[Jonathan E.]

Can anyone give me some advice on the best cam package for mold and 3D milling. Money is not a concern up to $30,000.00

[svenakela]

That's like asking "what's the best fruit". Mastercam is a great program, but they all have their differences that makes mr X likes one app and mr Y likes another.
Run the trials and try to get a demo of the apps you're interested in, that's absolutely the best way.

[Mike Mattera]

Agreed! You should get demos and decide for yourself based on the work you do. Mastercam is a great program. Lots of toolpath options. Lots of control. Be advised: most of the high end 3D systems rarely do 2D stuff very well. And we all have to drill holes from time to time.

"Money is not a concern"
It's never a concern... Until you have to spend some.

Mike Mattera

[mastercamguru]

If you are doing mainly moldwork from an outside desiger's geometry file moldplus might be to your liking, if you are looking for ease of 3-d design in-house, maybe solidedge is for you.

Any way you decide to go, Mastercam Mill level 1 will still be the most efficient way to do 2-d operations, and is the perfect compliment to any "high end" 3-5 axis cam software that is most likely less efficient at 2-d tasks.

If $$$ are an issue, I would have to say that Mastercam will give you all the functionality you need at a better price.

[warrenb]

What is your design package? Are you designing? Are you just doing programming? Are you a job shop that does lots of parts other people have designed?

Mastercam is in the 15-18 range. The good thing about Mastercam is it is everywhere and it's easy to find people that know it. However, if you fart in the general area of Mastercam or their resellers you will be charged $5000 for no reason.

I don't do much job shop anymore so I prefer to keep my design package Solidworks, with SolidCAM. That isn't best for everyone since you are stuck with only one seat. Not an issue for me since I am a one man shop.