9 replies to this topic

[lou]

Hi all!! I am looking for all of your infinite wisdom!!  

I am getting a new computer soon. I am currently running Mastercam X5 and Catia V5.

The New computer I am looking at is:

Dell T7500
Zeon 6 Core 3.4g processer
24 gigs of ram.

Right now the Catia guys are recommending a ATI Firepro 4800

My Question is:  What Graphics card plays well with Mastercam?

I have about a $6000 budget to do this…..What Would be your dream machine???  

[gcode]

You're going to want a Quadro video card for Mastercam

Mastercam does not play well with ATI cards

talk to Mike at  Solidbox  look at the Carbide line
great service and really good machines..

They sell Dell workstations with Dell warranties at 10 to 15% off Dell prices
We're running 3 of them here and just ordered a fourth

[gcode]

they have some really monster machines for your Catia guys at the Team SolidWorks website

(link at the top of the Team Mastercam page)

[Matthew Hajicek™ -Midland Tech]

If I had that kind of budget I'd probably get something from Origin.  They do custom pre-overclocked water-cooled systems with 24/7 support.

http://www.originpc.com/

[Bill Henderson]

Larry is going to freak. Doug and I just got those two pcs a year ago.  Talk about being spoiled.

I have sat through those stupid budget meetings every month... only thing I got for months was a Jimmy Johns sub... and then one day the Cat seat and two pcs. And that took us 6 months. Sheesh.

[lou]

Is there is a Nvidia Quadro model that Mastercam Suggests???

[Bill Henderson]

Are you having an issue with the PC's we got? I found that we made our wish list and the higher ups and or IT decided what we did and or didn't need.

Monitors... new keyboards... sound cards...

Don't even get me started on the space ball.

[lou]

I am updateing every mold I work on in Catia so we have a true representation of math data to what is on the shop floor and I will be uploading to Smart Team also. Plus still doing all the programming. These are good computers but we want to get the top of the line with the budget...

[Bill Henderson]

lou, on 07 February 2012 - 03:11 PM, said:

I am updateing every mold I work on in Catia so we have a true representation of math data to what is on the shop floor and I will be uploading to Smart Team also. Plus still doing all the programming. These are good computers but we want to get the top of the line with the budget...

Aren't you glad I initiated that? That's how I got the Cat seat. More like this  

[gcode]

Here are Mastercam's recommendations... out dated IMO
they state Open-GL compatible.. and I believe Nvidia Quadro is the only Open-Gl compatible card left on the market.

Which card to buy depends on what you're doing

Nvidia Line card


If you're doing simple 2d lathe and mill you could probably get by with an FX 580
the more surfacing and 5 axis work you do the more card you need.
The more card you have, the better Verify will run ... at some point, in complex / large surfacing jobs
Verify will crap out on you, no matter what hardware you're running.... but high end video cards
do help and increase your work envelope

For mid level work the new Quadro 2000 is a petty good card

We are running FX-3800's on our older work stations and Quardo 4000's on the newer ones..

The 4000 is a sweet card