[Shinobiwan]

Don't know if SolidCAM care about listening to customers but your SP1 update to 2013 is a joke.

Simulation speed for solid verify has gone through the floor on anything but very basic jobs. Not only that but I noticed saving and opening files was taking way longer than normal and much to my surprise I found the file size was nearly 500Mb. Looking at my backups, before the release it was around 40Mb for the same file!

How did this crap make it past beta let alone released to the public?

I've moaned to my reseller about this and all he could suggest was rolling back the installation but that's no good because my file types have been converted and are now none compatible! Bit of a joke really. Time is money and I'm pissing around with buggy software.

[Shinobiwan]

Ps. For anyone struggling with this release. There is a work around for the large files. In options go to CAM-Part > Cleanup CAM-Part and select to remove the stock models.

Still struggling with solid verify though. 2013 is supposed to support multicore and I've got two 6 core intel i7's in my main workstation. It used to fly so I don't understand it. For now I'm using host CAD as that's working fine but I do like solid verify for a clear overview.

[KUWill]

Shinobi, thanks for letting those on the forum know. I'd like to throw it out there that InventorCAM 2013 SP1 is fine and doesn't experience these issues. I understand that doesn't help you on SolidCAM though. :/

[LeeWay]

And here I was moaning about not being able to set a default text in TurboCad. I have drooled over Solid Works for a long while. Even spoke with them on several occasions.
They are not interested in helping out a small company. No discounts period. That is okay though. Karma?

[KUWill]

LeeWay, I assume you mean SolidCAM and not SolidWorks right? SolidWorks is owned by Dassault Systemes and SolidCAM is owned by SolidCAM, Ltd. I heard SolidCAM pricing comes close to the price of the CAD software itself. (if not more)

Sorry to threadjack, ShinobiWan. Have you tried using RapidVerify in the mean time? (Not sure if it's much different than SolidVerify though.

[LeeWay]

Sorry, I didn't realize they were owned by different entities. It was Solid Works I have wanted so bad. I'm all set with Cam. I have about 4 different types I use for different things. Apologies for jumping in and confusing everyone.

[Brakeman Bob]

Thanks for sharing this Shinobiewan. I was thinking of moving over soon - we're running SC2011 SP8 and I haven't been filled with confidence on the repeated hotfixes SolidCAM have released with every service pack for SC2012 and I thought it might pay us to skip SC2012 and go straight to SC2013. However, your post has made me think again! Last week I asked SolidCAM UK if there were any post issues I should be aware about and they were in the process of evaluating SC2013 SP1 and promised to get back to me.

When I have more to add, I'll share my findings.

[glovebox20]

Shinobi, thanks for letting those on the forum know. I'd like to throw it out there that InventorCAM 2013 SP1 is fine and doesn't experience these issues. I understand that doesn't help you on SolidCAM though. :/

Really? I am not using Inventorcam2013 cause all it want to do is crash on me when 'plotting' the tool path (checking the white box by operation) and other annoying bugs like milling on the wrong side of a circle when selecting geometry from a sketch. Not to mention that is even less compatible with MP's. MP's are practically worthless now. I pointed these bugs out to solidcam over two months ago and have not heard back yet weather if the fixed these bugs or not.

[Brakeman Bob]

Machining Processes practically worthless in SC2013! That's a bummer and no mistake (I'm a big fan of MP's).

What happens when you try to use them?

[glovebox20]

I haven't used the MP's much, but the features that are 'TABED' now are not compliable (coolant, Chamfer/rest, wall draft angle, hole sort etc.). You can still use the MP's, but you will have to go back and fix anything that it dose not support. Even then, you still may not get the desired results. I used my templates from Inventercam2012 that I used for chamfering with draft angle (pecking out a large 45* chamfer) and it was all messed up. I spent 2 hours until I discovered why it wasn't working like it was suppose to. Thanks for the head up Solidcam (wedge)

[KUWill]

Really? I am not using Inventorcam2013 cause all it want to do is crash on me when 'plotting' the tool path (checking the white box by operation) and other annoying bugs like milling on the wrong side of a circle when selecting geometry from a sketch. Not to mention that is even less compatible with MP's. MP's are practically worthless now. I pointed these bugs out to solidcam over two months ago and have not heard back yet weather if the fixed these bugs or not.

Hah, sorry for misinforming glovebox. You are correct, those bugs do still exist, but I wanted to try iMachining 3D so badly that I didn't care. Not to mention I'm academically-oriented so having the software crash isn't costing me tons of money. Particularly the simulation bugs are extremely annoying. All I want to do is look at the path and it just locks up. Sometimes the paths are so complicated you don't know if it locked up or if it is actually trying to process the path. The milling on the wrong side revolves around the "direction" of the path, sometimes when you flip it, it fixes it and other times it doesn't and is just downright annoying. It's pretty intermittent and I've only gotten that bug in 2D iMachining. I've never really used MPs. What are the advantages? (I saw the example for a drilled, tapped hole) I assume you guys have talked to your resellers and the help desk? Shaped tools is all sorts of messed up as well. Worked fine in 2012, bugs out in 2013.

[glovebox20]

MP's were developed pre-2008 and was a great tool to reduce program time to those who know how to use it. However, MP's were placed on the back burner for more exciting things like imachining.

[glovebox20]

Retracted post as Solidcam is working to solve my problems.

[Brakeman Bob]

All software companies are the same in this respect, even the biggest (yes, I am looking at you Microsoft). I remember when Open Mind took three years to develop a post for us, insisting it was the way we wanted to use the machine that was wrong, not their software.

I think that a lot of people get very defensive around computers. We have problems here with network speed and software crashing. The company that manages our network say "it's not us, it's your software" and the software people, all of them to a man, say "it's not our product, it's your network" or even "our product's fine, but by using product X on your network, you're compromising performance". In fact, I really don't care what is at fault, ALL I WANT IS SOMEONE TO HELP ME FIX IT!!!!! Even acknowledging the problem would be a start.

And in this respect, SolidCAM are not alone.

Sorry, rant over.

[shearder]

As a REAL BEGINNER in terms of CAD/CAM what would you recommend for designing? Sometimes I want to sit and design a replacement part or someone has an idea BUT I typically have to do as much as i can in Aspire because i am crap with Rhino or most any other CAD program i have tried.

Any ideas on what I should use? Almost got SolidWorks but I don't want to spend tons of money for something I don't do as a job. BUT if i want to make something and then be able to design all the parts and how they go together then generate toolpaths for each part respectively can you suggest a way?

[wwendorf]

Alibre Design. It works great, is reasonable, and does just about everything the average joe could want.

Wade

[shearder]

Thanks a ton for that info Wade. I will check it out over the weekend.

Sean

Alibre Design. It works great, is reasonable, and does just about everything the average joe could want.

Wade

[glovebox20]

Retracted post as Solidcam is working to solve my problems.

[glovebox20]

I'm pleased to announce that after 5 months of fighting Inventorcam2013, Inventercam2013 SP3 has fixed my crashing issues when plotting/simulating the part.

[KUWill]

Glovebox, can you post or PM me a link to SP3? I'm excited to receive the update. If not could you upload it to a dropbox or something and PM me the link? Thanks.