Learning Timeline With Vericut

[Tim Johnson]

How long it will take to be up to speed for a newbie using Vericut? We had our second demo today and this question was asked. The managers are concerned that with our current workload (very heavy) and with our pallet cell coming in (July 1st), we may not be able to learn the software for a while. I'm thinking that Vericut will shorten my learning curve with the pallet cell, though I would also have to learn Vericut. Is this truely something to be concerned about?

[crazy^millman]

I will say for the hook with Mastercam in my opinion could be a big time saver. I would go to class if they have it also a big time saver. They have to decide if crashes and possible down time on the machine is less important that learning and using the software.

 

hth

[Serge Viau]

My recommendation would be to have an Engineer from CGTech come on-site, configure VERICUT for your machines and give you a quick training tailored to what you do. It generally takes about 3 days and you're up and running.

 

With you machine already built for you allows you to test and learn the best machining techniques for your new machines without the consequences of making a mistake.

 

Serge Viau

Product Marketing

CGTech

[Tim Johnson]

Bump:

 

Millman, Crashes don't seem to be a big problem here, it's the downtime with dry running new programs. The crashes that do happen Vericut won't help. It appears we will get the software eventually, it's just that if we're too busy with other things to learn and use it, management would just as well spend their money for other things until we have time The MC hook is included in the quote.

 

Serge, You sound just like our salesman, did you train him? We have 5 on-site days quoted and there is a chance for possibly 3 more.

 

Any other opinions out there?

[gcode]

quote:

---

The MC hook is included in the quote

---

The Chook uses Mastercam's NCI file, just like Verify.

If you are not going to run the posted gcode

you may as well stick to Mastercam verify.

This is especially true for 4 and 5 axis work.

Properly setup and running gcode, Vericut will

catch almost all bad moves.

NCI is good for 3 axis work, but when you start running 4 and 5 axis stuff, nci verification is just eyecandy.

 

[ 06-23-2005, 05:12 PM: Message edited by: gcode ]

[Hardmill]

quote:

---

The Chook uses Mastercam's NCI file, just like Verify.

If you are not going to run the posted gcode

you may as well stick to Mastercam verify.

---

It will bring in all your tools (already defined),

and thats a big time-savings in veri-cut.

Then just post your g-code.

 

PEACE

[Serge Viau]

I make a lot of effort not to sound like a salesman... I just base myself on my on-site experience.

 

I have done a lot of on-site training and it seems to get people started faster.

 

Serge

[Tim Johnson]

Serge, I was just giving you grief. I agree with the onsite training myself.

[DC Gorn]

I am currently self training to get started with Vericut. I can say (like Mastercam) there is a big differnts between using and configuring Vericut. Once your machine is all set up its a snap. But also like Mastercam if the post aint right (AKA Machine and controler config)then the software becomes usless.

+1 on the turnkey from Vericut on the first machine.

[Joeyls319]

Tim,

Like anything, the more you use it the better you will get at it. I'm getting faster at every time I use it. It was taking me quite awhile to get things going. Once you got a library of things, (tools, common fixturing) it's really not that bad. The Mastercam c-hook is a definite benefit. You can use that and then go in and play with the tool manager alittle so you can run your actual posted code. I'm finding easier every time.

 

If you got any questions you can probably find an answer here or they have their own forum. it's not as active as the this one but it's still helpful. Then again you can call them also, I find them to be quite helpful when I really get stuck.

 

That's my 2 cents

 

Joey

[PROG_MAN_DO]

I would highly recommend training as well, I used Vericut for a few years..learning on my own cause I'm so smart Then I went to training and found out I was doing some things the hard way, and didn't know how to do other things that would have made life easy. Take the time now and do the training, the workload will always be there, if the company uses that excuse now, they'll use it later. When times are slow it'll be, we can't afford it. JUST DO IT!! They will see the bennies in the end. By the way, Always run G-code!! The technical support @ CGTech is the best I have ever dealt with. They stick with you until the problem is solved..

[SpazMachine]

I have been a Vericut user for just a few months. I spent about a week going through the online help and tutorials which are very helpful. I spent three days in class after that. Best thing ever. From purchase to usefull verification was stretched out to three weeks because I still had work to do in the middle of all that. But now on one machine, between some post mods and some configuring in Vericut the programmer doesn't have to do anything but feed gcode to Vericut and out comes a report including a detailed tool list, picture of the finished part, and oh yeah, catastrophic failures if any. This machine makes EDM electrodes and the fixturing never changes so it was pretty easy to automate.

[Metal Flake (clocked in)]

Hey Spaz,

 

How'd you get Vericut to spit out a tool list and a picture of the finished part and only have to feed in gcode? Does Vercut configure itself from the cgode?

 

Ive been a Vericut user for about a year and just recently up'd to ver 5.44. AFAIK all of the tool lists have to be created manually or from the C-hook. Sounds like you've found a easier way, yes?

 

Dan

[Joeyls319]

Dan

Go intothe tool manager and click >file >report> create report. You'll have a couple of options for the type of report. As far as a picture and a detailed report, I remember that from the training class but have since forgotten it. I'm sure that if you call them they could guide you through it.

 

Joey

[SpazMachine]

The tool library I am using is standard and doesn't change. I spent the time to draw the holders and define the tools in Vericut. It took a few hours to draw the few different holders we are using and then putting a cutter in them is pretty easy.

 

The tool list is generated by Vericut's report. I think the default template includes the tool list with little thumbnail pictures and a ton of info about the tool. I've pared mine down to include a picture, cutter description and the length it sticks out.

 

I am using comments in the gcode to include the stock size. I think it is possible to so the same with cutter into. I looked into doing that but never actually tried it. If you use the Mastercam interface you shouldn't have much of a need for it.

 

There is a setting you have to turn on to make it generate the thumbnail pictures of the finished part. I would have to go back and look it up but for some reason I think it's in the autosave menu someplace. I beleive the default report template puts a picture after every tool change or something like that.

[Serge Viau]

Spaz,

 

It's under File > AutoSave; ShadeCopy tab

-check Cutter Change and File End and a picture of the part after each tool will be generated.

 

Then once the part is cut, File > Report > Create Report.

 

You can also customize the template to change the content, add your company logo, etc...

 

... and to add on Joey's comment, here is the link to the CGTech forum:

http://www.cgtech.com/forum/

 

It is a new forum, but it is growing.