Edgecam/Solidworks Integration - anyone had experience with this?

[Mick]

I was talking to a prospective Mastercam customer the other day, when they raised a potential stumbling block to their purchase of Mastercam. They had checked out Edgecam, and its ability to "totally" integrate into Soldiworks, so that if a change was made in a Solidworks model, that was toolpathed in Edgecam, when the model was opened in Edgecam after the changes, the user would be alerted to the changes, and the toolpath(s) could be regenned.

 

As far as I'm aware, Mastercam cant do this. I'm curious on anyone's feedback who have used this feature in Edgecam, and if it is as good as they say it is.

[Guest]

Mick,

 

I can't speak to this exact software itself, I am unfamiliar with Edgecam. However in other softwares that offer this feature, yes, it does work, to an extent. If changes are made to the model, the system alerts you and you have to regen the toolpaths affected by the change.

 

Now with that being said it's only 100% successful depending on the extent of the changes. If the mill geometry has changed too much then you will need to go back an repick the areas to be cut. Likewise, if holes are added, sizes changed, features added it will all have to be done manually.

 

So again, it works but only to a point, minor changes and such.

 

[gcode]

Dead link??? I tried to go to EdgeCam's website to do a little research,but its down. I fthey can't kep a website running, it doesn't give me much confidence in thier support.

[Guest]

http://www.javelin-tech.com/cam/products/products.htm

 

 

Though that is a reseller

[Yogesh K. Raman]

www.pathrace.com

[gcode]

EdgeCam SolidMachinist for SolidWorks_pdf file

 

It looks pretty good on paper, certainly more associativity than Mastercam has. I don't know anyone who owns it or has ever even used it.

[Mick]

I've yet to talk to someone who has actually used it at all.

I'm going to call someone I know that actually owns the product, and see what they say.

 

I have to admit, I'm somewhat skeptical. I used to run Unigraphics, and the whole integrated design and manufacture thing works up to a point. As soon as you get into complex stuff, the software chokes. Then its just like usual, having to re-pick surfaces etc.

 

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'll let you know what I find out today.

[gcode]

A thread from last year

 

This was one of the better threads on various othe cam packages. Not a lot on EdgeCam but well

worth the time it takes to read through it

[Tom Dorgan from American Precision]

I have been around Pathtrace & Edgecam for 12 years and it has always been full of bugs. Newest version is not a bad software but it is pricey for the features you get and is still buggy. You guys complained about X just try Edgecam for a while and X is stable as all getout comparitivly.

[Guest]

I just reread that entire thread g,

 

MAN we covered alot of different ground in that discussion.

[gcode]

quote:

---

I'm going to call someone I know that actually owns the product, and see what they say

---

Let us know what he has to say

[Mick]

I just called him

 

He said it was "ok" for basic stuff, but in the times that they used it, if the model had a hole added, when it was opened in Edgecam, they had to reselect the holes. He said that Edgecam was buggy, and when they complained about some of the bugs, their dealer gave them a beta to try. As he said, he didn't know what was worse, putting up with buggy software, or having a beta to try. They ended up getting Powermill, so they dont use Edgecam much nowadays.

 

Interesting..... Give me Mastercam any day

[Bobkat]

Quote: "As far as I'm aware, Mastercam cant do this. I'm curious on anyone's feedback who have used this feature in Edgecam, and if it is as good as they say it is."

 

I am not familiar with Edgecam, however ...

Have you tried "Mastercam Direct" for Solidworks?

http://www.mastercam.com/Support/Downloads...mX/Default.aspx

(They also have it for Inventor and Solidedge)

I have used it on basic models, it installs a toolbar on the interface of Solidworks, when activated, it opens Mastercam from Solidworks, importing the model to Mastercam with solid history.

I have heard that there may be some limitations at this point, but from what I have seen ... so far so good.

Does this sound like what you were talking about?

 

Cheers

Bob

[Roger Peterson]

When it works it works, it's just that it doesn't work so much of the time. It is somewhat associative, if you change the length of a slot for example. But not associative enough, or anywhere near reliable enough, to be counted on. Not sure which version it was, last fall?

 

 

HTH