Cost effective or not, the best CAM software out there that covers everything?
Cost effective or not, the best CAM software out there that covers everything?
THERE IS NO SUCH THING
Arguebly? Any single CAM title that anyone can think of...
What is your real question here?
Bob Warfield does a CAM questionnaire that may address your question: Results from the 2012 CNCCookbook CAM Software Market Share Survey - CNCCookbook CNC Blog CNCCookbook CNC Blog
all the CAM software out there are different, they all have their pros are cons. So this question will really only be answered by everyone's opinion and opinion alone based on their personnel experience because it's impossibly to really say which one is best unless you have years of experience in every single one. Now popularity wise we all know mastercam is right there on top alongside bobcad-cam. i have over 10 years of experience with mastercam as well as teaching it and would def. recommend it, but i'm also a solidcam user (best integration with solidworks that's out there) and i love using that most. very easy to use and straight forward. Mastercam by far has many more options and features that will allow you to machine nearly anything. other software you might get stuck here and there if you're trying to machine a complex part ...4-5 axis. Most of the questions i see anywhere are multi-axis related. hope this helps.
A bit curious myself. Wasn't impressed with MasterCam when I saw it at IMTS. Although I am not interested in the speed of cutting a particular part but the speed of programming. I was looking at those that could handle automatic process determination. I'm also not infatuated with combining the CAM into the same CAD program because every new release required a new release of the CAM software. So I look at the variables from that standpoint. MasterCAM may let you create more efficient production runs for all I know. So it seemed to be between DelCAM products or Esprit. DelCAM salesmen seemed a little more comfortable using their software. ESprit seemed to have more robust collision detection that didn't require visual inspection of the 3D model. Esprit also seems to have built tight relationships with the various major CNC companies. But that's all I have observed.
Well maybe I'm a little interested in CAM integrated into the CAD package if the company is the same. Being an Autodesk fan, this HSMworks looks interesting too.
Bill,
I'm currently a mastercam, solidcam and solidworks instructor. I have experience with about 8 of the top cam systems and i have to say solidCAM is my current favorite to use with solidworks, a very well done integration of solidcam and solidworks where any updates done to the part are updated next time you open it in solidcam as well. Love the program and how much time it saves me. I'm currently using mastercam at my job because it's the software package they have but I'm a Solidcam instructor now and love teaching it. If you're interested to see a bit more about it, i have few demos on youtube or you can check out my website VTPROS - HOME for solidcam videos to get a better feel of it. They also offer 30 day trial as well on their website
Moussa
I did try their InventorCAM but didn't find it as intuitive as FeatureCAM. I'm not wanting to switch CAD systems as I've got everything tweaked and customized how I want it on that end. But I'll be going to IMTS next year and will look at everything again.
Personally I am a big fan of GibbsCam. Been using it since their inception back in the 80's on Mac computers (was called gibbs system back then).Quote:
Originally Posted by Maluseth
http://www.webmachinist.net
As previously noted - opinions are many.
In my opinion NCL from NCCS is the ultimate CAM system. NCL will cut anything in any way you want. NCL is expensive. NCL has a long learning curve.
I'm not a big fan of their inventorcam either, but their solidcam/solidworks package is amazing, very easy to program and very fast as well. At least with my experienceQuote:
Originally Posted by Bill3D
moussa sleiman
vtpros.net
Hello everyone,
This is the real true answer.
Press Releases - News & Events - CIMdata - Global Leader in PLM Consulting
Attachment 208398
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correct maluseth
Maybe it's not coming to top of my head now but i didn't know dassault systemes made any CAM software. what do they use?
Quote:
Originally Posted by honky_mec
Hi there,
Dassault Systemes had made the 1st CAM system integrated with Catia since the end of 70s (1975-1979) and continued their improvement untill 2005 it became incomparable and up till now is the world leader.
Please find the video below to discover the latest version of DS CAM, Delmia V6 Machining.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYX-Xwt42ZU
Best Regards,
Hosni
Hi,
SolidCAM is the creator of InventorCAM.
InventorCAM CAM Software - Leaders in integrated CAM for Inventor - InventorCAM CAM software
Best Regards,
Hosni
NCL!! Now that was programming!!!! I haven't used it for several years or even kept up with its progress, But you are right you could do anything with it. What is a seat of it going for these days? Just curious I know I can't afford it.Quote:
Originally Posted by stustev
That pie chart is pretty useless. If the category "Other" is the largest piece of the pie, than wouldn't a little more effort and research so as to define the "other" slice be more informative? Maybe "other" is one or two titles that the less than unbiased authors of the pie chart didn't want to disclose? Probably not the case, but you see what I mean? Seems to me that a miscellaneous "other" slice of the pie should be the smallest piece.
It also appears that it's based on revenue, not end users of CAM programming software. It also doesn't really elaborate on which products are included in those revenue figures. I suspect a great deal of the revenue is unrelated to the topic at hand.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan B
The "others" portion of the pie chart has not less than 15 CAM software brands...:)Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan B
Hosni