You didn't mention any verification software, what are their plans for that? Gonna be dicey trying 5AX without it...

You talk about the Art package like it's useless, and to many people working in a machine shop it is. Fact of the matter is that it DOES represent a new potential customer base. It's easier than ever to buy a CNC machine for home/home business use, or even put together your own. Many people are building a home business with one of these machines, and need software to make it run, and they have no interest in machining the parts typically talked about here (nor do they have the skills to make it happen). While the market may not be one you agree with, it does exist.

They are two different software packages with two different functions. One is to create 3d models of individual components and assemblies (big one there). MC's prime use is to create toolpaths for machine tools. Very different functions. Solidworks is also better set up in terms of making changes to features in the part. Changes propagate and effect other things without having to go back and redo. Changes also propagate across parts with dependencies (ie you make the tapped holes in one part dependent upon the clear holes in another, change the clear hole location and the tapped holes move too) Lots of power there. Soldiworks also has pretty good sheet metal functions as well as optional modules for wire routing, FEA, and other useful stuff. Not to say that you would be like a fish out of water from one to the other, some concepts move well, others not so much. Just prepared to be amazed at how easy some stuff is compared to creating geometry in MC (and there are far worse CAM packages to create geometry in than MC).

Depending on the kind of surface path you use, there are options within the toolpath dialog to do exactly what you are after. Under linking parameters in the retract section make sure "output feed move" is checked and enter the desired feed rate into the box.

Draw a circle in the side or front plane. Make it's radius the one you need. You then would put a line .3 from the bottom of the circle. You draw a line snapping to the tangent at the bottom of the circle, then use xform|offset to move the line up .3 Trim the circle to that line, leaving the portion you need. Create|Surface|Revolve would let you spin this profile into a surface, which you can then pick for surfacing toolpaths.

The cycle time MC calculates is based on knowing a feed rate and assuming your machine tool follows it exactly. The real world is often very different. Have a look at your programmed feed rates and then watch the machine as it cuts to see the actual feed rate. If they don't match, there's part of your problem. If the machine can't make the programmed rate, or hold it in corners things will slow down.

Chain creation takes a bit of getting used to, and knowing what chains are needed for what opperation. As the other post says you can create curve geometry from the existing solid, and then pick those lines. You only need to click once on one part of the chain unless you change the settings in the chaining dialog. The other option, depending on what Mastercam options you have is to use solid chaining. You can pick the top edge, or even the bottom face of the pocket to define it. With the chaining dialog open see the two boxes on the top. Default would be the box on the left, meaning you are chaining from 2D geometry, clicking the one on the right that looks like a cube will allow you to select faces from the solid (assuming you have the right MC options). Go through the help files for pocketing toolpaths, and for chaining, they will provide a lot of insight. If you can swing it, a class or two at your reseller will give you what you need very quickly.

Although DOC is going to play a role, there's a couple things that may explain your situation better to the engineers. Easiest start might be to explain the relationship of feature size to time to cut, as many seem to miss this. Namely that the smaller the c/r, the smaller the tool, and given a limited spindle speed, the slower you have to feed it. Also the smaller and longer the tool is, the more it will flop around and the slower you have to feed it. You can also explain that the tool needs to be smaller than the radius to cut well, then show them a standard flute length .1875 EM and show them the gyrations you need to get the size endmill down the sides of such a pocket. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words...

Maybe use "add cuts" to get close and then come back with a horizontal area to clean up?

In general I don't have a lot of issues with Basic NC, but tapping is one area where I'd like something a bit different. Like you say I've had no issue with tapping in conversational mode, but I've had all sorts of bizzare things happen when trying to get MC to output decent tapping code. So much so I generally default to just doing it in conversational.

Switching over to the industry standard editor only works if that option is installed in your control. They don't all have it by default. The BMC24 that I run does not, and it's a pain.

Understand that SW is a 3D modeling program, and really has no use for different line weights or line colors. As Dave said you can change face, feature or component colors, but not as far as I know either, lines. There may be other ways to approach the issue you are having though, aside from getting your engineering department to change how they produce drawings. Although I'm no guru with Mastercam I do know that there are a lot of features in it to make selections easier. Often times the only thing you need to do is to know what option to click, chook to use, or button to push. Perhaps a conversation with the apps people at your reseller could make your life a whole lot easier without getting the engineering department to change it's ways.

It's back again, even after the reinstall. Worked fine for a couple of days but decided today was the day. For those that do like the MC editor any solutions to this one?

If if helps any I had the exact same thing happen to me. My solution involved uninstalling, purging all references in the registry and reinstalling. Kind of a pain, but it works now.