Hmmm....... guess I'm still learning, but then again we never stop learning till the alternative happens
I do like that Masterscam guys demo training video to peddle his stuff. I don't have access to ver 9.?? so the engraving stuff I could'nt use. Thats all I'd use it 4. I'm sure I could do better than that & be funnier on top of it with Cimatron adding little digs to all the other softwares I've used & seen used by guys falling on their face or jumping thru hoops to do what Cimatron can do with a few clicks. That'd piss allot of people off. Its either that or I've been told I should write a book on my lifes follies? Any thoughts? Who'd buy it? Hell I can even get right of some damn Holdzems fer nothin!
IIRC ( its coming back now) Cimatron can use points at the same Z level, It would require the user to create those points. - more leg work creating points- not a big deal, just an unecessry step. The way I prefer to drill is by selecting the 3D point- not point per say, but circle center point, at the bottom of the hole. That gives the correct depth automagicly! Natutally that point should be checked before hand to insure Mr solid model guy designed it correctly in his software. If is a "2D piece of paper cad file" drawing you'r stuck with the flat point(circle center) at top & you would manually enter the drill depth. You see there are so many variables as to what type of file your working with, determining how to proceed in Cimatron by selecting circle centers, line end points, physcal points, surface edge ect. Every job could be different, unless your getting the cad data from the same source all the time.
Once a depth is determined, either by 3D circle selection ( automatic) or manual input & physical point selection. The depth is modal as a global variable, just select the rest of the same type holes. If there are allot, I usually change the feature colors of all same type holes to the same color - a little leg work, but a snap to do in Cimatron. It keeps things eaiser to pick & straight in my head. ie: mask select all blue circles (1in deep) mask select all green circles (2"deep) & so on. Once all the selections have been made, 1 toolpath is created for each group of same holes. I copy those toolpaths as many times as needed for center drill, drill, tap ream, c-bore ect. tools & depths are changed manually but no reselecting of points are needed. There are some choices for optimization as far a path taken from hole to hole. I usually select the points in the order I want the machine to go.
What does Cimatron present you with for an interface
Very..............Hmmm........... I've been told archaic( by Pro-e guys). IT13 is not icon driven. buy buy all you windows pretty icon guys. The new version of Cimatron "Elete" is icon driven. I have not used it.
Like I said a video would be kwel. Think anyone would buy it? even if I thow in some Holdzems?
\|||/ (o o) ______.oOO-(_)-OOo.____________________ ~ Gil ~ the HOLDZEM=A9=AE king Holdzem=A9=AE its the best thing since sliced bread ages 5-95 Everyone in the world can use a Holdzem! even people that don't like it can use Holdzem!