What is a "Programmer"

[crazy^millman]

You and me both. At any given time I'm filling at least 5 of those positions.   

Some times I'm barely filling one so I guess it evens out. 

The process of pulling out one's hair comes into play.

Yeah, I just don't handle the scheduling end of it or decide where it'll go...now adding on top of all of that,

I'm wearing a lot of hats at any moment during a day.

Welcome to the new normal for people with our experience levels.

[Tim Johnson]

We have a floor foreman that handles the machine planning. Last week I was programming a saw base casting and he asked me when I would be done with that part. I told him that with little interruption I would have it done in two days since the part was moderately redesigned. I later found a 45° chamfer that was modeled at 58° and called engineering to see if that was what they really wanted. The head detailer said he would fix the issue. I then e-mailed the floor foreman and let him know the part had some modeling issues and I don't know when I'm getting the new model. About two hours later He emailed the planner adding me to the e-mail and told her the part will be in the machine tomorrow. 

[JParis]

About two hours later He emailed the planner adding me to the e-mail and told her the part will be in the machine tomorrow. 

I get similar stuff all the time...

Engineering will be taking their time, then suddenly the pressure gets put on them and they'll send out models they "KNOW" aren't done yet but then tell their uppers that the files have been sent to programming...then we spend all kinds of time programming, changing to a newer model, changing revs....at times it's maddening

[crazy^millman]

I get similar stuff all the time...

Engineering will be taking their time, then suddenly the pressure gets put on them and they'll send out models they "KNOW" aren't done yet but then tell their uppers that the files have been sent to programming...then we spend all kinds of time programming, changing to a newer model, changing revs....at times it's maddening

I got a good one where can we help a startup company program and run 80 parts not completed designed in 3 weeks. I did the math and if you had 24/7 for the next 3 weeks we needed 6.2 hours per part to even make that happen. After I went over the reality of the situation they are not as ready and they thought they were to have us help them. 

[BrianP.]

I consider myself a machinist who can program. I've run the milling department in a few small companies. Usually just myself or myself and a couple of people. Like the mix of having my hands on every aspect of the job.

If I was closer to you and a little younger I'd apply to work with you JP. I'm sure I could learn a lot. Everytime I've taken a job where I figured I could learn from people there I usually found I knew more than they did. Usually could learn a thing or two but end up teaching them more

[JParis]

I consider myself a machinist who can program. I've run the milling department in a few small companies. Usually just myself or myself and a couple of people. Like the mix of having my hands on every aspect of the job.

If I was closer to you and a little younger I'd apply to work with you JP. I'm sure I could learn a lot. Everytime I've taken a job where I figured I could learn from people there I usually found I knew more than they did. Usually could learn a thing or two but end up teaching them more

I wound up hiring a younger guy, an in-house candidate. He has invested time, money and effort into learning Mastercam. We'll see how it works out but everyone thinks he was a good choice, he's been succesful in all he has previously been given here...

I tell you what....as far as learning,  my time at S4A it opened my eyes wider than I like to think they were....I wasn't so much stuck in my ways, I would change when & if I found better ways but doing support and seeing how others, even some of the least talent users, they would approach things in ways I would have never have thought to do...as I went along, not all the things were good and useful but damn, some people came at things in ways that absolutely made me change how I was doing things...

I like to that time made me a better programmer

[BrianP.]

I wound up hiring a younger guy, an in-house candidate. He has invested time, money and effort into learning Mastercam. We'll see how it works out but everyone thinks he was a good choice, he's been succesful in all he has previously been given here...

I tell you what....as far as learning,  my time at S4A it opened my eyes wider than I like to think they were....I wasn't so much stuck in my ways, I would change when & if I found better ways but doing support and seeing how others, even some of the least talent users, they would approach things in ways I would have never have thought to do...as I went along, not all the things were good and useful but damn, some people came at things in ways that absolutely made me change how I was doing things...

I like to that time made me a better programmer

I've always tried to keep an open mind and think you can learn something from anyone. Even the guy just pushing a button. He may have an idea on how to stream line an operation or something that you may not think of.  The worst are people who think they already know it all. I like to see companies promote from within.

[crazy^millman]

I wound up hiring a younger guy, an in-house candidate. He has invested time, money and effort into learning Mastercam. We'll see how it works out but everyone thinks he was a good choice, he's been succesful in all he has previously been given here...

I tell you what....as far as learning,  my time at S4A it opened my eyes wider than I like to think they were....I wasn't so much stuck in my ways, I would change when & if I found better ways but doing support and seeing how others, even some of the least talent users, they would approach things in ways I would have never have thought to do...as I went along, not all the things were good and useful but damn, some people came at things in ways that absolutely made me change how I was doing things...

I like to that time made me a better programmer

Glad they decided in invest in someone internally and bring them up. That is great news. One of the younger guys helping 5th Axis CG Inc got a permanent gig with one of our customers. It wasn't a poaching it was an open job search and recruiter reached out to him. He is making more than I ever made working for a company and proud for him.

Yes being the product manger at Verisurf helped me see the world completely different than I ever had before. I like doing tech support when I was in the office. It was a good way to see what others did and learn different ways to do things. Speaking at Trade shows and doing Demos with sometimes a 100 people watching was nerve racking and I get embarrassed very easily and my face turns red almost immediately, but it was my job and I had to just fight my way through every single demo and presentation.I also like teach others and seeing how they do things.


I like reteaching the basics to others that I sometimes don't even remember why I have done certain things those ways for a long as I have.

[crazy^millman]

I've always tried to keep an open mind and think you can learn something from anyone. Even the guy just pushing a button. He may have an idea on how to stream line an operation or something that you may not think of.  The worst are people who think they already know it all. I like to see companies promote from within.

Two people I never hired as Boss.

#1 The person who is perfect and never made a mistake. This person is either not working or blaming someone else for their mistakes. NASA, SpaceX, Tesla and many other companies have their mistakes put out their publicly. 

#2 The know it all done it all. The person is normally too arrogant and egotistical not willing listen to others and everything will always have to be done their way. They don't work well with others and have a major problem with authority.

I always tell anyone I am teaching this is my way of doing things. It is not the best way, the only way or that it cannot be improved on. Take what I teach you and use what is helpful, but change it and do it whatever way helps you to a better programmer from it.

A big one is I am left Handed so everything from my prospective is looking at it from the left side of a part. The majority of people look at things from the right side of a part. I normally like resting up against the left side of a part because of that thinking. Others normally like resting up against the right side of a part. No way is better if they accomplish the same task at the end of the day, but if someone demands it must be from the right side then no problem here you go.

[Matthew Hajicek]

I've always tried to keep an open mind and think you can learn something from anyone. Even the guy just pushing a button. He may have an idea on how to stream line an operation or something that you may not think of.  The worst are people who think they already know it all. I like to see companies promote from within.

If someone's standing there watching your program run over and over, there's a very good chance they'll notice something you didn't.

[gcode]

there watching your program run over and over

and all the simulation software in the world cannot replicate the sound of the machine and tools