[sgrey3]

I'm brand new into CNC and looking to get the best cad/cam software that is good for 3 axis machine. Budget doesn't matter really. only thing that matters is that its good enough for 3 axis and is user friendly.

[difalkner]

I use Fusion (360) for about 95% of my work, Carveco for the remaining 5%.

Edit - I guess an important question is, what are you planning to cut on the CNC? Fusion is great for flat work and precise cutting whereas Carveco is better for plaques, signs, 3D/2.5D carving (or one of the Vectric line of products, they're basically the same).

[metalmayhem]

if budget isn't an issue then I'd recommend mastercam

[sgrey3]

ive heard a lot about master cam and solid works. What are they and are they the best?

[sgrey3]

not really sure consist on parts from all sorts of things. but the person buying the program wants to get the best stuff and wants me to learn on it.

[metalmayhem]

solidworks is a cad program . mastercam is cad/cam . Most shops around here and most areas run mastercam or gibbscam both are great softwares . I left out gibbscam because I prefer mastercam , it's a thing where guys like one over the other

As far as why they are the best :
If you don't already know what those 2 softwares are then I suggest you do some research . Your going to hear all sorts of suggestions of what others think is best and everything you hear might not be the right thing for you .

Your software choice should also also dependant on what type of machine your running . If your running a cheap wood router in your garage or a sign shop then you might do well with vectric software . If your working in the metal working industry then you'll want a software geared for it .

" Budget doesn't matter " always has a ceiling limit and you may be surprised how quickly that ceiling can be reached .

[sgrey3]

Ive looked at and seen cost and it doesn't matter as im not the one paying for it and they don't care. how everthing machine ill be running is a haas vm3

[metalmayhem]

look at mastercam and gibbs then , everything else will be a waste of time and energy . They'll send reps to your company to go over the softwares with you which will give you an informed decision on what to buy . They both offer inhouse training as well

[joeavaerage]

Hi,
I use Fusion Basic and Fusion Machining Extensions, and am very happy with them on the basis of cost and performance.

I had previously used Mastercam, and it is truly world class, maybe even world leading, but complex (long steep learning curve) and eyewateringly expensive, even three axis might cost you $10k-$15k plus
annual updates. Mastercam, and Giibscam come to that, are really aimed at the professional market.

Craig

[awerby]

Take a look at Rhinocam; it's a combination of Rhinoceros, which is a highly regarded CAD program with a large following, and VisualMill (akaVisualCADCAM) from Mecsoft. VisualMill plugs into the Rhino workspace, giving you an integrated solution that's fairly intuitive to use. For 3-axis work, the Standard edition will probably be sufficient, but if you need more machining features, you can upgrade to the Expert or Pro levels. We sell it at a discount to US-based customers: https://computersculpture.com/rhinocam/

[routalot]

I've used both Masterdam and Rhinocam and they are both good.I find the CAD side of Rhino suits my working methods better than Mastercam,but the CAM side of Mastercam has more features than Rhino,at least the basic version of Rhino.You will find the sellers of both helpful and they need to be asked if their product will have a post processor fo your machine,but being a Haas it probably will.Custom post processors can be an added expense.Ask about maintenance and support costs for both.My experience of Rhino is that it just goes on working.Mastercam is probably still the world's most widely used CAM software and this may make it easier to find people to use it.I suspect that Fusion is catching up but by the time you add in all the features you might need,it might not come at the headline price.

[joeavaerage]

Hi,

Mastercam is probably still the world's most widely used CAM software and this may make it easier to find people to use it.I suspect that Fusion is catching up but by the time you add in all the features you might need,it might not come at the headline price.

According to CNC Cookbook Fusion has the single biggest CAM user base with 25% and Mastercam second with 19%.

CAD is still dominated by Solidworks, then Autocad and then Fusion. Autodesk is making a decided effort to dominate in both CAD and CAM.

Perhaps CNC Cookbook is not the most scientific source, but he has done a survey which is the most comprehensive that I have seen.

I myself like Mastercam, but it just too pricey.

Fusion on the other hand is good, not necessarily the best, but good. That applies to both its CAD and CAM modules, but also has FEA simulation, Generative Design and Electronics modules with
schematic capture, SPICE simulation and PCB design tools. While many people dislike the subscription model, indeed I myself hated the idea to start with, but for about $66NZD/month or $800NZD/year
(Fusion Basic) I can have a solution that is just plain good, maybe not the best, but just plain damned good. I can afford it whereas I'd have to sell off my firstborn to get Mastercam!!!

In fact price verses performance I think Fusion blows Mastercam and all the rest into the weeds. I'm not suggesting that Fusion is better, but for the money spent it sure is good.

Craig

[metalmayhem]

According to CNC Cookbook Fusion has the single biggest CAM user base with 25% and Mastercam second with 19%.

I'm in the camp that those who can't do will teach or make blogs . Cnc cookbooks audience is hobby level at best so that needs to be taken into consideration . Of that 25% how many use it for the cad only , designing for 3d printing , hobby or small business , and how many signed up and downloaded it just because it is free . I'm one of those people who signed up and have it loaded on my computer but don't and won't use it

Autodesk's expertise is cad . They took another companies cam plugin and scabbed it into their own softwares , at which they eventually bought that company out . Companies like mastercam gibbscam surfcam smartcam ..................etc all specialize in cam first and foremost . They have been around for a long time and continue to develop theirs softwares to be even better .
Anyone buying those softwares are buying specifically for the cam functionality and not to design a trinket to 3d print . Autodesk bought and more or less killed the delcam products except they are carrying on with powermill for the time being . Cam simply isn't their specialty .

The local gibbscam and mastercam dealers have inhouse training and their support is pretty good . Fusion has an online support community , most of which never worked in a serious machine shop . Time is money and one phone call should resolve an issue versus hoping someone in the online community can post an answer in a timely manner if at all.
At the end of the day it makes no difference to me what someone else uses . I use what I use because I like the feel and it fit into the budget at the time , but , when budget isn't an issue then why not get the best tool for the job

[joeavaerage]

Hi,
He has taken the effort to conduct a survey....have you? On the basis that you are a CNC machinist you can ignore everyone else?

How long has Autodesk's HSM Works been on the market? Ten years....more?

Craig

[metalmayhem]

Hi,
He has taken the effort to conduct a survey....have you? On the basis that you are a CNC machinist you can ignore everyone else?

How long has Autodesk's HSM Works been on the market? Ten years....more?

Craig

I don't ignore everyone else and it was foolish to suggest I do based on one opinion . I know that you have some inset need to be always right , and remind me of someone else who hasn't posted for a while . I don't , I voice my opinion and move on because at the end of the day it's someone else's decision to make which has no impact on my life and I really don't care . Also , no I haven't done a survey , why? because I don't follow the pack , I don't care , and I have nothing to sell that a survey would be of benefit

where did he get his survey info from . Did he acquire factual financial reports from each and every company to suit his findings ? Or did he acquire it through his user base or additional communities ? My questioning that survey and the results are legit . There are going to be a lot of people who have downloaded that software who don't use it and will fall within "user" statistics .
HMS works has been around for quite a lot of years and that company never gained the industrial respect it needed to be in the same caliber as other dedicated cam softwares that are in the market , let alone survive (clearly) . I'm interested to see how long autodesk keeps it or how long it will be before they mess it up . If they were masters at cam software they'd never have needed someone else's plugin
I've worked in plenty of shops that had inventor , guess what cam they used

[joeavaerage]

Hi,

where did he get his survey info from . Did he acquire factual financial reports from each and every company to suit his findings ? Or did he acquire it through his user base or additional communities ? My questioning that survey and the results are legit

I agree 100%. It is right to question the survey, and/or the motivation, but I assume because you disparaged that particular guys effort that you had some better information. Do you?

https://www.cnccookbook.com/cnccookb...-the-best-cam/

Craig

[metalmayhem]

Hi,



because you disparaged that particular guys effort that you had some better information. Do you?

Craig

just my opinion thats all , and whether anyone agrees or disagrees it makes no difference to me . Maybe for giggles I'll do a social experiment and create a bs survey and see if it eventually becomes gospel , seems the way it goes these days

[metalmayhem]

btw for the op
Mastercam offers an educational download of the software , it just doesn't post the g code . It'll give you enough to determine if you like the feel of it

[routalot]

In pre Fusion days it was estimated that there were more pirate copies of Mastercam in use than legal versions of other software.Add in the legitimate versions and there was a vast user base,but it came at a cost and Fusion is less expensive.The cost creeps up as you add features,so it pays to know exactly what you need and are willing to pay for when you make comparisons.I suggest making some enquiries about the cost of the features you need and comparing perhaps Mastercam,Fusion,Hypermill Gibbs ans RhinoCam.It helps to have tech support in the same time zone and a few days with an evaluation version can be informative.Once you learn one,you will inevitably find others hard to adjust to,even though they all do the same things,they use slightly different terms and have the access to different features in places you might not expect.Its also worth considering that local preferences can make a difference as a dynamic local sales guy can sell a number of seats in his territory and that gives a bigger pool of operators when you need to recruit.

[joeavaerage]

Hi,

The cost creeps up as you add features,so it pays to know exactly what you need and are willing to pay for when you make comparisons.I suggest making some enquiries about the cost of the features you need

Very true. The problem with Mastercam, and in fact some of the other top tier brands is they don't advertise or even publish the price.

When I was getting serious about buying CAD/CAM I tried Mastercam and I found to get a price I had to talk direct to the New Zealand sales agent. Even back then, about 11 years ago just the basic three axis mill
modules were going to cost $11,000 NZD plus local tax (15%), and annual fees of another $2,000NZD. Full five axis adds another $11,000NZD. It seems the price depends on who and where you are, and that
makes it a distinct challenge trying to evaluate different products.

Once you learn one,you will inevitably find others hard to adjust to,even though they all do the same things,they use slightly different terms and have the access to different features in places you might not expect.

That is also very true. I had used Mastercam on and off for about three years, but still could really only say I'd scratched the surface. When I tried Fusion, as a more affordable option, I found I hated it. It seemed just
so different to what I'd become accustomed to. After using Fusion for several years, I have become as fluent, in fact more so, than I was with Mastercam. So it is of course possible to change software brands,
but can be hugely frustrating.

It is well worth your while to investigate all the potential competitors and make a good and rational choice early on. Once you've invested hundreds of hours learning a particular software you'll be
very disinclined to learn another.

Craig