[TMolinaro]

Hello everyone,
I am new to the forum, but have been working with Hurco mills for 15+ years. I currently have an older BMC 20 (4th axis), a BMC 30, and two VM1's, one of which also has a 4th axis. When purchased I did not add ISNC to any of these machines. We are now looking in to possibly doing offline cad/cam programming (still exploring my options as to a program). Are there any Hurco users here doing offline programming without ISNC? I was told by Hurco tech support that I don't "need" it.
Thanks,
Tom

[forrey45]

Hi Tom
I use mastercam and at first used a post for .bnc ( Hurcos G code).When I first got mastercam they supplyed the post for both .bsn & .fnc( ISNC) so there was no problem there.
I found that all the operators that I hired were more used to ISNC style of G code so we ended up getting that on all our machines.
Steve.

[TMolinaro]

Does Mastercam give you CAD abilities as well as CAM, or do you need to use separate software to generate your 3-D images? I was looking at the new version of BobCad, as well as Dolphin. It appears that both are nice packages for the money, but I recently found out that BobCad does not support 4th axis work.

[harley4ever]

I use Dolphin and I am extrememly satisfied. It's hard to aruge against mastercam though. If you have the money, it's up there with the best. Dolphin is my choice for 2D / 2.5D machining. We use surfcam for complex 3d at work.

Be very careful of bobcad. Don't let there sales antics get you. That is how many people got burnt by them.

Read these 2 threads.
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60404

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60004

[TMolinaro]

Harley,
Can you run a 4th axis on dolphin?

[harley4ever]

I don't have a need for it but I am pretty sure you can. If I am not mistaken, it will do 4th axis indexing or rotary.

[TMolinaro]

Thanks for the info, going to talk to them and try to set up a demo

[Mike Stevenson]

Dolphin cad/cam does 4th axis indexing only not 4th axis simultaneous contouring.

[TMolinaro]

For 4th axis contouring i'm going to want to go with mastercam most likely?

[Mike Stevenson]

Actually you have many choices for 4th axis programming.

[TMolinaro]

Currently i have 2 lathes and 4 hurco mills (2 with rotary tables). I've looked at Bobcad, and briefly at dolphin. Both have attractive pricing currently. The more I read here the more concern I have toward Bobcad. The demo made it seem like a nice package, but that is not real world. If I am going to spend the money to do this, I would want to be able to run all my equipment, not just some of it. Do you have any recommendations?

[harley4ever]

We all have our own opinions. I am comfortable with Dolphin and wouldn't change for nothing. Mike Stevenson seems to feel the same way with mastercam.

One thing that hundreds / thousands of users on here agree is that bobcad is not a viable solution. Everything seems pretty till you are customer. Then you have to worry about the mess. We've seen several threads with horrible reviews get deleted off of here. There are still only a few that remain. Just remember, the demo may look pretty, but it's the code that's produced that matters. They have one of the most forceable sales staffs in the software industry. Don't let that get to you.

Do what you feel best.

[forrey45]

Hi Tom.

Yes Mastercam will do CAD & CAM. This one of the reasons we do not use the on board conversational, as all our work needs fixturing with clamps and the graphics on the Hurco are only tool path.
I would guess that any of the Mastercam's, Gibbs, Edgecam ect; are rock solid with code and will do what you want them to. I think it is the old adage you get what you pay for.
I have not used Dolphin or OneCNC but in the main on most forums they seem to come off OK.
My 1 experience with Bobcad was more sales pressure than a used car sales man ( sorry used car sales men) this put me of and after reading a lot on different forums I am clad it did.

Steve.

[TMolinaro]

Thanks for the info on that one DEFINATELY!!!

[arvishal]

I am trying to connect my Hurco BMC 20 to a PC for transferring CAM programs via Windnc. It first says "receiving data" but while doing so I get an error message saying "data recieved not in valid format, deleting data".

I am using a 9 pin to 9 pin connection using a wire consulting the user manual of the machine.

Can anyone please help me with this ?

[faja]

Hello everyone,
I am new to the forum, but have been working with Hurco mills for 15+ years. I currently have an older BMC 20 (4th axis), a BMC 30, and two VM1's, one of which also has a 4th axis. When purchased I did not add ISNC to any of these machines. We are now looking in to possibly doing offline cad/cam programming (still exploring my options as to a program). Are there any Hurco users here doing offline programming without ISNC? I was told by Hurco tech support that I don't "need" it.
Thanks,
Tom

I know around 15 Hurco machines without ISNC programmed outside. ISNC is a option. Standard is a BNC (Basic). This is simplest NC mode but you can do with it almost everything. Sometimes code has to be longer, will be not so flexible but with CAM it is not a problem.
To use BNC you have to have different P-P for your CAM system...

[Buddy1]

Sounds like your post processor is wrong. Check it and/or try a different one. Which cam package are you using? Where did the post come from?

One comment, 2d work is best done in Conversational on the Hurco machines. Faster and easier.

Buddy

[faja]

One comment, 2d work is best done in Conversational on the Hurco machines. Faster and easier.

100% true.
Using CAM for 2D programming on Hurco machines is without sense.
If someone do it - it's mean that he doesn't know MAX dialogue or company organization forces it...

[Rally]

That is the silliest thing I've heard yet! I do both on and Off machine Programming using mastercam and a lot of times I can do a 2D contour faster in Mastercam then on the Machine itself.

[forrey45]

That is the silliest thing I've heard yet! I do both on and Off machine Programming using mastercam and a lot of times I can do a 2D contour faster in Mastercam then on the Machine itself.

at last some reason.
Steve