Learning curve..

[Justin Beebe at Folsom Tool]

The time to learn would vary depending on the on the approach to learning. Trying to figure it all out yourself would take much longer than getting some training either thru classes or books etc.....

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

quote:

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...drill a couple of holes and maybe a pocket...

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DANGER WILL ROBINSON!!!

 

I've seen some parts that "Engineers" have come up with that contain "a couple of holes and maybe a pocket" and Holy smokes They turned out to be week long projects for a seasoned guy.

 

That question is WAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY too open ended to give a time estimate.

 

I mean if it's a square washer with a weight reduction pocket with some clearance holes, that's one thing, but it it's got true position of .0005 relative to a feature you can't get to in the same op...

 

JMNSHO

[pip]

Another variable to add to this equation..

Will he have to also run the machine and manualy program the machine while also learning Mcam..

[jnicely]

I agree with Pip

How much time does a guy truly get to devote...

This is the greatest variable

[Todd Tracey from Fastech]

You guys should have been with me when I installed Mastercam for one of our Ohio Amish Furniture companies. (Yes they use technology) They don't use our electric grid but create their own power. Anyway, the person that was to be their programm was about 15 yrs. old. First question was "Das Is Mouse?" He is now programming a 7-axis CMS Router and 3 Anderson 3-axis systems, and very good at it.

 

My first question would be do they have the desire, or is it being forced on them? To me initally, it was like a game to see how I could improve on programming techniques and efficiency.

[MotorCityMinion]

In many ways, it is a like a game, for BIG kids. I've been at this for about 7 months now, and my approach to learning this has been the "School of hard knocks" technique. I read the forum daily. Very rarely do I online game anymore. It's not enough to just crank out something that works, you have to take some time and mess with the options, try different toolpaths, evolve and hone those skills. Even if your not doing a particular type of work, mess with something new. When a job does come along that requires advanced skills, you'll be the Hero.

 

2 weeks? Hmmm, OK, you'll pop some holes in a part and do some simple milling, but if your any good at programming at the controls, you will still run circles around Mastercam for the first month or so. AND btw, if you can't read G-code and program at the machine, your that much further behind. I'll trust a guy with 7 years at the control and one year of Mastercam, over a guy with 7 years of Mastercam and one year on a machine.

[Philcott]

Some things I remember stumped me when beginning were things like duplicate entities. When learning to draw, I would think I was following the tutorial manuals but would often, inadvertently, lay down extra lines or arcs which would prevent me from being able to chain properly. Crap like that can eat up a lot of hours when you are first learning. I started over many times in the beginning.

 

When everything works fine you can progress quickly but it doesn't always work fine.

 

Phil

[Thad]

quote:

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When learning to draw, I would think I was following the tutorial manuals but would often....

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No Phil. I think the problem was those Lin and Shiue tutorials!

 

Thad

[Thee Starry™]

quote:

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Amish Furniture companies. (Yes they use technology) They don't use our electric grid but create their own power. Anyway, the person that was to be their programm was about 15 yrs. old. First question was "Das Is Mouse?" He is now programming a 7-axis CMS Router and 3 Anderson 3-axis systems, and very good at it.

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I can relate. I installed a KOMO router in an Amish Cabinet and Furniture shop in PA. Generated their own power as well. I trained a 17 year old kid how to power up a computer and a machine and trained him how to create GEO and program parts in Router-Cim. 7 days total spent there installing the machine and training them how to use it all. That was 3 years ago. That same kid has now trained in 4 other guys and has purchased 2 more routers. They are currently looking into purchasing MC and a 5 axis router.

I only had to go back there once and that was to install another machine. If an Amish kid with ZERO experience can figure it out well enough, in 7 days, to make parts without crashing, create geo and program, then you can train someone in under 3 weeks to program in MC at least well enough to not cost the company money. Maybe even be proficient enough to rely on with regularity.

 

But what do I know?

[Rick Henrickson 65]

Simple 2 1/2 d parts with good computer and machining knowledge 1 week should be a great start and you can learn the short cuts and harder stuff from there. I think mcam is pretty easy to understand learnn your WCS's well and off you go

[FP1]

A lot depends on how much time you have to play with the software. If you only use it for half a day once a month it will take considerably longer to learn it. Its really easy to tell yourself "I can do it faster on my "ther software." Some times you really have to force yourself to "give up" the old software and use the new stuff.

 

Even if you take a four day class at the reseller you still have to use it on a daily basis or it will all slip away.