Why isn't CAM smarter?

Jay Fleming · Dec 23, 2015

I don't understand why CAM software doesn't automatically generate tool paths based on the stock, part required and tools available. Of course it would take more software setup up front but basically telling the software what you need out of what stock is available and pressing "generate" would be priceless. I don't see why this can't happen.

allloutmx · Dec 23, 2015

Jay Fleming said:
I don't understand why CAM software doesn't automatically generate tool paths based on the stock, part required and tools available. Of course it would take more software setup up front but basically telling the software what you need out of what stock is available and pressing "generate" would be priceless. I don't see why this can't happen.

you might need to step outside of Oklahoma for a minute or two. That technology has been around for at least a decade.

JustAbout · Dec 23, 2015

In some respects a lot packages will with limitations. The version of FeatureCAM that I have has automatic feature recognition and you can select which features that you want it to generate. It will attempt the entire part if you want but the results won't always be realistic. It works better for our milled parts than turned.
JustAbout

bw_4000 · Dec 23, 2015

I don't want CAM to decide my tool path for me. I want to dictate the path.

JNieman · Dec 23, 2015

Jay Fleming said:
I don't understand why CAM software doesn't automatically generate tool paths based on the stock, part required and tools available. Of course it would take more software setup up front but basically telling the software what you need out of what stock is available and pressing "generate" would be priceless. I don't see why this can't happen.

Be careful what you wish for. As soon as an 'easy button' is invented, they'll find a dummy to press it for half the pay you make.

(but in seriousness, the tech is mostly there, and you still need a pretty fart smeller to do the button pushing)

Jay Fleming · Dec 23, 2015

Alloutmx, had to mention Oklahoma didn't you.

I'm new to all things cnc so I haven't seen everything there is to see. In my searches for what I choose to afford, it doesn't seem available.

No one can make less than me, I own my startup business.

I'm not saying it should run a 5 axis but an entry level cam software that can generate all tool paths but allow manipulation would seem like a good seller. Cut parameters would still need to be entered to generate efficient tool paths.

allloutmx · Dec 23, 2015

with financing, EVERYTHING is affordable.

It cost money to make money.

BOBCAD is a very reasonably priced cam package, but Im not sure it has feature based milling features.

Autodesk has a very comprehensive cam package from what I understand and a portion of it is free as well from what I understand.

If you are doing wide open work in plastic, the feature based milling works great. However you are going to find there will more than likely never be a cam package that lets you click the parts and spits you a perfect program. wayyy too many variables involved in the setup, the cutters the materials. Programming is 1/3 of the fun anyway.

Zahnrad Kopf · Dec 23, 2015

Jay Fleming said:
Alloutmx, had to mention Oklahoma didn't you.

I spent a year there one month. :rolleyes5:

Still have the t-shirt. "Lawton isn't Hell, but it's a local call."

Jay Fleming said:
I'm new to all things cnc so I haven't seen everything there is to see. In my searches for what I choose to afford, it doesn't seem available.

< and >

I'm not saying it should run a 5 axis but an entry level cam software that can generate all tool paths but allow manipulation would seem like a good seller. Cut parameters would still need to be entered to generate efficient tool paths.

Many actually have been doing this for some time. And a few a more affordable than you might think. Do some research. What you desire already exists. To some extent, free. Maybe we should not confuse you with the facts? :skep:

Jay Fleming said:
No one can make less than me, I own my startup business.

Many of us have. Your comment carries little impact when the person you addressed it to is as well.

He seems to be doing just fine...

Jay Fleming · Dec 23, 2015

I've been using Fusion 360 and can't beat free. I've working with the trial RhinoCAM. I'm getting more use to what is meant for what so my programming is getting more efficient and maybe that's my gripe. It's my problem to overcome I suppose.

Mtndew · Dec 23, 2015

Jay Fleming said:
I don't understand why CAM software doesn't automatically generate tool paths based on the stock, part required and tools available. Of course it would take more software setup up front but basically telling the software what you need out of what stock is available and pressing "generate" would be priceless. I don't see why this can't happen.

I too don't want my cam software to make the decisions for me. I'm too O.C.D. and need my toolpaths exactly the way I want them.

Zahnrad Kopf · Dec 23, 2015

Jay Fleming said:
I've been using Fusion 360 and can't beat free. I've working with the trial RhinoCAM. I'm getting more use to what is meant for what so my programming is getting more efficient and maybe that's my gripe. It's my problem to overcome I suppose.

It does ( as you point out earlier ) take some leg work, up front. You need to have your tool library well established as well as your routines. And there will always be little tweaks, here and there, that everyone has to have "just like this", their own way. Templates and macros, too. It just takes time in the guise of familiarity.

mkd · Dec 23, 2015

Welcome to the trade.
sound pretty ballzy to have a startup business in a newish trade.
hats off to you and good luck.

Having personally witnessed the exponential power growth of CAM from the early '90's i would say that given some more time and experience you will see what software cam tools are good at automating. most mid range CAMs buys modules from Moduleworks. They have some of the best automated routines for HSM.
stuff that would take hours with semi crappy results in 1995 now take minutes with beautiful motion.

As an example with Mastercam i ran multiple variations of very similar 3D shaped parts recently. Applying a good template to new geometry took about 30min, with some verification. programs ran 6-8 hours, lights out. wish i just did these jobs every day..like printing money.

my 2 cents

HuFlungDung · Dec 23, 2015

JNieman said:
Be careful what you wish for. As soon as an 'easy button' is invented, they'll find a dummy to press it for half the pay you make.

(but in seriousness, the tech is mostly there, and you still need a pretty fart smeller to do the button pushing)

Yeah, you'd think for something as cut and dry as machining, that we'd have computer AI that could machine parts for us by now. But the reality is that machining is a very small subset of the real world, but even then, there is enough chaos between machines, machine condition, tools, tool condition, setup design, part size, the state of the raw stock, etc, that it is still pretty tough to get a computer programmed well enough to actually succeed at making parts to spec without assistance from the beings who actually give a shit about the resultant output.

Too much automation becomes highly complex and difficult to adjust. I think we're at a pretty good state right now, with CAM software that will allow us to save template snapshots of what has worked for us in the past.

MotoX · Dec 23, 2015

allloutmx said:
you might need to step outside of Oklahoma for a minute or two. That technology has been around for at least a decade.

I take offense to that! :willy_nilly:

lawl, just playin

allloutmx · Dec 23, 2015

MotoX said:
I take offense to that!

lawl, just playin

ha- bro you already know

Jay Fleming · Dec 23, 2015

mkd said:
Welcome to the trade.
sound pretty ballzy to have a startup business in a newish trade.
hats off to you and good luck.

This is actually a pet project to make manufacturing my product more economical. As well, all learning has to be done on free time.

Everything up to this point has been done on manual machines or outsourced. With a minimal investment in machines (I got really lucky to buy what I did) and thus far zero investment in CAM software, I can eliminate all machining outsourcing and make the parts I made manually much faster.

toolsteel · Dec 23, 2015

Two words........Macro Programming

snowluck2345 · Dec 23, 2015

imachining 3d is pretty close to that.

Rstewart · Dec 23, 2015

They do have what your talking about in the Dentistry world....

BUT all the set-ups, stock size, tools, and material stay consistent.

If your parts are very close to one another You can use templates (like MKD said).

Rbpercussion · Dec 23, 2015

From what I've experienced with cam, (which is exclusively mastercam) it is difficult to make the software do what you want it to do exactly how you want it or even remotely close sometimes. But I have seen other people generate tool-paths that seem utterly alien to me but yet are so simple and effective that i'd wish I learned through their method than my own.

I believe the most cam packages if developed with a big enough budget and a talented enough design team, can create any kind of tool-path you desire. The only barrier between that perfect path and you posting it is experience. after all, isn't it like everything else? If we all flashed back to manual days, wouldn't the most experienced machinists be the ones putting out quality parts most efficiently? I think the answer is an obvious yes.

I'd like to say stick with what you have until you can make it work for you, but I don't know other cam softwares so I can't say whether it will work out or not. Maybe some packages really are poorly built and will never post the code you want it to.

Why isn't CAM smarter?

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