Another Taste of Clueless

#80 10-02-2007, 02:02 PM Mastercam User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 149

Mike, Gibbs cad is designed for machinists who have never used any other cad programs. You approach cad in Gibbs like you are going to walk around the part. Gibbs cad does not support construction geometry concepts like other cad programs do. If someone starts with Gibbs and doesn=92t know other cad they love Gibbs cad for creating geometry. If you don't start with Gibbs cad you are most likely going to hate it. Maybe it don=92t matter much because power users or Gibbs or Mastercam seem to prefer a separate cad program like Solidworks. Where I feel Gibbs has the upper hand over Mastercam is Mastercam's machining op's tree, which gets unstable and buggy when you have a large number of op=92s in the tree. I would be interested in knowing what programs have a machining ops=92s tree better than Mastercam=92s. Anyone know how good the Edgecam machining op=92s tree is?

10-02-2007, 05:00 PM Mastercam User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 149

Mike, I'm told that Mastercam X was rewritten from the ground up to be a native Windows app. I guess I believe this. What I do not believe is how many problems Mastercam X2 has with just its machining op's tree. The machining op=92s tree is the most important part of Mastercam X2 and as such it should be user friendly and rock solid. Unfortunately it's neither. The Mastercam machining op's tree is not new and has been around for a long time, yet they still can't get it right.

Gibbs doesn't have a machining op's tree but at least what Gibbs has is reliable and it has the potential to be user friendly and to encourage change when you have many machining operations that you are working with. As I=92m sure you know in Gibbs you can move machining operations around by dragging tiles but when you have many machining operations you can use the Gibbs Operations Manager which has a spreadsheet type of interface. The problem in Gibbs is that at the moment the Operations Manager (spreadsheet) does not have nearly enough functionality and just like in Mastercam you have to go between many different dialog boxes to change coordinate systems and machining data. Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn=92t it be nice to make all the changes in one dialog window or spreadsheet without having to be kicked from one dialog window to another? I'm really surprised others don't see the logic behind this and ask for this functionality.

I'm not sure if Gibbs will improve their Operations Manager (spreadsheet) in the next version or not but at least what they have now is reliable and is user friendly. With more functionality it would encourage the user to experiment with different machining strategies, which is something, I feel is very important and that a cam program should allow for.

What cam system currently has a better approach because neither Gibbs or Mastercam approach works well enough and I don't feel like waiting

3 or more years for Gibbs or Mastercam to be able to do what I want to do now.

10-05-2007, 10:29 AM Mastercam User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 149

I have the Tips For Manufacturing Mastercam rotary and contouring CD. It is very well done but covers just the basics. Does anyone know of a advanced rotary and contouring video training for Mastercam?

Still need to know is if there are advanced training books or videos available for horizontal rotary and contouring milling that show the best methods for relocating machining operations in the op's tree, editing large groups of machining op's and in general how to quickly handle unexpected production changes where part mix changes in a major way. This should not involve custom training which I neither want or can afford. This type of training should be covered by a universally applicable book or video. Is this available for Mastercam and if so who offers it?

10-06-2007, 10:47 AM Mastercam User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 149

Originally Posted by tobyaxis No idea but if you contact Mike Mattera he may be able to provide you with an alternative or make a new advanced line of CD's. Just a thought

Hello, Toby. I see that he sponsors this forum. Is there any reason he can't answer my questions here in a general way that does not try and sell but answers the questions I have on advanced rotary and contouring training and what seems like a lack of availability? Do you do this type of production horizontal milling work with Mastercam, Toby?

10-07-2007, 11:34 AM Mastercam User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 149

Originally Posted by tobyaxis Have you tried to contact In-House-Solutions??? I have a few books and they are great to reference when stuck all alone in the HAAS outlet. But as for an advanced book or video I would say that is really up to experience.

Personally I have none of the experience you need. It really sounds like your in a pickle thought.

Maybe you should visit the emastercam forum to post this for them. cadcam, Mike Mattera, and so many others are there that can try to guide you through this.

Sorry I wasn't able to help.

Here is the Link to the MC Forum and the In-House Solutions books/ videos.

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Mike Mattera now sells Edgecam so I doubt he will be posting to the emastercam forum, Toby. I also see that Mike Mattera is focused on making Edgecam videos rather than on adding to his Mastercam X video series. Someone needs to step up and fill the need.

Based on your links the book below is the only one that looks like it might be slightly helpful but it is not described in much detail and it does not appear to be focused on the needs of production horizontal mill programming.

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There is simply no way that advanced production 4 axis horizontal mill should need to involve customized specific training. This topic is general and should be covered in a book or video.

10-07-2007, 11:36 AM Mastercam User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 149

Originally Posted by tobyaxis Hey can you do this in MC and Post an example for him??

Even if he did this would not help me. Please reread what I stated I am looking for. Thanks.

10-11-2007, 07:59 PM Mastercam User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 149

How is Cimatron for 4 axis horizontal production tombstone milling? Anyone use it for this?

10-17-2007, 08:45 PM Mastercam User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 149

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