software rant but a good idea in here

I just got a evaluation verson of FEATURE cam today, I have to say I am
encouraged at first blush because this program has something that no other
Cad Cam has shown me. You begin by defining the Raw Material shape you will
make the part from. Finally one of these has a little common sense. In the
design of toolpaths I knew there was some void, something missing.All the
opther programs go immediately to making the finished part.Even with
extensive canned cycles there was a huge gap. This program you start by
drawing the unworked part, then you attack the stock by doing what you want
to do to it. I have a stack of sample programs, a stack of books abnd too
many hours of downlaoding demo versions of everything.

For me, this is the most logical approach to design, first set up the raw,
unworked part on the milling table or in the lathe. GEt that right first,
then define a tool library. Then establish where the G92 is or the very
first location of the tool. Get all that on the page. That is how much most
of us know to begin with, what we have to work with.

Then approach the processing of this part into what we want it to become. I
have not even installed the disc yet because the little book that comes with
it is worth reading before I bother. Now here is what again at first blush I
do not like. I don't lke this about FEaturecam, ior VECTOR or BOBCAD or even
the $8,000 SURFCAM I returned because it was too cerebral.

No program I have used yet has included a good glossary. and with al the
teritorialism over software there is no uniform nomenclature. So as I try to
identify the best program for my own needs I have to learn what each
software authr decided to call each thing, the tool bars and task bars etc.
IF someone wanted to design the very best CADCAM software, universally
applicable for me it should have the following features.

An introduction, designed to familiarize the new guys to CAD to terminology
and concepts, with a well thought out glossary, Any software programmer can
downloada demo version same as I have. Identify common nomenclature, or
identify functions and create a NEW language, tell in the glossary that this
Xfunction/feature/icon in Bobcad/Mastercam/RHino mean this, in
VECTOR/DOLPHIN?AH HA these same "things" are called this.


After helping the home hobby brand new dummy like me get the Idea or concept
the as I said above

In order to create a toolpath the un-worked raw material must be defined,
you can't get one step further. The program would not allow you to go to the
next step until you define the

1) milling or Turning
2)2axis, 3 axis 4 axis???
3)What are the limits of travel in all axii
4)draw the raw part dimension on a screen that was generated from the
questions above.

5)Build a tool library, either from choices or from scratch
4)THEN start creating a machining sequence of events to convert the defined
raw part into the item desired based on information that the software has
learned from polling the user.

Is this too tough?? THe pmain problem so far with every program I have tried
to run is the authors make assumtions I have a clue. There are lots of us
out here groping blindly in the dark and we really don't have a clue, but we
can solve al these other problems manually on our cranky old southbends and
worn out bridgeports.

Thanks, if any programers on reading this if you design a progtram that wl
do thisI will buy it,and I strongly recommend a little program from
http://www.controlinksystems.com/

called machinelink. So far it is the only program that will post to my old
EMCO F1 milling machine in it's native tongue, it also converts other
programs to the right format for these old EMCO machines. It does work.

SO that is my 2 cents on software and many hours of trying to solve a very
simple problem. It might be true that a new modern controller will work and
some of the software has a canned post and ability to communicate to a Fanuc
or a fadal or a mazak. I don't have one of those, I don't have a ned or room
for one of those. MOst off the hobby guys don't either. It is mostly
homemade converted machines, sherline, taig,Emco or other suplus or new
afordable small benchtop stuff.

Well this rant started and ends with this. I love the idea FEATURECAM has of
identifying the pre-made part and the starting position of the first tool.
That is encouraging. I will now shaddup, finish the manual, install the disc
and if it doesn't work it goes into the pile with the others. Johnno