Re: Looking for books, magazine articles, sites oriented to CNC Machining in small lathes and Mills. (WAS SLOT DRILLS)

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., glee@i... wrote:

>
> Dan,
>
> I'd like to hear more about this book you are reading: "CNC

Workshop." For

> that matter, I'd like to hear from anyone who has read some good CNC
> learning materials by they book or web based. What I would like to

see is a

> book/site that teaches about the G Codes and gives examples of

writing code

> for various applications.

Hi Eric,
The book I got came to me by way of a friend who was taking a course
based on the book. One of his fellow students didn't want to keep the
book so my friend grabbed it for me. That said, now that I've got the
book and have looked it over I would have bought the book had I known
what was in it. It is available on amazon.com both as a new book
(~$55.00)or as a used book. I think it teaches you enough CNC
programing to be useful and get you started. What it doesn't do by
itself is teach you how to write good g-code. I think taking a course
with an experienced instructor is what you need for that?

Here's what my experience was like. I wanted to try something I
couldn't do manually on my mill. Imagine a 5" x 5" x 1" piece of
material. Now mill away 1/2" from the top surface leaving a raised 3"
diameter cylinder in the middle of a square plane. Mill away the top
1/8" surface of the cylinder to leave a raised 1/2" band running
around the edge and leaving a raised character A in the middle.

After a number of iterations I now have code that will cut this
design on my mill. The milling simulator really helps you to see
what's going on. Things I had to figure out along the way where how
to remove all of the material I wanted in a reasonable sequence.
That's not covered in the book and an instructor's advice would be
handy. That's really knowledge relating to the drawing program you're
using and skills in producing a part so it's not really covered in
the book. It sure affects how you're g-code runs thought.

Something I still need to fix is to reorder the cutting sequence so I
don't have so many tool changes. I only use three different cutters
but I must have about eight tool changes.

Here's the blurb from the back cover of the book. The normal
disclaimers about me having anything to do with these people apply.

The CNC Workshop is a unique text and multimedia package with
benefits that stand-alone texts cannot
provide. Using the multimedia CD-ROM, students can visualize CNC
concepts through vivid animations,
virtually visit machine shops through video clips of processes and
machine tools, and view numerous
examples. The CD also features CNCez, real-time simulation software
that allows students to program
numerical control code and then see a simulation tool path or process
that the code would generate. The
code can also be sent to an actual machine. This package is an
excellent simulation and animation tool for
milling and turning and can be used to test existing programs or
write and edit new programs.

The CNC Workshop features

 Simple CNC educational package lets students learn basic part
programming without actually using a
CNC mill or lathe.
 Simulation software allows interactive editing of part
programs:
a part shape is constantly updated as each new line of CNC code is
added or lines of code are changed.
 Flexible workbook and CD format allows students to read from
the workbook, view on-screen content,
or listen to audio clips, depending on their learning styles and
needs.
 Multimedia courseware covers the basics of CNC programming
with step-by-step descriptions of
machining processes, an introduction to CAD/CAM, and an overview of
EdgeCAM and MasterCAM.
 Support material includes a review of machining terms and
procedures, exercises, programming
examples, speeds, feeds, and answers to exercises.

Hardware requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT; Pentium II, 133 MHz or better; 32MB
RAM; 50MB free hard disk space; 8005600 SVGA monitor,
256-color or better color graphics card (24-bit recommended);
45 CD-ROM drive; 8-bit sound card; speakers; and mouse.