[RIFF-RAFF]

V-Carve Pro is only $50 above your budget at $599, and is far and away the easiest CAM package you'll find. Check out their user forum, and you'll find nothing but satisfied users.

Is V-Carve Pro intended more as a router software or will it work well with a milling machine?

It seems you can get the latest version (v23) for around $400 by haggling with a rep or looking on eBay.

I found this very interesting as I spoke with a Dolphin CAD rep and he worked out a deal with me that is well below my price limit.I told him "I can't afford your software but thanks anyway" and he asked me "how much can you afford?".He gave me a much better price and I was told "we'll write off the difference".I had no idea you could work with the reps on the price I assumed you either paid the listed price or you just buzzed off.Any further comments on the Dolphin Cad before I commit to it?Thanks again for all the help.


Frank

[ger21]

V-Carve Pro is a a pretty full featured 2D CAM package. It'll do drilling, pocketing profiling....


Before committing to any software, I highly recommend downloading demo's and trying them out.

[harley4ever]

Im a dolphin cad cam user and have nothing but good things to say. I had previous expierience with auto cad and found the cad a bit different from what I was used to. Since picking it up though and learning that aspect, I use it daily and have accomplished quite a bit with it.

[DareBee]

I highly recommend downloading demo's and trying them out.

IMO This is an absolute must.

You can also use FreeMill for a 1 (or is it 2) method(s) of 3 axis machining.

[Ozfab]

bobcam is 3 axis correct?

Bobcad v21 and v23 are 3 axis but they can substitute a fourth axis for another axis so you can run x, y, z or x, a, z or (I think) a, y, z. I think you would call this some sort of limited fourth axis operation. Version 22 does not have this.

If this is important you should ask somebody specific questions - I have a basic understanding of the "fourth axis capabilities" but I have never used mine for fourth axis work.

[RTP_Burnsville]

If you happen to own a Tormach, SprutCam is a very good deal for around $1K-$1.5K depending on version.

[Randall]

Bobcad 23 is much better than 22 and has a great cam side, and 4th axis. but as another poster said try alot and see what fits you.
Randy

[tobyaxis]

Try some demos and see what you like. Be sure to pay close attention to functionality. Above all plan to have some room to expand down the road. There is nothing worse than spending money only to find that you need to expand in an area that isn't supported by your current software supplier.

Read these Forums, ask Questions, and good luck.

[Mike Mattera]

Earlier someone asked why Cam is so much more expensive that Cad. It's simple...

With Cad you make a picture of a part.

With Cam you can make a "real" part.

You can make money selling real parts, more easily than selling pictures of parts.

Cam Makes You Money!

Mike Mattera

[tobyaxis]

Earlier someone asked why Cam is so much more expensive that Cad. It's simple...

With Cad you make a picture of a part.

With Cam you can make a "real" part.

You can make money selling real parts, more easily than selling pictures of parts.

Cam Makes You Money!

Mike Mattera

Personally I feel that both CAD and CAM Compliment each other. Each have their place and both are equally important when manufacturing complex geometries and surface topologies.

[Mike Mattera]

Absolutely Toby. They do compliment each other. In the days before serious 3D cad it was a pain to try and toolpath some peoples parts. Having a decent model makes the manufacturing Sooooo much easier.

But my point is not that one is better or more useful than the other. My point has to do with manufacturing an actual product that you can sell. If I have Cam, but no Cad, I can still make and sell parts for a living. With Cad only, I can only make drawings of parts. Unless someone's paying me to model parts, that's the only way to make the software pay for itself.

Cam costs more because it produces the final part that people want to buy. If I can take $10 worth of material and make a part that I can sell for $60. I only have to make and sell 100 pcs. to pay for my $5000 software package. With the right part 100 pcs is nothing. If I have a $500 package I only have to make a 10 pcs. to pay for the software. Cam brings the dream to life, by putting a real product in your hand.

Mike Mattera

[ger21]

Cam costs more because it produces the final part that people want to buy.

Isn't that just an excuse to try to justify the costs? Pretty much any software used be any company makes that company money. Why should it matter how it makes the company money. Word and Excel make companies millions of dollars each year by saving time. But your saying they're inexpensive because they don't make tangible parts? I don't see the difference.

I think a better explanation is there are a couple of reasons. One, most expensive CAM software is sold through authorized resellers. So now you have the developers and resellers making a profit on a single seat of software. That's got to raise the price. Another thing is that technical support for CAM software is probably much more expensive to do. And keep in mind that developing good CAM software is not a simple task, and requires some extremely talented people, and a lot of time. Market size is also a factor. They just don't sell that many copies of CAM software, so the price has to be higher for the companies to be viable.

[harley4ever]

I agree with the very last 2 lines. The amount of users is about .00001 percent compared to the amount of excel users. If the whole world used cad/cam, we would all get it dirt cheap.

[tobyaxis]

On a personal note I prefer MASTERCAM Over All. Functionality Post Processors you can trust. As far as I am concerned a CAM program should do what YOU want, not what it is limited too.

Mastercam will be my next CAM Software purchase. That should be this year.

Between the Nightmare with BobScrap and other softwares I really don't need the headache.

Mastercam covers everything I need to make Molds and basic 3D parts.

The only way I learned this is be visiting shops and having access through contract to use their software. Bar None Mastercam is probably the best bang for the buck.

High end is SurfCam, Catia, Pro/E, and Camworks. These are vary high in price but if you need that type of software it is justified.

[fstmar]

RoutCad 2.5D is an excellent CAD-CAM software for less than $100.

You can use it for CNC Milling and CNC Lathe.

It has Tutorial Videos to help you quickly learn the software.

RoutCad 2.5D is an accurate, professional CAD-CAM software, that is quick to learn and easy to use.

You can purchase the software by going to the following link:

RoutCad 2.5D CAD-CAM Software for Only $89.99

[email protected]

RoutCad 2.5D V 1.1 Full Release is a Computer Aided Design software and a Computer Aided Manufacturing software all bundle in a single easy to handle package. You can utilize it to create contours, shapes, and 3D objects. The software has pre-defined material selection for plastic, metal, or wood. Once the object is designed, you easily define the tool path and export to g-code .nc or rout script .rs to be utilized by the RoutBot CNC Control System or other CNC controller like Mach 3. RoutCad 2.5D V 1.1 Full Release is a state of the art Computer Aided Design software that allows you to create the design of your choice using the material you want. There is an abundance of options and commands that enables you to create, modify, and combine objects to quickly achieve the desired results. The software comes with a library of pre-designed shapes and a comprehensive easy to follow user manual in pdf format. A series of training (Quick Start) videos have been included to help quickly and effectively learning the software.

[spiral72]

FSTMAR. Thank you for the recommendation. RoutCAD looks very promising until I can afford MasterCAM. If it doesn't do everything who cares? I'm out $90 after a year or however long it takes to grow out of the program.

[95hmcs]

my personal choice for cad is:
progeCAD Professional, the best Low Cost AutoCAD alternative. Professional quality for a fraction of the AutoCAD price
and is free for home usage.
For cam, I use Sheetcam for the mill (nothing yet for lathe)
Welcome to SheetCam

I use Rhino and export 3dm files and like to know if sheetcam can import 3dm files? Thanks

[Bubba]

Sheetcam imports dxf, svg, plt, hpg, Excellon files, DSTV files (nc, nc1)

I have always used DXF files to generate my Gcodes.

Hope this helps.

[handlewanker]

Hi .....as I'm new to the CNC world I'll just pass on what I've been told or recommended to use etc........Fusion 360 by Artsoft is a CAD and CAM package all in one bundle and for hobby non commercial use it's free.......can't say more as I'm pecking away at the edges with it.
Ian.

[daniellyall]

Ian Fusion 360 is by Autodesk, Mach3 is by Artsoft