Learning is Forever

CNC Software, Inc., the creator of Mastercam, is one of the few CAM companies in the world to have a strong focus on education. The company, through academic institutions and its 24/7 online courses, offers quality training to the beginners and those seeking to hone their skills. A spotlight on its initiative in India which is proving to be of tremendous help to CAM aspirants.

A positive shift is happening globally where the two important entities – the academia and the industry – are working towards a robust collaboration in a bid to develop an ideal environment that can enable innovation and growth.

In the same vein, CNC Software, Inc., the creator of Mastercam, engages with young engineers and trainees on multiple levels to ensure that they get first class education on the CAM front. “On a micro level, our nation-wide network of strong resellers and authorized training centers conduct training on our CAD/CAM system. They also work with regional technical colleges by organizing training camps and seminars,” explains Vineet Seth, Managing Director – South Asia & Middle East, Mastercam APAC.

On a macro level, the company works with Skill Development Initiatives and Industry Apex Bodies to help with world-class content as well as experience that it carries as a leader in this domain. “Specifically, with colleges and universities, we try and provide a continual engagement of Latest Software, People and Experience. Latest Software version ensures that students learn current day technologies and not a defunct or obsolete version. With People engagement, we try and provide an Industry perspective to the students and faculty via seminars and interactions, to help them prepare to be Industry ready. Finally, on the Experience front, we use tools like Mastercam University to ensure that knowledge pooled in the organization through decades of global exposure, is available to the students – on demand, at any time,” he adds.

Academic tie-ups in India

Mastercam India has over 1,500 colleges, vocational institutes and universities as customers and many reputed and well-known institutions such as the MSME Toolrooms, IITs, CIPET centers, NTTFs, IGTRs, CTTCs and Advanced Training Institutes (ATIs) – amongst others that offer regular courses on Mastercam.

Universities like BITS Pilani, Savitribai Phule University, Anna University and SRM University to name a few, use Mastercam for academic purposes as well as for their Workshop practical.

Currently, the programme is not being offered to school students due to limitations in infrastructure at schools – non-availability of CNC machines, which is key to Mastercam technology.

Open all days, at all times

Mastercam University offers 24/7 online training to anyone looking to begin a career in CNC programming or to current Mastercam users with the desire to sharpen their job skills. Several courses are available which cover many areas of the Mastercam product. “Regardless of the skill level, there is a Mastercam University class available to strengthen user knowledge of most Mastercam products. With Mastercam University, students learn tips and tricks at their own pace, in their own time, and from experienced Mastercam trainers,” notes Seth.

Mastercam University is the only online training created by CNC Software, Inc. There is no better way to learn the software than from the experts themselves. “In this application-based training, trainees learn Mastercam by designing and programming toolpaths on real industrial parts. Important concepts are covered that show how to program more efficiently. For example, you learn how to program quickly and effectively, how to apply multiple set-ups, and how to select the best toolpath strategy for fast runtime and superior surface finish,” he states describing the course.

Mastercam University is open to anyone with internet access and purchased through Authorized Mastercam Resellers. A free version of Mastercam Demo / Home Learning Edition is also included with every course.

Topics Covered

Mastercam University provides the following topics –

Principles for Machining – This course covers the US - National Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) standards. While forming the base of the course, it lays the foundation for establishing sound fundamentals across the four disciplines, to ensure that the students get things right, the first time.

Turning – Essentials and Advanced Modules – This course starts with both wireframe and solid model creation specifically for parts machined on a lathe, followed by a quick overview on how to create support information and toolpath for a simple lathe project. The third section covers the typical lathe toolpaths the way one would use them in a production machine shop. This includes using a parts catcher and flipping the stock to machine the back of the part. The last lesson covers live tooling in both C and Y axis. There is also a Mill-Turn Module that deals with programming and process for multi-tasking machines.

Milling – Essentials and Advanced Modules – The Essentials cover introduction and in-depth study to Mastercam’s intelligent, application-specific, 2D and 3D high-speed dynamic milling toolpaths. The Advanced Mill Design and Toolpaths is designed to help a machinist of any level become a proficient Mastercam 3-axis user and, potentially, better CNC programmer. Examples used in this class are based on parts created using Mastercam’s CAD functions and then machined using the latest 3-axis CAM functionality. The curriculum is designed to teach the machining of parts as if they were programmed in a typical machine shop. Parts are completed quickly, as lesson directions are straightforward and to the point.

Multi-axis Milling – Essentials and Advanced Modules – In this module, trainees are introduced to 5-axis machine programming. The module surveys the three most common machine configurations with their advantages and programming considerations. It will introduce collision checking and avoidance options, along with advanced multi-axis strategies to program complex parts on a host of corresponding 5-axis machines.

“Mastercam India has over 1,500 colleges, vocational institutes and universities as customers and many reputed and well-known institutions such as the MSME Toolrooms, IITs, CIPET centers, NTTFs, IGTRs, CTTCs and Advanced Training Institutes (ATIs) – amongst others that offer regular courses on Mastercam.”

Vineet Seth, Managing Director
South Asia & Middle East, Mastercam APAC

The Mastercam University offers 24/7 online training class on most Mastercam products. The students learn tips and tricks at their own pace, in their own time, and from experienced Mastercam trainers.