Levels Of Mastercam Instruction

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

At the institutions you teach at, are there different levels of courses? For example the school I teach at offers a Beginning Mastercam and an Advanced Mastercam.

I'm pushing for an intermediate course because 32 Weeks(16 Weeks for Beg. 16 Weeks for Adv.) just doesn't cover the software like it could be covered and with Version 9 coming out, more features, etc..... we're gonna be strapped for time even more now.

Let me know your thoughts.

[Michael Reynolds]

Hi James!

What course of study are you teaching in? Is it a cadcam degree, machine tool tech, or something else?

For your question, I presently have only 1 "pure" mastercam class, and we get into everything except solids and surfaces. I guess you'd call it a beginner/intermediate course. We do, however, use it in our cnc machining course and our fixture design course. These courses are specific to the Machine Tool Tech degree program. No other program uses mastercam - the cadcam program uses UG.

For me, one "pure" mastercam class is enough for my program, cuz ya gotta remember that most accredited schools have a limit on how many credit hours a program can have, and there are many other courses these students need.

Don't get me wrong, I love mcam, but they have to know many other areas of machining too.

Whadaya think?

Mike R.

It wo

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Currently our classes do not count towards a degree/certificate or anything. It is purely for the betterment of the individual and of course the company that sends them there. Most(90% or better) of our instructors are credentialed to teach their given subject matter. We are accredited and all we need now is a matriculation agreement with a/some local colleges/universities and we're there.

At the local Community College(where I went some 7 or 8 years ago) they have a Manufacturing Technology program and a Computer Integrated Manufacturing Program and they require(d) 2 Semesters of Mastercam (2-D and 3-D), 2 Semesters of SmartCAM, 2 Semesters of Pathtrace, 2 Semesters of Machine Shop, 1 Elective, 2 Semesters of AutoCAD, 1 Semester of Manual Programmming, and a few others that seem to escape me at the moment. I need only 2 more classes to have a Certificate in both. Then I would need all the general ed crap (sorry if I offended anyone) to get the Degree (AS)

[Michael Reynolds]

Sounds like a well rounded program. Unfortunalely, the gen ed stuff is

always gonna be there, unless the

program is an aOs.

Mike R.

[Charles Davis]

We teach two classes:

2D Modeling and Machining

(computer basics, drawing, mill & lathe toolpaths, machining solids)

3D Modeling and Machining

(3d wireframe, splines, surface modeling, solid modeling, 3D roughing and finishing)

We require all participants to have machining and CNC experience.

Each class is 80 hours each. We keep our classes small (8 people), which most schools just can't do. If you have more people, you need more time. When we used to allow 12-15 in class, we went 100 hours each class.

[Reece L Gibson]

I run along with Charles:

2D Modeling and Machining

(computer basics, drawing, mill & lathe toolpaths, machining solids)80 hr

3D Modeling and Machining 80 hr

(3d wireframe, splines, surface modeling, solid modeling, 3D roughing and finishing)

64 hr 4-5 Axis (With C & Y axis lathe)

24 Hr 3 day Post Class

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

P.S. Each course (Beginning and Advanced) is 140 hours. It is either 16 weeks if you take a M-W, T-Th, or 18 Weeks if you take a Sat. class.

We can take up to 20 or 22 Students, I can't remember exactly. There is an Instructor and an Assistant if there are more than 11 students.