Startup Page

What is an eLearning Class?

This is NOT an online class. All files are downloaded to your computer and you can keep them even after you earn your certificate of completion. About 1.5-gb hard drive storage is required.

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How it works:

After purchasing this class:

• We send you a Google Drive link to a .zip file.

• You download the .zip file and unzip (extract) its folders and files to your hard drive.

• Invoke (double click) the "Startup" file to call up a PowerPoint presentation (shown above) that provides links to all of the class activities (underlined items in the Startup file above are the links). We provide PowerPoint Viewer just in case you do not have PowerPoint installed on your computer. 

• Start the slide show to make the links active.

• View the presentation and study the reading materials for the lesson.

• When you're ready, submit the exercise for the lesson (if there is one).

• When you're ready, take the test for the lesson.

• Repeat the last three steps for each lesson.

 

A few more notes about our eLearning classes:

• Presentations are browser based so you do not need special software to view them.

• Reading materials are provided in .pdf files.

• Tests are automatically graded and submitted. You must have an email account and an Internet connection is required.

• Exercises (coordinate sheet exercises and programming activities) are submitted using the "Communicate with your instructor" activity. You must have an email account and an Internet connection is required.

• In order to receive a certificate of completion, you must complete all tests and submit all exercises.

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Maintaining "active student" status: ​

• Your instructor will support you (answering questions and grading tests & exercises) as long as you are an active student. Your purchase of this class includes 90-days of active student status.

• A 30-day extension can be purchased if you need more time (purchase link can be found at the bottom of this page).

• While all of the class content is yours to keep, we ignore contact (questions and test & exercise submissions) from inactive students.

• Active student status can only be achieved by the original student. If multiple students will be taking this class (and expecting instructor assistance), additional purchases of the class must be made.

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About the certificate of completion:

• Students achieving an overall score of 70% or better earn a Certificate of Completion.

• Students achieving an overall score of 85% or better additionally earn a letter of recommendation.

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The Class

This on-line course will help you master what it takes to create Custom Macro programs for CNC machining centers and turning centers.

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Custom Macro provides countless benefits for CNC users. Just about every facet of your CNC environment can be enhanced by incorporating methods afforded by Custom Macro. All CNC people should understand its benefits and be able to recognize its applications. Better still, they should be able to implement improvements when an application is found.

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You must do everything you can to gain an edge in today's competitive manufacturing environment. Given the current global market, you must find ways to become more productive with fewer resources. Few alternatives provide as many productivity-improving benefits for a smaller investment of time, effort, and money as FANUC Custom Macro. Custom Macro can help you, among many other things:

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• reduce machine down-time between production runs (setup reduction)

• reduce production run time (cycle time reduction)

• reduce tool maintenance time (dull tool replacement, trial machining, and sizing)

• simplify complex tasks performed by setup people and operators

• set error-traps for costly mistakes

• shorten program verification time

• simplify program creation, especially with part-families

• create canned cycles for unique machining operations

• automate sizing adjustments during long periods of unattended operation

• interface accessory devices with your CNC machine/s

• create tool life monitoring systems

• invent compensation types that are unique to your needs

• track machine usage and provide productivity monitoring data

 

The list of productivity-enhancing Custom Macro benefits is impressive, limited only by your own ingenuity. Before you can implement any improvement, of course, you must know that it is possible to do so. This class provides countless ideas and suggestions that will stir your creative juices -- real-world applications that you can start using today.

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Of course we show the syntax for each Custom Macro function and command. The FANUC manual does that. But this class goes much further. We show implications related to when and why each Custom Macro function can be used. And we show plenty of application examples to drive the concepts home.

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When you are finished, not only will you understand the syntax of the Custom Macro language, you will have access to many application programs that are used in industry, and you will be ready to tackle even the most complex of applications on your own.

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Pre-Requisites We Recommend

While we make no assumptions regarding a student's prior understanding of computer programming or Custom Macro, we do assume that students understand G code level programming as it applies to CNC machining centers and turning centers.

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Scope of Our Content

The content is comprehensive. We cover the computer-programming-related as well as CNC-related features of Custom Macro.

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When you complete this class, you'll know how develop Custom Macro programs for all five application categories:

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• Part families

• User created canned cycles

• Utilities

• Complex motions

• Driving accessory devices

 

Estimated time to completion

We estimate that students will average approximately 25 hours to complete each class, including time to study the materials, to take the tests, and to do the exercises. Actual time will vary, of course, based upon the student's aptitude.

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Lessons

There are eight lessons in this class. Additionally, there are reading materials for two appendixes.

• Lesson 1: Introduction to Custom Macro

• Lesson 2: Variables

• Lesson 3: Arithmetic

• Lesson 4: Program flow control (logic)

• Lesson 5: Creating loops

• Lesson 6: System variables

• Lesson 7: Other features of Custom Macro

• Lesson 8: Approaching/verifying Custom Macro applications

• Appendix A: Developing part family applications

• Appendix B: Introduction to spindle touch probes

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Qualify for the student price for NCPlot

NCPlot is a great tool path verification tool.  I use it to grade the programming activities done in this class.  If you register for this class, you'll be eligible to purchase NCPlot for the student price ($99.00). 

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• Get more information about NCPlot

 

Though it is not a requirement for taking this class, NCPlot is a very helpful programmer's tool.  With NCPlot, you will be able to see the tool path for programs you work on during this class.

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Need More Information?

Contact us by phone (847-639-8847) or email (lynch@cncci.com) if you have any questions about our eLearning CNC classes.