WELsoft Website Notes
Note 5
Target audience: AlphaCAM users, especially Design and Technology teachers in secondary education
Subject: Learning AlphaCAM with structured course material
In Hertfordshire schools, AlphaCAM is the software used to prepare NC code for Emco CNC machines tools. Schools with other makes of CNC mill also use AlphaCAM rather than the graphical software provided by the machine suppliers.
AlphaCAM is a superb program but, like all software, it takes a while to get into it and become fluent with it. The best course of action is to use the milling module as the Design and Technology department'’ CAD package with pupils learning it from year 7 onwards. Going on from this to setting tool paths and creating NC code for machining a part then becomes only one small extra step. If the program is used now and then only for creating NC code then, almost inevitably, teachers and pupils will waste time floundering about trying to remember how to use it.
The book "AlphaCAM – An Introduction to Drawing, APS Fast Geometry, CNC Milling Machine Toolpath Setting (with Sample Projects and Data Disk)" has been widely used on in-service courses for Design and Technology teachers and could form the basis of a structured course for pupils. The ISB number is 0 9522982 4 4, costs £10 plus £1 postage and packing and can be obtained through WELsoft.
Licom Systems of Coventry, who publish AlphaCAM, now produce their own introductory guides to the program.
If you know of other useful books on the subject suitable for industrial users, secondary school Design and Technology teachers or pupils, please let WELsoft know.
June 2001