Good cad program

[Joels]

I have to make some simple tool and fixture drawings. The engineering dept uses Solidworks. we have Mastercam 9.1 on the PC in the shop.I need to do some drawings on the PC. Does anybody use Mastercam for tool drawing or do you use something else like Autocad or Solidworks.

[Tom Szelag]

Being an engineering student, I started working with Solidworks and Inventor and then a few months later started working with MasterCAM.

 

Personally I don't use Mastercam for any sort of design or drawing, only toolpaths. Mastercam is primarily an NC package. Solidworks is primarily a design package, and for me its much much easier to do design in Solidworks.

 

But its a personal preference thing.

[Joels]

I have used Autocad and Mastercam for 2d drawings and it seems Mastercam doesnt do a real good 2d drawing like other cad programs. I am looking to purchase one but i dont know how much solidworks costs.

[BernieT]

Mastercam should do what you want with ease. I have used it to draw everything from molds to golf clubs to tennis racquets. Granted it's no Solidworks but still a powerful design package. Excellent for tooling and fixturing. Makes very good 2D drawings too.

 

In my opinion, you will be disappointed using Autocad for this. The translation factor alone is reason enough to not use Autocad.

 

Give MC a chance, you will find it does a good job.

[kinglouie V]

I with Bernie on this one. I've only been doing this work for 18 years, but with all the other software out there ACAD is so yersterday. MC will draw just about anything you could need. Hence, the design package for MC. Beauty is you basically get design with your mill package. I think it's basically how you conceptualize your design and navigate your software.

[Greg Williams]

AutoCad, Do they still make that?

[2 flute]

Yes, I believe version 200 will be out soon.

[Joels]

i havent used autocad since 2000 i use mastercam for everything. i use mill for drawings so i guess design would be a better choice?

[DC Gorn]

If you are all ready getting your files in Solidworks and you have people using Soildwork onsite you should look into Soildworks. 2 reasons. One, it is all around a much better drawing/assembly package. Two, looks good on a Resume.

 

Just my 2 cents

[Lee.]

I use Mastercam for Everything except printing off Customers AutoCad Drawings.

 

HTH

[Mito@DeeringBanjos]

I use mastercam for all my desings and trevor used it for the original desings. we made some very complex surfaces all in mastercam. it has made every shape i could imagine.

[crazy^millman]

I do everything in Mastercam. My complete set-up sheet with the 3d model of the tomnstone and other stuff. Now there is a problem with solid layout that has been fixed email Pete at CNC and he should be able to send you the app for doing 3d layout perfect yes perfect. He got it fixed for X and should able to provide you with what you need to get V9 working right. I learned soemthing from G-code about tying my tools to a lelve so I make a custom tool all in the file make the print for it all in one file so if there are any changes I can verify it see it and fix it all at one time verse going back and forth between a cad program and Mastercam.

 

HTH

[toolsman]

Mastercam should be more than capable of doing what you need. I use it everyday in a tool and die atmosphere.

[Fig sign]

Intellicad from Cadopia .

It was free ,now it is for little money .

Full clone of Autocad ,Supports MDI ,LISP and more

I use it for a long time and happy .

My choice .

HTH

[Altek]

Am I the only one using AutoDesk Inventor?

 

I used to do all my Layout/Design work in Mastercam. Now I do it all in Inventor and add tool path with MC.

 

Your question was about simple tool and fixture drawings, Where this setup really shines for me is complex assemblies/fixtures/setups - when I have to generate many complete drawings of the components I need built and the way I need them assembled/setup.

 

Not to mention the benefits of full associatively between the model, assembly and drawings.

 

HTH

[Bill Cronkhite]

I use MasterCam for about 90% of my design work. I have AutoCad and Solidworks but only use solidworks for simpler projects without contours and curves. Sometimes I'll use autocad for set up drawings but usually I generate them with MasterCam.

[jimp]

I have used mastercam since Ver 4.5 (Dos)up till 5 years ago alwas used Mastercams Cad but now find Solid works so much easier.

Mastercam is still the best Cam system by far maybe with X the Cad package will be on par with Solidworks you can only hope.

 

JimP Scotland.

[Fred @ Slate Industries]

SW is $5,000.00

I use solid works to keep me more diversified

Just in case this place goes up in flames.

(On 35 hours for 5 months now)