I've found three things that have caused the number of students learning MCAM and signing up for more tech design courses. 1)In the junior grades (9/10), have a simple MCAM project as one of the mandatory projects the kids do - when they see the sims and discover what they can do w/ the program - they can't get enough and continue to take tech design courses. 2)Visible participate in Skills Canada competitions (automated manufacturing)-the first year that I entered a team of 3, lots of other kids saw what they were doing and how well they did (National Silver) and by year two I had no fewer than 5 teams of 3 wanting to represent the school. 3)At senior levels, create design challenges that require students to use MCAM to design and manufacture parts necessary to complete the task. For those who haven't used MCAM-it forces them to see its benefits; for those who have used it-they can really extend their skills by creating more complex solutions.

Until we got the nethasp I managed the hasps by requiring any student who wanted to use MCam to trade me their student card for a hasp - with the understanding that they were responsible for that hasp and returning it at the end of class. Required a little accounting on my part at the end of class - just a routine to get used to. However, nethasp has been a great asset - no more counting hasps!

Rob, I've purchased wax from Merlan Scientic in Georgetown. Their standard block size is 3x2x1-1/2 (i think - i'll check tomorrow). I had some kids in the transportation lab weld me some steel forms to recast cuttings and finished projects when we're done with them. Although it's a bit expensive, you can get a lot of life out of a box of wax from Merlan. JD

Using RedCam mill with Ahha controller. Tplane is OFF.

I've encountered a problem with toolpathing a contour of a curve that have been projected onto a 3D surface. For example: if text the text that the student wants to contour into the 3d surface (top portion of a sphere) and the text is created using Horizontal placement - the resulting NC code generates G17,18,19 codes and the resulting change in plane buried the bit into the material on the mill but not in the simulation (ruining a lenghty 3D toolpath to create the sphere in the first place). However, if the text is created using Top or Bottom of arc - no problem - no G17,18,19 codes and the surface is properly contoured?!?!!? Any explanations as to why this occurs?