Linn-Benton Community College

Machine Tool Technology

Course Syllabus

Course Name: Introduction to Mastercam

Course Number: MA3.432

CRN 21046 Days, Hours: Tuesday, 6:00 pm to 8:50 pm

24013 Days, Hours: Tuesday, 3:00 pm to 5:50 pm

Credits: 3

Prerequisite: None

Location: IB 110A (computer lab)

Instructor: Rick Bahr

Office & Office Hours: IB 201, By Appointment

Phone # and E mail Address: 541-917-4886,

Course Description:

Introduction to Mastercam provides training on the use of Mastercam X CAD / CAM software to design parts and toolpaths for a modern CNC Vertical Machining Center. Students complete a series of exercises that progress from designing a two-dimensional part and creating a contour toolpath to more advanced CNC Mill applications. Safety and efficient machining will be stressed throughout the course.

Course Objectives:

The purpose of this course is to orient students to the Mastercam program and interface. Students successfully completing this course will have a good introduction to accomplishing common drafting and milling operations with Mastercam. Students will be required to demonstrate hands-on skill working with 2D and 3D toolpaths. Introduction to Mastercam prepares students for additional study of Mastercam Surfaces and Solids.

Methods of Instruction:

A combination of lectures, demonstrations and exercises are used to guide students to a series of competencies. Specific skills are gained and measured, by the completion of the exercises.

Method of Evaluation:

Class Participation 25%, Programming Exercises and Quiz’s 50%, Final Exam 25%. An Electronic Design Portfolio will be kept of your projects and handed in at the end of the Term. Note that completion of these Exercises is Half (50%) of your Grade.

Attendance is Mandatory. Unexcused absences will drastically affect your grade.

A: 100~90%

B: 89~80%

C: 79~70%

D: 69~60%

F: 59% or below

IN: By signed agreement, Student Requested. All incomplete Coursework must be Completed by the Next Term.

Y: Not enough Coursework completed to Warrant Grading.

Course Content:

Week 1

Lecture and discussion topics: Introductions, objectives, Course Syllabus, Cartesian coordinate system, manual programming, Getting started with Mastercam.

Lab: Getting Started, Exercise 1 – Learning the Mastercam interface, Exercise 2 – Designing a rectangle, Exercise 3 – Deleting the rectangle and using help.

Week 2

Lecture and discussion topics: Creating a new file, Creating points, lines, arcs and fillets, Mirroring and rotating lines, Trimming lines and arcs, Creating a contour toolpath, Chaining geometry, Choosing a tool and setting toolpath parameters, Using the backplot function to preview a toolpath, Posting the toolpath to an NC file, Using the Operations Manager to edit toolpaths, Changing toolpath parameters, Regenerating operations, Adding entry and exit moves, using a selection mask.

Lab: Creating a 2D Part and Contour Toolpath, Exercise 1 – Designing the part, Exercise 2 – Creating the contour toolpath, Exercise 3 – Making changes to the toolpath.

Week 3

Lecture and discussion topics: Finishing and multi-pass roughing operations, Chamfering, Mirror.

Lab: Copying and Transforming Operations, Exercise 1 – Creating roughing and finishing passes, Exercise 2 – Creating a contour chamfer, Exercise 3 – Mirroring the part and toolpath.

Week 4

Lecture and discussion topics: Creating arcs, tangent arcs and lines, Trimming geometry, Rotating geometry around a center point and rotating toolpaths.

Lab: Rotating Geometry and Toolpaths, Exercise 1 – Creating the geometry, Exercise 2 – Cutting the slots, Exercise 3 – Rotating the toolpath.

Week 5

Lecture and discussion topics: Using a mask to select arcs for the drill toolpath, Sorting points to set the drilling order, Filtering the tool library, Creating the drill toolpath and multiple Z depths, Using incremental values to set drill parameters, Using viewports to look at your part from several angles.

Lab: Creating Drill Toolpaths, Exercise 1 – Creating a basic drill toolpath, Exercise 2 – Changing the size of a drill toolpath, Exercise 3 – Drilling at different Z depths.

Week 6
Orienting geometry by choosing Cplanes, Orienting geometry by setting the Z depth, Copying geometry with the Translation function, Offsetting a contour, Using dynamic Gviews, Using the View manager to change the orientation of the coordinate system

Lab: Working in 3D, Exercise 1 – Creating 3D geometry, Exercise 2 – Drawing the bottom of the part, Exercise 3 – Creating a drill toolpath in the new system view.

Week 7

Lecture and discussion topics: Circle milling, Helical milling, Slot milling, Creating and naming a custom view, Orienting views to part geometry, Using depth cuts and multiple passes in a contour toolpath, Remachining a part to remove leftover stock, Using Auto drill to create spot drilling, pre-drilling, drilling, Tapping, and chamfering operations

Lab: Using Circle Toolpaths, Exercise 1 – Creating a custom view, Exercise 2 – Machining the outside contour, Exercise 3 – Machining the holes and slot, Exercise 4 – Using Auto drill to create multiple drilling operations.

Week 8

Lecture and discussion topics: Using Job Setup to define a stock boundary, Creating a facing toolpath, Creating pocket toolpaths, Using the Parallel Spiral cutting method, Using the Constant Overlap Spiral method, Using helical entry, Using an entry point in a pocket toolpath, Creating in/out moves for a finish pass, Using ramp contours.

Lab: Facing and Pocketing Toolpaths, Exercise 1 – Facing the stock with high-speed loops, Exercise 2 – Comparing different pocket cutting methods, Exercise 3 – Specifying an entry point, Exercise 4 – Using contour ramp.

Week 9

Lecture and discussion topics: Remachining pockets, Using the helical lead in/out feature, Using a metric part, Using depth cuts, Using island facing, Machining tapered walls, Using the Toolpath Editor to modify selected points on a toolpath.

Lab: Pocket and Contour Toolpath Techniques, Exercise 1 – Remachining pockets, Exercise 2 – Using depth cuts, island facing, and tapered walls, Exercise 3 – modifying a toolpath using the Toolpath Editor.

Week 10

Lecture and discussion topics: Review progress and difficulties, applications, what you need to know to pass the Final Exam. The next Mastercam courses in the series are Surfaces and Solids.

Lab: All exercises are due by the end of class today. Study and practice for Final Exam

Week 11

Final Exam

Disabilities Services and Emergency Planning – Meet with Instructor Week One

If you have emergency medical information for your instructor, need special arrangements to evacuate campus, or have a documented disability, please meet with your instructor, by appointment, no later than the first week of the term, to discuss your needs. If you have a documented disability that will impact you at college and you seek accommodations, contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS) for intake and to document your disability with LBCC. Then, each term, at least two to three weeks prior to the start of classes, submit your “Request for Accommodations” form to ODS and pickup instructor letters. ODS may be reached from any LBCC campus/center by email to or by calling 917-4789. Letter pickup is available at each LBCC campus/center.

The LBCC community is enriched by diversity. Each individual has worth and makes contributions to create that diversity at the college. Everyone has the right to think, learn, and work together in an environment of respect, tolerance, and goodwill. (Related to Board Policy #1015)