Interested in the field of CNC

[bhoneill]

Ok guys, I've recently become interested in CNC and machining of all types. I was wondering, is it a good idea to go to a technical school to pursue this field? What does the job market look like for someone working in the CNC field? Any pertinent information I should know about this field would be greatly appreciated, Thanks guys!

[Petro]

So you want to get in this field. Are you sure? Just kidding. Its a great field if you want to constantly learn thats for sure. Whether its maintenance or machining you constantly have to use your noggin. Tech schools are good to get the basics down for machining and setup. I did not go for machining but had some of the basics.

Maintenance program which I went through was not the best. To many basic mechanical principles. For maintenance I would take the electrical classes and any PLC classes they offer. The mechanical is going to be mostly hands on. This will give you the tools to understand what the machine is doing and allow you to troubleshoot if necessary.

Plenty of jobs in maintenance for average to good technicians. Couldn't tell you for machining though I know it seems like companies are always looking for good programmers.

[bhoneill]

Originally Posted by Petro

So you want to get in this field. Are you sure? Just kidding. Its a great field if you want to constantly learn thats for sure. Whether its maintenance or machining you constantly have to use your noggin. Tech schools are good to get the basics down for machining and setup. I did not go for machining but had some of the basics.

Maintenance program which I went through was not the best. To many basic mechanical principles. For maintenance I would take the electrical classes and any PLC classes they offer. The mechanical is going to be mostly hands on. This will give you the tools to understand what the machine is doing and allow you to troubleshoot if necessary.

Plenty of jobs in maintenance for average to good technicians. Couldn't tell you for machining though I know it seems like companies are always looking for good programmers.

Thanks for the response! I do have a background in computer programming as I was a computer science major before I switched to economics. Are there technical schools that offer strictly programming courses?

[MMMMM]

If you have a programming background, (like I did) you might want to explore the world of Controls Engineering or Manufacturing Engineering... OR, reconsider your previous path.

There is a growing demand for software developers to design better information systems and data collection interfaces to align with the growing demand for more efficient manufacturing principals. (i.e., Lean, Six-Sigma, World Class Manufacturing, ... etc. )

The "CNC World" has always lagged behind the "PC World" (typically 5-10 years) however, the need to have this interface has not.
Ask any manager if they'd like to have production information available on their desktop - let alone on their phone.

You might be better off asking the question, where do my talents and my expertise fit beter in CNC machining - then conforming to what's available.

[Heinz Putz]

If you are really good at CNC lathe and mill prgramming, setup, cutting efficiency, also a good half dozen other skills, its a great job and you can make good money, almost anywhere in this country or the world.
Learning from schools is not that good, anyone I know that has a good job in CNC, learned it by doing hands-on work, first as an operator, then learn programming, setup, etc.
Its also real common to start a small shop once you are pretty good.
I should be retired, but I love to help shop guys get really good at CNC, by free phone help or by them learning from my CNC DVDs.
How much you make depends on you, the more you know, the more you make. Learn what you can from the examples on my website.
Good luck: Heinz at www.doccnc.com

[Strat]

I'm an instructor at a local college. The biggest problem I have with my students is they believe they can sit down at a pc and start writing programs. Before you put on your rose colored glasses be sure you have a good understanding of machining practices, tooling, fixtures, and an understanding in general of CNC machines. Knowing how to use a CAD/CAM program doesn't make you a programmer. CAD/CAM is nothing more than a tool. Just like solidworks is a tool for engineers. There is a major shortage of CNC machinists (not operators) and it's only going to get worse before it gets better.

A quality field service tech needs to know pneumatic systems, hydraulic systems, electronics, ladder logic, mechanics, cnc programming, theory surrounding fixtures, and tooling. These are all needed in troubleshooting a cnc machine. It's not ALWAYS the machine's fault.

[cncman22]

go for it! its a great field and lots of fun!