[SeanDa]

Hi All,

This is Sean from BobCAD-CAM Technical Support. Dealing with issues on a daily basis I notice that a lot of problems could be solved with tutorial videos that overview common issues that would be run into on a daily basis of using the software. I have decided to create this build thread to get ideas for creating a tutorial video. Ideas can be submitted until 4/26/2013 at 8am, and the Top 5 ideas will be chosen by the technical support team to be featured in a poll voted by you users for creation of one tutorial video. Please enjoy and PM me or respond in this post for any questions related to this.

Sincerely,
Sean Daugherty
BobCAD-CAM Technical Support

[jrmach]

Just one tutorial video to be made?Are we talking 5-10 minutes or a 1/2 hour or what?Just a suggestion,a series of videos done by Sorin.He really" connects "with the viewer.:banana::banana::banana:

[Trotline]

Advanced Surfaces. Something along the lines of the column capital that Al recently posted on the After Dark page, where heavy manipulation of surfaces gets explored.

Luke

[jrmach]

Attachment 181624

I taking a guess,is this a column capitol?
Yes that would make for a good video.
By the way Luke,you have a great voice for videos.

[Trotline]

Yep, that's the picture I was thinking of. Al was hesitant to do a tutorial, I think because it would get pretty involved, but since Sean asked for input.. It wouldn't necessarily have to be that actual piece, just something that gets down & dirty with complex surface work was what I had in mind.

The voice is just a matter of not letting my inner terror show too much.

Luke

[SeanDa]

The length will vary depending on the subject chosen. It may end up as more than one video from the 5 that the poll will have, but the video that is chosen with the highest number of votes will be the first made. Sorin will not be doing the video, this is a video that will be done by the technical support department, and more than likely will be completed by me.

[jrmach]

I see people asking quite a bit about what to do if they need to tap a hole and the tap is not listed in the tools.I have answered many times,but for those that have this problem I think a video showing exactly what is involved,and why,, into manipulating the software to spit out the correct code would be helpful.
Also how to thread mill a pipe thread with a single point thread mill.How to draw the helical,the lead ins/outs,how to program the CAM.This has been another question I have answered many times,but a video would probably explain the process better.

[jrmach]

How about a good thorough video exploring all features in the simulation.Getting into the analysis and sorts.An in depth look.

[BurrMan]

I would watch a video that chose one of the mutiaxis toolpaths and explored "all" the settings within the feature. Essentially, hitting every area of the feature, with a visual on how that setting affects/manipulates the outcome/desired result.

[Joe S.]

Hi Sean,
How about a video detailing what each symbol means inside a post processor, and how to edit same. This I have pretty well mastered, at the expense of some "surplus" brain cells. LOL

[SeanDa]

Joe, what symbols are you talking about exactly? Items such as x_f,xr,zr, and so on?

[SeanDa]

This will close down on Friday. Does anyone have anymore suggestions for videos?

[Joe S.]

Hi Sean,
Example

1. Start of file programmed zero
   "(PROGRAM NAME - ",prog_name,")"
   "(POST - ",machine_make,machine_model,")"
   "(DATE - ",output_date,")"
   "(TIME - ",output_time,")"
   user_comment_1
   user_comment_2
   user_comment_3
   user_comment_4
   user_comment_5
   user_comment_6
   user_comment_7
   user_comment_8
   user_comment_9
   user_comment_10
   user_comment_11
   user_comment_12
   user_comment_13
   user_comment_14
   user_comment_15
   "  "
   n,rapid_move,"G17",inch_mode,"G40","G49",cancel_drill_cycle,absolute_coord,work_coord
   n,rapid_move,"G53","Z0."
   "  "
   system_comment
   feature_name_comment
   "  "
   n,"M06",t
   n,stop
   n,spindle_on,s
   n,rapid_move,absolute_coord,work_coord,force_x,xr,force_y,yr,rotary_xyr_angle,
   n,rapid_move,length_offset,coolant_on
   output_rotary_angle

explain how the " " indicates to BobCad to treat the line as a comment/print statement? while (xxx ) treats the comment inside as a comment in the G code. To Non-Programmers it would seem arcane as to why so much punctuation is required. Explain what the punctuation does, and the significance of the variable names.

this statement:

n,"M06",t

please explain how it numbers the M06 call as Tx . . . what the "n" means in it's context in each line. We program in G code for the machines but are Often less skilled coding for computers.
Bottom line (I believe) your customer base is largely small time operators and hobby operators who MAY not be programmers in any sense, who would just adore you for the opportunity to actually understand what the post processor is doing and why. The "Old Salt" machinists here who can walk right through this probably do not remember how they struggled to learn it. Anyway I did (struggle), anyway you asked and I gave my (sometimes worthless) opinion.

BTW thanks for those tutorials, helped me out several times.

[Louis Roy]

How about a good thorough video exploring all features in the simulation.Getting into the analysis and sorts.An in depth look.

I like this idea, I second this one

[jrmach]

Are we still on for some videos Sean ?

[SeanDa]

We did not get a ton of input on ideas for tutorials, so I will do a video that covers the different aspects of the simulation. I hope to have this video completed this weekend and sorry for the delayed response, it has been a hectic few months.

[segengineering]

Hi all,
This maybe late, but what about a tutorial on how to threadmill a NPT taper thread in V24, (1" npt 1" deep, using a tipped threadmill cutter that only as 5 pitches on the tip), this would be good to do all threadmill in all versions.
Other threadmilling, ie metric, BSW, would also be good.

[jrmach]

bump
I know,I am a pita

[majsteve]

Sean, Steve Fornelius ([email protected]) here.

As I've suggested numerous times before, get someone off the street with basic computer skills, and run the tutorials through them. The reason is the pages and pages of bug reports about the tutorials I sent during my initial support period. I note that now I can't update the software I have to the newest build. I though this would be a continuous support through to the next version. Am I wrong in assuming this, and that any updates will require that I pay another $350 for support? As I have advised sales, if I do this, you'd better have someone ready to walk me through something every day, because I don't like tutorials that don't work and force me to buy support packages.