[Sowen]

Guys, I am trying to gather some data to help our development team here...

I would like to know what’s most important to our customers and end users. When looking at what to add to new versions of BobCAD-CAM we all have our own opinions here but, what is really important is your opinion... For this reason I would like to start the conversations and ask you the following..


1. Why did you upgrade to Version 25, What features did you like best?
2. What features/enhancements do you want to see added?
3. What is most important to you? Ease of use or Functionality?

[BurrMan]

By far, the toolpaths added. The toolpaths respecting the stock is huge also.

[jrmach]

+1 on what Burr said.Adaptive Roughing wayy better for roughing 3D models.I believe Burr also has the 7 other cool tool paths that come with multi axis pro? ? ?Those would be real nice to have,,,just gotta find someone to pay for them though,ugh......

[TonyW]

Some small points, but important because it shows users a professional product.

Like to see: Continuity between all functions. example, hitting tab and going between data boxes. Some highlight the data so you can type in new. some do not and you have to highlight each one with mouse, then enter data, then tab or mouse to the next box. All should act the same.

Features should have same functionality. Example, I can pick multiple points to drill holes, but then can not pick all those same points to thread mill. Each hole requires separate feature. And when doing 2-3 passes per hole to get thread size, it means 3 features just for one hole, multiplied times the number of holes.

Also in drill cycle, I do not have a feed plane like I do in all other features. Should be the same as milling, etc.

Enhancement: Let us choose the tool we want to use for a feature. If I choose a drill feature, don't just let me see the drills in tool crib/library. I should be able to choose what I want, such as an endmill. If I choose a cutoff saw and crash the machine, then it's MY fault. But would like the option of choosing whatever I want for a certain feature.

I have a lot of small points like this, would have to sit down and find them all. But as a user of the software, to me that shows a professional, superior product. It's like using someones software, and seeing words misspelled in it. Does not inspire confidence always, or make people feel it's a good product. And please, by NO MEANS am I ripping on Bobcad. Love the product. Just noticing lots of little things like these in it that makes it appear lower class to some people and trying to give constructive ideas

As far as what do I prefer? I think functionality is best. Ease of use can be important, but lets face it. Some things just can't be made to do easy. But, learning the software will make people smarter as they are using it. Therefore the software then becomes easier to use to THEM. I remember when I started using BobCAD. Was pretty lost. But after putting a few weeks of time into learning it, found it was not that hard. Just needed to put in the time

[jrmach]

Pipe Thread option too,eh Tony?

[TonyW]

They did tell me they are going to be adding that already. In fact I think it was sowen that told me few months ago hehe

[JEST]

Agree. I plunge end mills often. Would be nice to see my end mill library when drilling!

[shred]

Perception is Reality a lot of the time, and BCC has a reputation for being buggy. That needs to be fixed before any new toolpaths or crazy 6-axis support or whatever. It will take a long time to fix that reputation.

First-- Hire a good usability engineer or better yet UX consulting company to go through the UI top to bottom and clean up the UI. V25 is better, but there's a ton of cruft there that just doesn't need to be. As above, or like when I manually select a tool, but 'system tool' happens to be checked, all the tool selections do exactly jack squat or how I can't T-slot with a t-slot cutter and how I have to fake out the cutter dialog, except that it silently changes the values if it doesn't like them and so on. I know, programmers think they understand UI design. I was one, they don't. You need the guys or gals that ask questions like "why does BobCAD1 need to come up every time?" and "why aren't the tools opened to where they were last time I used them?".

Then fix the 'annoying' bugs that have been around forever and never seem to be fixed because there is some sort of work-around or "it isn't that serious".
Then fix the simulator so it simulates 4th axis index moves without doing an entire machine setup each.

[Big Chips]

I would also like to see the thing Tony mentioned as such as the tool selection coming back and being able to select what tool i need allowed also.

I have also noticed that the chamfer option will sometime change itself from sharp point to flat point when computing toolpath...i constantly have to check that and recheck..

I mainly upgraded to V25 because of the added tools,toolpath and functionality i later upgraded to pro version for the same reasons.. not sure but i also would like to see V25 able to work with digitizing arms...such a microscribe.

and do away with the system tool always check so the numbers are always system tool numbers...

if a new update is coming by all means allow us to purchase add on modules for individual items... instead of having to purchase complete 4-5 axis software

[TonyW]

Big Chips banana is broken. I know that sounds bad

Another thing Bobcad should be already doing. It should remember where a file was opened. Example: I open a file, I do work on it, I post the code, then save the code to a different folder, done with that file now. I want to open a sister part from original folder, but when I click open file, it's now in the code folder so I have to browse back to where the drawing is. That's very annoying. Pretty much all software remembers where it's current file was opened from. It should not be changed by looking at another folder.

[Big Chips]

Trocoidal slot milling would be nice also... and a dedicated plunge op/tool library ect

[jrmach]

Your right Tony


:banana::banana:

[Big Chips]

admin no longer allows html code in our signatures...WTH!? camon main...this is my callin card... sigpic plug in dont work!

[jrmach]

ha,ha,ha

[bobcad guy]

ive been calling bobcad about that issue too. i find that if i use an endmill to plunge a hole, then i try to interpolate it, it will work, but the software wants a toolchange between features, i find that i can force it to work, but its a pain in the butt. but if you do any milling, and then try to go into a drill cycle, good luck with that, i havent been able to get that to work yet, id like the ability to mill in op1 and 2 before i might need to plunge in op3, anybody else found a way around it?? i mean WITHOUT hand writting in a g83 op after i post. i want the software to do the job.

[Big Chips]

more i think about it the more i wish Bobcad would be compatible with microsribe digitizing arms... almost all the others cad programs are...

[TonyW]

:banana: yayyy!

[Sowen]

POSTED TWICE -- DUPE

[Sowen]

Trocoidal slot milling would be nice also... and a dedicated plunge op/tool library ect

We have a high speed option that uses a trochoidal method (Advanced Pocketing).. Type C&D in this document..
Can trochoidal milling be ideal? - forgacsolaskutatas.hu





Is there a more specific method that your asking for ?

[jrmach]

Sean please see the thread I started today on adaptive roughing tool path.Thanks