05-July-2005, Hi Everybody, After reading through all the responses from all of you, I should first of all thank you for your truthful expressions of your opinions. Secondly, I have realised how much of efforts you all must have put in, in order to achieve expertise in Mastercam. Well, earlier, I had been employed in small-scale proprietory factories where I had seen MC-experts programming, and I too casually tried my hands onto it. Inbetween, I attended some fast-track courses too, where the turors quickly ran me through the sample files examples of MC, and I couldnot grasp much. Not that I am totally lay. All these compelled me to approach this forum. This is indeed a good forum of good experts. I shall post questions only for specific hurdles which I may encounter, rather than being vague or expecting too much. Thanks to A-L-L once again, and sorry for taking this much of your time. Regards, DEEPAK-R

01-July-2005, INDIA, Hi all, (1) A lot of help-theory (and context-sensitive help) has already been included within Mastecam software, as a part of the software. The same has been described within the Manual too. (2) Majority of the published books on Mastercam also repeat much of the same old theory. (3) But, practically, using Mastercam to machine a workpiece in the CNC machine, is something different and new and untold. An expert programer working on Mastercam for 10 years would use the software quite differently. Or, he may combine little bits of tips/tricks from all over the MastercamManual, and implement it. (4) Sitting beside such an expert programmer, and acquiring skills as to how he uses the software commands/features/options, coupled with our own knowldege of machining, would be the best way to learn Mastercam programming. (5) Alternatively, such a programmer can as well create his own tutorial-notes, by using all his skills and methodology of explanation. Rather than writing several pages of notes (which is already available in the Manual), he can start off with simple example of 2D machining, how to create lines, how to enter numerical values onto the fields, etc. (6) Abundantly, he can use Shift+Printscreen keys, and save the contents of the screen onto a slide of MS-PowerPoint file *.ppt . (7) Wherever necessary, he can include some brief phrases/sentences onto the slides of the same *.ppt file. (8) How he uses the screen menu/options/commands situation, what numerical values he enters, which point he considers to be Z=0, how he uses layers options, levels option, colours options, filters by points, colours, layers, etc, what is the step-by-step procedure he follows in order to arrive at the final simulation, what numerical values he enters fortool settings, job parameters, why he chose only those options/numericals, if similation fails how does he analyse/troubleshoot, how does he interpret the NC files, how does he import solid model data into *.mcam files and works upon them, ................. (9) If any one of you can make me to understand Mastercam, by creating such *.ppt files (one file for each example), I shall be sincerely thankful to you. Kindly email your *.ppt files to me. While using Mastercam, I shall simultaneously keep your *.ppt files opened, and learn step-by-step. (10) [email protected] , [email protected]