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originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: dug88
Oh awesome.
So if take the six month training course that'll get my foot into a shop should I maybe get a job as a machinist first and just involve myself in the programming process when possible until I learn the machine?
I can read a book and learn gcode easily I'm tech savvy and know python and have been scripting since I was kid I have a knack for that sorta thing but it's a hobby nor a cqreer
originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: dug88
What use would I be in your shop with the programming certificate but no machining experience?
originally posted by: onequestion
OK so I'm looking at different schools right now and it looks like most programmer schools are six month courses for a certificate and schools for machining are 1 year.
I'm wondering is that going to be enough?
Also it looks like on the surface from job searches the actual machinist is in higher demand but what's the better overall career path and if I want to run my own machine shop which direction should I go first?
Thanks
originally posted by: Atsbhct
originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: dug88
What use would I be in your shop with the programming certificate but no machining experience?
So for the cost of one persons half tuition, now the shop owner has 5 or 6 employees who are comfortable using the CNC machine. When they run into trouble, they can always call tech support.
originally posted by: draoicht
Machining is all a question of "speeds and feeds" I was taught 35 years ago.
Too fast will burn or break the tool and leave a bad surface finish.
Too slow and the machine will not make money.
originally posted by: dug88
originally posted by: Atsbhct
originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: dug88
What use would I be in your shop with the programming certificate but no machining experience?
So for the cost of one persons half tuition, now the shop owner has 5 or 6 employees who are comfortable using the CNC machine. When they run into trouble, they can always call tech support.
That's how our shop is set up. One of the guys travelled to Minnesota to train for a week with the manufacturer of the machines and he's the one who trained me and the other two CNC guys.
originally posted by: luthier
originally posted by: dug88
originally posted by: Atsbhct
originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: dug88
What use would I be in your shop with the programming certificate but no machining experience?
So for the cost of one persons half tuition, now the shop owner has 5 or 6 employees who are comfortable using the CNC machine. When they run into trouble, they can always call tech support.
That's how our shop is set up. One of the guys travelled to Minnesota to train for a week with the manufacturer of the machines and he's the one who trained me and the other two CNC guys.
It depends on what the product is. For me I ran a three axis fidol. I didn't need any experience. I learned on the job. Also granite is not a complex situation. Your template guy probably goes out with his lap top and the template is directly uploaded to your cnc..and your basically babby sitting machines that do 90 percent of the work on their own.
If it's medical research or aerospace even making templates can involve cam and programming. The production guys have to follow strict tolerances and machinists are the guys they hire for many of the jobs. They can tell when the tolerances are off and how to fix the problem. It all depends what you want to do. You can learn machining on the job as well. To me it sounds like the OP wants an engineering degree eventually. If you want to run your own shop a mechanical engineering degree will give you programming, electric engineering, physics, etc. All very useful for solving problems.
originally posted by: dug88
originally posted by: luthier
originally posted by: dug88
originally posted by: Atsbhct
originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: dug88
What use would I be in your shop with the programming certificate but no machining experience?
So for the cost of one persons half tuition, now the shop owner has 5 or 6 employees who are comfortable using the CNC machine. When they run into trouble, they can always call tech support.
That's how our shop is set up. One of the guys travelled to Minnesota to train for a week with the manufacturer of the machines and he's the one who trained me and the other two CNC guys.
It depends on what the product is. For me I ran a three axis fidol. I didn't need any experience. I learned on the job. Also granite is not a complex situation. Your template guy probably goes out with his lap top and the template is directly uploaded to your cnc..and your basically babby sitting machines that do 90 percent of the work on their own.
If it's medical research or aerospace even making templates can involve cam and programming. The production guys have to follow strict tolerances and machinists are the guys they hire for many of the jobs. They can tell when the tolerances are off and how to fix the problem. It all depends what you want to do. You can learn machining on the job as well. To me it sounds like the OP wants an engineering degree eventually. If you want to run your own shop a mechanical engineering degree will give you programming, electric engineering, physics, etc. All very useful for solving problems.
Sort of. We do have a template machine. It doesn't produce directly usable drawings. They still need to be bpoly'd, offset properly abd finished in cad. We take those touched up drawings and import them first for the waterjet to cut. That machine requires almost no watching. After that we program the milling machines and polish the outsides. Those machines have to be watched all the way through. The pressure can get high enough to break the pieces or the tools. We've had a couple of tools explode...
We also have to do all the maintenance on the machines and fix things that break and they do...especially at the end of the day on the last piece being run.