more on CADCAM raw material

Johnno,
Sorry but I'm missing something here.
You state:- " That first thing for any CADCAM is to define the
unworked part and how it is oriented on the work lane, be it lathe or
mill.
Why can't you just draw your unworked part ? In Dolphin and Vector
you just need to draw a rectangle and that's your unworked part.



That is exactly my point. I don't work in pre-defined shapes. I opened
Feature cam and was very excited because it said "first define the part to
be worked" Well I was using a flat ROUND disc or semi- obelisque/elippse
shape, .375 tall. The ONLY choice I had for Miling was a rectangle. I could
not define a flat circle, if I chose circle it defaulted to lathe and I was
unable to over ride that, Then I tried sketch. I have a reason for wanting
to draw a fiarly accurate shape which resembles a kidney bean as my raw
part. By defining the unwrked material as it really is in my hand I can plan
the approach to where I want to start the milling, and that would be
reflected on the G-92. Imagining the placement in relationship to a
rectangle forces me to program rapid moves or other extra lines that are
unnecessary and with an Emco machine there is a limit of 221 lines so I need
to conserve the commands and be effiecient. Yes I could go buy a new
controller, yes I could buy a heftier software, but it seems common sense to
free up the ability to draw and orient the raw unworked material. I will be
the first one on my feet admitting I have no idea what I am doing in CAD CAM
which is also my point. There is an abundance of software in every price
range for those who do know what they are doing. Mine was a plea to
accomodate us dummies, think of CadCam from a perspective of the nn
mathematical and numericaly challenged.
None of what I said was intended to offend anyone. It is hopefully
constructive input or feedback to software authors that there exists a less
sophisticated though literate market that can be met. I have been insulted,
spoken to condescendingly and ranted at by help and support people from a
variety of software providers. I stand firm in my opinion that any software
that requires 398 pages of instruction manual or help files is too complex
and ineffiecient. If I could draw the raw material to dimension roughly in
the shape it is when I want to begin, oriented in the PLANE of the device I
intend to use to modify that shape and can then define the finished project
with the help of the canned cycles and drop down menus, lists, tool
libraries, then all that would remain is to test cut a sample and see if the
surface finish or sequence works to produce the product I want.

I had a major guitar manufacturer asking me to quote on supplying parts.
When I quoted him the cost he then asked me for a 12" x 3" x 1/2" tall slab
of ivory, that he would put it in his fadal machine and machine it himself
for a fraction of the cost. Again this is my point, the medium I work in
does not exist in dimensions that are predictable or similar to buying a
chunk of aluminum bar stock, So I have to be creative in fixturing,
placement and aproach to part manuafacture all relative to the physical
shape of the material. So if I am alone in my needs then I will live with
it, I do think others drag home nice chunks of misshapen stainless steel,
odd lot cut offs and any varietyu f shapes of things. Having two choices for
raw material. rectangular or round, with round always being defalted to a
lathe operation is a very serious limitation in designing and efficient
reduction of material that costs $300.00 a pound or more.

Thanks again for the oportunity to comment. My desire is nt to debate as an
activity but to find a solution to the problem.

I have one other question, is there a way to set the digest so I can getjus
the messages without all the return addresses, I don't mean to be impolite
but I spend an hour scroling though the digest past repetitive Cad_Cam_edm_
from etc, with the threads interupted by post date and other stuff. It would
be a nice feature if this could be read differently.

I will think of something to give back to the group too, I don't always just
want. JOhnno