[outofsquare]

Hi All, just wanting to ask users out there about the usability of BobCad for first timers entering the world of Cad/Cam.

I am more than willing to put the time into learning the ins & outs, just don't want a package which you need to be a rocket scientist to use, will be design 2 & 3D parts, it's important that it gives me a code which works.

Just after some feed back on whether this package is good for a beginner to get his around this all, or if anyone can steer me in the right direction of any other options I should look into before making my decison

Cheers

Outofsqaure

[Tkamsker]

Hi,
it depends what you want to achieve. I for instance do not like the cad drawing features of bobcad it is not because it is not working it is more ore less kind of symatie or not. (I for instance don't like rhino 3d as well )

When you want to do 2d 2.5 and 3d milling stuff it is ok. i do like that some of the strategies are really timesaving. So i do for instance draw everything in turbo cad or use opens cad scripts. (i of course use windows only if i am forced to -

So then when everything is ok i use bobcat shift the volume body that z0 is the top of the thing i want to make and then i run the strategies. check the way and move everything to an usb stick go to the machine and voila everything works.

i now had to do some stuff using 4th axis this is another ballgame.
Bobcad can do some stuff but i also had to do an extruder axis this finally i had to do by hand
i hope it helped.

so tell us what you do and we can tell you if it makes sense.
Yes as soon as i get my turret i also will use the lathe functionality so i did only 1 test. and bob art i didn't use so far.
cu
thomas

Hi All, just wanting to ask users out there
about the usability of BobCad for first timers entering the world of Cad/Cam.

I am more than willing to put the time into learning the ins & outs, just don't want a package which you need to be a rocket scientist to use, will be design 2 & 3D parts, it's important that it gives me a code which works.

Just after some feed back on whether this package is good for a beginner to get his around this all, or if anyone can steer me in the right direction of any other options I should look into before making my decison

Cheers

Outofsqaure

[outofsquare]

Thanks for the info Thomas. I will basically be doing only 2.5 & 3 D work on our mill, I have been playing around with Solid Edge and I feel sort of comfortable with the basics

Cheers

[BurrMan]

SolidEdge will be a superior modeler. BobCad is more powerfully a "CAM" package... One thing a person would get from modeling in BobCad is an understanding of the underlying basics of model creation, although that makes it a slower process compared to better modeling packages, it is a value for a beginner and an advantage when moving to a seimens type modeler. Nothing wrong with starting with SolidEdge though! With SolidEdge, you would still need a CAM package too.

[outofsquare]

Hi Burrman, I would prefer a all in package to get started, and the BodCad seems to be pretty well backed with tutorials which I can self learn on, I have also discovered another all in one package called One CNC, it to seems very well put together for a novice like me Lol:cheers:

Thanks

Outofsquare

[jrmach]

If One CNC is in the same price range and offered with about the same cad and cam as Bob,please post back and let me know.I would take it right away.Think it is a bit more money and yearly dues or maintenance fees.

[Tkamsker]

Hi,
i got an email that MecSoft Corporation: CAD CAM Software | Computer Aided Design | Computer Aided Manufacturing is doing an Show here in europe and they have a special sale there so it might make sense to have a look.

I am not interested because i use BOBCAD and i am happy with the cam features wich i use.

So i think if you search an easy to use package in terms of getting from the drawing to G-code i think after it is set up right you are very fast. I often have different materials and type of mills so i did spent a lot of time in setup but now it is calculating the proper feedrate and i know about the cutting depths so i can really hammer out g code and i know the result is fine.

And about drawing i already mentioned if you like the way they tacle the cad part i think it is your solution. Yeah and the crab about windows i had to do 8 different installations (now you can guess what my day job is - ) to get confirmation windows sucks.
i used win xp sp2 sp3 german english win 2k english , win 7 32 bit (also german english ) to find out english win 7 64 bit works. and of course on different machines because of that windows crab.
so i now have an stable version running (which funny wise is not supported by bobcad ) but it works so i am fine.
And i tried master cam (where you need an university diploma to get even a simple 2d stuff out of the software ) , sprutcam , and visual mill

so my conclusio is if you don't have 4th axis and 5th axis have an win 7 64 bit pc free for cad cam only (did i tell that i don't use antivirus software because my windows installations never get close to the internet ,.. ) this is a working solution
cu
thomas

[outofsquare]

Hi Thomas, good to read about your computer issues, I am going to set up a new computer just for the machine shop to do only the Cad/Cam and that's it, it also will never go on line, I looked through the system requirements for BodCam and have based it in on their requirements, I don't have money to through around so trying to ensure I make the right decision on my package.

I sent an email of to OneCNC for a price, so will post my findings, be very interested on what it comes in at, I have watched every tutorial over the last couple of days and I have come to the conclusion Jrmach that I would consider OneCNC very seriously as I like what I see on there tutorials, (not definite though as price worries me when they don't state it on their site), but I have read on their site it has no yearly dues & when they bring out new versions they automatically send you an upgrade file free of charge.

BodCad have been great up to date thus far, answered all my emails in good time & the sales person has not been pushy one bit, also took up there option of a free real time demo with one of the tech guys and that was very beneficial for me, only down side it was at a million miles an hour, have downloaded their trial version and playing around with at this time, they also can supply me with a post processor for my controller as well which is good to know.

Keep ya all posted as I go through my decision process

[Tkamsker]

Hi,
if you like we can try some stuff and see which tool has really the faster times if this is of importance for you.

I can bring some verry special stl or ices files if you like

i did also use deskproto5 , cut2d, cut3d that is where i started.

So if you like we could try that

nice weekend
thomas

Ps: And in day job i work in it i have been responsible for 35 NT Servers for several hundred clients spreader in more than 50 locations so i was just a little moaning about windows ,.. thats all -

[outofsquare]

Hey Tkamscar,

At this stage I am just trying to get my head around Cad & Cam, I have absolutely no experience with either, apart from playing around with a Cad program, & we have our CNC ordered and on its way to our machine shop in about 10 weeks, so really need to make a decision on a package, so I can start to put mega hours in every night to work it out, as when our CNC arrives I want to have some of the parts we manufacture manually ready to go, and then gradually as I get more proficient with the Cad & Cam side of things to draw up the more complex parts we make, I can not afford for the CNC to just be sitting on the shop floor looking at it standing idle, LoL.

The speed of things will definitely play more of a part once I get proficient enough with it all.

Thanks for your advice

Outofsquare

[Tkamsker]

Hi,
oh that is a little short i think depending on what you try to do.
i do have an hardcore it electronics and mechanic background.
And as management summary i can say everything takes minimum 2 times longer as you think and you have a lot to learn even if you know the field quite good.

i do not know if you will do jobs for customer ´s or make small series of machines or just parts in big scale.
Because this would impact my decision what software i buy and how i setup my shop. even how many and which kind of machines i own would impact that.

so i for instance do rapid prototyping i do have 3 different machines so
i need first to draw design but then changing tool 4th axis vacuum table and so on is time consuming witch is most critical for me.

So i want cam with accurate results (deskproto is not exact for instance ) and fast tool paths so i found bobcad because i also own a lathe now.

i do have some complicated parts which we can use seeing what is better probably for your use case rhino 3d and rhino cam is sufficient. i know people who love that combination i simply don't like rhino and some of the gcodes have been crap

so thats my 5 cents
cu
thomas
ps: What kind of machine do you get ? And how is it controlled ?
Pps: The sequence you consider may lead that you buy first x and then have to buy y and if unlucky Z

[sansbury]

When it comes to software capabilities there are several important measures:

1. Price (can I afford it?)
2. Capability (can it be done?)
3. Complexity (how hard is it to do?)

BCC is low-cost, high-capability for 2.5/3D 3-axis, and high complexity, IMHO. If it's machinable in 3 axes, then BCC can probably do it, but it is a constant puzzle to figure out how to do it. BCC is eccentric in how it thinks and terribly-documented. You really need to invest in training (videos at least, in-person seminars preferably) to get any use at all out of it.

My impression is that your alternate choices to BCC are:

1. Costs the same or less, easier to use, and does less (e.g. Dolphin, Vectric)

2. Costs the same or somewhat more, does a lot more, just as crazy to use (Sprutcam, Mecsoft?)

3. Costs way more, does way more, high learning curve but very high productivity (Solidworks+Mastercam etc.)

Personally, I use BCC because I am a hobbyist so the $ I have to spend on my hobby is limited. Professionally I work in software, and I believe in spending on software to gain productivity. The way I look at it is this: If you save $5-$10k on software, that is a one-time savings. Software that makes you more productive will save you money every time you use it.

If you are doing mostly 2.5D and basic 3D work, BCC may be OK. The biggest weakness is the CAD side, which I find to be very clunky and non-intuitive. My biggest concern would be that you may have a hard time getting good training and support in Australia.

[BurrMan]

My biggest concern would be that you may have a hard time getting good training and support in Australia.

Especially since he would have to fly all the way from Austria to Australia looking for it!!!

[sansbury]

Especially since he would have to fly all the way from Austria to Australia looking for it!!!

I was talking about the OP, not Thomas. But either way, at least they speak the same language

[BurrMan]

Ahhhhha. The yokes on me!

[outofsquare]

Everyone is making a lot of scence, so I am very grateful with all the comments.

I thought making the decision on what our first little CNC would end up being was the hard part LoL, well I was wrong as the Cad/Cam side of things is just as important.

BobCam fits into our budget, but One CNC seems to be very refined & a lot of CNC shops in Australia use it, I have spoken to few of them & they all say the learning curve is swift if you apply yourself, but it comes with a $ tag, basic Mill Express 2 - 2.5 package is $3467 & the Professional 3D package is $7799, on top of this if you want the 4th axis add on its another $6074

I have watched the tutorials & it seems pretty good & local support is a phone call away.

Down side is that they do not have any program demos to play with, so do I simply purchase the BobCam and get 3D or do we start with 2 & 2.5 D and get our heads around this first & purchase the upgrade to 3 D at a later stage, most of our work will be 2 & 2.5 to start with, but we will have a lot of 3D parts when we become proficient enough to do so

Outofsquare

[Tkamsker]

I do like that jokes
we even sell t-shirts about that

http://zekimetin.com/wordpressg/wp-c..._kangaroos.gif

-

[Tkamsker]

Hi,
what is about when you try the first pieces to draw while you wait for the machine
Look at that complicated example SourceForge.net: Engine Block Tutorial - free-cad

I even saw guys doing incredible stuff parametric. So if you have a lot of similar pieces you could literaely program them.
I trie that using the helix of the extruder ,..

and then see what cam can give you
or if it is really 2d or 2.5d
HeeksCAD and HeeksCNC

may be also an solution.
Because i think when you then have a picture you did only spent time of learning. but not so much money. Then you know what is important for you what you like or not. And when your machine arrives you have a stack of things you want to try till you know your new machine inside out.

isnt that great that we speak the same language -
cu
thomas

[outofsquare]

Hi Thomas,

You cut me up with your comments Lol, thanks for the links I am off now to investigate them, looks like another late night surfing, that T shirt is a scream as well, you will need to get one made up for crocodiles as well, as I'm in Far North Queensland, we don't really have many roos but heaps of crocodiles & snakes, out of the worlds top 10 most deadliest snakes we have 7 of them

Cheers