Who works in manufacturing. programming or machining

I am a third year college student, 2nd year of my mechanical technician toolmaking program and graduate of a 1 yr pre apprenticeship tool and die makers program. im currently an entry level cnc operator, i run lathes most of the time, but i also run the Fadal VMC4020 from time to time. Im goin for my general machinist apprenticeship as soon as i can get my school out of the way so taht i can get my basic and intermediate tradeschool exemptions (already have basic). i did do a fair amount of cad/cam in school, although i do have access to Mastercam 9, solidworks 2004, and autocad 2004 on a daily basis, so i keep workin on those whenever i can find the time (nightshift operator), Im in the process of building a mini 4axis vmc (hopefully one day ill be able to figure out a decent way to make an ATC, but until then im just focusing on the 4th axis... haha

I started as a machinist an manual lathes in 1979. I've been through a gambit of CNC lathes and mills since 1981. I've operated, setup, and programmed primarily multiple turret and spindle lathes, some milling in there, until about 1995. During that time I worked with an Anvil 5000 cad cam system, wrote post processors and a DNC program to transfer programs to and from the machines. I was sentenced to management in 1996 and still deal in CNC problems and solutions on a daily basis as an operations manager. Now, I primarily make sure the machines are running at projected efficiencies and, if not, figure out a way to make it so. What I'd give to be back running a machine where all I had to worry about was myself and what I was running ..... and making the money I make now of course!

Started in High School Metal shop. Worked in a Mold shop for awhile on a Taurus Duplicator, then went into a Die Shop as a "Small Machine Operator", sold shoes at the mall for a spell, sold some cars for awhile, back into machining in a small fab shop, then on to Uncle Sam. Tried to join the Army as a Machinist, ended up an Infantryman. 8 years of humpin and jumpin Airborne Ranger style, for the last 5 years I have been working in the Custom Firearms Shop for the Army Marksmanship Unit. Amazing how the machining knowledge just hides, never lost it. I now run, set up, program and maintain a VMC and a Turning Center. Use Master Cam alot, what a life saver there! I also teach basic and advanced machining night courses at the local Tech College. And I still sweep up my own chips!!!

I did my apprenticship in the mid 80" as a fitter and turner then in the mid 90's started on cnc's with a colchester cnc 350 then onto a tornado 200 @300.Then i went onto machining centers hitachi seiki,doosan,and okuma alwasy done it all thats the way i learnt to do it. and i think there is some merit to that as you can teach most people to operate them and just push the go button ( we had a mechanic working a tornado fo a while) but programming takes a lot more.When i was shown cnc's 3 days training from scratch on programming and it is all yours.The colledges over the last year in brisbane have just started running cnc courses for opperators and programming which i think is about 5 years to late and i wish i could have done some in the 90's.

kerry

After 2 years community college basic machine technology courses, 1975 started working in my 1st machine shop, manuals (not to many CNC machines in those days). When CNC became more common, I knew this was my thing, jumped on board. Machining has been a good career for me, rewarding in many ways. Went back to school to study CNC programming, in those days it was APT (ugh), when there was no PC based CAD/CAM. Man, I don't miss those days...

Rather than be redundant here, let me just refer you to this thread:
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11136

Are we havin fun yet?

I started out about 15 years ago as an operator. Moved on to setup, with about 2 years of gibbs programming. Right now I have moved on to Quality Control for my company, but I still get out in the shop and do some setup and programming.

Started as an "errant thin feature removal specialist" (burr bench) 20 years ago;
came up through conventional lathes and mills, programming, engineering, design, ultimately mfg manager.

Started learning to programme (in house) in my 3rd year of apprenticeship in '92.
4th year they let me loose on the vmc's and vertical borer.
A few other jobs over the years as programmer/operator.
Found another job later supervising a small shop with 2 lathes and 2 vmc's. After 5 years (3 more lathes, 2 more vmc's) I nearly went crazy programming everything, setting everything, running, planning, consumables etc,etc.
I have a cruisey job now with 3 Okumas and a Haas, basically to myself.
I found this site a few days ago and with some help from KIWI, I've done my first bit of 3D machining (I've never used any cam software).

I took the first year of manufacturing engineering, from there I took a year of machine shop which allowed me to take the second year of toolmaking afterwards. I have been employed at the same machine shop for the past ten years where I was fortunate to learn from some the best people I have ever met. For the past three years I have been programming CNC machines using Virtual Gibbs.

I started out at a company that makes the "Ridgid" brad tools about 10 years ago. I trained on some old Besley feed through grinder. I stayed there for 7 years working my way up to a Mazak Multiplex, and Palletech systems. At the end of my 5th year I was running, and program editing a Cincy Maxium 600 on a chronous cell (often called a CINCRON Cell)

Now I work for a medium sized company making Linear Motion Products. I am the Lead Machinist of 5 guys. I have 2 (soon to be 3, I hope) Citizen machines and Soon to be 3 Daewoo Machines, and A Studer ID/OD Grinder. Between all of us we Program, setup and run jobs.

Hey guys,
I started out about 17 years ago on manual machines. As I progressed in the trade, I saw things swinging to the CNC side. So I convinced my boss to let me start programming. I started out on FeatureCam and have evolved at my current job to Mastercam. I program, setup and operate. I also program for some of the other guys in the shop also. I guess I have gotten spoiled, because I don't want to touch a machine anymore, that does not have a computer attached to it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dmealer

I guess I have gotten spoiled, because I don't want to touch a machine anymore, that does not have a computer attached to it.

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I second that!!!! I dont want to touch anything that isn't cnc either!

:-)

I started my apprenticeship as a fitter and turner in 1957, and have never regretted my Dad's (!) choice. Started CNC programming on a Bandit controlled Excello milling machine in 1977. I've been using Mastercam since its DOS days, version 3 if I remember rightly. That all makes me pretty old, but at least I can bask in the glory of being a guru!

I start back in 1975 on capstans ward 2 & 7's, I then moved on to flash memory auto's were you had to turn all the buttons to thier positions and press another button to memorise the positions. The next big thing was peg boards after a couple of years I was trained to program CNC lathes and have never looked back, but I still do alot of work on manual lathes and mills. My main job now is programming and setting 2 CNC lathes, one will have a runner and on the other I will be doing 1 off's or prototypes. This is in a subcontract company so I get lot's of veriety.

started running CNC machines after i got my associates degree in machine tool technology in 2000
started playing with the programming software when boss wasn't looking
and went from there he is no longer there and i do all the programming.
surfcam 2005, solidworks 2005, autocad 2000i

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I started machining about 2 years ago at a linear motion manufacture as an operator on cnc lathes. I now set up,program, and operate up to 6 machines(Omni-Turn, Miyano LZ 1 and 2, and Deawoo Puma 300). All are Fanuc control which I program the long way, by hand. I don't think we do difficult parts to any seasoned machinist but it has really help me understand the basics. I have a good nember of co-workers to help me along with my quest too. I mostly face-turn-bore and groove aluminum and stainless steel. I found this site by looking to further my own knowledge of cnc on my own time. Looks like I have found a great wealth of knowledge here and look forward to learning alot.
Thanks for your time,
Jared

I started out in '78 as a Chip Sweeper in a ballbearing plant. Ended up working on New Britian and Conomatic screw machines, until the company filed for bankrupcy, due to increased imports. I didn't get into CNC work until 1985 working on Traub Turning Centers. Then I worked for 10 years as a toolmaker using a Maho doing Die work until the plant moved to Mexico. Now I manage a shop with 4 fadals and 6 machinists.
I want to go back to sweeping chips next, but I can't pay my bills that way anymore. :tired:

I am a female who did not get into this field until college. I was majoring in Drafting and Design, wanted to be a residential designer, I had a teacher that saw my true interests, he was saving the "shop" program. When I started all he had was a CNC router table and a computer in a small room. One year later he had that router, a CNC plasma cutter, a HAAS mill and lathe amoung other countless manual machines. I had a blast learning. I program now for a machine shop (CNC lathes and mills and waterjets) doing government work using Mastercam, Fabriwin, Omax, and Solidworks(<-fun!!). I also do process travelers and engineer flat patterns for sheet metal parts. My biggest problem is finding a job close to where I live. I travel over 60 miles each way to work everyday. I live in the city and work in the country! The way gas prices are now I wish I could find something closer!

I worked in the tool/mold industry and completed a 4yr apprenticeship.Have been running/programming horizontal and veritical mills for about 12 yrs now.I do my own setups and about fifty percent of the programming is right off the prints.Its all 2d work and every job is different.I use a lot of user macros to do repetitive tasks.We have just gotten camworks so I wont be doing much mdi programming anymore.I found this site by accident and am interested in building a cnc router/mill. I have the programming skills and the machining background and also do a lot of woodworking and have a decent shop in my garage.What I dont have is the electronic background and the skill set that goes with it.I'm amazed at what I have seen on this sight and the can do attitude of the members here.Its very inspiring.