[Spk64]

You do not have to buy maintenance and that version will always work.
Maintenance gets you free updates which is nice. We have been doing this since mid-90's and always kept up to date on our versions.
You can always just pay for the new versions as they come out if desired.
I am sure a VAR will also provide some level of support without maint.. Just depends on each VAR.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[LeeWay]

Okay. Not quite out of the realm of eventually being affordable then.
Thanks for clarifying this.

[CROSSHATCH]

I think not paying for that maintenance fee makes it very more affordable as Lee mentioned. While many updates are great, some are not. If you have a bug free version or features you strictly don't use/wouldn't use but gives you what you need and more-so, I can see saving $1,500 by not getting an update.

I wonder what happens if you say for ex. one might have SW 2014...don't pay for the maintenance for 2015, but upgrade in 2016; do you pay the "$1,500" or closer to the 3k?

My two cents.

-Jason

[SCzEngrgGroup]

I spent many years negotiating multi-million $ contracts for CAD software for doing chip design and software development, so I'm very fluent in CAD/CAM license terms.

SW is sold on a "perpetual" license, which means once you've bought it, you can use it for as long as you like, even if you never buy maintenance. Maintenance covers only updates and support. Typically, if you don't pay maintenance for even one year, then decide to go on maintenance, you must pay all back-maintenance to get caught up. Which means by the second or third year, you're buying a new license. Personally, I would forego maintenance, at least for now. I plan to exercise the demo version enough to make sure it does all I need. After that, I find updates to be at least as much a PITA as bugs - EVERY new version introduces new problems.

The cost of subscription/time-limited licenses is, on an annual basis, typically on-par with the cost of a one-time purchase plus maintenance. You'll never see SW for $75/month. It would be more like $350-400/month. But, AFAIK, SW does not offer time-limited licenses. Autodesk does. The same Inventor LT Suite you can buy for about $1200 "rents" for $95/month. Subscriptions are merely a means of selling to companies that are cash-poor, or only need a license for a short time.

Regards,
Ray L.

[LeeWay]

If I bought it, it would be a one time license and done with it I think.
I would love to be able to use the software, however I just don't design enough new stuff to make SW affordable for a long term other than simply buying outright initially and forego and updates and bug fixes.
I would probably try to run it for 5 years. Then jump in new again the same way.

I think I started with version 8 of Turbocad. I upgraded every third issue after that until 17. Since then I have upgraded each time. Two reason for that are that they have really come out with some nicer tools and features, I have become much more proficient with the higher level features in it and the newest versions are design to work on 64 bit.
Upgrades for Pro Platinum, which I always get are between $199 to $250 and includes a few bug fixes and patches that may be published before the next release.
That is much more inline with where I am comfortable at cost wise. Since most of my current products and parts are already designed, SW would simply be an upgrade at a much higher dollar per part cost than TC.
However, maybe I'll win the lottery.

[amish_rabbi]

I've spent so much time using soldiworks over the years I'm not sure how I would get by without it.

[rlockwood]

Not keeping up with maintenance eventually bites you in the ass; HSMWorks only supports two versions back, and when the rest of the world moves along, all of a sudden you can't share files with the rest of the planet.

Its unfortunate, as SW stopped adding useful features a few years ago..

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Not keeping up with maintenance eventually bites you in the ass; HSMWorks only supports two versions back, and when the rest of the world moves along, all of a sudden you can't share files with the rest of the planet.

Its unfortunate, as SW stopped adding useful features a few years ago..

My experience with software has always been that you learn within the first few weeks whether it does what you really need or not. If you can work around whatever bugs you find, then you can get by for a loooong time. The $40, 2D CAD I've been using since about 2001 still works just fine.

I've almost never had to exchange files, especially CAM files, with anyone. And on those few occassions where I've done it, it was a least-common-denominator kind of deal - DXF/DWG files for CAD, very basic G-code for very basic operations. The only exception to that is the models I exchange with Novakon, to support the PDB and ATC development. And those are all in Alibre/GeoMagic, since that is what Novakon uses.

Regards,
Ray L.

[bill south]

Ray;
Is the Alibre/GeoMagic software you referenced used to make the interactive models you have posted in the above thread. I kind of like those features but alas, I only have Bobcad and Vectric Software.
How is the toolchanger coming?
Bill

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Ray;
Is the Alibre/GeoMagic software you referenced used to make the interactive models you have posted in the above thread. I kind of like those features but alas, I only have Bobcad and Vectric Software.
How is the toolchanger coming?
Bill

Bill,

Yes, I did those all with GeoMagic. For the money, GeoMagic is pretty good, but a bit "quirky" for my taste. For low-cost 3D, ViaCAD is not bad. I picked up a ViaCAD license for $99 a number of years ago, and used it for modelling the Bridgeport quill drive I designed years ago. It's not bad, and pretty easy to use, but not as powerful as GeoMagic. I found BobCAD nearly impenetrable, and the CAM was very unstable - crashed constantly. As an example, I got trial licenses for BobCAD/CAM and GeoMagic on the same day. With GeoMagic, I was able to create models of several PDB parts within a few hours. With BobCAD, I spent FAR more hours, and never did get one completed part model. Inventor and Solidworks work VERY much like GeoMagic, so I found Inventor very easy to learn, and I expect Solidworks to be about the same.

Regards,
Ray L.

[Hirudin]

I'm currently using SolidWorks without maintenance. I was told that they charge a $500 penalty if you let your maintenance lapse. Basically, if you can last six months or more you're saving money. I plan to re-up when 2015 comes out.

[rlockwood]

I'm currently using SolidWorks without maintenance. I was told that they charge a $500 penalty if you let your maintenance lapse. Basically, if you can last six months or more you're saving money. I plan to re-up when 2015 comes out.

I've heard the same, but have also heard different re-sellers have different policies..

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Solidworks Standard is $3995, good luck getting ANY discount on that. Annual maintenance is $1295, which you also are unlikely to find discounted, but some of the resellers do throw in extra support and training with it. If you don't get maintenance, or allow it to lapse, there is a penalty to get back on. It starts at $100, and goes up to $500 after 90 days without maintenance. There is apparently *some* wiggle room in that amount, depending mostly on who your reseller is. You can also get 0% financing, *if* you get maintenance. For one seat, for 3 years, you'll pay around $220/month, for 2 years around $275/month, and for one year around $440/month.

Regards,
Ray L.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Downloading a 14-day demo right now. All 7.8 Gigabytes of it! This could take a while....

Regards,
Ray L.

[inspirtech]

Ray,

You can see the solid stock removal in HSM Express by clicking the "Show stock" checkbox.

you will see how to do it at 7:50 in this video:

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Ray,

You can see the solid stock removal in HSM Express by clicking the "Show stock" checkbox.

you will see how to do it at 7:50 in this video:

Thanks. One of the other guys pointed that out a few days ago.

Regards,
Ray L.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Got the Solidworks trial version installed and working this AM, and got HSMXpress installed. So far, I'm really liking what I see. It took me less than 10 minutes to create the 3D model for one of the parts for the ATC, and to assemble two instances of it together into an assembly. All very straight-forward. There are some things about the UI that seem slightly less "refined" than in Inventor, but it also seems SW is better at understanding what you're *trying* to do, and doing the right thing automatically. Assembly constraints seem a bit "smarter" than in Inventor. The UI for entering and editing dimensions also seem more efficient, and I really like the way you can see, and edit, the dimensions on a 3D model, without having to drop back into "sketch" mode. I think this is going to work out really nicely!

Regards,
Ray L.

[FineLineAuto]

Got the Solidworks trial version installed and working this AM, and got HSMXpress installed. So far, I'm really liking what I see. It took me less than 10 minutes to create the 3D model for one of the parts for the ATC, and to assemble two instances of it together into an assembly. All very straight-forward. There are some things about the UI that seem slightly less "refined" than in Inventor, but it also seems SW is better at understanding what you're *trying* to do, and doing the right thing automatically. Assembly constraints seem a bit "smarter" than in Inventor. The UI for entering and editing dimensions also seem more efficient, and I really like the way you can see, and edit, the dimensions on a 3D model, without having to drop back into "sketch" mode. I think this is going to work out really nicely!

Regards,
Ray L.

Just wait until you start to use library features and parts. That's great for having catalogs of standardized things like fasteners and features are fabulous for reusable geometries. Also, check out the mate references feature.

If you haven't been there yet, 3DContentCentral.com has a ton of free user contributed parts and assemblies. Also, feel free to PM me if you need models for fasteners or such.


Nate
Fine Line Automation
www.finelineautomation.com

[TiagoSantos]

If you can swing it, that's definitely the combo to go for!

I've tried Fusion 360 for a few minutes and really liked what I saw, it's pretty incredible for the price (free for hobbyists, $50 a month or whatever it is for commercial use). The collaborative aspect of it is really interesting to me. It works similarly to some of the tools we use at work (for VFX work) to share and collaborate on shots, but of course, with the 360 platform, you can do it anywhere and collaborate with anyone around the world. It's kinda cool, I think

Anyone interested in CAM360 should sign up for the beta as well.. I have really high hopes for CAM 360 and Autodesk's vision for the whole cloud based setup.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Just wait until you start to use library features and parts. That's great for having catalogs of standardized things like fasteners and features are fabulous for reusable geometries. Also, check out the mate references feature.

If you haven't been there yet, 3DContentCentral.com has a ton of free user contributed parts and assemblies. Also, feel free to PM me if you need models for fasteners or such.


Nate
Fine Line Automation
Home - Fine Line Automation

Nate,

Thanks! I'll keep that in mind. The library of fasteners and other hardware was one of the things I noticed in watching a couple of the videos. That's a BIG time-saver right there!

One interesting thing - I find the HSMXpress UI in Inventor more straight-forward than the one in Solidworks, even though they are very similar. But, there is more functionality in the Solidworks version, which is really nice.

Regards,
Ray L.