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Programming Room or on the Shop Floor

depends on how large and or complex the part. simple small parts can be done on the floor. large parts with thousands of features take time and often are done in a office

Yup, do you want a file that works correctly ?
Would you like it optimized to make you money ?

distractions come easy these days
 

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many simpler parts are conversationally programmed in less than 1 hour (many take only 5 minutes) while the same machine is also machining other parts.
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and any parts scrapped, most cnc machinist can create a program to rough out a blank of the size needed in less than 2 minutes so the scrap part can be remade.
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that said a 2 ton parts with thousands of features might take days or longer to program. that is not normally done at a cnc conversationally.
 
At my last job we started out on the shop floor but all the noise got old so those of us doing the programming moved the pc into a corner of the assembly room. It was much nicer not being next to the machines while programming, and far less distractions.
 
We have our Cad/Cam computer in a shop office in the machine shop, which helps when we have some back-and-forth going between designing a part, checking a sample on the granite, measuring a fixture, and then going back to designing the part. As others note, as little distractions as possible, but keeping the design process closely linked to the physical shop is a plus.
 
How many employees do you have programing? We have 15 guys that do all their own programing (no production work), one or two computers doesn't work for us. Each guy has a computer on their desk where they do all the programing/analyzing. We did this so guys didn't have to wait until the other guy was done with the computer. I recommend the shop floor.
 
What the breakdown is where I have been mostly has been that Programming (2 People) will program most of any new jobs that come in. Then the program is set up and proven out then if it makes good parts it is kept on computer and used. Since there is a massive amount of established jobs and customers the things run have already been used and improved.

New jobs can take time especially with complex parts that come in. Never are such parts programmed at the machine totally anymore as it is considered non productive.

Bottlenecks will happen in programming when they are swamped. Also despite proven programs things happen and so changes that need programming must be squeezed in on the fly. There is no software for the guys in the shop to use or learn which is seen as wise because of the lack of experience from unseasoned programmers.

Most programmers I know do not like to come out to the floor. If they do they try to avoid getting involved with much drama because it may not need his attention yet so give it time for them to take responsibility.

The tendency is to get the fellow (programmer fellow or lady) come over and the programmer can hardly get a cup of coffee without being diverted.

However it is done it should always boil down to what works best for the shop. Finding out the best thing may be real tough especially if the shop has work in high demand and of a time sensitive nature.
 
I do quite a bit of programming. 80% of it with CAM. 100% of it is on the floor. I am looking at the machines as I write this, eating lunch at my desk. At times it is a good thing to be on the floor, I get to hear how things are running.....I am right in the thick of things. Then there are other times when I would like someone to know just how much time I piss away re-doing, re-thinking things because someone sees me sitting here and decides to ask tooling or program questions....some of which are good questions...some not so much. Or trying to sit here working out a 5 axis tool path while the guy running the machine 20 feet away doesnt seem to realize that he doesnt have to pinch the air gun full blast...it works without being full blast too...lol. The part that bothers me most is that I know for a 100% fact that the quality of my programs suffer with every interruption. We have probably about 6 or 7 other guys in the plant doing similar.....I wonder some times if we were in a central location would we be able to learn from each other....or maybe just learn to hate each other...what I do know is that my employer will never have the programming being done in an office setting. I believe it is in part because of the optics of how that looks...possibly a status thing as well.....from my perspective, in order to do my job as best and as efficiently as possible, I would have two programming stations, one near the machines and another in an office setting...
my .02 cents....entirely worth what you paid for it.
 
What the breakdown is where I have been mostly has been that Programming (2 People) will program most of any new jobs that come in. Then the program is set up and proven out then if it makes good parts it is kept on computer and used. Since there is a massive amount of established jobs and customers the things run have already been used and improved.

New jobs can take time especially with complex parts that come in. Never are such parts programmed at the machine totally anymore as it is considered non productive.

Bottlenecks will happen in programming when they are swamped. Also despite proven programs things happen and so changes that need programming must be squeezed in on the fly. There is no software for the guys in the shop to use or learn which is seen as wise because of the lack of experience from unseasoned programmers.

Most programmers I know do not like to come out to the floor. If they do they try to avoid getting involved with much drama because it may not need his attention yet so give it time for them to take responsibility.

The tendency is to get the fellow (programmer fellow or lady) come over and the programmer can hardly get a cup of coffee without being diverted.

However it is done it should always boil down to what works best for the shop. Finding out the best thing may be real tough especially if the shop has work in high demand and of a time sensitive nature.

Once again...just my opinion. I started my career as a machinist. I have ran manual machines and 5 axis mills and Multi Task. My "home" has always been on the floor. I wouldnt consider having a programmer who didnt do something similar. Not sure I will express this quite right....learning the mechanics of how to program is a different task than learning what tools, speeds, feeds, and strategy to use. I could never learn the strategy etc from a book....maybe others can.
 
Once again...just my opinion. I started my career as a machinist. I have ran manual machines and 5 axis mills and Multi Task. My "home" has always been on the floor. I wouldnt consider having a programmer who didnt do something similar. Not sure I will express this quite right....learning the mechanics of how to program is a different task than learning what tools, speeds, feeds, and strategy to use. I could never learn the strategy etc from a book....maybe others can.

There is a lot of value and much respect by being on the floor. As you mentioned it has definite advantages doing so. Also I have seen when programmers can not get to privacy or interruptions constantly especially when working on a program for a new and complex part. I feel for them because I see what they must deal with.

I think the chance (at least occasionally) to have a office off the beaten path yet accessible to those in the shop would be positive and productive for the process.
 
I do quite a bit of programming. 80% of it with CAM. 100% of it is on the floor. I am looking at the machines as I write this, eating lunch at my desk. At times it is a good thing to be on the floor, I get to hear how things are running.....I am right in the thick of things. Then there are other times when I would like someone to know just how much time I piss away re-doing, re-thinking things because someone sees me sitting here and decides to ask tooling or program questions....some of which are good questions...some not so much. Or trying to sit here working out a 5 axis tool path while the guy running the machine 20 feet away doesnt seem to realize that he doesnt have to pinch the air gun full blast...it works without being full blast too...lol. The part that bothers me most is that I know for a 100% fact that the quality of my programs suffer with every interruption. We have probably about 6 or 7 other guys in the plant doing similar.....I wonder some times if we were in a central location would we be able to learn from each other....or maybe just learn to hate each other...what I do know is that my employer will never have the programming being done in an office setting. I believe it is in part because of the optics of how that looks...possibly a status thing as well.....from my perspective, in order to do my job as best and as efficiently as possible, I would have two programming stations, one near the machines and another in an office setting...
my .02 cents....entirely worth what you paid for it.

I'll second that. If I'm puzzling out the best path for something and get interrupted 3-5 times, it sux.

I don't do alot of complex stuff these days, but I do alot of similar parts, which have their own downfalls. When you have programmed the *same* operation on 50 different, but very similar, parts sometimes you go on autopilot and miss a little detail.
 
I'll second that. If I'm puzzling out the best path for something and get interrupted 3-5 times, it sux.

Oh yea... its great when you have a 4 year old who is already more intelligent than you ask you the most random questions every 10 minutes ranging from how does electricity work to why, if Thor is a God, and Thanos couldn't kill him, did Jesus die? Or needs Milk. Or needs a lego unstuck. Or needs you to hold a funnel so she can pour sand in a container to build a castle.
 
We had about 60 programmers supporting several different locations in the plant. We found in our case that one or two programmers trouble shooting on the floor in each area and the rest in the office without distractions worked the best.

I also rotated people supporting the shop floor. Personality traits, sometimes with the machinists and/or sometimes with the programmers and/or sometimes both, could lead to its own set of problems.
 
Programming it tough and at times it sucks being in a room all day with or without interruptions. Some days I need a break from working on a job and other days I want to lock the door and tell everyone to F off.
 








 
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