New, confused

[Tower]

Hi all, I'm new to mastercam, machining, and manufacturing. I was construction for 10 years. Construction and manufacturing are completely different worlds, so this has been a heck of a transition. Anyway, I have a lot of very beginner questions that I'll be throwing out here. I'm having a hard time making basic geometry, deleting lines, selecting lines, changing where lines are. I'm lost, frustrated, and need to figure this out so I can keep food on the table.

[jlw™]

Wow. How did you just fall in a job like that? I know of good programmers that it takes sometimes months to find a job. To be honest, the best start would be put as much effort into learning good safe machining practices and absorb all you can on feed and speed and what effects the rigidity or lack there of does to how you run a part. Learn how to setup and probe. Learn to properly design and cut soft jaws. Start with a good, simple Gcode reference and learn some basics.

 

Not saying you can't dive right in but expect some pains and hurdles. It's truly not rocket science and many people can do and are good at it. Stay humble, keep asking for help, you'll get it here.

 

Be ready to upload files so folks can give precise help and don't be sensitive - every one means we'll and genuinely wants to help you.

 

Learn the machines you'll be programming with regards to what you need to know at a minimum such as spindle speed, coolant options, comp options and so on.

 

Try to develop common practices such as level names and consistent comments themes and tool names so you can pop back in another file and tweak it later.

 

 

Lots of knowledge crammed in this one forum. Fuggidabout them 1/16 tolerances on that skill saw and start thinking in tenths and microns. Be thick skinned and apply what you learn. Above all, listen to the guys running your programs.

 

 

Welcome to the forum by the way.

[#Rekd™]

What version of Mastrrcam are you using?

 

What types of parts are you manufacturing?

 

What machines are you programing?

[themachinist]

This isn't for MasterCAM but you should finish it anyway.

 

https://sandvik.csod.com/LMS/catalog/Welcome.aspx?tab_page_id=-67&tab_id=20000178

 

Ask your reseller for the training guides

[Tower]

Jlw- Sometimes opportunity presents itself out of left field. A person who was moving on to greener pastures sold me his small machining outfit with a few good clients. He has helped me quite a bit getting going, but he has less time to help. I'm currently running programs he's made, but I HAVE to start figuring out my own.

[Tower]

Bubbles- Haas st20y and a vf6. Lathe is all I'm running right now. Mastercam V6

[mikenaturalice]

Bubbles- Haas st20y and a vf6. Lathe is all I'm running right now. Mastercam V6

V6 or X6? Big difference. What is your location, if you don't mind sharing. 

[jlw™]

Jlw- Sometimes opportunity presents itself out of left field. A person who was moving on to greener pastures sold me his small machining outfit with a few good clients. He has helped me quite a bit getting going, but he has less time to help. I'm currently running programs he's made, but I HAVE to start figuring out my own.

Nice! Best of luck, you came to the right place for help.

[DanielGingras]

Hello Tower,

 

If you're new to Mastercam, we offer a variety of training books you might benefit from. If you're running X6 (rather than V6) you can find our X6 training tutorials here: http://www.emastercam.com/board/store/category/80-mastercam-x6/

 

Our Lathe Training Tutorial is $40 and can be found here: http://www.emastercam.com/board/store/product/269-mastercam-x6-lathe-training-tutorial/

This book takes you step-by-step in creating geometry and lathe toolpaths. The book comes with a video training DVD with one of our trainers walking you through the lessons in the book so you can see how we do things if you get stuck in the book. The book will also come with the Mastercam Home Learning Edition/Demo software. It'll be X8 since the X6 version expired last year but it sounds like you have a seat of the software to play around with anyways.

 

We also have a few lathe projects intended for high school students but they might be appropriate for helping you get used to lathe programming quickly:

 

http://www.emastercam.com/board/store/product/371-mastercam-x6-pawn-project-pdf/

http://www.emastercam.com/board/store/product/366-mastercam-x6-bishop-project-pdf/

http://www.emastercam.com/board/store/product/402-mastercam-x6-bowling-pin-project-pdf/

 

Finally, it might be beneficial to talk to your Mastercam reseller about getting training.

[Tower]

Thank you Daniel!

[Tower]

Yes X6. I've been taking CATIA classes at the local college too, so I got my V's and X's mixed up.

[Newbeeee™]

Tower - the books Daniel list are excellent.

Also youtube is your friend.

Good luck