Larry, Sounds like a fun project, It is always easier to spend someone elses money. The choice of a control variety to offer is not what you want to get into. The similarity of each control manufacturer is the key. A basic Fanuc Compatible is your best bet as I have worked with a mess of different ones over the last ten years and each have their niche for specifics. The one common thing between all is that "G-Code is G-Code", and it is portable across all machines that adopt the standard. While the Mazak guys are writing programs on their controls, We are making parts and earning our keep. Industry demands productivity. If you want to dream and offer the latest and greatest - sign up for STEP or similar and watch the other schools train students that will be usefull! The goal of an education program shouldn't be the application of the latest technology, but rather the indoctrination of problem solving and how to find solutions using the scientific method. Otherwise your end result is a bunch of hammer mechanics that can only push buttons. Andrew McRae

Non Contact measurement comes with a pretty hefty pricetag and a lot wider tolerance band. Doesn't work well with features such as face grooves or similar type of operations and rounds and chamfers will bung it up. Andrew

Zeiss is a German machine, Very nice and Very good. Brown and Sharpe also make a heck of a machine. For price, performance and best value, Mitutoyo is hard to beat. Watch the software add ons and if you are after statistical - on the CMM use the Statpak - not the Measurelink. Again - the price level you are interested will dictate the type of machine. Are you interested in some sort of laser scanning attachments? Andrew

James Meyette First Kiloposter on the Forum. Nice work, I enjoyed and learned much from each of them. Andrew

Dave - Bullines is just one post behind - post a few agreements here - you too Jay just for good measure. A [ 11-05-2001: Message edited by: mcrae_andrew ]

Randy, The tutorial books on this sight are just what the doctor ordered. Take two of these and bill your customers in the morning as the code will just fall out of your computer. Andrew

Dave, Nice work, did you gouge check the drum kit afterwords? Mikey Dolens would be proud! Andrew

Clarification - Paffe - In-House-ism for Path! [ 11-07-2001: Message edited by: Webmaster ]

Click the Promt for entry point in the dialog box. Should now fix this one too. Again, "Regen the paffe". Andrew

Bryan, This is a great application case study for tool lengths made right on the machine tool. The Job Shop type application is where the offline tool setting, measurement, and offset file loading works best. For example, to machine a typical housing with holes drilled and tapped, milled features and bored diameters (Length and Diameter are set) and the tooling can be run on any of 5 similar types of machines (HMC or VMC depending on number of sides needing access). The thread started off with MfgEng looking for some type of a parametric access to the Meldas. As a side, I am currently reading Mike Lynch's Parametric Programming and Probing Techniques. Good read and I hope to develop some of the probe cycles you mention. Andrew

bryan.davis - What type of components are you manufacturing? I can see the advantage of using the probe to set the work offsets and to do things internal to the process. Tooling and setup that can be moved offline is the end goal of a setup reduction project. What is your typical setup time with the ren.probe system? Interested to know Andrew

Ambassador - Please post your excellent work around for this. I saw this at a trade show - this guy knows how to make the software "just work!" A

Use the MPMASTER post supplied somewhere on this website. It will work well with subs and the transform function. Post it out, Read'em and weap, cut the part, and have a nice weekend. (Don't forget to regen eh FRED??) Andrew

Luc, Thanks for the advice, I however have two packages to consider - Pro E and Mastercam. I would like to use the same post for both and with the NCI-APT converter, I should be able to. All input is welcome on either ICAM or the Integrex experience. Andrew

Jay - Another Identity?? What is going on?