Starting FeatureCAM for the first time

1. From the Start menu, select All Programs > Autodesk > FeatureCAM.

   You can also start the program by double-clicking the FeatureCAM icon on your desktop.

   The first time you start FeatureCAM, it runs a program to create the tools and materials database.

2. Click OK to begin the configuration. This displays the Tool and Material Setup dialog.
3. To create a local database, select On my local computer.

   If you want multiple computers to share the same tool and material information:

   1. Select On another computer that I will access over a network.
   2. Click the Browse button, and use the Database Location dialog to select the folder where the database is located.
   Tip: See Tool and Material Setup for more information about setting up a network database.
4. Click Next.
5. Choose whether to load inch or metric tools.
6. Click Next.
7. If you chose to load both tool types, you are asked which tool type you use more often. Select Inch or Metric, and click Next.
8. Click Finish to initialize the database.

Note: The tools database specifies the set of tools used by FeatureCAM to perform manufacturing operations. For best results, use Features & Manufacturing tab > Tools panel > Tool Manager to customize the database to reflect the tools in your shop.