How do people afford this stuff??

its all image and credit card running.. never buy parts with a credit card and more then 80% of these trucks wouldnt be around...

 

FACT

 

I am a programming instructor for my company, and you would be surprised how little the younger programmers know. Not only do they lack machining experience in a huge way (manual or CNC), they don't even fully understand the code the software is spitting out.

The students who come in from Canada are WAYYY more educated, because they require a government license to even touch a machine. I really envy Canada for this, because to get a job in the US all you have to do is lie about your experience and knowledge.

Another group of folks I encounter are dependent on proprietary conversational programming software like Mazatrol, Ultimax, EZ Guide, etc ... they usually don't even know what a G or M code is. Even if their machining ability is great.

My classes are:

1. Intro to G-code and Fanuc Macro B
2. Macro B
3. Advanced Multi-Axis

There are also setup/workholding and manual classes held by other instructors.

The younger programmers are constantly trying to get into my 3rd class while ignoring the others. It took me many years of fighting to require the first two to enable them to qualify for advanced. That took, finally ... but they don't pay attention.

It really is frustrating. Luckily I had a Father and Grandfather to show me basically everything to start, and then I got into CNC.

A good CNC programmer cannot exist without significant experience with manual machines.

 

Not really but we are becoming a more and more automated world. I wouldn’t be surprised if many jobs get taken over by machines, not necessarily robots.

 

I wish I knew how to program G or M code. I only know how to use MasterCam - barely, but I can manually machine

 

I don't see this happening. The cost is outrageous to automate processes. Case-IH had a prototype tractor that was cab-less and 100% automated and you still had to have a person transport it from field to field. Also I imagine the cost was at least 4-5x that of an equivalent tractor which is well over $250k.

 

I agree with you, specialization is important, and getting the different specialties to mesh seems to be the key for success in a lot of things. Easier said than done however lol.

 

You should check out Fusion 360. It is free (as long as you are a startup that makes less than 100k per year), and if you don't have Mastercam Level 3 or above, you will have greater power at your fingertips (3D toolpaths and 4th axis). Fusion also has 5 axis CAM, but it is still very limited.

As far as G-Code is concerned, Peter Smid has two really great books. One for standard G-code, and Macro B. Macro B really teaches you how to manipulate hand written G-code, and if you ask me it is the most fun way to learn G-code. Logic of Macro B is very similar to something like Java Script.

 

I have Fusion360 and I use it for my 3-axis CNC. I have a 500mm x 500mm CNC from Inventables that I use for my side business.

 

For those of you who did go to college

Did you get a job right out of college ?

 

I really wouldn’t be surprised I’m sure some genius can come up with a way for them to diagnose and make repairs. Having my life and work history devalued all the time really pisses me off. I guess I should get used to it

 

Nice! I have a CNC converted 4 axis Precision Matthews PM25MV mill in my garage, and now working on getting a 12x28 lathe to convert. You would think I get enough of this stuff at work, but nah.

 

Yes, my suggestion is to stay away from the oil industry. It is very volatile and unpredictable. Had a job that paid well right out of college and within 6 months company filed bankruptcy because of oil market.

 

Yes.


Undergrad:
Sophomore summer - internship at TD Waterhouse
Junior summer- internship at Lehman Brothers.

Decided not to take a VERY lucrative 6 figure job at Lehman after graduating.

Went to grad school instead (J.D./MBA)


1L Summer- Internship at Mckinsey
2L Summer- Internship at Skadden Arps

Before graduating from grad school, landed a job at Toyota.

Completed a LLM, before leaving Toyota for a much more lucrative position.

 

Just to be clear, I really hope this doesn’t happen. I have worked in trades before. (Couldn’t hack it) I have many friends that have made careers and good lives from working trades. It’s an honorable profession and yeah sitting in an office on a computer or on the phone all day definitely is not for everyone. But if you think they wouldn’t let a machine take your job if it was cheaper and they could, your kidding yourself.

 

I went straight from college to grad school and had a job before I was done.

 

True. But you can't lump in the hard workers that actually learned by hard work with the d-bags that cheated.

Agreed. I didn't say it was economically a good choice but some people are getting degrees for personal pride or to change fields. I also don't think any plumbing companies are requiring degrees for employment. Many are probably requiring that trade's equivalent of some sort of trade school or OTJ cert.

As said before employers want to see commitment. You paid money to enter the BS club. Now rather than being 1 in 100 competing for a job you are probably 1 in 20. So you just beat out those other 80 people not willing to put in the time and money you put in. I personally think you should be proud of what you accomplished. Some companies abuse this though with current employees. I recently had a good friend laid off from a long time loan officer position because she didn't have a degree and was replaced by someone younger and cheaper.

Economics. Time is money and businesses have to filter people out somehow. I've had to evaluate new hires that said they could perform and ended up costing the company a fair amount of money in the process of proving they were full of shit.

 

LPT : Always throw out half of the resumes that show up. You don't want to hire someone who is unlucky do you???

 

I don't ever wonder about guys modding their trucks, it's the guys buying 30k sxs's that I think about.

 

Yes.

Before I graduated actually.