rnmmhunter
Cast Iron
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2012
- Location
- Menomonee Falls Wi
So the boss spent the 20k on Mastercam X8 none of use have used anything before up to this point programmed every by hand. Where do I start? For both lathe and mills.
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Mastercam X8
- Thread starter rnmmhunter
- Start date
- Replies 73
- Views 54,522
358Mustang
Cast Iron
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2010
- Location
- Bay area
Never heard of that one.
Don't, mastercam blows. It's the most overpriced, under supported piece of garbage ever to be compiled. Need to run a proven program on the Haas rather than the Okumas? 175 mouse clicks later, you might be lucky enough to have coolant turning on and off when it should. Open a project on the server to make a minor change; as sure a Japanese trains run on time, it will try and save that file 3000 folders into that consoles hard drive. Forget to click save before closing; thats a 15 mouse click penalty, assuming it actually remembers where the file opened from. Does your machine like arcing in and our of cutter comp? Ours don't, and mastercam tries to do that all the time. Hope you know someone that can write posts for you, that shit is expensive, and you need one for every build of machine you have.
I hope you have a few good IT guys, and a several thousand more to spend in getting posts that actually work.
I would never recommend anyone use mastercam as their first cad/cam. It's around like microsloth is around. Not because they give a damn if they make a good product, but because they arm twisted the industry adapting it. Microsloth did build Excel, the greatest product they ever delivered, mastercam did deliver a few much needed toolpaths, but like the former, rested on their laurels, and don't give a thousandth of a shit for their customers. Go ahead, call mastercam and ask for help. Then try to get out of it the deal and shop elsewhere. If you're still programming by hand, you're not programming very efficiently, but nor will you be if you learn mastercam. It only still exists because thats the only thing many like myself know how to use. Don't invest the time and money to learn a system that was obsolete 10 years ago. Learn one thats better suited. If you're programing by hand, find something easier you use and better suited you're parts are certainly not very complex, other tools can do that job better, and cheeper.
I hope you have a few good IT guys, and a several thousand more to spend in getting posts that actually work.
I would never recommend anyone use mastercam as their first cad/cam. It's around like microsloth is around. Not because they give a damn if they make a good product, but because they arm twisted the industry adapting it. Microsloth did build Excel, the greatest product they ever delivered, mastercam did deliver a few much needed toolpaths, but like the former, rested on their laurels, and don't give a thousandth of a shit for their customers. Go ahead, call mastercam and ask for help. Then try to get out of it the deal and shop elsewhere. If you're still programming by hand, you're not programming very efficiently, but nor will you be if you learn mastercam. It only still exists because thats the only thing many like myself know how to use. Don't invest the time and money to learn a system that was obsolete 10 years ago. Learn one thats better suited. If you're programing by hand, find something easier you use and better suited you're parts are certainly not very complex, other tools can do that job better, and cheeper.
Mastercam is okay for mill but you got shafted on the lathe package. BTW, I wasn't aware X8 was available yet. IMO, should have gone with Esprit, Powermill, Partmaker or one of the semi upper class cams since its the first software your learning on. 20K for Mastercam is horrible.
okay you are right....mastercam .....a big shit software!
solidworkscadman
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2011
- Location
- MASS
Hertz
Stainless
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2009
- Location
- Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
Mastercam is ok. Its not like iMillJoe makes it out to be. You just sound like a frustrated programmer that can't use it efficiently. Is it expensive? Yes, I will agree with that. Does it have bugs and/or issues? Yes it has some and I'm sure others do as well. I have been using Mastercam since Version 7 and they have come a long way. Its not by any means obsolete. I get support all the time with no issues. Not sure the experience you had, but if one had a bad one, doesn't mean its the same for everyone. By the way X8 is not released so your boss did not get you that.
Now that being said, I would also not recommend it as a new software to start with. Not because I don't like it, but rather cause it could become very overwhelming trying to figure it out. My biggest beef with Mastercam is that is has too many options to do the same thing. I can't recommend one to start with but if you do end up with Mastercam, take the introductory course and get a feel for it before diving in.
m98custom1212
Stainless
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2011
- Location
- Toledo, Ohio
I would rather carve my program into stone than use Mastercam
RebHawk
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2011
- Location
- Boone, North Carolina
I think you mean "carve" my program into stone "than" use MasterCam.
I started using MasterCam about 3 years ago. It frustrated the hell out of me to start with. However, after getting over the initial learning curve (the MasterCam University videos helped a lot), I find it quick and efficient now. I don't draw things from scratch in MasterCam, I draw them up in my 2-D CAD program, then read them into MasterCam and extrude them. Works great, because I have years of experience in that CAD program (VisualCADD), so am very fast and efficient with it. If it's just a flat plate with some holes and edge contours, I don't even technically have to extrude the part in MasterCam. That said, our Instrument Maker is a guy who is not comfortable with computers, can't touch type, doesn't understand exactly how computers interpret what he is putting in. Thus, it takes him about 10x the amount of time to write a program in MasterCam that it does me. If you are not comfortable with computers, and don't really understand them, I can see how MasterCam could be overwhelming.
For most things I do now, since learning MasterCam, I don't even think about doing them on the manual mill, unless they are incredibly simple. I just write a quick MasterCam program and run it on the VMC. It's usually faster, and I can easily do things like radiused corners that are a pain on the manual.
Cheers,
--Hawk
Speedie
Stainless
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2009
- Location
- Midwestern MN/Wi USA
Last two shops including the one I owned all used Mastercam. It was the most efficinet way to go from drawing to finished part that I have found and I have used many different softwares. If your not patient enough to learn the software you shouldnt be calling it shit rather you should go get some good sleep, eat a good braekfast, take a good shit and go grab a paper and find yourself a new job. X7 just came out this year so that must be a typo. Your boss was too cheap to pay for training now its your fault. There are great videos on youtube and ebay for learning.
Since X5 we have never had Mcam lockup or do anything we didnt want it to do spanning 2 different jobs for me
Since X5 we have never had Mcam lockup or do anything we didnt want it to do spanning 2 different jobs for me
My work uses Mastercam (I think X6), although we have only two programmers who have risen through the ranks of machining; and didn't actually undergo any formal training for it. I'm now beggining to learn it and I feel like there is so much more to it than I or the programmers at my shop realize.
I'd like to master it and maybe one day switch into a programming job or utilize it in my own shop (far-fetched but it's nice to keep the dream alive :P). Mastercam receives a ton of flack on here, and I understand; especially for that price. What do y'all recomend instead of Mastercam, or what is the best way to learn how to make it work for us instead of against us? There seem to be a ton of different ways to learn it, and I can't figure out the "best" (cost effective) way of doing so.
I'd like to master it and maybe one day switch into a programming job or utilize it in my own shop (far-fetched but it's nice to keep the dream alive :P). Mastercam receives a ton of flack on here, and I understand; especially for that price. What do y'all recomend instead of Mastercam, or what is the best way to learn how to make it work for us instead of against us? There seem to be a ton of different ways to learn it, and I can't figure out the "best" (cost effective) way of doing so.
Speedie
Stainless
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2009
- Location
- Midwestern MN/Wi USA
It doesnt sound like your reading through replies very good. Tons of folks have mentioned
1. youtube
2. ebay videos
3. mastercam online training courses
4. votech
5. books (more than 20 of them out there on it)
1. youtube
2. ebay videos
3. mastercam online training courses
4. votech
5. books (more than 20 of them out there on it)
aldepoalo
Stainless
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2011
- Location
- Clearwater FLA
Mastercam Forums - eMastercam.com
It all comes down to having some seat time and learning the work flow. I would recommend contacting your reseller and see if he / they will come on site and spend some time with you. If your Boss spent $20,000 on the software I am sure some training would have been part of that purchase. Just take your time and learn as you go. The hard part for your team is learning how to get the software to do things you do by hand. When you write code line by line you are in full control over what's going on. When you use a CAM system you have to learn how to "turn on" the options you want. At first it may be a little frustrating, but think of it this way. Programming by hand gets the job done, but you can't get any faster at doing it and the more complex the jobs the more time it take. Using CAM at first you be saying, " we could program this job faster by hand " but after to learn and use the software you be saying, " WOW this saves me so much time! "
Mastercam has been around a long time and all software systems has issues with this or that. It's like any other tool in your shop, learn how it works and use it the best you can. You'll be ok and if a few weeks you be posting back with projects you can do now that you would never have though of doing in the past.
Hang in there it gets better as you go!
It all comes down to having some seat time and learning the work flow. I would recommend contacting your reseller and see if he / they will come on site and spend some time with you. If your Boss spent $20,000 on the software I am sure some training would have been part of that purchase. Just take your time and learn as you go. The hard part for your team is learning how to get the software to do things you do by hand. When you write code line by line you are in full control over what's going on. When you use a CAM system you have to learn how to "turn on" the options you want. At first it may be a little frustrating, but think of it this way. Programming by hand gets the job done, but you can't get any faster at doing it and the more complex the jobs the more time it take. Using CAM at first you be saying, " we could program this job faster by hand " but after to learn and use the software you be saying, " WOW this saves me so much time! "
Mastercam has been around a long time and all software systems has issues with this or that. It's like any other tool in your shop, learn how it works and use it the best you can. You'll be ok and if a few weeks you be posting back with projects you can do now that you would never have though of doing in the past.
Hang in there it gets better as you go!
I have, and through the other Mastercam threads on here. But especially on Ebay there are a bunch of different ones, and many appear to be some guy just throwing videos up for a price. And with no real way to asses the quality, it makes me a bit sketchy on them.
I mean I guess when it comes down to it I am going to just have to make a personal choice and take the leap. No one here is going to know what video/book will help me the most. And I may be falling into the problem of worrying too much about trying to find "the golden teaching material" when it comes to Mastercam, which although I'd love to have; I'm sure it doesn't exist. I was just kinda looking for more personal and specific reviews of programs/books that the members of PM have found helpful to them. (if anyone wanted to take the time to sit down and say what they used of course)
Last edited:
aldepoalo
Stainless
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2011
- Location
- Clearwater FLA
Check these guys out! Books, eBooks & Video | In-House SolutionsIn-House Solutions
From what I understand almost anyone can create mastercam training videos and sell them. So I do understand you concern about quality. In House solutions seems to provide the most professional videos and documentation on their software. When I went to the HTec conference in NY the other year I meet a few of the team members and had a chance to review their material. I think you would be happy with the books and videos they offer. Better yet give them a call and I am sure they will have a sample for you to review.
From what I understand almost anyone can create mastercam training videos and sell them. So I do understand you concern about quality. In House solutions seems to provide the most professional videos and documentation on their software. When I went to the HTec conference in NY the other year I meet a few of the team members and had a chance to review their material. I think you would be happy with the books and videos they offer. Better yet give them a call and I am sure they will have a sample for you to review.
Scruffy887
Titanium
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2012
- Location
- Se Ma USA
I find Mastercam Design a bit of a PITA as a design tool. That may be because I spend a lot of time in AutoCAD and can do whatever I want very quickly and just open the dwg file in Mastercam. It is worth knowing how to use Design because drawings can be modified right in Mastercam. Downside of that is that you will not have a current dwg file. I plan on upgrading to X7 later this month.
I would get with your reseller and boss and get into the beginner classes. Get a few beginner books with tutorials that walk you through a bunch of different examples and do them a few times till you understand it. Mastercam should be pretty easy to get the hang of but some basic books will give you a kick start.
Dave Rocks
Cast Iron
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2013
- Location
- Orchard Park, NY
For Milling, MasterCam is fair, not great, not bad. It's easy to use but it does have a fair amount of bugs and it's old technology software with crappy graphics. Don't even consider Esprit - that's the biggest piece of shit ever created.
I plan to move to NX at some point.
I've long wondered why leaving master cam does not look more like this
I can understand the want of making sure the user indeed wanted to close the application (although I think it should just save on exit). For the life of me I can't figure out why any file i create does not know where it should be saved. Why do I have to drill down into the server every time I work on a project, for just about every file that needs to be saved? Working with one project, even a simple one, at least 5 drill downs into the server will need to be made. I don't mind the first drill down, it does have to know where the project will live, but after that, things should take care of themselves.
I can understand the want of making sure the user indeed wanted to close the application (although I think it should just save on exit). For the life of me I can't figure out why any file i create does not know where it should be saved. Why do I have to drill down into the server every time I work on a project, for just about every file that needs to be saved? Working with one project, even a simple one, at least 5 drill downs into the server will need to be made. I don't mind the first drill down, it does have to know where the project will live, but after that, things should take care of themselves.
