Most shops have a variety of brands of CNC machinery which use a variety of computer controls. While the operating principles are the same between machining centers, many operators find it difficult to move between machines because of the differences in the computer controls. Even operators with experience on one brand, such as Fanuc, often find that the significant differences between models within that brand make it difficult to be effective without additional training.
What's Covered: This MasterTask course, like its companion course Mastering CNC Lathes, provides instruction on all of the operating and set up tasks. Once a task is identified, the trainee learns how it is performed on various models of CNC control. These can include any of the 17 common models of GE Fanuc, Fanuc, General Numeric, Okuma and Mazak controls. It is estimated that 90% of the machining centers in shops today use one of the controls covered by this course. This broad exposure to the way control manufacturers handle each task also gives trainees the ability to handle other brands of controls not specifically covered by the course.
Focused Testing: To focus the training, specific control models can be selected for each trainee when they are initially registered in the computer. This allows a person to be tested more thoroughly on the controls they will be using, or permits an individual to be quickly cross trained to another control when needed. Best of all, your trainees will be able to perform job tasks in simulation during the CD-ROM tests without tying up your machines or making costly mistakes that can damage equipment and cause the loss of valuable production time.
Improve Existing Workers: While the course ware is extremely effective in training new personnel, significant reductions in operating costs are achieved by retraining the existing work force. Either the CD-ROM or the Student Guide test can be used as pretests to determine where individuals need help. Each person can work individually in a self-paced setting to reduce any embarrassment.
Flexible Design: Mastering CNC Lathes is divided into 5 courses. Each course has between 4 and 6 lessons. The course manager can control what skills a person learns by activating or deactivating individual lessons within a course. The normal sequence of learning builds the skills starting with machinery operator, then setup operator, and finally setup/programmer.
Course 1: The Basic Machining Center
Course 2: Understanding Part Programs
Course 3: Machining Center Operator Skills
Course 4: Basic Setup and Programming Skills
Course 5: Advanced Setup Skills
The Learning Sequence: Each course includes a number of lessons. For example, Course 1 has four lessons. The instruction for each lesson is found on a professionally produced color videocassette. After viewing a lesson video, the trainee can turn to the work sheet for that lesson found in the Student Guide for that course. Answers to the Student Guide work sheet questions are found in the Instructor's Guide. After completing a Student Guide test, a trainee can begin the CD-ROM test. If the instructor selected all models of control when registering the trainee, all test questions will be presented. If a specific model of control was selected, questions which are specific to other model controls will not be presented to the trainee.
The course material is organized in a logical progression. Trainees first acquire the skills of a machinery operator, then progress to become set up person, and finally a set up programmer.
Competency-based or Norm-Referenced Instruction: You may select how the course is delivered to your trainees. Norm-referenced instruction is the common classroom approach with which we are all familiar. The instructor presents the course material and requires students to complete a lesson to the best of their ability within a prescribed time. This fixed time approach results in students with variable competency. That is, some students will do well, others will do less well within the time allotted. However, even a student that achieves an "A" in the class may not have mastered all of the content of the course.
Competency-based instruction requires that a student achieve a predetermined level of performance before they can progress to the next lesson. This technique, therefore, produces a fixed level of competency while allowing a variable amount of time to reach that goal. This form of training has proven particularly effect when it comes to training machinery operators. For example, if one setup task on a machine tool requires 10 steps to be completed correctly, getting a 90% on the final exam means the trainee can't complete the job. Therefore, a score of 100% is a logical requirement. This variable-time approach means a self-paced technique works best.
MasterTask has set the standard in competency-based instruction for industrial training during the last 30 years. Because the operation and adjustment of a machine tool requires a high degree of accuracy, we would recommend you consider using the MasterTask competency-based approach. You will find that the course only covers knowledge and skills needed to perform the job. Therefore, learning less than all of the information can be the cause of unnecessary operator error. A complete explanation of the implementation process is found in the Instructor's Manual.
To Learn More: To learn more about any of these topics, click on FREE SAMPLES and order the sample video and CD-ROM.