Volumill 3D, anybody got it?

[Joe788]

I was checking out the Volumill site yesterday, and browsed through the reference material for Volumill 3D. Is anybody here using it? It sure looks like it would be the hot ticket for some wicked 17-4PH jobs I've got coming up.

[Guest SAIPEM]

Looks good and a lot like SurfCAM True-Mill.

I understand that the guys who created VOluMill also did the original TrueMill that Surfware patented.

 

Gibbs has it now but I haven't tried the Mastercam version.

 

BobCAD-CAM is also using it so you might want to temper your enthusiasm just in case.

[Joe788]

A buddy of mine is using the Volumill 2D add in for Gibbs, and they really love it. Haven't talked to anybody using the 3D version yet. I've been having fantastic luck Dynamic Mill, but it's a little limited compared to what Volumill is doing.

[Colin Gilchrist]

I know a couple users who run it. Neurosis and Slick are both running it with fantastic results. It blows away anything Mastercam has produced for 3D roughing (and I like Mastercam). I did the demo and I was highly impressed.

 

The only reason we don't use it in my department is that 95% of what we cut are composites, and these parts are basically just trimmed edges, pockets and holes. We don't do any roughing. Just cut to net finish and we are done.

 

The In-line Remachining is fantastic.

[Josh Kinney -Elite Engineering]

I use it almost daily. It works really well, yet there is definitely room for improvement in the algorithm. At times it will bounce between 2 separate features in a very inefficient way. Retracts are not efficient at times and it will leave random amounts of stock on the floors.

 

All three of these issues should be resolved with the next release.

 

I'm currently having an issue where I can't regenerate a toolpath once it's created. Joe at Volumill has been working very hard to resolve this issue. It appears to be a issue with my dual monitor setup but there still working on the solution.

 

Great bunch of guys, great product but its still a work in progress. The nice thing is they listen to the customer and make improvements. The only real issue I have is not tying the VoluMill license to a Hasp. Its locked to a single computer.

[Bob W.]

I use it and I love it. It makes roughing a snap even for 2.5 axis parts. If there is a part with several pockets, steps, and radii, I can have the entire part roughed in one toolpath and all I have to do is select the surface geometry and tool parameters. My only complaint is the number of retracts. If they could get it to stay down like dynamic milling it would be unbeatable.

 

One thing I have trouble with is copying a Volumill toolpath to create a rest-roughing toolpath. For some reason they are connected so all Volumill toolpaths need to be generated from scratch.

 

Customer service is EXCELLENT!

[MIL-TFP-41]

I used the Cimco version "Adaptive Clearing" and I liked it better than the Volumill package. Then, I did have the Cimco add in for over a year and only the short demo for the Volumill.

[Josh Kinney -Elite Engineering]

Looks like VoluMill resolved the regen Issue I was having and will incorporate the fix in the next release. Kudos to them for finding the problem.

 

Josh-

[Greg Williams]

I use CIMCO HSM performance pack, It has adaptive clearing which I like better