Re: Contour Machining, was Optimizing cutting paths

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., machines@n... wrote:

> I know you have just released a Vector manual to compliment the
> Learning Vector in two hours that you earlier produced.

Much of the Learning Vector in 2 Hours in incorporated in the new
manual, with some rewriting of the grammar for the non Dutch and
German speaking.

> I also know that there is the help page on your web site.
> Three questions:-
> [1] Is the new Vector manual the one that's on the Vector Cam CD ?

The new manual in PDF format is included with all new purchases of
Vector 9. I believe that all CAM shipments from our offices since it
was released have included a printed copy.

> [2] Is there a genuine Vector manual at all? By this I mean one
> that's produced by the Centriforce.

The Vector manual is Copyright 2001 Centriforce. There are German,
Dutch, French and English versions.

> [3] Are all the subjects covered in the new manual? I have read

your

> web page but a lot of the answers don't seem to be covered, like

the

> original subject above.

Not all subjects are covered. The reorganize function has been
covered since version 2 was released about 1993. It is just not
often described at the lengths and in detail as I have done here in
the past week or so. Much of the material on our web site is in
answer to those that cannot read the description in the manual and
understand that it is the answer to their problems. A lot of the
terminology for instance between countries and even within the same
country between different industries is very different. A lot of it
is specific application and problem solving help.

For example a bit to a woodworker is an end mill to a mill hand in
the US, it may be a slot mill to you in England. The bits in a
metalworkers toolbox are drillbits, and boring bits which are usually
inserted hss tips for boring bars. Oh Yes, there are usually a few in
the hand held calculator too. ;-)

A cove bit can be a ball end mill or a bull end mill, but sometimes
they are called bowl bits too. There is a word in German that must
be used to describe a milling tool, it translates into something like
gouge or chisel. Both of which are hand held wood and metal working
tools in the US. Neither term is ever used to describe an end mill.

"Are all the subjects covered in the new manual?", sounds like a
competitor trying to reverse engineer our product.

The answer is of course not. Vector has so many feaures and
capabilities that we could not afford the postage if we wrote up
every single detail about every feature and each combination. All
the major features are covered by the Vector on-line help that is
installed with the program. The manual supplements that with more
indepth coverage of many of the complicated functions, tutorials, and
specific application notes on heads up digitizing, helixes, lettering
techniques, and various 3D wire frame drawing methods.

In many cases there are machine specific tricks that are only used by
the OEM that ships Vector with his machine. There is nodocumentation
of the DDE server because it is only released to those that purchase
th license.

Just as a side note the message numbers from our forum indicate that
we have had 996 posted in the 3 years since it started. That is an
enormous amount of documentation and problem solving that we use to
help plan future improvements to Vector and to find ways to respond
to our customers needs.

Also John, if you would like to ask Centriforce directly about the
Vector manuals, as well as see the latest improvements, visit their
booth at EMO in Hannover, Germany, on September 12-19, 2001.

http://www.emo-hannover.de/homepage_e

Centriforce Hall 15 , Stand B07


Best Regards, Fred Smith- IMService
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