I need a favor.....

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Friends,

As many of you know, I help teach Mastercam at a local Trade School. I've got a test but I want to add some more questions to it. So, would any of you be willing to add a question or two for me to ask them? You all do different stuff than I do and perspective is the key here. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

[mikeb]

What sort of things are you including now? Are you looking for particular applications, i.e. molds, tombstone work, solid modeling, etc.?

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Yes! All of the above, any of the above.

Thanks,

[cadcam]

Are they writen Qustions?

Do you want qustions for this typ of ap what would be the best surfaceing path?

[Keith Graydon]

Hiya James,

I find that the most challenging aspect of this trade are the people. You may try to bring the social aspect of this trade to your students. How to listen, how to respond and how to ask questions are some of the most important lessons to learn. IMHO. That, and the not so simple task of being able to VISUALISE the part or assembly.

my .02

-Keith

[Toby]

James,

How about an essay question:

Ask how would they handle negative criticism about their programs? (ie. This program sucks!)

[Scott Bond]

Hi

Heres a few::

At what size does a screw turn into a bolt? How would you square up a six sided block? How would you hold this part thru its op-1,op-2,op-3 and so on.Would you cut this mold cavity in the solid ,or burn with an electrode ,or what ,and of course why.

I have more questions ----- ,I would like to read some questions from my fellow mastercam brothers and then I'll add some more.

[Keith Graydon]

Scott,

Can I answere the first question?

the Screw to Bolt one?

-Keith

[Trevor Bailey]

Scott has the right idea. Start with the basics.

1) What RPM do you run the edge-finder at?

2) Is it better to use collet holders or solid holders on ?????? operation/application?

3) How to program keyway or woodruf cutters in MC.

Just a few.

[Scott Bond]

Hi

KeithGraydon Please do.

It will make it fun for us, and create a better set of questions for James.

Where do custom form cutters come from?

What is the propper feed and speed for vise jaw?

[Toby]

1)Under what circumstances would one use a left handed wrench?

2)What material would one use an ID10T drill on?

Just kidding.....

how about asking some basic tooling selection questions based on different materials.

[ 09-13-2001: Message edited by: toby ]

[cadcam]

I can't help this.

you say "I you Need A Favor"

And i reply "Get In Line"

sounds like we have some good thoughts coming up from my veiw.

Scott i do not remember the Answer for the Screw to Bolt thought.

Refreash me.

[Bob]

On the subject of nuts and bolts define an airplane fit?

[Keith Graydon]

Answere to Screw vs. Bolt

A bolt is secured by applying torque to its mating fastener.

A Screw is secured bt applying torque to the head a of the screw itself.

hence..... Allen Cap SCREW.

my .02

-Keith

James you could also test them on the formula for "NUMBER" screw diameter.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Thank you for your suggestions.

Actually though, I was thinking of stuff more along the lines of "Name 5 Settings you can change in the Job Setup". Or "In Coons surface creation, there are two directions, name them.". "Right clicking while in the operations Manager allows you to......(give me 5 different answers(not including different types of one thing)". You know, stuff like that.

Questions with subjective answers :When would you use a collet holder vs. a sidelock holder?", well, the answer for me is "I always use collet holders, end mills, drills, etc... better concentricity, better tool life, more even chipload as a result of the better concentricity." Those types of questions are open to debate. Not so good. An essay question would be nice.

Thanks again,

[Scott Bond]

Hi

How do we name a set of levels ,so that we can set all of a level with the same name on or off ?

"all level set on"

"all level set off"

[cadcam]

Are you asking or stating this as a for us or for the test?

[Scott Bond]

Test

[cadcam]

Ok

[Michael Reynolds]

Hi James! Students need to know 4 things BEFORE TOUCHING a cadcam system. So here is my 2cents:

1. Teach them BASIC MACHINING (MANUAL)

2. Teach them BASIC SHOP MATH (trig, speeds n feeds, etc.)

3. Teach them BASIC NC PROGRAMMING(post processing is USESLESS unless they know how to EDIT a program

4. Teach them how to set up, operate, edit, and tweek offsets. Tooling is also VERY important.

THEN, in my opinion, they are READY to BEGIN to learn Mastercam. I've seen too many people who call themselves "cadcam programmers" who couldn't write a simple program by hand, don't know the first thing about machining, yet are writing programs to run on 50K machine tools. That's scary.

Then teach them basic geometry creation, levels management, toolpaths, postprocessing, yada, yada, yada.

My basic point is that people need to know WHAT to put in the text boxes in the tool path parameters pages. That takes more knowledge than chaining geo together n making a toolpath look good on a computer screen.

JMHO, thanks fer listening...

Mike R.

[cadcam]

James sounds like you need to restat the Qustion diffrent because as you can see you are not getting what you asked for.

JM2C

[Michael Reynolds]

I get your point, Jay. Just puttin' in my opinion on cadcam education as a whole.

To Jame's question, I've taught mcam at the college level for a short 5 years, and my tests have always been "on system". Meaning, I give them an iso veiw of a part (with dimensions), and they give me up to 4 views, complete with tblocks, part geo, and dimensions, along with APPROPRIATE toolpaths, and, ultimately, GOOD nc programs. As part of the test assesment, they need to machine the parts (to print), and hand me a hunk of metal. When they turn in thier test, they turn in a disk containing the part, print, toolpaths, nc files. I then open each students disk and look to see, for example, that the info in the toolpath parameters are reasonable, or meet the specs I've called for.

Hope this helps!

Mike R.

[cadcam]

Oh mike,

I was makeing a point.

I hope you were not taking it wrong.

how is school going by the way?

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

It's not going to be an "On System" test. It will be a written test. Probably about 25 questions. I have 15 and was looking for a few more.

The class is Advanced Mastercam. The class is clearly above some student's current capability so we often find ourselves going back over things we covered in the Basic Mastercam, but I do not make the rules about who gets in and who does not.... thankfully.

Let's see if I can dig down and ask the question worded correctly so that I can possibly get a more desirable result for the task at hand.

I am testing my Advanced Mastercam class this week. Kind of a pop quiz because they have no clue it's coming unless they've been in here (which I have told them to do BTW). I want to test them on some basic things(steps to creating basic geometry, solids and surfaces) and some not so basic things (Tool Planes, Operations Manager, and Job Setup, etc...).

Thanks again,

[rms]

What about how to perform undercuts with a 3axis vmc?