Cam programming software question for a caveman

OK, I love my Mazak's there is no disputing that. But, I also run conventional (old Fanuc, 5's-6's) G-code machines. I program these machines on the shop floor, and even though I really don't mind it, as jobs are just becoming cheapier, with faster turn arounds, and lower qtys, I'm getting my head kicked in from kids programming with there software in minutes. I have NEVER used any cad/cam. Not that I have not tried it, but the few bootlegs I have had given to me just don't make any sense, as its all drawing the part first. My question is.... Is there any software out there like the Mazatrol? Coversational? Fill in the blanks style? Inputing actual numbers to create a part?? Would be neat if I had something to program my old Mori with like a Mazatrol. I also have G-code mills, that are just taking to long to program. I do all 2.5d stuff, as we are not a mold shop or anything like that, basic profiling shapes, islands, bulges and stuff. But inserting the code and doing trig long hand for a $150 job isn't cutting it anymore. Bought and tried this package called "Kipware" for the mill, but was so basic on what it could do, I could damn near input all the code out of my head faster than I could use it. Any suggestion guys?? Or am I destined to make myslf learn Mastercam... There has to be something out there other than CAD based drawing for programming! Or is there not?

If you can learn to make parts the way you're doing it now, you can learn to use CAD CAM. It will be well worth the time, money and frustration once you get a handle on it.

Look at it more like you "get" to learn CAM rather than you have to. A lot of people would die to have access to something like mastercam.

Hi

Give Onecnc XR4 Express a demo and youll never look back!!

Mastercam is probably overkill for 2.5D work , cost considerably more , and has

a much more complicated GUI to learn.

The 2D cad side of onecnc is extremely easy to use.

You can even sell onecnc if after a couple months you still arent convinced (but i doubt it )

Cheers Kev

Not sure what your price range is, but Gibbscam is very easy to use. You could buy the basic lathe and mill modules. Our machinists on the floor pick it up very fast. With this you also have a software that you can upgrade later on and do very complicated work if you need to. You will not outgrow it and have to learn a new software.

PANTERA79 said:

My question is.... Is there any software out there like the Mazatrol? Coversational? Fill in the blanks style? Inputing actual numbers to create a part??

Click to expand...

To my best knowledge nobody has introduced a desktop conversational style package that's really worth a poop and I've always been surprised about this, you would think someone could make some dough with this.

There's plenty of times when I'm split between firing up the CAD/CAM system or hacking out some G code for simple parts where CAD/CAM and its associated drawing seems like overkill but its a little more G code than I'd like to have to spit out by hand.

A simple but powerful conversational package would be nice to have for these kind of jobs.

I don't mean to dog on KipWare but when I took a quick look at it, it didn't do much for me, but if this was a bad call please chime in.

Paul T.
Power Technology

Look into a set of programs called KipWare. I think that is kinda what your looking for. You don't have to draw the part first and as you say, you fill in the blanks. It will have a generic drawing of the canned cycle your wanting to do with the blanks to fill in below it. Then you put all of those in the order that you want them to run. It basically makes alot of subprograms but I demo'ed it and it seemed to be pretty decent. It just wasn't enough different from the Anilam conversational I run to justify buying it.

I don't know Mazatrol, but Dolphin Partmaster is in the direction you seek.