Trying to get out of product design and back into machining

Hi,

I've been working as a product designer for 8 years, using Solidworks/plus starting with Autocad. However I've had enough of the world of plastics and would like to get back into metalworking and CNC - preferably high grade tight tolerance machining. I have a background with manual machining, welding, use of CMM's etc but no programming. I have a genuine passion for metals, metalworking and high end machining. I've been looking at a few jobs online, but obviously don't have the required experience. So I'm considering learning a bit of programming myself and trying to get into a company at an apprentice level.

Anyway my question is.. could anyone give me some advice on the direction the world of CNC is moving, preferably in the UK or Scandinavia. I.e. common CAM software or machines. I see the name Fanuc popping up a lot. Is there anything in particular that I could learn that could be integrated with Solidworks? I know of a company that might give me chance - they use OneCNC.

Any help appreciated.

Thanks,

Will

MasterCam for Solidworks will probably be your best bet since you are already familiar with the CAD side of it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by txcncman

MasterCam for Solidworks will probably be your best bet since you are already familiar with the CAD side of it.

---

Yeah but I don't see many jobs for that.

I was wondering if there is a route that I can go down with robotic machining - I'm thinking that might make better use of complex Solidworks modelling.

That is exactly what I was suggesting, a route to go down. You indicate you do not have any CNC experience. Even if you go into robotic machining, you will need to know something about the CNC machining side. You say you have 8 years of Solidworks experience. The next logical step would be to add MasterCam for Solidworks. Of course, there is no need for you to be logical. I get that. You can design all of the robots you want. Someone has to machine the components.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by txcncman

That is exactly what I was suggesting, a route to go down. You indicate you do not have any CNC experience. Even if you go into robotic machining, you will need to know something about the CNC machining side. You say you have 8 years of Solidworks experience. The next logical step would be to add MasterCam for Solidworks. Of course, there is no need for you to be logical. I get that. You can design all of the robots you want. Someone has to machine the components.

---

I have operated CNC machines, I understand the basics and the basics of G-code. I suppose it's a matter of learning the most popular CAM software that integrates with Solidworks, so I'm looking into Mastercam, Camworks, Solidcam and OneCNC. However there doesn't seem to be many jobs about in the UK using any of that software. I don't understand why most just list Fanuc control experience - surely there needs to be some use of CAM software somewhere other than just typing G-code into a Fanuc interface (unless I'm completely misunderstanding how it all works).

The reason Fanuc is listed is because each type of controller has a certain programming style, or syntax. The G-code languages are similar, but not exactly the same. Most "good" programmers start out by learning manual machining, then they move to operating CNC machines, then they learn to set up CNC machines, then they learn to write and edit G-code manually. Then the graduate to using CAD/CAM software.