[dannystooblue]

I had never heard of it so I went to google and searched for "DE-FACTO 5 axis aerospace milling software". I thought something was wrong because hypermill was the number one hit on Google. I read right past the name NCL all together. Hypermill was impressive with its 64-bit abilities. What other cam softwares are capable of 64-bit operation and multi-threading? Does Hypermill have 64-bit technologies?


Danny

[Mike Stevenson]

Why don't you two 5 AXIS wizards check out the NCL website before you make any more foolish statements:

http://www.nccs.com/pages/Products_main.html

[Rekd]

Speaking of foolish comments...

Yep, checked it out.

My opinion still stands; it's prolly not liked very well or it would be more popular.

I didn't see anything there that MC, Gibbs and several other's haven't been doing for a long time.

How are the posts? Do you, the end user, have full access to their own proprietary post language like you do with MC?? Can you make setup sheets, op sheets, format and export HTML and Excel data then launch external programs to interact with them? Can you create unlimited canned cycles, use buffers, use conditional statements, branching and other logic routines? Can you create custom functions etc etc etc like you can in MC?

Oh, wait, according to you, the posts in MC are not configurable by end users like me, are they?

[dannystooblue]

I had already looked up that sight before my last post. Thin skin? All I said was that I had not heard of it then I asked some questions. I do not run your sofeware, is it multi threading and 64-bit? I am not hear to hurt anyones feelings, I stated a fact. Take yourself to google and enter "DE-FACTO 5 axis aerospace milling software" look at the top of the list.

Danny

[pmac]

which CAM software is the best for 5-axis simultaneous machining which could perform micro-milling and micro-turning?

[Mike Stevenson]

5-Axis micro-milling? That's easy....CIMATRON.

http://www.cimatron.com/general.aspx...rID=42&lang=en

[Rekd]

5-Axis micro-milling? That's easy....CIMATRON.

http://www.cimatron.com/general.aspx...rID=42&lang=en

It's not that easy. Micro machining is a new concept to Cimitron (according to their web site)

Cimatron leveraged two decades of toolmaking expertise

From a company two and a half decades old. People have been micro-machining with MC for much longer than that. These new techniques described by Cimitron look like stuff they were doing with MC 7 or 8.

I haven't done any real 5 axis stuff with Cimitron, but I've used it quite a bit while making molds so I know how it works and what it's capable of. My (educated and unbiased) opinion is that Mastercam is more capable, more flexible and more versatile than Cimitron in 5 axis and micro machining, just as it is in 3 and 4 axis stuff.

That is likely why they had to use sexy women as sales reps instead of people that actually knew the product.

Oh, and support? Not even CLOSE to MC.

But that's just an opinion of someone who has used both for at least a couple years.

Didn't they just buy Gibbs? Perhaps that will help them be a bit more competitive.

BTW, don't get me wrong, Cimitron is great software and makes killer toolpaths so it may be right for you. I just prefer MC.

[dannystooblue]

which CAM software is the best for 5-axis simultaneous machining which could perform micro-milling and micro-turning?

I use Cimatron every day, they do not have a micro-turning application unless it is third party like their standard turning application. Cimatron offers Fikus for lathe and wire edm... I also use the Fikus wire edm for 4-axis wire edm programming. I would not recommend Cimatron if you have both milling and turning applications, it is two entirely different interfaces. The learning curve can be bad enough for any one software, Fikus and Cimatron are nothing alike at all.

Danny

[hsm400]

Micro machining???

http://www.kern-microtechnic.com/2-Startpage.html

Apparently these guys know a little about micro-machining and have just opened a office here in the states. I believe they are using Hypermill by Openmind both here and in Germany.

And in response to rekd....what Cimatron is doing in regards to micro-machining has more to do with tolerance issues than with toolpath type. Of course they have the same 5 axis module from Module Works as everyone else! (including Mastercam)

[dannystooblue]

Of course they have the same 5 axis module from Module Works as everyone else! (including Mastercam)

everyone? Maybe almost everyone?

Danny

[hsm400]

OK....almost everyone

[Mike Stevenson]

NCL uses APT as it's 5 AXIS core.

[Tulak]

There is only one Cimatron!

[CAD/CAM Man]

This statement accurately reflects the belief and approach of many people; which does not make it correct. What is the use of designing something if it literally cannot be manufactured or if the manufacturing is so expensive it is a non-economic proposition. IMNAAHO the best designers are those that have the potential manufacturing procedures and processes already in mind before they conceive the product.

With that in mind, one could state (quite accurately too) that your best mechanical engineers have also spent some time in the shop. I have been in and around the practical applications of mechanical engineering my entire adult life. I've seen some good engineers and some not so good. It is my experience that the best ones started in the shop. (sorry for the thread drift)

[reck]

Funny how the poll doesn't match the comments. I use an old version of Geopath for 2.5d milling and lathe, came out in 98. Yeah I know, older than dirt in software years. We also have Bobcad version 18. Other than milling text, it can import fonts, I hardly ever use it. We are going to update software soon and like the info in this thread. Mastercam and Esprit seam to be popular around my area. I agree popular is not necessarily the best but Esprit is in our Kentucky technical schools which is a plus. I think customer support is a vital element too. I would like to hear more about these 2 especially there weakness.

[Mike Stevenson]

Esprit is better than Mastercam. But It depends on the types of parts you are making and what your budget for the software is.

[reck]

Thanks for the quick reply. We would like to keep the price around 12,000 or less. We mostly use the software for 2.5d milling but have several parts that require 4th axis machining, not indexing. We generally run lot sizes of 500 to 20000 parts. Occasionally more, have had a few parts that were over 1000000 a year. I want a cam system that will get me from print to floor quickly with efficient paths and time.

[Mike Stevenson]

I want a cam system that will get me from print to floor quickly with efficient paths and time.

In that case I would recommend Mastercam. Once you know the interface it is possible to be lightning fast with it....Like I am.

[big_mak]

If you want to get to the floor quick, I'd recommend OneCNC. It is damned fast to get programs out to the floor. And you can get it for less than half of mastercam!(nuts)

[Rekd]

If you want to get to the floor quick, I'd recommend OneCNC. It is damned fast to get programs out to the floor. And you can get it for less than half of mastercam!(nuts)

And you get less than half of Mastercam.

BTW, Mastercam can go from print to part pretty damn fast just using menus, but throw in some scripts and libraries and I'm thinking it can compete with just about any other package.