Question which is the best ?

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10-09-2019, 12:53 PM
bb218

Question which is the best ?

I have a question which software is the best for CAD and CAM 2d and 3d mill and 2d Lathe. I currently have been using Bobcad and have been able to get most stuff done but I know in the future I am going to want to mill sculptured surfaces and do more Lathe work. I know all will have a learning curve but after I learn the software I want something that will work with few bugs.

Mike
10-09-2019, 05:50 PM
Jim Dawson

Re: Question which is the best ?

Fusion 360 would be my choice, full featured professional CAD/CAM software. Still free to hobbyists, startups, and students the last time I looked, but there is some confusion about the current changes to the terms of service. A good starting point is the Titans of CNC Academy, a free online training course. https://academy.titansofcnc.com/
10-10-2019, 04:09 AM
__Britt

Re: Question which is the best ?

Best? There is no such thing. Some applications excel in one area; and drop the ball in others. However, Fusion360 is a good place to start for general purpose CAD/CAM.
10-10-2019, 07:08 AM
peteeng

Re: Question which is the best ?

If your looking for open software with CAM try Freecad. Will always be free. But there is no Best. I use Rhino3D, Alibre, Mechsoft CAM and now learning Inventor. Depends on what your company uses, your clients use and what you need to get done. Peter
10-10-2019, 08:36 AM
routalot

Re: Question which is the best ?

I agree that Rhino is excellent for 3D and the dedicated CAM module helps in that you don't have to go through a translation process moving files from you chosen CAD system.Freecad is another great choice for lots of things and the price is unbeatable,hard to call it the best as there are still some rough edges and the pace of development is such that the documentation doesn't always keep up.It also needs a bit more work on 3D surfacing as they removed waterline machining pending some development work and it hasn't re-appeared yet.

Some of the Vectric products are good,but they are router focused,rather than milling applications and the company seems determined to use different descriptions to the rest of the business.At the top end you could buy Mastercam or Hypermill but they would likely cost more than your machines and unless you are running a business that needs such sophistication,they could be overkill.