Looking for higher end cam package

[Mr. Dayshift]

Gibbscam is using the same Cimco HSM toolpaths, or a clone. I'm fairly new to the CAM world. I know the Gibbscam interface pretty basic. What is the scoop with DellCam? My boss is always carrying on about it. Is that yesterdays soup?

 

Or is that just the strength of the economy in Winnipeg?

[steve f]

Hi Curt, how's life in the 'Peg? I'm a native manitoban...apprenticed at Forte Tool & Die, sat on Grand Beach, ate mosquitos, etc.

 

Back on topic...HSMWorks is very similar to Mastercam in that the data fields available for controlling the toolpath are familiar. It has big potential because it's just as strong in the basic 2D stuff as it is in 3D...also the fact that 5ax positional can be done using planes in the same manner as solidworks is a plus.

 

Anyway, enough adverts for the competition before I get the punt

[within a thou]

With all this grumbling about how MC takes on average 30 mins to process a complete 3D path rough to finish How small are these molds that the cutterpath is less than that I have made countless molds that needed great finishes usually using a .003 step over with .0002 tolerance. finishing down to .06 cutters to clear the rads with the ability to open multiple instances while one cutterpath is generating you can be pumping in the data for the next job and rpcosseing them one after another so even if you are responsible for multiple machines this shouldn't be a issue. Just kick out the second one while the first is processing or use batch over night

[88Matt]

If MC didn't spend so much time processing, how would we find time for other things like coffee, newspapers, forums talking about MC...?

[Keith @ Solid Code Solutions]

Wow! Good point!

[thoskins]

I have used camtool on a IBM dual core AMD opteron system with 4 gig of ram and a nvidia graphics card. and it absolutley smoked. Camtool can process 8 parallel calculations at one time, depending upon the number of cores your processor has. I think at this time its a perfect compliment to Mastercam. I was able to increase step down and step over amounts and still get better finishes and shorter run times than Mcam. Processing times were far superior, tool collision detection, deletion of air cuts and so on......

But it can't do what mastercam can do and vise versa. I think "right now" a perfect world for me would be Mastercam and Camtool.

To properly use camtool be prepared to spend money on high end PC. The more cores the better and lots of RAM.

I kinda heard in the wind CNC Software may be trying to incorporate background processing into a future release. Nothing concrete mind you just a rumor. I anxiously await............

[PFABC]

quote:

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For 2D MasterCAM and EdgeCAM rules.

For 3D PowerMILL, Tebis and hyperMILL are awsome.

For 5X hyperMILL is the leader.

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Ditto

 

quote:

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Except Tebis I've tried them all and they all have some very nice function's. The best overall system ( 2D to 5X ) is clearly hyperMILL, but also the most expensive.

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hyperMILL is not the most expensive in fact is competitive with Mastercam. The big difference is that you get a lot more value for the buck in hyperMILL.

 

hyperMILL integrates seamlessly into ProE, Inventor, SolidWorks and Think Design.

 

If you are a SolidWorks user HSMWorks is a strong system that is not burdened with the same processing issues that have plagued Mastercam. In fact both hyperMILL and HSMWorks utilise multi core and CPU processing as well as extended memory all the while allowing the programmer to continue working.

[NeilJ]

quote:

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If you are a SolidWorks user HSMWorks is a strong system that is not burdened with the same processing issues that have plagued Mastercam.

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Last I looked HSMWorks had no way to Transform toolpaths. HSMWorks also had no way to Edit Common Parameters. Both of these are powerful tools that are not something I'd be willing to give up for better processing. Others might feel differently.

[PFABC]

Keep looking as there are a lot of new feature now coming down the pipe.

 

have you looked at hyperMILL?

[NeilJ]

quote:

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have you looked at hyperMILL?

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No because the majority of my needs are for 2 1/2 axis mill and I don't know of any system that is far better than Mastercam at this time for 2 1/2 axis mill work.

 

I do know of a system that runs inside of SolidWorks that is getting much closer to being decent and is far less modal than Mastercam currently is. For years this system was junk in my opinion.

 

It is the modal properties of Mastercam that aggravate me the most. This CAM system, that runs inside of SolidWorks, has eliminated much of the modality.

 

Given a choice I'd like to see stand alone Mastercam improve first when it comes to illuminating the modality I dislike so much but I'm guessing Mastercam In SolidWorks will be much better in this area first.

[PFABC]

Mastercam in Solidworks is not being released for 2.5D, just HST and some FBM initially.

 

Can you elaborate on modality?

[NeilJ]

quote:

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Can you elaborate on modality?

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I did and was very specific in the Mastercam In SolidWorks thread I started.

[Mic]

You can get a 2D hyperMILL for SolidWorks for a price around that of a MasterCAM level 1. hyperMILL's 2D functionality is quite good and get even better in the 2009.1 release witch is supposed to arrive in the beginning of next year.

[NeilJ]

quote:

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You can get a 2D hyperMILL for SolidWorks for a price around that of a MasterCAM level 1. hyperMILL's 2D functionality is quite good and get even better in the 2009.1 release witch is supposed to arrive in the beginning of next year.

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I started the process of inquiring about it. Thanks for the heads up.

[mold100]

Wow does Hypermill play well with Solidedge? I think they do

[mold100]

I have in the past used and well I might add:

 

Mastercam V6 - X2MR2 - yes pound for pound, as far as 2D and 3D toolpathing ability, containment and user control champ.

 

Surcfam 2000 - Velocity 3 Not even a contender it can drill on a centerline which rocks for thermoforming tools and 2D velocity pocketing is cool as well. Tool path options and containment SUCK.

 

Smartcam 7 - 11 freeform. Okay this wasnt horrible, but again not all the toolpathing abilities, HOWEVER as JON as stated its abilities to treat toolpath like geometry came in handy.

 

teksoft back in the day - bad taste forever.

 

Cimatron - :flamesuit on: Its 3d abilities for mold making toolpathing spanked x and previous pretty easily :flamesuit off: however less than stellar 2d

 

Camtool - hahahhaa you can reverse engineer gcode better than I can, however 2 weeks with an applications dude sitting in my shop next to prgramming the same parts could not do anything I could not do in MCAM.

 

Edgecam, a step up from Surfcam a step below Mastercam, throw GIBBS in here as well.

 

Now if you want to compare 5ax and Multi AX I am not qualified to throw stones, I am not a 5ax grammer.

 

Bottom Line most people I know that look for another software are to this day UNAWARE of what Mastercam can actually do. Or need more Multi AX features.

[Mick]

>Next on my list was ProManufacturing from ProE ( >PTC ). Obviously, opening a ProE file is a no->brainer. After a brief walk through of the >software, I was somewhat impressed with a couple >of the toolpaths. It wasn't long after that, the >train quickly derailed. It was very difficult >and time consuming to do some simple tasks that >we would normally perform on a file before we >start programming toolpaths. For example, >covering ejector pin holes or capping openings >where you do not want to cut. Soon thereafter, >the software kept crashing and we never got a >single toolpath out. The reps left with my test >part file and their tail between their legs and >said they would work on it and get back to me. >Its been nearly 3 weeks and nothing but silence.

 

Well well, it seems ProE is still the same . The same thing happened to me twice in three years. The ProE posse came in, and offered a real cut deal for us to drop our current cam software and switch to ProE. They set up their hardware, and proceeded to programme a part. And the software kept crashing...LOL

 

Same old same old

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

quote:

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...Can you elaborate on modality?...

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No, but we can elaborate on your welcomed departure!!! buh, bye!!!

[YoDoug®]

quote:

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Well well, it seems ProE is still the same . The same thing happened to me twice in three years. The ProE posse came in, and offered a real cut deal for us to drop our current cam software and switch to ProE.

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We kind of had the same deal here, but it was after PTC bought DepoCam and renamed it protoolmaker. The toolpaths looked exactly like the HST from Mastercam and the CimcoHSM toolpaths. Why would we spend money for more of the same?

[mig]

Hey guys ,

Is it meter what pan do you use ?

In my opinion meter hand which hold this pen.

Best software which you do know isn't it ?

But ,definitely, Mastercam has issues with processing time and reaction on the reported bugs .

[Tyler Robertson]

Just as a followup - PFABC is a former in-house employee who now works as a reseller at a competitive company. He wasn't banned for what he has to say specifically, but because this forum is for mastercam users, for which he has no vested interest in helping to use mastercam.

[mig]

hey Tyler ,

He still Mastercam user

[gcode]

That is true.. Kevin is still using Mastercam

[NeilJ]

Perhaps something can be worked out where he understands he can't solicit or mention the two products he sells?

 

Maybe some of his frustration is understandable?

 

He seems like a very nice person to me.

[MichaelJ]

"No because the majority of my needs are for 2 1/2 axis mill"

you got to be ****'en Neil that is all you do?