Do you use any AI tools

[megatronprime]

Couple weeks ago our CEO asked me what I thought about CAM Assist, my response "there's a reason I haven't brought it up, I think it's still too infant to be useful". We had a CAM Assist demo last week and are doing the 14 day free trial in a couple weeks.

I'm curious, what was the reaction when the first few CNC machines hit the market? Was everyone super skeptical like we're being with CAM Assist? Just trying to judge if I'm being the correct amount of skeptical here. I've seen a lot of negative feedback in the forums, but not sure how many of those people have actually used it.

Personally I just think it's overpriced, and Ai is unnecessary for CAM applications, I think in the long run they will lose out to us because we can integrate automation and customization from start to finish, for the price of a year of that software, probably less.

[megatronprime]

Personally I just think it's overpriced, and Ai is unnecessary for CAM applications, I think in the long run they will lose out to us because we can integrate automation and customization from start to finish, for the price of a year of that software, probably less.

Time will tell, but my sales have been amazing this year, and I'm hiring programmers and scaling, we are coming for them for sure. Also perpetual licensing makes more sense for Mastercam than a subscription.

[CNCAppsJames]

Singularity on a 5-Axis machine is a bitch! Ooof.....

I've got some tools in my post that can solve that problem thankfully. Been a minute since I've run into it. I try to remember to discuss it with programmers when doing training. 

[Shazam/TPP]

If he has zero machining experience I can't see a scenario where this succeeds.

i keep telling them to place him on every machine for a full year minimum and then think about programming 

[Shazam/TPP]

Please keep us updated on how this goes. I predict lots of companies with broken machines in the future with the programmer going "I dunno its what ai told me to do....."

I'll try, haven't even had a chance to explore their on line training. I need more help on the floor which will then give me more time to program... jest a few more years and then done...

[SuperHoneyBadger]

I have been figuring out how to justify the purchase of a new PC, and one metric is downtime while processing, and any possible improvements. This PC was built in 2018, and showing it's age for certain.

I asked the AI to make a .py script to read the 'Total time' column of the .csv that the Mastercam log outputs, and it works great. I save my log at the end of the day, process it with the tool and keep track of the daily processing time. I'm floating between 10 and 25 minutes daily.

Code Select Expand

import tkinter as tk
from tkinter import filedialog, messagebox
import csv
import re
from datetime import timedelta

def parse_time_to_seconds(time_str):
    if not time_str:
        return 0.0
    time_str = time_str.strip().lower()

    minutes = 0.0
    seconds = 0.0

    # Fix multiple spaces and unify formatting
    time_str = re.sub(r'\s+', ' ', time_str)

    # Handle "0.053 sec" by converting "sec" to "s"
    time_str = time_str.replace("sec", "s")

    min_match = re.search(r'(\d+(?:\.\d+)?)\s*m', time_str)
    if min_match:
        minutes = float(min_match.group(1))

    sec_match = re.search(r'(\d+(?:\.\d+)?)\s*s', time_str)
    if sec_match:
        seconds = float(sec_match.group(1))

    return minutes * 60 + seconds

def process_file(file_path):
    total_seconds = 0.0
    try:
        with open(file_path, newline='', encoding='utf-8') as csvfile:
            reader = csv.reader(csvfile)
            for row in reader:
                if len(row) >= 6:
                    time_value = row[5]  # Column F only
                    secs = parse_time_to_seconds(time_value)
                    total_seconds += secs
        return str(timedelta(seconds=round(total_seconds)))
    except Exception as e:
        return f"Error: {e}"

def select_file():
    file_path = filedialog.askopenfilename(
        title="Select Mastercam CSV File",
        filetypes=[("CSV Files", "*.csv")]
    )
    if file_path:
        result = process_file(file_path)
        messagebox.showinfo("Total Processing Time", f"Total time: {result}")

def main():
    root = tk.Tk()
    root.title("Mastercam Time Summarizer")
    root.geometry("400x150")
    root.resizable(False, False)

    label = tk.Label(root, text="Select a Mastercam .csv file to calculate total processing time.", wraplength=380)
    label.pack(pady=20)

    btn = tk.Button(root, text="Select File", command=select_file)
    btn.pack()

    root.mainloop()

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()
Ever since reading this thread initially, I have been experimenting with different scripting tasks. Tool list from .NC files for legacy programs, duplicates in folders, this one. Easy stuff, but cool little tools.

[JParis]

I have been figuring out how to justify the purchase of a new PC,

cup of coffee  "whoopsie"

[YoDoug]

I have been experimenting with different scripting tasks. Tool list from .NC files for legacy programs, duplicates in folders, this one. Easy stuff, but cool little tools.

Yeah, I use it to make quick apps for all kinds of data processing and handling type tasks.

[Jeff]

I've been using it lately to help me with golf. I don't swing like Rory anymore and my iron distance has suffered.
I'm seriously contemplating on getting a professional fitting done and after giving it all of my basic info like height, swing speed, age, and told it the clubs I'm currently using it gave me 6 choices of iron sets and very detailed reasons as to why each set could/would help me. Ping, Callaway, Titleist, TaylorMade, Cobra, etc..
Then I refine the choices down from there to the TaylorMade Qi HL set with a certain shaft, I then asked it to compare to my current set.
It's quite impressive.
This weekend I'll probably go test hit those clubs if they have a shaft close to what I need.

A follow up on this. I went to Carl's Golfland in Bloomfield Hills a couple of weekends ago told the guy what I was looking to achieve, he recommended a certain shaft flex and weight.
Gave me 6 brands of 7 irons to hit all with the same shaft.
I hit them for 2 hours making comparisons.
When all was said and done, I ended up buying the Taylor Made Qi irons because they were the most consistent.
The worst of the bunch was the new Wilson irons... they stung my hands on every shot.
Top 3 were the Callaway Apex, Ping G430 and the TaylorMade. Titleist T300 was great but double the price.

TL;DR
Chat GTP was right. 

[Kyle F]

I asked the AI to make a .py script to read the 'Total time' column of the .csv that the Mastercam log outputs, and it works great. I save my log at the end of the day, process it with the tool and keep track of the daily processing time. I'm floating between 10 and 25 minutes daily.

You are only processing toolpaths for 10-25 min a day?
That's not bad at all-- I feel like I have to be 1hr+

My work from home setup can be a bit of a bear--accessing the tool library through our VPN + network.... saving or updating a tool can take over a half hour sometimes  the whole time the mouse just a spinning blue circle and I can't do anything else. (hence me being on the forums haha)
I try to save those kind of changes for when I am back in the shop haha. brutal.

[neurosis]

(hence me being on the forums haha)

We all pretend that we work hard but somehow find a way to spend most of our day on a forum. 

[Smit]

We all pretend that we work hard

Well, not ALL of us. 

[Incogneeto]

Well, not ALL of us. 

Give him a lil time.

He's Slow....very very slow.

Reeeee Tired...........Reeee tarded.