[Dave_W]

I have been 3 axis only and using CamBam, I am now moving into 4th Axis milling and have looked at a few alternatives and it seems the full version of Fusion will do the trick.

I do not like that it is cloud based and that it is not a perpetual license.

Can someone recommend a similar level of software that is not Cloud based and comes with the option of a perpetual license ?

TIA
Dave

[Vlod]

If you work mostly with wood and plastic.
I would recommend Vectric Aspire. They have different options to buy and its yours without claud.
I use it for several years now and it has all I need.
However it doesn’t do indexing. It does single side, two sides and rotary.

[joeavaerage]

Hi,

I do not like that it is cloud based and that it is not a perpetual license.

I was very much of the same opinion but on the basis of value for money I have had a Fusion 360 subscription for three years and counting, and a Machining Extensions subscription for one year and counting.
My opinion about both cloud and subscription has changed from very disagreeable, to just grudging acknowledgement that its the best solution available.

Fusion, and for this part at least I'm refering to Fusion Basic, ie the $500 (approx)/year version, is at least equivalent to the entry level Pro version of Vectric, CAMBAM etc. In almost all cases the entry Pro
version of the competing software is $1500-$2000 for a perpetual license plus maintenance fees if you wish. This means that a three year Fusion subsricption costs about the same as a like-for-like perpetual
license from a competing software.

The other feature is that Fusion has an electronics module, which I use daily, but also an FEA module and a generative design module. The overall level of performance is very good indeed. Instead of having
multiple bits of software ......I have and need only one.

About 18 months ago I did a bunch of research on what solution I would adopt for simultaneous four and five axis. This is where CAM get expensive. Fusion charged me $1200USD/year as an introductory offer,
and I renewed it about two months ago for $1320USD/year. Note that Fusion Machining Extensions is what adds that capability, and it is above and beyond Fusion Basic. It requires that you have Fusion
basic plus Machining Extensions. You might think that sounds a lot....but all the rest like Mecsoft want at least $5000 plus maintenance fees for four axis simultaneous and indexing fifth axis,
or $10,000 plus maintenance for genuine simultaneous fifth axis. I came to the conclusion that Fusion Machining Extensions was good value for money, that does not mean cheap, but value for money.

If I'm not mistaken Fusion Basic, possibly including the free-to-hobbyists version has 3+1, that is to say indexing fourth axis but does not do simutaneous four axis, that requires Machining Extensions,
which require a Fusion Basic subscription also.

There was one solution, DeskProto, for about $1000USD (commercial edition, perpetual) for a simultaneous four axis plus indexing fifth axis........but might suit you. I need simultaneous five axis,
so the cheaper solution was never going to cut it.

https://www.deskproto.com/products/multiax-ed.php

Craig

[Vlod]

Vectric Desktop is about $360, Vectric Vcarve Pro about $600 and Vectric Aspire is about $2000 and they allowed to have it on 3 computers for one user.
It is CAD/CAM software vs DeskProto is only CAM.
However if you work with precision and metal then I would stick to Fusion or SolidWorks - they are brilliants .
We all know why we paying for Fluke and Tektronix tools- they are reliable industrial grade with tech support.

[joeavaerage]

Hi,
by my estimation (comparing features and capabilities) Fusion Basic is functionally equivalent to Vectric Aspire.
Vectric Aspire for $2000 perpetual verses Fusion Basic for $500/year??....there is not much in it. I would personally be reluctant to buy a program like Vectric Aspire
for a considerable sum WITHOUT taking up the maintenance offer as well. Who would want to pay $2000 and then only to have it slip out of date?
The true cost of Aspire would be somewhat higher than $2000 if you consider the maintenance.

Where Fusion really comes out on top is the other capabilities. As I posted earlier it has an electronics module which is a re-work of EAGLE that I've been using for over a decade.
The FEA module gets a bit of a workout as well. It these last considerations that lead me to believe that Fusion Basic is such good value that I have to overlook the cloud based subscription
thing and concentrate on the capabilities I now have verses the annual cost.

Deskproto may only be CAM but the multi-ax version for non-commercial use is 250 Euro, and that is simultaneous four axis and indexing fifth axis. It is very much lower cost
and is perpetual, and might appeal to OP. It caught my eye for those exact reasons, but for the fact it is not genuine simultaneous four/five axis I would probably have gone that way.

However if you work with precision and metal then I would stick to Fusion or SolidWorks - they are brilliants .

I feel the same way. I may not like the cloud based model nor the subscription model, but that is just too dammned bad, it is what it is. The only alternative is go without.

Craig