Training on Horizontal Mills

[Mastercam Rookie]

is their training out there for just horizontal mill programs

[Guest]

Wrong place for this.....I'll move it to the Industrial forum

 

and yes, it's called Mastercam, training. Once you understand planes, you can program anything positionally.

[JoshC]

Yea your reseller can train you in this. If you want to take a gander at this file https://www.dropbox.com/s/tqqxg6k7i8d6jno/HMC%204X%20TEST.MCX-7?dl=0 feel free, this is a sample file we use to test post processors for HMC machines and if you review how the planes are being utilized you may be able to reproduce on your own parts.

 

Hope that file helps you some.

[Mastercam Rookie]

Yea your reseller can train you in this. If you want to take a gander at this file https://www.dropbox.com/s/tqqxg6k7i8d6jno/HMC%204X%20TEST.MCX-7?dl=0 feel free, this is a sample file we use to test post processors for HMC machines and if you review how the planes are being utilized you may be able to reproduce on your own parts.

 

Hope that file helps you some.

Thanks JoshC,

 

 Ive been working on horizontal programs for a while know I just havent proved them out on a machine yet, heres is a link to one of my programs I developed, I do understand plans and wcs pretty much mastercam in and out, i just havent have had a chance for another experienced programmer with horizontal prove out my program and let me know were I might be wrong at or if im correct in my development. It would be most appreciated if you would take a quick look and let me know what my mistakes might be. https://www.dropbox.com/s/ucp1zixmecd2nu9/SMART%20TOMBSTONE%20FIXTURE%2070.0401.mcx-9?dl=0

 

 thanks for that file though im going to check it out

[Mastercam Rookie]

Wrong place for this.....I'll move it to the Industrial forum

 

and yes, it's called Mastercam, training. Once you understand planes, you can program anything positionally.

thanks!

[absolute technologies]

I use to train operators/programmers on new horizontal installs for a machine tool distributor and this is what I used to train them on.

 

I exclusively use the WCS Top Front Front tool plane method with just 1 common X, Y & Z origin in MC (i.e., no origin shifts in tool planes for the various B-axis positions) At the machine there is only 1 work offset to establish and the remaining work offsets are calculated from this primary offset using a center of rotation "fixture tracking macro". The beauty of this, the operator only has 1 offset to establish and most of the time its' the same coordinates as the last time the part was ran. This eliminates the confusion on establishing multiple offsets and where they come from. Also it works great with forgings or castings that are going to be a slightly different position each time or where probing for exact position is needed.

 

Here's a document attached I wrote that try's to explain it. Hope it doesn't confuse you its' just something for you to consider starting out in horizontal machining.

 

HTH

 

Cheers!

Len Dye

Fixture Tracking Macro.pdf

[JoshC]

Thanks JoshC,

 

 Ive been working on horizontal programs for a while know I just havent proved them out on a machine yet, heres is a link to one of my programs I developed, I do understand plans and wcs pretty much mastercam in and out, i just havent have had a chance for another experienced programmer with horizontal prove out my program and let me know were I might be wrong at or if im correct in my development. It would be most appreciated if you would take a quick look and let me know what my mistakes might be. https://www.dropbox.com/s/ucp1zixmecd2nu9/SMART%20TOMBSTONE%20FIXTURE%2070.0401.mcx-9?dl=0

 

 thanks for that file though im going to check it out

 

That looks like itll work, the only thing I noticed that you are doing differently than I am used to seeing in HMC programming is you are using basically a copy of front plane for your WCS, most post processors can handle it this way but typically HMC programming will use top or a copy of top plane for the WCS. As long as you stick with that WCS throughout it'll probably handle it just as good as TOP wcs would.

 

If you look back at my sample you should see what I mean, hypothetically lets say I wanted a B90 rotation, normally my Mastercam planes page would read something like wcs=Top - tplane=Right - cplane=Right whereas the sample file you provided that i reviewed is basically read Front - right - right

Hope that helps

[Mastercam Rookie]

I use to train operators/programmers on new horizontal installs for a machine tool distributor and this is what I used to train them on.

 

I exclusively use the WCS Top Front Front tool plane method with just 1 common X, Y & Z origin in MC (i.e., no origin shifts in tool planes for the various B-axis positions) At the machine there is only 1 work offset to establish and the remaining work offsets are calculated from this primary offset using a center of rotation "fixture tracking macro". The beauty of this, the operator only has 1 offset to establish and most of the time its' the same coordinates as the last time the part was ran. This eliminates the confusion on establishing multiple offsets and where they come from. Also it works great with forgings or castings that are going to be a slightly different position each time or where probing for exact position is needed.

 

Here's a document attached I wrote that try's to explain it. Hope it doesn't confuse you its' just something for you to consider starting out in horizontal machining.

 

HTH

 

Cheers!

Len Dye

thanks len its highly appreciated for your walk thru and the pdf, I will defiantly read that, macros is something im really trying to get into know so I can understand them more. I work for this company a while ago that ran nothing but mazak hmc, and their Gcode is all macros. it really crazy!. but its a really clean way to run code for production. I almost have their code down....i should post it on here so you guys can see it

[Mastercam Rookie]

That looks like itll work, the only thing I noticed that you are doing differently than I am used to seeing in HMC programming is you are using basically a copy of front plane for your WCS, most post processors can handle it this way but typically HMC programming will use top or a copy of top plane for the WCS. As long as you stick with that WCS throughout it'll probably handle it just as good as TOP wcs would.

 

If you look back at my sample you should see what I mean, hypothetically lets say I wanted a B90 rotation, normally my Mastercam planes page would read something like wcs=Top - tplane=Right - cplane=Right whereas the sample file you provided that i reviewed is basically read Front - right - right

Hope that helps

yes it did help, thanks JoshC

[Mastercam Rookie]

I use to train operators/programmers on new horizontal installs for a machine tool distributor and this is what I used to train them on.

 

I exclusively use the WCS Top Front Front tool plane method with just 1 common X, Y & Z origin in MC (i.e., no origin shifts in tool planes for the various B-axis positions) At the machine there is only 1 work offset to establish and the remaining work offsets are calculated from this primary offset using a center of rotation "fixture tracking macro". The beauty of this, the operator only has 1 offset to establish and most of the time its' the same coordinates as the last time the part was ran. This eliminates the confusion on establishing multiple offsets and where they come from. Also it works great with forgings or castings that are going to be a slightly different position each time or where probing for exact position is needed.

 

Here's a document attached I wrote that try's to explain it. Hope it doesn't confuse you its' just something for you to consider starting out in horizontal machining.

 

HTH

 

Cheers!

Len Dye

len,

 

I just check out that pdf you provided me, talk about a great hand me down thanks alot!

[absolute technologies]

len,

 

I just check out that pdf you provided me, talk about a great hand me down thanks alot!

my pleasure Rookie, I enjoy sharing things that work best especially if I inherited it, otherwise I'd patent it first haha

 

I became a "fixture tracking macro" expert by mistake. Many years ago I was sent out to a customer on a new Okuma 5-axis horizontal (5th axis rotary on top of the B-axis) and the customer bought 'fixture tracking software". When it came time to train on it there was no documentation or anything so I called the Applications Manager in Charlotte thinking the software was part of the machine from Japan. NOPE, it was a G-code macro he sent me that someone wrote and no documentation. We loaded the macro up and it didn't quite calculate everything correct and I spent the next half of day figuring it out. Who ever wrote it must of had some experience with it but had never tested it out apparently.  After that experience, a 4-axis  fixture tracking macro was a piece of cake for me. I've even written one for a 5X tilting rotary on a Vertical as well but on the newer controls you have TCP and TWP now but this fixture tracking macro still works best for me in a production environment.

 

Cheers!

Len Dye

[Mastercam Rookie]

my pleasure Rookie, I enjoy sharing things that work best especially if I inherited it, otherwise I'd patent it first haha

 

I became a "fixture tracking macro" expert by mistake. Many years ago I was sent out to a customer on a new Okuma 5-axis horizontal (5th axis rotary on top of the B-axis) and the customer bought 'fixture tracking software". When it came time to train on it there was no documentation or anything so I called the Applications Manager in Charlotte thinking the software was part of the machine from Japan. NOPE, it was a G-code macro he sent me that someone wrote and no documentation. We loaded the macro up and it didn't quite calculate everything correct and I spent the next half of day figuring it out. Who ever wrote it must of had some experience with it but had never tested it out apparently.  After that experience, a 4-axis  fixture tracking macro was a piece of cake for me. I've even written one for a 5X tilting rotary on a Vertical as well but on the newer controls you have TCP and TWP now but this fixture tracking macro still works best for me in a production environment.

 

Cheers!

Len Dye

Thanks Len,

[Mastercam Rookie]

my pleasure Rookie, I enjoy sharing things that work best especially if I inherited it, otherwise I'd patent it first haha

 

I became a "fixture tracking macro" expert by mistake. Many years ago I was sent out to a customer on a new Okuma 5-axis horizontal (5th axis rotary on top of the B-axis) and the customer bought 'fixture tracking software". When it came time to train on it there was no documentation or anything so I called the Applications Manager in Charlotte thinking the software was part of the machine from Japan. NOPE, it was a G-code macro he sent me that someone wrote and no documentation. We loaded the macro up and it didn't quite calculate everything correct and I spent the next half of day figuring it out. Who ever wrote it must of had some experience with it but had never tested it out apparently.  After that experience, a 4-axis  fixture tracking macro was a piece of cake for me. I've even written one for a 5X tilting rotary on a Vertical as well but on the newer controls you have TCP and TWP now but this fixture tracking macro still works best for me in a production environment.

 

Cheers!

Len Dye

absolute technologies,

I developed my horizontal program and Im backploting thru it and the tools go thru the fixture on B180 and B270, is that just what back plotting does when your verifying the toolpath...

 

 

Also here is the link to the file https://www.dropbox.com/s/4t4pdeca2hz7c7u/MASTERCAM%20HORIZONTAL%20MILL%20PROJECTS%201%20PART.mcx-9?dl=0

 

It would be most appreciated Absolute if you would take a quick look at it before i go further into my development

[absolute technologies]

absolute technologies,

I developed my horizontal program and Im backploting thru it and the tools go thru the fixture on B180 and B270, is that just what back plotting does when your verifying the toolpath...

 

 

Also here is the link to the file https://www.dropbox.com/s/4t4pdeca2hz7c7u/MASTERCAM%20HORIZONTAL%20MILL%20PROJECTS%201%20PART.mcx-9?dl=0

 

It would be most appreciated Absolute if you would take a quick look at it before i go further into my development

I took a look at your file. I typically don't program multiple parts but rather just 1 part for OP1 and 1 part for OP2 and would use "Transform" tool paths for the remaining parts. . Also I won't have all the solids for the tombstone and clamping in the file because it just clutters the screen, slows it down and makes it cumbersome to work with, but that's my personal preference. However the tombstone & fixturing would be included in my simulation thou. If you want to do full simulation on all the parts at the various table positions you may have to do it the way you have it now (all 24 parts) because of the way transform works it might post right but not simulate proper or visa versa, I just don't know transform well enough to tell you that it would work with programming just 1 part using "Fixture Tracking". It is working for the 1st set of parts at B0 but I couldn't get it to post the 2nd set of parts at B90 proper using transform/rotate. It maybe a setting or an is a function of the post?? (see my example program attached)

 

The way I'm talking about your OP1 & OP2 parts for each operation would be at their respective X, Y & Z origins (like the lower left corner in my attached example) Regardless you did not have your tool planes proper in your file. You want to use WCS= Top and Tool Plane & Construction Plane= Front, this is your B "Zero" primary tool plane and is viewed as if you're looking at the part from the spindle for your Part #1 OP1 pocket milling. If you're machining on the right side of the part (B90) you can use the system "Right" tool plane so planes for the tool path would be WCS=Top and Tool Plane & Construction Plane= Right however for machining the left side (B270)  of the part you will have to make a tool plane, call it B270, so tool planes in the operation would be WCS= Top and Tool Plane & Construction plane = B270. The same thing for B180, you would need to make a tool plane like B270.

 

I would prefer a separate work offset for each part with an offset for each B-axis position on that part as well. So if your program were to machine the sides of a block also, say at B90 & B270, then there would be a total of 3 work offsets for each part. Being there isn't enough G54-G59 offsets I typically only use G54.1 P1-P48 (or P300 depending on machine)  so lets say part #1 is P1 for B0, Part #2 for B0 would be P2 work offset etc and for the set of parts at B90 would be P7-P11

 

For OP1, Transform/Rectangle toolpaths will output P1-P6 for your 1st tool on parts #1 thru #6  and transform/rotate outputs P7-P12 for the the OP1 parts at B90 but it doesn't kick out the B90 proper for the 1st part at B90, doesn't retract prior to indexing and is using P1 not P7. Maybe you could play with the settings a bit, it might be a function of the post like I said thou???

 

Also I couldn't get OP2 to post multiple operations proper without having to have a transform for each operation. You would think it would do them in operation order without repeating the 1st part and output a separate offset for each part but I didn't spend much time with it but this worked using a separate transform for each operation.

 

So when using just 1 X, Y Z origin inside of MasterCam (the same lower right corner for B0, B90 and B270) the coordinate output doesn't consider where the part is on the pallet or where center of rotation is, just the coordinates within itself'. There is where my "Fixture Tracking" macro comes into play. Before the part even shows up to the machine you can have all your "Primary" work offsets figured out and written into the CNC program using G10 data setting. The G10 would set X, Y & Z for the P1-P6 set as well as P7-P12 for the 2nd set of parts, and the "Fixture Tracking" macro would calculate all the remaining work offsets for B90 & B270 machining. This way I would only have to program just 1 part for OP1 and 1 part for OP2 not 12 different parts for each tool path as you have it. Also I would only have to make 1 tool plane for the left side (B270) not 72 different tool planes and furthermore I wouldn't need to use an edge finder or whatever to pick 72 different work offsets at the machine either. Certainly once the offsets are read in at the machine you could probe the part for an exact position but you have to remember to re-calculate the offsets with the fixture tracking macro after the primary offset has been reset with the probe so the other offsets are calculated from the new position. However you would need to get Transform to work in conjunction with 1 part and fixture tracking.

 

Otherwise, as you can see, if you programmed all 12 parts and didn't use fixture tracking at the machine there would be a bunch of extra programming to do and would probably be a nightmare to establish 72 different offsets at the machine. I think this is what you should strive for and try to get transform to work with just 1 part while using fixture tracking.  In case none of this makes sense then you have to program it the way that you know cause I just don't know how else to explain it.

 

If you have further questions PM me and I'll send you my phone number and try to explain it better. I hope I didn't confuse you because all this can be very confusing but not really complicated once you grasp the concept IMO.

 

Cheers!

Len Dye

MASTERCAM HORIZONTAL MILL 1 PART.zip

[absolute technologies]

MasterCaM Rookie

 

I pretty much got it to work with just a couple little issues now. It looks like you will be to do a full simulation possibly too. When you get a chance check out the latest file that is attached.

 

Cheers!

Len Dye

MASTERCAM HORIZONTAL MILL 1 PART.zip

[absolute technologies]

MasterCam Rookie

 

I spent some time on your file and got it pretty much dialed in. You will need to make new solids of your tombstone and vise columns because trying to use them the way they are just isn't practical for simulation purposes. I had removed all the bolts and t-nuts etc and it helped a little but it's still really slow. I would suggest remodeling your tombstone & vises with no cut-outs, holes, serrations etc, just plain blocks that minimize the geometry the .stl has to create and it should be much faster simulation.

 

Currently I have it simulating on just the raw material blocks. For whatever reason I have to re-orient the blocks and I have no clue why??? Also I ended up having to have a transform/translate & transform/rotate for each tool to get it to post such that it did all the machining for tool #1 then all of tool #2 and so on.

 

Also attached is an example file of how you would read in your preliminary offsets using G10 data setting and calculate the remaining offsets using my 'Fixture Tracking" macro. Also included in the example is some probing of the 1st piece to show you how you would need to re-calculate the remaining offsets after the exact locations for each piece is set by the probe. Take note that the coordinates that I'm using for the preliminary offsets are from the pallet center, not necessarily the machine coordinates you would actually set. This depends if your machine home zero is at the center of the pallet or not. For example our Mori Seiki's home position is not at center of the pallet. This is where #530 & #531 setting is used in the Fixture Tracking macro.

 

To check out simulation just re-direct the stock solid to the folder where you put the .stl file for the blank material. Also you will need to work on your post to get it to retract at each table index. Personally I like doing a full G28 G91 Z0 retract and re-call of G43 tool length offset for each table index position because when using a single origin on the part and trying to use like a 10" retract may not work in some cases, especially if your part is 10" long.

 

Enjoy!

Len Dye

 

MASTERCAM HORIZONTAL MILL 1 PART.zip

[Mastercam Rookie]

MasterCam Rookie

 

I spent some time on your file and got it pretty much dialed in. You will need to make new solids of your tombstone and vise columns because trying to use them the way they are just isn't practical for simulation purposes. I had removed all the bolts and t-nuts etc and it helped a little but it's still really slow. I would suggest remodeling your tombstone & vises with no cut-outs, holes, serrations etc, just plain blocks that minimize the geometry the .stl has to create and it should be much faster simulation.

 

Currently I have it simulating on just the raw material blocks. For whatever reason I have to re-orient the blocks and I have no clue why??? Also I ended up having to have a transform/translate & transform/rotate for each tool to get it to post such that it did all the machining for tool #1 then all of tool #2 and so on.

 

Also attached is an example file of how you would read in your preliminary offsets using G10 data setting and calculate the remaining offsets using my 'Fixture Tracking" macro. Also included in the example is some probing of the 1st piece to show you how you would need to re-calculate the remaining offsets after the exact locations for each piece is set by the probe. Take note that the coordinates that I'm using for the preliminary offsets are from the pallet center, not necessarily the machine coordinates you would actually set. This depends if your machine home zero is at the center of the pallet or not. For example our Mori Seiki's home position is not at center of the pallet. This is where #530 & #531 setting is used in the Fixture Tracking macro.

 

To check out simulation just re-direct the stock solid to the folder where you put the .stl file for the blank material. Also you will need to work on your post to get it to retract at each table index. Personally I like doing a full G28 G91 Z0 retract and re-call of G43 tool length offset for each table index position because when using a single origin on the part and trying to use like a 10" retract may not work in some cases, especially if your part is 10" long.

 

Enjoy!

Len Dye

Thanks Absolute,

 

 I just got a chance to look at the forum today, my job has been working me like crazy, i going to read all the content you provided me tonight. thanks for getting back to me...I let you know how it went in a couple days...most appreciated!

[Jayson Kramer]

Mastercam Rookie I am working on taking your main file making a few changes to use what you have and use transform so you do not have to work to hard and also fix your planes and few things.

[Guest]

Hey guys, I have a horizontal job I need programmed too...it's an easy job, probably only 80 tools and 400-500 ops

 

If I just upload my file can you do it for me too  

 

[Jayson Kramer]

Not sure John . My hands are a little busy doing the other free work right now.

[Jayson Kramer]

Mastercam Rookie review this. I only really did a few modes . this makes the tool come out and do all parts then on each op. it uses different offsets for each face of parts. it takes care of rotations. and it is all based on programming one of each part. This is a fast and easy way for this.
I have included the posted code so you can see the rotations and the offsets are handled

Also absolute technologies did a great job of describing the procedures. just when I pulled out the files it was really confusing.
Use link below to get your file. I like have the toomb and all the parts for show and tell.

.
http://www.mastercam.us/files/MCHorzPPSI.zip

[absolute technologies]

Mastercam Rookie review this. I only really did a few modes . this makes the tool come out and do all parts then on each op. it uses different offsets for each face of parts. it takes care of rotations. and it is all based on programming one of each part. This is a fast and easy way for this.

I have included the posted code so you can see the rotations and the offsets are handled

Also absolute technologies did a great job of describing the procedures. just when I pulled out the files it was really confusing.

Use link below to get your file. I like have the toomb and all the parts for show and tell.

.

http://www.mastercam.us/files/MCHorzPPSI.zip

you may have been confused possibly because you didn't fully understand Mastercam Rookies intent of his initial request. As I understood it, he wasn't looking so much how to program a specific part but rather he was looking to develop methodologies and to start off on the right track, so to speak. Although your program example was quick and easy it fails to address several issues in regards to horizontal machining in a production environment. Your method to program the origin at tombstone center works for that part on that machine but lacks in flexibility, adjustability and portability. What happens when there is machining relative to existing features like on secondary operations, castings, forgings or 3D printed parts where you are probing these features for exact coordinates, do you go back in office, move your geometry to the real coordinates and re-post the program? When the owner puts a 2nd, 3rd or 10th machine into the mix and the machine coordinates are slightly different, tombstones and vises are couple thousands off, do you maintain seperate files for each machine? If the operator changes inserts on the primary face cut where tight tolerances are held to, do you rely on the operator to adjust numerous offsets in relation to new face cut and not screw it up and adjust the wrong offset or offset the wrong way? How do you deal with the different vintage controls like some of the new controls have all the bells and whistles like dynamic fixture offsets and tool center point but you still have a mixed bag of Fanuc, Yasnac, Mitsubishi and Haas controls to contend with? The "Fixture Tracking" macro and work offset scheme I provided him addresses all these types of issues.

 

It was obvisious that his tombstone layout for OP1 & OP2 wasn't flexible for machining on the sides of the part so I provided an alternative configuration as well. By no means am I a Mastercam expert, I'm just forced to use it. I haven't use Translate on operations much so I took it as a personal challenge to get Mastercam to post the multiple offsets that work in conjunction with "Fixture Tracking" at the machine, the proper way. Having no clue what machine Master Rookie is programming for or how many machines etc. however I do know these methods work in a wide variety of applications as I have trained numerous shops with my old job as an Application Engineer for a machine tool distributor where your primary job function is train customers to maximize their horizontal investment.

 

his interest in learning was enough for me invest a little time with it. Besides I thought I could use the extra forum bonus points because someday I may just need some help here on the Forum like he did. But then again, when members on the forum don't really spend the time to understand the context of the thread and feel the need to make snide remarks or show their skills off, I'm not really gaining anything, specially not gaining any forum bonus points cause its not likely anyone opened the files other than you and Mastercam Rookie. But go ahead and make fun of my efforts though as has it no ill effects on me because I have the ability to look at things from a different perspective.

 

Enjoy!

Len Dye

[crazy^millman]

you may have been confused possibly because you didn't fully understand Mastercam Rookies intent of his initial request. As I understood it, he wasn't looking so much how to program a specific part but rather he was looking to develop methodologies and to start off on the right track, so to speak. Although your program example was quick and easy it fails to address several issues in regards to horizontal machining in a production environment. Your method to program the origin at tombstone center works for that part on that machine but lacks in flexibility, adjustability and portability. What happens when there is machining relative to existing features like on secondary operations, castings, forgings or 3D printed parts where you are probing these features for exact coordinates, do you go back in office, move your geometry to the real coordinates and re-post the program? When the owner puts a 2nd, 3rd or 10th machine into the mix and the machine coordinates are slightly different, tombstones and vises are couple thousands off, do you maintain seperate files for each machine? If the operator changes inserts on the primary face cut where tight tolerances are held to, do you rely on the operator to adjust numerous offsets in relation to new face cut and not screw it up and adjust the wrong offset or offset the wrong way? How do you deal with the different vintage controls like some of the new controls have all the bells and whistles like dynamic fixture offsets and tool center point but you still have a mixed bag of Fanuc, Yasnac, Mitsubishi and Haas controls to contend with? The "Fixture Tracking" macro and work offset scheme I provided him addresses all these types of issues.

 

It was obvisious that his tombstone layout for OP1 & OP2 wasn't flexible for machining on the sides of the part so I provided an alternative configuration as well. By no means am I a Mastercam expert, I'm just forced to use it. I haven't use Translate on operations much so I took it as a personal challenge to get Mastercam to post the multiple offsets that work in conjunction with "Fixture Tracking" at the machine, the proper way. Having no clue what machine Master Rookie is programming for or how many machines etc. however I do know these methods work in a wide variety of applications as I have trained numerous shops with my old job as an Application Engineer for a machine tool distributor where your primary job function is train customers to maximize their horizontal investment.

 

his interest in learning was enough for me invest a little time with it. Besides I thought I could use the extra forum bonus points because someday I may just need some help here on the Forum like he did. But then again, when members on the forum don't really spend the time to understand the context of the thread and feel the need to make snide remarks or show their skills off, I'm not really gaining anything, specially not gaining any forum bonus points cause its not likely anyone opened the files other than you and Mastercam Rookie. But go ahead and make fun of my efforts though as has it no ill effects on me because I have the ability to look at things from a different perspective.

 

Enjoy!

Len Dye

 

Len, I think you misunderstood Jay's posting. Methods and approaches for doing this type of work can be accomplished many different ways. My way, you way or anyone else's way can be reviewed and picked apart. I go back to past work and wonder what was I thinking. At the time it got the job done and produced a good part, but I always think I can do it better. I am sure anyone looking at my work might think what was he thinking. That is the thing about prospective and we all have them and I don't think Jay meant what you did was bad he just approached it from a different perspective. I am not saying you don't have valid points, but how often is the same part running on 10 different HMC machines at the same time? Yes it happens I have seen the same part running on 140 different machines, but that is one shop out of many I have been in.  Not that I have seen everything and not that I know everything. Just the prospective I have from my experience just like the one you have from yours. I think you went above and beyond and for me anyway I give it a lot of respect for the effort. I have work I have done for customers I thought was awesome and they brought someone else in who told them it was junk reprogrammed it and that work never got running. Then others have taken my work and made it even better at a different customer. Again we all do our best and I have been blessed to do what I can do, but there is always someone better and there is always someone with a different method or approach. The trick is to leave ourselves open enough to grow and learn.

 

I downloaded all the files and looked at everything, but you have done such an excellent job I felt no need to get in the conversation. You also do what I have done for years. I want to better my skill and help someone do something I am not sure I can really do or have not fully figured out. I help someone and learn something at the same time. Too many come to this board to be apart of OT, not help others so again I applaud your efforts and I for one appreciate the care to give more back to manufacturing that who or who is not going to next president or what false fake story can I copy and paste stuff from to stir the pot so to speak.

 

Thanks for the effort and see it a little different than what you did is all I ask. I think you have a lot to offer this community and would like for you to stick around getting better with the tool you feel forced to use. Hopefully you will see it for the tool it is and not the tool you feel is forced on you. It's helping you earn a living and feed your family.

[jlw™]

*perspective

 

 

C'mon, evey one was thinking it.

 

Joking aside I thought the OP was looking for options and have considered posting several times. I have more experience with horizantals and 5ax than I do plain old VMCs. In the almost 2 years I've used mcam the main thing I've learned is that there is about eleventyhundred ways to split the same wig. Ron, to your point, I've found files I worked on that were a couple years old and wondered what I was thinking. I believe that as long as we all sincerely seek to learn and get better we'll always look back and wonder what we were thinking. I didn't perceive any snide remarks but rather took it all in good fun with the post and thought it was meant to be funny. I got one appreciate the generosity from any one who offers help. I can assure you from personal experience that Edgecam and Esprit do not have this active of a user base combined and I have come much farther in mcam much faster.

 

Seeing as there are at least two good options I'll keep my way to myself but my only recommendation is to get out on the machine and see what you and your machinists prefer and agree on. After that you will be prepared to address the CAM side of things.

 

One thing I will offer up is to make accurate work holding models and be extremely organised and consistent in programming style once you figure out what you like. I personally find making template files to be the fastest most consistent method.

 

Good luck and enjoy the experience.

[crazy^millman]

*perspective

 

 

C'mon, evey one was thinking it.

 

 

Spell check strikes again. :guitar: