[Ksoggs]

I am a 3d modeler... i went to school for programs like MAYA, 3d studio max, solidworks...

And that is what got me into cnc machining... i thought it would be sooo neat to be able to actually make some of the things i modeled on the computer...

Well i have tried a few free or demo cam programs, and they are all far from anything i would consider 3d. i guess that is what they call 2.5d you draw something in 2axis, and just say how deep you want it, and that is supposed to be 3d?

It just seems a huge waste to try and relearn and redraw everything in 2d... when everything i want to do is already in glorious 3d.

Is there any cam program out there that can import and work with 3d files?
i wouldnt even mind if i had to re-draw them, if i could re-draw them in a 3d cam program. im a 3D kind of guy... this 2.5d stuff is like walking 10 miles to work when you have a brand new car sitting in your driveway.


So is there a free or hobby priced true 3d cam program out there?
I have a bridgeport vertical mill with cnc retrofit. running mach3. the only thing i am missing is a good cam package.

if any of you have ben to emachineshop.com... they have a super cool free download 3d program to design your parts... problem is that you can only use it to make parts and send it to them to have them machine it. A program like theirs would be exactly what i would love to have. Just want to be able to use it with my own machine.

if free/cheap 3d doesnt exist... what is the best 3d cam software for the price? and how much am i going to need to save up for something i wont regret buying?

[ger21]

There are two types of 3D programs.

Inexpensive ones that work with .stl files and other polygonal models.

And much more expensive ones that can load native solidworks (and similar) models and actually extract features from them.

For an inexpensive one, I use MeshCAM. MeshCAM - CNC Machining Software
Some others are
Cut 3D - Quick Easy CNC Machining
DeskProto offers rapid prototyping using an affordable cnc milling machine: DeskProto is 3D cam software for model making.

[BobWarfield]

Several out there like Meshcam as ger21 mentions.

I'm sure some probably have demos so you can play with them too.

One thing, though Ksoggs. Most people before they start learning CAM come to it with the idea that they want to hand it a 3D model, push a button, and get g-code back. They quickly discover they mostly don't work that way, or at least not in the completely general case.

These CAM programs need a little more handholding than that. You have to break down your 3D goal into a series of operations the CAM knows how to deal with. Sometimes it is (nearly) as simple as pushing a button, meaning you're going to profile some surface and that's about it. But, more often you have to know a lot more.

The point is, don't let that discourage you. You probably remember how hard it was to get started creating 3D models. That feels very unnatural to a lot of people too. But you stuck with it and now it's probably second nature.

The same sort of learning curve has to be followed for CAM.

Cheers,

BW

[AussieMatt]

I am in same position as Ksoggs, interested to know what you went with, or trialed?
I built my machine with EdgeCAM, would buy it if it was under $4K AUD but its not.

Trialed countless others and not happy with them vs the $11K software (of course hard to match), but its just that they don't let me cut the parts how I want them cut (don't care about speed) just interested in making nice looking parts (3D contouring).
Tried this famous GibbsCAM, I cant work it out at all even with the crappy tutorials.
Tried ArtCAM but it doesn't come close to what I need when cutting engineered holes, it is after all an ART based software, also the trial didn't let me trial my own parts which is what I need to see how they import and work on the machine.
Other trials where a pain to use, and I either didn't get to use my own parts, or couldn't get to the stage of building G-code for Mach3.
Started VisualMill which was promising (although scales where out) will revisit soon.

[awerby]

It sounds like you're looking for DeskProto. It's a true 3d program, not a 2.5d program. We sell it to hobbyists at a fraction of the price that commercial customers pay; the program's the same; the only requirement is that it not be used for commercial purposes. I'd suggest you try the 30-day demo, which is fully functional. You can download it from www.deskproto.com . That will let you know if it's really what you're looking for, and will run well on your machine. (use the Mach3 machine definition for yours, and edit it to reflect the parameters of your Bridgeport.)

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

[jeffmcf]

Maybe I'm not understanding the question, but it sounds like you're looking for the program at the CAD 3D modeling end of the process, not the CAM toolpath end. I've been messing with a trial of Alibre, true 3D, "personal edition" $199.00 US plus another $99.00 if you want a "subscription" that buys you some training. I've also been messing with a program called 123D, free from the good folks at Autodesk who have lots of ~$5K products.
I'm such a rank beginner at all of this I don't know how to evaluate them for you but you might want to Google for them. Free downloads, and one of them a free program - whattya got to lose?

Jeff
Vietnam vet - Patriot Guard rider
sent from my Android phone

[Khalid]

Mecsoft VisualMill.

[victorofga]

if modification need on your 3d model... then visualmill or bobcad ...


i cant comment on meshcam or deskproto.. i did not try them..

visualmill and bobcad the lowest price... and both program can manipulate your model if necessary..
bobcad has the express version, also visualmill has a standard version..

the simplest to try these programs try to draw a single line from 0,0,0 to 1,1,1..

if you cant draw it, then that will not make you real 3d..

[victorofga]

i just checked some videos on youtube... about deskproto..
thats also handling well 3d models.. but i think its expressively cam program..

this time i using silo3d and 3dcoat for modeling.. i couldnt afford maya or 3dsmax..

for 150 euro deskproto the cheapest.. however visualmill and bobcad lets you modify your solid or meshmodel..

for visualmill you can buy rhino and its plugin clayoo.. thats already a good combo..

[awerby]

The original poster in this thread was looking for a CAM program, which includes DeskProto and VisualMill. But if you want to modify a model, that's a different issue. The program to choose depends on what type of model you've got. It's usually best to modify a model using the program that originally made it. A mesh is often generated as a final step in the modeling process, and the program may not be able to modify it much. You're usually better off going back to the original file in its native format and making changes there, then regenerating the mesh.

If that's not possible, then try a mesh modification program like MeshLab: http://meshlab.sourceforge.net/

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com