Welcome aboard Leonard,

Another power user, joins us.

optimism

If you noticed, I changed my signature. The N in PACMEN now stands for needed. I'm toning things down a knotch.

 After attending my 1st COE, my attitude is a lot more optimistic, after seeing just how much progress in Manufacturing enhancements are in the works.

The software development, is like a duck on the pond. above water, it moves slowly, under water, the feet are paddling like crazy.

I hope your attitude is also changing after seeing progress. I am also guilty ranting from time to time "is anyone listening?" . I found out the answer is yes.

Webinar topics

And you COE members will get to see a lot of what is coming in the next PACMEN webinars, along with the things I discussed with DS at the conference.

If you have other ideas about Webinar topics, bring them on, as there will be more.

Call for more members

Join our enhancement group COE & PACMEN are getting things done.

Quality people, delivering quality ideas, properly vetted, thru a single source.

We don't care where you are. We are COE's largest RUG on the planet, LA, NY, WA, OK,KA, Montanna, Canada,  all the way to Australia

You will have access to all the PACMEN materials, along with all the COE benifits

Gentlemen,

As COE Manufacturing Division DPC Manager and cochairman of the NC DPC (with Jim Barkelew), I need to make it clearly understood the mission of the COE organization with regards to enhancements and the enhancement request
process.

COE has an established process in which to submit enhancement requests through the DPC (Development Planning Council). Contact Jim Barkelew or myself. For those of you have attended a COE conference you are aware of how the NC DPC is at the forefront of the enhancement process within the COE community. Keep reading...........

There is nothing preventing anyone from contacting DS directly concerning enhancement requests, but if this type of activity or related activity is conducted on the COE Forum or any other COE "vehicle" or event, it is expected that the DPC
chairs receive copies of all these enhancement requests to enter into the DS database. This database enables DS to track enhancement requests and to provide the DPC and themselves with metrics on the status of the requests. The DPC chairs also have developed tools to track all enhancement requests submitted.

The DPC applauds Dave Frank for generating enthusiasm and passion in the Manufacturing forum. COE does not mind having a PACMEN group, but we have to ensure that any type of activities such as Webinars, etc. are COE sanctioned
events open to ALL COE members. I have spoken to Patrick Touron of DS and the DPC (Jim and I) has scheduled calls with DS Development (early June) to set up these Webinars as Dave has mentioned. Dave and I are in agreement with this and as DPC chairs we will moderate the sessions. Also, we are seeking Webinar topics for the future. We encourage participation from not only aero, but automotive, consumer products, and any other types of manufacturing organizations.

Lastly and perhaps most important, COE has setup a Manufacturing Forum open to COE members only. The purpose of this forum is to allow more open discussion and dialogue of sensitive topics without the public visibility on the "open" forum. One of our goals in this forum is to encourage DS to participate in these discussions without the fear of the competition having any visibility. At this time I believe all PACMEN members (who are COE members) should have access to the forum.

Any COE member can join the forum by making a request to Jim Barkelew or myself, we will grant you access. It is a great reason to become a COE member.

So take a look, I'll be posting to it shortly.

COE DPC is doing a great job.

When you are in someone's house, you live by their rules.

I support the private area being for COE Members.

COE has many benifits, this is one of them

My name is Dave Frank and I approved this message.. Ha Ha 

Here is the link below to private MFG Forum

 http://www.coe.org/Collaboration/DiscussionForum/ActiveDiscussions/tabid/210/view/topics/forumid/44/Default.aspx

 We need to define things to post in the PACMEN thread, and things for the private MFG Forum

I see things for the PACMEN thread:

Tips and tricks

News about Webinar's

New Members to PACMEN announcing ......"IM IN"

things for the private MFG Forum

All described above, by Mark C.

I found a cool tip, so I Share

Here is the reply

I think the best way is to tweak the top text line of your Catia window frame:

Browse to your Catia installation folder, e.g.
...\Dassault Systemes\B17\intel_a\resources\msgcatalog\ and look for a file named "CATIA.CATNls". Open that with Wordpad and locate the parameter
 ApplicationFrame.Title        = "CATIA V5";

Add the version number, e.g. "CATIA V5 R17"; save the file and restart Catia. Works perfectly

Here is the link
http://www.coe.org/Collaboration/DiscussionForum/ActiveDiscussions/tabid/210/view/topic/forumid/6/postid/113203/Default.aspx

We went to R18 last week and I needed this tip when I was going back and forth checking differences between versions and couldn't remember which one I was in.

Thanks Dave,

Richard

To all,
What a great group of people we have here in this forum.
I am very happy to be apart of this and PACMAN. The future is looking great.
I love to learn more and more. I feel like a sponge, and Catia is water. I drink it up! (no not a milk shake, LoL)

I would like to thank COE, the people in charge of running it and it's volunteer's, the members at large.
I have gained so much knowledge about Catia that my job is now more informed and possible because of it.
If I need an answer I can search for it or ask about it and I usually get a response.
Anyone thinking of joining COE do not hesitate. Do it! Start now and be apart of something great.
Goto the link below and become an active COE member.

http://www.coe.org/Membership/tabid/199/Default.aspx

Participate.  -  Contribute.   -    Share.

Give and Receive  Knowledge.

Become a part of this Community and Family.

Once again Thanks.......

Philip Barna

I am planning a social get-together to discuss forming a Regional Users Group for southern California.

My Cenit Businesses  partner has agreed to sponsor the event.

This social get-together can be one of two things. Please state your preference. one or two.

1. A Lunch or dinner at some restaurant.

2. a Sunday barbeque and  pool party at my Santa Clarita valley home, (Castaic 91384)

I personally like the  Pool party idea, because I would have family members invited, and the event would be relaxed, last longer, probably from 2PM until the fireworks shoot off at Magic mountain.

I personally am in manufacturing, and a dozen MFG people I have contacted, have already expressed interest in this get-together

For those of you MFG people, I want you to know that I am posting in a few COE  forums to try to lure a few from the Part Design, VB, and programming people also. I think it would be great to discuss the issues created by Part Design people, and how things effect manufacturing. And Visa Versa.

For example,  I have a friend that designs in the Northrop group, that is always interested in machineability of some of the cosmic, monolithic design, with 18 inch deep pockets, and .125 wall radii.

This will be open to COE and non COE Catia users, anyone is invited.

Since Castaic may be geographically undesirable  to some, I am open to anyone else that wishes to host the get-together in the south bay, or northern Orange county. But I got a big place, and can easily host 100 people if that many show up.

I am thinking August, to give people time to plan and respond.

I hope to get 25-50 Catusers.

Hope to hear from you.

Dave

Oh I forgot to mention. I will have a working temporary seat of Catia on my Laptop, and I will do a Demo of the Delmia Machine Simulation, for anyone interested.

I might show off a few other things, also.

Anyone that want's to bring a file, for a show and tell, is welcome to contact me.

This Kickoff group is moving along very nicely. We have a bunch of NC programmers, some VB experts, and now... designer for major structural aircraft parts for a Prime Contractor... Also my IT manager, a long with a few Tool designers and NCprogrammers,  from my company, will be there

Come on in folks, the waters warm

Here is the link to the RUG thread

http://www.coe.org/Collaboration/DiscussionForum/ActiveDiscussions/tabid/210/forumid/2/postid/103323/view/topic/Default.aspx

Developments Catia RUG Kickoff meeting

1. We have about 20 people expressed interest so far in attending so far

 ( not all post "I'm in " on the forum)

2. We may have a substantial Dassault Systems presence at the RUG Kickoff meeting.

I had a visit from Dassault Systems Manager, of the  DS Competency Center. along with one of his consultants. We Discussed the PAC-MEN activities, ideas, and they also toured our facility. They expressed the desire to attend the RUG Kickoff, and demonstrate the new functionality of R19 presentation. then ... Hang around for open discussion with you PAC-MEN !!

They need to get approval as they must travel from Aix en Provence, France. But are confident. I will cross my fingers.

If they do come out from France, then I will move up the start to 10 or 11 am, so there will be more time to get some good Catia stuff going.

3. I want to lock in what the final date will be, (end Aug, early Sept)  in 2-3 weeks. I want to  give more people time to chime in, as attendance by DS will surly draw more people if it happens.

4. Krishna Chilukuri , of Delmia, with be there for sure The Ideas generated by you gentlemen, have obviously resonated. Thanks again for your participation.

5. Testing before releasing.

I inquired about how they test before releasing software. I used the point of the Tlaxis upside down on Video with thread milling. They describe the testing, i will not go into details here, but it is a lot more extensive than I expected. I guess it is not perfect, but they are trying.

6. After having another look at R19..... I can't wait to get my hands on it.

7. More frequent Webinar's for PAC-MEN 

I suggested that they do more frequent Webinar's, like the R19. preview last month, and advertise before on TV and the blimp , so more people get to see the good stuff coming..

8. I still have plenty of people I  have yet  to contact, and I expect a good turnout.

I would love to stay and chat but I have to program something.

I just came back from a business trip to New York. Nodelock says CAC+AME available. Can open a part and product but no CAT PROCESS AT ALL will open not a new one or an old one.

It will not restitute, so here I am with NO Catia on either computer working correctly, and 10+ jobs to quote by Monday.

Checked out license the EXACT same way as always, I have the newest license server patches, etc...worked fine with SP4- check license in and out with no problem. Now I'm back home and can't even check the license back- YES, I have the new patch and I have checked it back succesfully on SP4 before the expiration date.

For nodelock license users, you won't have these issues, but for a contract guy often programming on the road, this is not acceptable.  Parts and Products open, but no MFG. 

EDITED BECAUSE THEY GAVE ME AN EMERGENCY LICENSE. 

I made the mistake of commiting the SP.  I will be more careful in the future.

Bryan,
I have also seen this license problem in sp5 and I thought I needed to update my LUM software. I usually restart my laptop and it works fine. I agree with you that DS needs to deliver properly for MFG, NC machining.

DS needs to understand that no matter how good your part design is, it is not usefull at all unless it gets real shape after manufacturing. We, NC-programmers, are the key link in this chain and if they cant deliver to us then the parts get behind on schedule and then everybody knows what happens next.

When I stick my head in the gutter, this is what I hear:

1: sp5 has problems, so roll back

2: Sp5 install could be the source of the licensing problem. You could reconnect the laptop to the network and fire up R18 Sp5 again and see if it works.

If so, acquire the license again while connected to the network.  Then disconnect and fire up R18 Sp5 again if it solved the problem.

If not, try and rollback the service pack to Sp4 if you did not commit to Sp5 during the install.

If you committed to Sp5 during the install, then you can’t rollback and must uninstall R18 and reinstall R18 + Sp4.

Speaking of committed... what is the difference between committed and involved

answer: In a bacon and egg sandwich, the chicken was involved but the pig was committed