[nateman_doo]

I don't know crap about CAM. It takes me days to use my CAD program to get all the coordinate points and plot tool paths with paper & pencil and finishing passes.

I have mastercam X4 here at work and have NOOOOO idea how to use it. I have Mach3 at home, and the CAD program I use is PTC ProEngineer Wildfire 5.0. I need a simple CAM program that I don't need a PhD to figure out.

[WOTDesigns]

what if you could get a phd for $25 and a few nights of time? not using mastercam because its complex is like paying to trade a new BMW for a Ford Focus because you don't know how to drive stick

I've been using Mastercam for Solidworks for the last few months and was only able to figure it out by paying $25 for eapprentice. it took two nights to go through the videos for MC4SW and start cutting. I used two screens and followed along as they did stuff. easy.

NOW my client hired a designer that uses the HASP key so I lost it. After trying to go back to CamBam (great for the price) I just can't do it. I'm negotiating a deal with a local shop to "rent" X5 and its like the screen is written in Japanese... SO I just signed back up for eapprentice and did chapter one for X5 last night. Alas! I understand the screens and can draw parts... though it feels like I'm doing it left handed with a hammer and chisel in the moonlight compared to Solidworks :-/

the point is that by the end of next week I will have done all of the videos and understand enough to get through and learn more as I go. Amazing how many more features there are in the stand alone than there are in the plug in too.

of course the fact that every part I make is already CAM'd for MC did influence my decision... but its a great software package and you have access for free. I'm paying time to have access, but im likely to get more referral work from them so it will be a pretty fair deal.

a buddy from my solidworks class used another online program for mastercam that had a certificate program or something. I'll call and find out what it was. I think it was $275 for a year and when I looked at the videos I noticed they were 7-10 min each where the eapprentice are 2-5 mins. I haven't watched any to give an accurate comparison on info or presentation. for $25 for a month I'll learn the basics, then refer to the 1500 pages of manuals and the mastercam section here for more. the mastercam section on this site has some VERY helpful people that will actually take the time to make a VIDEO to answer questions if thats what it takes.

just my thoughts... worth what you paid for them.

[mfgbydesign]

If you figured out ProE you can figure out MCX. Just forget everything you know about ProE.
Start Mastercam with a simple contouring job in mind.
Learn to draw a 2D profile or some text to engrave.
Create a box around it to represent your stock.
Create a Work Coordinate System at the corner of the stock.
(I've used MC but it's been awhile & don't have it in fornt of me)
Set up a machine definition like your mill at home. Don't get carried away, just get it close.
Go to the operations manager and define stock as your model shows.
Create an NC 2 axis contour operation, select a tool, select the geometry, play with the parameters, and generate it. An engraving works good for a first time.
Go back to the Operations Manager and Verify. Get the stock to match your model. Check the "stop on (everything)" boxes. Run it. Crash it. Try again. Get it to run through and look good? Try Post Processing.

[nateman_doo]

I didn't figure out Pro-E. If I did I would be a genius.

I like the idea of the $25.00. Can you send me the details?

[WOTDesigns]

MasterCam | MasterCam Tutorial Training | SolidWorks Tutorial | SolidWorks | Cad Cam

I signed up for the $25 monthly pass, then when I learn everything I'll cancel... then when I realize I forgot half of it I can sign back up. its a nasty cycle.

TAKE LOTS OF NOTES. seriously- if I had a dollar for every time I have not remembered how to do some thing that was too "obvious" or "simple" to need to be written down they would be paying me to learn the software. little things like (F9 to toggle axis off) will bug the crap out of you to not remember and not want to watch videos guessing which one it was in.

You will have access to the whole site which includes Solidworks. not nearly as much info as MC, but I learned enough that I got 100% in a SW class at the local college with out opening the book. more over... there were several little tricks I taught the professor that I learned there. little things, but very useful. its funny... there are 100 different ways to complete the same task, but I like the ones that take the least key strokes and require no math. I read the sw section here and have to stop myself from replying to old threads where someone is doing math to solve a problem that only requires a different technique that may be faster and easier and utilize more useful design intent.

[jeremy0203]

i have cambam and solidcam. noooo idea on how to work with solidcam. but 15 mins into messing with cambam it is SUPER easy to figure out stuff and i will definitely be using it for whatever jobs i can

[Hans_G]

Take a look at CamBam. It also requires going through some tutorials to get the general idea and learn the jargon. You can download the latest version and you get 40 trials free before you need to buy it, and then it's $140. Regarding the 40 trials... you can make them last by not shutting the program down until you need to restart your PC.

[WOTDesigns]

Take a look at CamBam. It also requires going through some tutorials to get the general idea and learn the jargon. You can download the latest version and you get 40 trials free before you need to buy it, and then it's $140. Regarding the 40 trials... you can make them last by not shutting the program down until you need to restart your PC.

lol. I only got through 6 off my 40 free trials in two months of using it every day. all 6 restarts were thanks to network laptop issues that required a restart.

cambam also has a site hosted by the maker who can answer ANY ? and is updating it pretty rapidly. the cad side is similar to mc for creating shapes, just more labor intensive, but thats what makes it so easy to learn.

[bozidar22]

I use delta cad and sheet cam. good for most 2.5d work . delta cad is $45.00 and sheet cam is $175.00. sheet cam is full featured and will post 120 lines of G-code with the demo.

[Bob Adams]

I don't know crap about CAM. It takes me days to use my CAD program to get all the coordinate points and plot tool paths with paper & pencil and finishing passes.

I have mastercam X4 here at work and have NOOOOO idea how to use it. I have Mach3 at home, and the CAD program I use is PTC ProEngineer Wildfire 5.0. I need a simple CAM program that I don't need a PhD to figure out.

Take a look at: CNC Programming Software Tools

[Bubba]

I use Draftsight cad (freeware) and SheetCam. It does all that I ask of it.

[SSN Vet]

If you ever become proficient in a good CAD package, you'll never want to draw in a CAM package again.

SolidWorks (in an effort to put AutoCAD in the tomb I suspect) has a 2D drawing package that is nearly identicle to AutoCAD available for FREE. It is called Draft Sight.

We use Auto CAD for 2D drawing and either AutoCAD or SolidWorks for 3D modeling.

For cooking up our G-code, we used BobCAD (v20 is our most recent seat) for years, but when we bought a new CNC router, I talked the boss into springing for a seat of Enroute, and we absolutely love it. Pricey... but very intuitive and easy to learn and use.

We're not contour cutting.... just cutting profiles, pockets and some sign work.

If your going to spend precious moments of your life learning software, imo, learn something that will meet yoru needs for a long time and will enhance your marketable job skills.

If you learn Draft Sight.... you've essentially learned AutoCAD.

SolidWorks has specials going every now and again. Last year they had a big "unemployed engineer" special, which gave a 3 month license and access to all the training aides for the asking.

If you can't dicker and deal BobCAD down ~50%, you're not trying very hard.

Licensed seats can be purchased on e-bay as well.

[skray775]

Draftsight is exactly like autocad and its free. I use CamBam for the cam software.

[Starleper1]

I use Solidworks for my CAD and CamBam for my CAM. CamBam has the capabilities to draw basic 2D geometry, and make modifications where need be, but it definitely was not built on a CAD foundation. The CAM is amazingly easy to learn and very powerful. I've been using CamBam for a long time and I've seen it come from a very basic CAM package to very powerful and well supported piece of software. Andy is constantly making new releases and staying on top the bugs and feature requests. For the price you pay and the product you get, you can't beat CamBam.

But that's just my .02

[pete from TN]

I have been using an Autocad Clone to run my 2.5 D parts and MOSTLY Sheetcam for the cam. I did download the trial CamBam since they added the 3d functions and I have been so busy working and tinkering on my mill that I have not put enough emphasis on learning it. I also have been playing with Alibre cad and started to learn that a bit but again I have not put the time necessary into it to really understand it just yet. I hope to transition to a more 3d realm in Alibre and use Cambam for the 3d Cam. The vast majority of what I have been doing is 2.5D and my current setup has performed wonderfully for that. I just need to wrap my head around the 3d stuff so I can take advantage of that capability. Peace

Pete

[sansbury]

I've been using Bobcad for a couple years, first V22 which was very problematic, then v23 which fixed the worst problems well enough to be useful. The selling point for me was the 3D capabilities which nothing else in the price range could match. Compared to MC or even Sprutcam it's a total mess, but if you're willing to bear with it and are "good with software" it will do a lot for a little $.

IMHO BCC are their own worst enemy as they charge too much for training materials, so people save money by not buying them, then scream that the software is crap because they can't figure out how to do anything with it. If BCC would just give the videos away free online, I bet there'd be far fewer complaints. I see they're doing more of this now, and BurrMann who is a member here can show you how to do things even BCC staff didn't know how to do.

Oh, and their sales staff do make congressmen and Wall Street bankers look honest by comparison, and they call more aggressively than bill collectors. I do a lot of sales, so I take it all with a grain of salt. Just treat it as a game and don't let it get under your skin.

I got it with the lathe package for a small fraction of the published price. If you're a hobbyist, say so, and don't be afraid to treat them like a cat treats a mouse. If I paid $1000+ a seat, I'd have a lot less good to say about them.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

I have read so many unbelievable things about how aggressive and persistent the BobCAD sales people are, that's the one CAD/CAM package I won't even consider, regardless of its capabilities. The last thing I need is to be constantly harrassed by sales people. I'd much rather pay more for another package, and not have to deal with the hassles.

Regards,
Ray L.

[LouF]

If they don't post there price on there web site and refer you to a reseller you know they cost a arm and a leg..

[gd.marsh]

I'm a little surprised no one's mentioned the Vectric products yet ..

With Cut2D & Cut3D as stand alone products the price is reasonable & they both do a good job at what they're designed for.
I know there's programs out there that offer more controls .. but as far as getting the job done, these products both have serious capability, work well, offer an integrated graphic simulator, & are easy to use.

[Starleper1]

HimyKabibble I have read so many unbelievable things about how aggressive and persistent the BobCAD sales people are, that's the one CAD/CAM package I won't even consider, regardless of its capabilities. The last thing I need is to be constantly harrassed by sales people. I'd much rather pay more for another package, and not have to deal with the hassles.

Regards,
Ray L.

I downloaded the trial of V23 about a year ago, that was the worst mistake I could have made. They hounded me for days to buy this software after repeatedly telling them I don't want it. They started at $2500 and came all the way down to $300 just to sell me the software. Ever since then, I get 2-3 calls a week, and an email or two just about every day, especially since V24 was released. They are a real PIA. I won't deal with them for the simple fact they don't leave you alone.

There sales approach is very pushy and aggressive, as you've heard. As far as their software, it isn't the worst thing I've ever used, but it has a learning curve to say the least, which costs money for training. Luckily I had a member on here offer me the training CD's for free. Very generous of him.

The latest thing with V24, is they are no longer offering dongles. A lot of people have issues with this because they need to use it on multiple computers.

After all that being said, I was using CamBam, ventured out to try BobCad, after about a week or two, I was back to CamBam.

Needless to say I'm glad I didn't pay full price.