Cam Software Recommendations

[Guest mrehnelt]

Would anyone have a reliable easy to use CAM software they are having a good experience with that they would be willing to recommend. Also need the file transfer to be seamless with IC. Milling drilling and turning small to 14 foot diameter parts. Thanks.

 

-Mike

[mmccall]

try this

 

http://www.mecsoft.com/Mec/

 

used this stuff for some time now.. easy to use and learn..

 

they don't run inside IC.. but they can run internal to Rhino.. or just get the Rhino versions.. they are the same.. same company, same program.. just runs internal to rhino.. so you don't have to export any of the files.. you can run your paths and just do your post from there..

 

[Guest EricFoy]

I'm a happy RhinoCAM user too. Tell 'em we recommended them. They're pretty friendly in support, and have always been very responsive to my needs.

 

-Eric

[tlehnhaeuser]

This is what I cut/past out of V10 News.

 

CAM (Dolphin CadCam's PartMaster) - Dolphin CadCam Systems Ltd (established in 1995) is a recognized world leader in the creation, distribution and direct supply of CadCam software. We specialize in CAM for the CNC machining market, offering a depth of both practical and technical expertise second to none in the CadCam software market. We currently supply our software to a range of sectors including: Manufacturing, Engineering, Pharmaceutical, Education and Oil. Within each of these major sectors we also supply to a variety of ancillary services; no company is too large or too small to benefit from our CadCam software solutions. Dolphin CadCam Systems Ltd’s Administration, Training and Technical Support Centre is situated in Kilmarnock, Scotland.

 

The PartMaster suite includes 2D drafting, 2.1/2D Milling (with rotary A or B axis), 2D Drilling, Laser and Plasma cutting, 2+2 axis turning, 2 and 4 axis Wire EDM and Involute gear design modules. The Dolphin Export add-in tool for IronCAD allows IronCAD users to export model geometry to PartMaster's machining modules for milling, turning and wire EDM. Dolphin CadCam have a long association with the extrusion die industry and many die manufacturers use PartMaster for all aspects of extrusion die manufacture. OEM versions of the PartMaster suite have been produced for specialist machine tool builders within the sign making industry.

 

[mmccall]

I have also used Gibbs Cam, Surf Cam and Master Cam..

 

The mecsoft tools are easier in my opinion.. but like anything else.. with time and effort.. any of them should do you just fine..

 

but then there is also cost.. and some programs can get really expensive..

 

look through the tools you think you really need.. and then expand later as you need.. almost all of the programs allow add-ons... so as your needs grow.. you can build your program strength..

 

in the end.. once you understand one.. you can almost work with any of them..

 

In IC .. just remember.. that if you make a set of 3D curves to use as your tool path.. be sure to assemble them.. that way you can export them out to your program if needed.. and select "curves" option when doing iges..

 

The 3D curve tools in IC and Rhino make setting up paths really easy..

[Guest mrehnelt]

Thanks for the responses. We are more of a low volume custom heavy equipment manufacturer, do most of the production CAM packages have any customizable features, like customizable router plunge location, or do most dictate all these parameters and you can't change. We don't have much need for the materials optimization, part nesting, etc end of some of these packages either. I am wondering if some of the more specialized toolmaker packages might be better suited to our operation, IC's partner Camtek has histoically been more in the toolmaking market. The danger in those packages might be a loss in the ease of use.

 

-Mike

[IronKevin]

SurfCAM does support drill points that you can use to plunge any tool, anywhere, anytime.