[FRC Blog] 2017 Early Release Vouchers and Software

[otherguy]

I reported the American Button Machines issue on the Blog. Looks like the code works now. Looks like the software is web based, haven't used it yet.

Sent from my 6045I using Tapatalk

[wireties]

Originally Posted by frcguy

Nope. Got a confirmation email that I applied but that's it.

same here ...

[billbo911]

I just received the Armabot RS7 Encoder for the 775 Pro from the provided voucher. Let me just say WOW!!
This appears to be an incredible simple way to add feedback to practically any device that is driven by a 775 Pro.
With 12 PPR, non contact magnet encoding. We may be buying more of these Bad Boys!

[yarden.saa]

For many years my team doesn't use the PDV's in the KoP because we are from Israel and shipping cost more than the PDV's...

Is it legal to give it to another team?

[IndySam]

Originally Posted by yarden.saa

For many years my team doesn't use the PDV's in the KoP because we are from Israel and shipping cost more than the PDV's...

Is it legal to give it to another team?

Yes I have traded things with other teams in the past.

I would also think that if you call companies like Inventables they would do a group shipment and save you money.

[marshall]

Originally Posted by billbo911

I just received the Armabot RS7 Encoder for the 775 Pro from the provided voucher. Let me just say WOW!!
This appears to be an incredible simple way to add feedback to practically any device that is driven by a 775 Pro.
With 12 PPR, non contact magnet encoding. We may be buying more of these Bad Boys!

We used them last year. Can confirm. Definitely amazing. 10/10 would sense rotations with again.

[sanddrag]

Just received the MasterCAM download and account info. It's a 180 day license, and I'm speculating it's only one license. While I appreciate the generosity and I'll probably take the opportunity to learn MasterCAM just for the sake of learning it, I think we'll be sticking with Autodesk CAM. Autodesk has been a huge supporter of education, inside FIRST for at least the last 15 years, and for all education for at least the last two years, with full 3-year licenses of almost all their software titles being available free to schools and to students at home.

[mman1506]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Just received the MasterCAM download and account info. It's a 180 day license, and I'm speculating it's only one license. While I appreciate the generosity and I'll probably take the opportunity to learn MasterCAM just for the sake of learning it, I think we'll be sticking with Autodesk CAM. Autodesk has been a huge supporter of education, inside FIRST for at least the last 15 years, and for all education for at least the last two years, with full 3-year licenses of almost all their software titles being available free to schools and to students at home.

Same deal here, it also doesn't include any posts and just says to contact your reseller. So far Mastercam has been slow to respond to my emails about it. The support people I'm talking too don't seem to have any idea of their own sponsorship program.

[sanddrag]

Originally Posted by mman1506

Same deal here, it also doesn't include any posts and just says to contact your reseller. So far Mastercam has been slow to respond to my emails about it. The support people I'm talking too don't seem to have any idea of their own sponsorship program.

Wow, no posts!? What kind of sponsorship is this? This just makes me love Autodesk even more.

[Cory]

Originally Posted by mman1506

Same deal here, it also doesn't include any posts and just says to contact your reseller. So far Mastercam has been slow to respond to my emails about it. The support people I'm talking too don't seem to have any idea of their own sponsorship program.

Not even the default posts? MasterCAM normally it comes with a generic 3 axis/4 axis/Haas/Fadal post.

[mman1506]

Originally Posted by Cory

Not even the default posts? MasterCAM normally it comes with a generic 3 axis/4 axis/Haas/Fadal post.

It does but I'm not really in the mood to write and troubleshoot my own for our CNC machines. Fusion/HSM comes with tons by default for free and they provide support for them if you have issues. I can't see why they wouldn't just post them online.

[Cory]

Originally Posted by mman1506

It does but I'm not really in the mood to write and troubleshoot my own for our CNC machines. Fusion/HSM comes with tons by default for free and they provide support for them if you have issues. I can't see why they wouldn't just post them online.

Posts are expensive to develop. I wouldn't expect them to give everyone every post they've developed for free. If It comes with a Haas and Fanuc post by default you've covered 90% of machines out there, with a little tweaking. It sounds like if you have something else they can help you out once they figure out the process.

[mman1506]

Originally Posted by Cory

Posts are expensive to develop. I wouldn't expect them to give everyone every post they've developed for free. If It comes with a Haas and Fanuc post by default you've covered 90% of machines out there, with a little tweaking. It sounds like if you have something else they can help you out once they figure out the process.

I'd understand if they omitted posts for crazy multi axis CNC machines with pallet changers and advanced tool inspection or outdated proprietary systems but straightforward 3 axis posts for Mach3 and Centroid really don't seem like too much to ask for. HSMworks was providing them before the Autodesk acquisition to both free and paid users. Do they really expect people in industry to pay 5000$+ for this experience?

Maybe I'm just spoiled by the "everything should be free" internet generation but these high communication, behind the curtain sales methods just bug me. Sure tweaking one to work wouldn't take long but should I really have to?

[Munchskull]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Just received the MasterCAM download and account info. It's a 180 day license, and I'm speculating it's only one license. While I appreciate the generosity and I'll probably take the opportunity to learn MasterCAM just for the sake of learning it, I think we'll be sticking with Autodesk CAM. Autodesk has been a huge supporter of education, inside FIRST for at least the last 15 years, and for all education for at least the last two years, with full 3-year licenses of almost all their software titles being available free to schools and to students at home.

Not to mention that HSM CAM from Autodesk uses Javascript for writing theiron posts. Let me adapt a post to do every thing I needed with little programing exprince (aside from very basic code literacy).