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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    141

    Anyone using MeshCam?

    I've been looking at this software:
    www.grzsoftware.com

    Anyone have luck with this on a homebrew machine? What are its advantages/disadvantages. I will be building the www.solsylva.com cnc router. I hope to design parts for model boats in AutoCad and then use MeshCam to produce the toolpaths and stuff -- is this a good combination?

    I'd also like to produce random fun 3d images in wood/plastic as well.

    Thanks for any info/advice.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    634
    I use Meshcam daily. I sculpt or carve prototypes by hand, then digitize them to get a 3D STL file and use Meshcam to create the cutting files.

    It works well, but the files are huge and it takes alot of milling time to cut a part this way.

    For the money, its a great value.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Posts
    162
    I've only just finished my system (nearly - just limits left to do), I have used meshcam with Alibre XPress (free version ) and it seems to work ok, I'm planning to make patterns for metal casting, there is an example in my photo gallery of a 3d test model and the resultant machined part. I was more than happy with the results.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Posts
    209
    I've been using MeshCAM for almost a year now and I am very pleased with it. It doesn't have the same features as high-end CAM software (nor does it ever claim to), but it can still do some great things.

    Recently, I built two plastic injection molds. The cores and cavities for both were cut with MeshCAM. The pictures are from one of them.

    Chris Kirchen
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Mold.jpg   Part.jpg  

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    35538
    Quote Originally Posted by groomden
    What are its advantages/disadvantages. I hope to design parts for model boats in AutoCad and then use MeshCam to produce the toolpaths and stuff -- is this a good combination?
    If your using AutoCAD for your modeling, you have a couple options, depending how you do your modeling. If you model with solids, export an .stl and load that into MeshCAM. Be sure to set the FACETRES variable in AutoCAD to 10 before exporting for highest resolution. If you like to model with meshes (tabsurf, rulesurf, edgesurf...), then you can save as a .dxf and load that into MeshCAM. But you MUST explode the meshes first, because MeshCAM will only import 3D faces.


    Either method works very well, although .stl's load into MeshCAM much faster than .dxf's.
    Gerry

    UCCNC 2017 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2017.html

    Mach3 2010 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

    JointCAM - CNC Dovetails & Box Joints
    http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)

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