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How to convince management to invest in post-processor

M Code

Aluminum
Joined
Apr 4, 2021
Hi

I am facing a problem, our management isn't convinced that is necessary to buy or order a new post-processor for our new machines which cost less than 1% of the total price of each machine.

CAM provider does have the required experiences to deliver for us a suitable post-processor.

So based on the above, is this logical in manufacturing to accept buying a very advanced machine but refusing to invest in post

How do you deal with that usually, do you build your post in-house? or do you get help from your CAM provider if yes, how much does that cost you?


Thank you.
 
If you have someone onboard with experience in writing a post for this CAM that is easy.
If not depends on if a generic will work but tiny problems can be big headaches and scrap, hand edits which are expensive.
Hand fixes are bad, someone will screw that up given enough programs and time.
Doing your own post in house may mean a learning cure. That costs real money too although many do not book that.
No idea how many hours spent on a Mcam post but I did it off hours so no cost.
Do you really need a custom post?
Bob
 
Add up all the time it takes to manually edit a program to get it to run in a machine and multiply that times the amount of programs you write a year and give them a dollar value. Most owners just need to see a dollar sign.

Which CAM software are you using and which machine/control is it?
 
Don’t worry about it. Tell them if your going to be stupid you got to be tough.
Don


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
Are you a software engineer? Do you know how to write the post processor? If yes its fine.

If not it is very challenging for a complex machine tool. 10/10 would not recommend unless you know how. Editing a post processor? That is a different story and I can do that. Nothing crazy though.

You wouldnt forget to buy toolholders for a new machine would you?
 
Are you a software engineer? Do you know how to write the post processor? If yes its fine.

If not it is very challenging for a complex machine tool. 10/10 would not recommend unless you know how. Editing a post processor? That is a different story and I can do that. Nothing crazy though.

You wouldnt forget to buy toolholders for a new machine would you?

No one knows
 
GibbsCAM
mori seiki mill turn

A post for that machine can't be too expensive, can it?
I would guess around $2k?
Do they offer a generic post where you can alter it?

I know Mastercam has a bunch of generic free posts (non 5axis) where they are meant to be altered to suit your machine.
 
A post for that machine can't be too expensive, can it?
I would guess around $2k?
Do they offer a generic post where you can alter it?

I know Mastercam has a bunch of generic free posts (non 5axis) where they are meant to be altered to suit your machine.

yes right
management refused to pay 2K
 
Shop I was working at 15+ years ago bought a fancy new machine, biggest and most expensive they ever had. Had a high dollar repeat job lined up for it, with expensive stock blanks and a lot of time in each part, (cut, flip, cut, stress relieve, cut, flip, cut). I practically begged them to get Vericut or the like, but they refused. I then advocated for careful planning of the process, but the boss ordered us to take the shortest path to starting to make chips, so that's what we did.

First batch of parts came back from stress relief, we did the finish cuts, and found a small gouge that was made during the roughing. Boss said "How could this possibly happen?!" I replied "You didn't get what we needed do to the job right."
 
I had an interesting experience one time...company bought $3 million USD worth of machines and refused to invest in Vericut. Mind you, these are multiaxis machines that crashing could easily be $100K to fix. And then you just know that machine isn't going to run like it did before.

Dropping $30K on a seat of software can be mind-boggling sometimes. Then again, replacing a spindle and a trunnion is even more mind boggling and I sure AF don't want to do that.

OP - for reference I purchased a Postability post for a 5-axis for less than $5K and it is bullet proof. Needed some tweaking to get right but every time I post code, I can trust it.

If you can't trust a process then how can you expect to be profitable? They are willing to spend the coin on GibbsCAM but not a post to complete the closed loop production cycle? That doesn't make any sense. Are they expecting you to hand edit code? What is the point of CAM if you can't trust it....
 








 
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