obtained.

excellent advice.

[txcncman]

Sounds like one of the guys I work with. Rather than encourage someone taking the initiative to learn and advance with the company they avoid the question and tell me nothing about what I asked about. I came to this forum because I saw similar questions to mine being answered here so no offense but if you don't know the answer or simply don't care to give me some help I don't need to know what your opinions are as to what I should or shouldn't be doing.

Thanks anyways.

All I said was that it would benefit you greatly. I did not say it was the only way to learn. Most people get into CNC programming by trial and error. Mostly a lot of errors. Then they complain about how hard it is to learn. If you really want some help, help yourself by getting off your wallet and paying for some training and training materials. Quit asking for free help which will be less reliable anyway.

Then post an actual programming problem on the forum and let someone walk you through it. Asking a general blanket "how do I make a CNC program with MasterCam" question does not help you and does not give anyone that will help enough information to help. Ask something like "how do I select a partial chain for a contour tool path?" That will mean something.

If I were going to teach someone MasterCam, I would force them to learn the drawing tools before getting into tool paths. Sure, you can import a model into MasterCam and create tool paths from it. But those tool paths are not always efficient in the actual machining process.

The final thing I will say is that in the machining business in my part of the world, if you want something from someone else, you have to be willing to work for it and to show you are worthy of someone's time and knowledge. Complaining about being given advice on a best practice to follow and not following that advice to get good results will get you ignored pretty quickly.

[scoXcel]

Well thanks to you all for offering your advice. As I said before and txcncguy or whatever can't seem to understand is I'm not looking for an all in one how to do everything in mastercam I'm looking for what should be a simple answer to a simple question so I know in what order I should learn the different aspects of mastercam.

That being said for the second time, I appreciate your attempts but I clearly gave this site too much credit. I've spent the last two months since opening my account reading similar posts to my own from beginners and intermediates alike having their questioned welcomed and answered. In several cases new members were verbally welcomed to the site and so on. I for whatever reason didn't get the welcome mat treatment which is fine but I also did not get one reply in regard to my question. Not to take away from the posters other than txcncman who perhaps didn't answer the question but did ppoint me to at least one source which looking at the course materials I kinda got my answer, at least sort of.

Thanks for the help but I'm now off to another forum because I'm obviously going to be seen as a punk or trouble maker or hard person to please because I'm new here and I barked at a guy with 2000+ posts. It's hard enough to learn this stuff and when someone shows initiative it is like the world shuts them out. He mentions that because I seek free help is why I'm shunned, in not so many words. That is bull and if that was the case sites exactly like this and your 2000+ posts would not exist.

It's a shame really because I had high hopes for this site and eyes like mine and others who see that I did not get the help I sought see this and then turn the page and then your advertisers lose impressions. It is a trickle down effect that usually does not affect the instigating party so I apologize for that but it is the truth.

Thank you again sincerely, I wish things were different. Admin you can delete my account I will not be back.

[cadcam]

scoXcel So I have to say was not liking your reply but I still gave you something and even asked a question to see what you had. to try and point you in a direction.

Your question is not a simple question with a simple answer or this would just been answered. I am a user for over 20 years I have been a dealer a teacher and I am a full time user. I for sure am not like your fellow workers as every company I work for one of my issues as I share to much.

You can be welcomed here and we can start this again or you can be this way and if so I hope that you find what you need but you have to really have a better outlook.

Have good one and I am not closing this account as I would like to see you come back.
ps hope I made sense so early in the AM for me.

[txcncman]

Well thanks to you all for offering your advice. As I said before and txcncguy or whatever can't seem to understand is I'm not looking for an all in one how to do everything in mastercam I'm looking for what should be a simple answer to a simple question so I know in what order I should learn the different aspects of mastercam.

That being said for the second time, I appreciate your attempts but I clearly gave this site too much credit. I've spent the last two months since opening my account reading similar posts to my own from beginners and intermediates alike having their questioned welcomed and answered. In several cases new members were verbally welcomed to the site and so on. I for whatever reason didn't get the welcome mat treatment which is fine but I also did not get one reply in regard to my question. Not to take away from the posters other than txcncman who perhaps didn't answer the question but did ppoint me to at least one source which looking at the course materials I kinda got my answer, at least sort of.

Thanks for the help but I'm now off to another forum because I'm obviously going to be seen as a punk or trouble maker or hard person to please because I'm new here and I barked at a guy with 2000+ posts. It's hard enough to learn this stuff and when someone shows initiative it is like the world shuts them out. He mentions that because I seek free help is why I'm shunned, in not so many words. That is bull and if that was the case sites exactly like this and your 2000+ posts would not exist.

It's a shame really because I had high hopes for this site and eyes like mine and others who see that I did not get the help I sought see this and then turn the page and then your advertisers lose impressions. It is a trickle down effect that usually does not affect the instigating party so I apologize for that but it is the truth.

Thank you again sincerely, I wish things were different. Admin you can delete my account I will not be back.

So far, you still have not been shut out by anyone but yourself. This attitude is why you will probably not ever become a CNC programmer. It takes work, study, persistence, and dedication. Start with something simple. Create a 4" by 4" square with a 2" circle in the center of the square using the drawing tools in MasterCam and then post your results here. Then we can show you ways to extrude it into a solid and then manipulate it.

[Shane123]

So far, you still have not been shut out by anyone but yourself. This attitude is why you will probably not ever become a CNC programmer. It takes work, study, persistence, and dedication. Start with something simple. Create a 4" by 4" square with a 2" circle in the center of the square using the drawing tools in MasterCam and then post your results here. Then we can show you ways to extrude it into a solid and then manipulate it.

dont forget that its never instantaneously gratifying. anything that can be learned in an instant usually wasnt what made me good in machining. over time i learned what different metals liked, what to listen for, and fine-tuned my skills to become as good as i have become. my years of OJT has taught me the most valuable lesson a person could learn, that cnc & cad programming will allow you to crash a machine faster than anything else!