Courses available for multiaxis and/or high speed milling?

[Ludasmith]

Are there any recommendations for multiaxis and/or HSM machining? 

We want to step up our abilities but I'm not finding much of anything for multiaxis or HSM machining. Sure, I can take theory classes on both (any recommendations here?) but I'd like to see something that shows us how to use the software to accomplish those things. 

[davidp_]

What version Creo are you using and what NC options? Complete Machining? Prod Machining?

I haven't seen much in the lines of PTCU stuff (is that available to you?) on the theory, just use of the roughing/reroughing sequences. On the theory side, most of the learning has come from Modern Machine Shop mag, online resources (harveryperformance.com, productionmachining.com), and cutting tool manufacturers resources (IMCO has some pretty good ones of HEM techniques).  We also have FeatureCAM (now an Autodesk product) and looking at how they implemented some of the HSM and HEM (labeled as vortex milling) theories have helped in molding the PTC parameters to my desired outcome.

[Ludasmith]

We are currently on 3.0 but moving to 5.0 soon, we need to get our license server updated before we can make that move. We have seats of NC Prod and NC Complete, although it looks like the HEM stuff in 5.0 might still be covered under a different package. 

We do have the PTCU, and I need to go through all the examples completely. We are trying to figure out a training budget for next year and the lack of CAM knowledge and support is terrible at best. We spent $1500 a day for 4 days on a company to come out and teach us the CAM side and he struggled through most everything we threw at him 3 axis wise.

Harvey does have some great resources, I'll check out the others mentioned. We're more of a "Show us a finished example and let's work backwards from there" group instead of "Show us a bunch of things that we can't figure out how to do in our software and break $70 cutters trying to figure it out" group. 

[davidp_]

Ok, your last paragraph made me chuckle. In the misery loves company category, we feel the support of the CAM side of things is somewhat abysmal. We also haven't had good experience with instructor led training on the CAM side.

Haven't looked at 5.0, we made the move to 4.0 this spring, and have been very pleased with it. Good upgrade from 3.0, even though some of the UI changed.  In our opinion, a worthy upgrade, unlike most of the prior (3.0 wasn't a good one for the mfg folks)

Oh, one more note of difference (more training) between 3.0 and the subsequent versions, apparently Vericut and PTC parted ways, in 4.0 they embedded Moduleworks, which threw a new wrench into our process. We ended up doing a webex with our salesguy and a Mfg AE (who I've worked with before and is very good). That put a good understanding of how the verification piece worked (but again, no formal update on PTC's website or the PTCU site, just change it and let the users deal).

[Ludasmith]

I don't even see Vericut in my 3.0. 

I'll put in a support ticket. They were quick to call me when I wanted more info on something. 

[Ludasmith]

Just to follow up after 3 days with in house training with one of the larger outfits that supports Creo...

There's pretty much no support. The guy would hardly touch our parts for CAM. He'd work with us on surfacing all day but actually getting motion was like pulling teeth. You could tell he was familiar with what was needed but getting outside of the examples the lack of experience really showed. 

I learned a lot about surfacing, I can't say it was a complete waste but I'll struggle through anything else on my own. It is less of a headache than trying to get answers.