Mcam for Solidworks vs. Mill Lvl 3

[mold100]

Good Day, I been off for awhile ...... New Company and we are buying Mastercam. Up until a year ago I used Mcam from V6 through X2, so I am very familiar with it. I have SolidWorks office now on 2011, and we are going to graduate into a CAM system now as well. I will be only programmer for the time being. So my thought is (WE are 95% mold shop) to see the integration of Mcam into Solidworks. I seen the few demos online I could find and cannot see what 3D toolpathing options there are. Can I still use boundries like stand alone seat. Does it have all the 3D surface machining toolpaths. Thats huge for me. Thanks in advance .....

[gcode]

Here is the product description from the Mastercam website.

 

I think all the 2d tool paths are there now, but I believe 3D is restricted to

the new high speed stuff. As far as I know, the 3d legacy tool paths are not included.

Get it touch with your dealer, I'm sure they'd be happy to get you a trial license.

[mold100]

Thanks G ..... I have they are looking at some of my part files. The legacy stuff is actually most important to me I guess, nothing for the most part can beat a good .. surf fin cont, surf fin shallow , left over for fast gramming of electrodes.

[Chris In-House Solutions]

G code is correct all the 2D toolpath's have been brought over. For 3D however all that is offered at this point in time is the New High Speed toolpath's. There are ways to use the high speed toolpath's to only cut a shallow surface much like a Surface Finish Shallow toolpath. I like the toolpath's and have heard great things about them.

[MotorCityMinion]

You can't go wrong with the Solidworks idea. Yes, you lost your older style tool paths, but the plus side is a great CAD app. that you can always add another machining package to in order to supplement what you don't get with MC. In other words, your not tied down using SW, you have lots of options. Consider this though: you'll probably have to stay on maintenance with both apps if you plan on keeping up with one or the other. X5 may not run in SW2012, or X6 may not run in 2011.

[John White WLM&T]

So what happens when Solidworks comes out with 2011 in a timley manner which I am sure they will..

 

And Mastercam X6 is delayed for, lets say two years...

 

You must keep paying maintenance on Solidworks but cant upgrade it. As well as paying maintenance on Mastercam while waiting for X6. If it's been almost 10 years from V9 to X5 you do the math.

 

Is Mastercam a gold partner? There are lots of gold CAM partners.

 

Will X5 work on a 64bit yet?

 

John

[gcode]

And Mastercam X6 is delayed for, lets say two years

X5 beat SW2011 by 2.5 months

X6 will do the same.. or better.

 

SolidWorks has been slipping a month a year for at least 5 years now.

[John White WLM&T]

That's nice to hear.

 

You know where I can find the release dates for Mastercam versions since V9?

 

John

[Scott Lundin Shopware Inc.]

Mastercam X4 for Solidworks and Mastercam X5 for Solidworks can both open Solidworks 2011 files.

Mastercam X5 for Solidworks also works on 64 bit operating systems.

[gcode]

That's nice to hear.

 

You know where I can find the release dates for Mastercam versions since V9?

 

John

 

 

I don't know where you could find a litlte, but if you go the the Download page

on Mastercam.com they've got everything from X to X5 available for download.

They list a posted date and the required sim maintenance date is in the Info box

for each download.

Shouldn't be too hard to figure out

For example X SP1 was posted 9/27/05

X2 was 1017/06

X3 was 8/11/08

[John White WLM&T]

Mastercam X4 for Solidworks and Mastercam X5 for Solidworks can both open Solidworks 2011 files.

Mastercam X5 for Solidworks also works on 64 bit operating systems.

 

Thats because it falls behind and has to supply 2 converters for the same version.

 

Mastercam X - SW 2005

 

Lap 2 - SW 2006

 

Mastercam X2 - SW 2007

 

Mastercam X3 - SW 2008

 

Mastercam X4 - SW 2009

 

Lap 6 - SW 2010

 

Mastercam X5 - SW 2011

 

If you get lapped twice are you still in second place?

 

 

Just something to keep in mind if considering X5 for Solidworks.

I think I remember waiting more than 6 months for 2006 converter?

 

 

John

[gcode]

nevermind

 

 

[Scott Lundin Shopware Inc.]

Thats because it falls behind and has to supply 2 converters for the same version.

 

 

Huh? Aren't you the same guy thats always posting about not having to wait for the next MU or next version to get a patch? You complain even when you get what you ask for.

[John White WLM&T]

I wasnt complaining in this thread? Just stating facts.

 

Mastercam sometimes takes a year off. Not with billing. Just new versions.

 

Only trying to help people see all the information.

 

There is no real history or timelines on releases of Mastercam. That's why its called X something or other. Not tied to any kind of date where they could be held to annual releases.

 

I think that is important information to know if you are considering adding this to Solidworks.

 

John

[gcode]

There is no real history or timelines on releases of Mastercam

 

I told you where to get the info..but the info doesn't fit your agenda.. so you've ignored it

[John White WLM&T]

I told you where to get the info..but the info doesn't fit your agenda.. so you've ignored it

 

I didn't ignore that information. I used it in the post above.

 

I also went here.

 

http://www.mastercam.com/View.aspx?Page=/value/Default.cncx

 

Scroll down and you will see dates referring to what improvements were made and release dates.

As they fell behind it looks they were to embarrased to keep putting the dates beside the upgrades...

 

I respect the fact that you are a real company man but the truth will set you free.

 

John

[mold100]

After taking a close look at the product today, we decided to go with stand alone X5 mill level 3 seat. The pros for it were never leave solid works and live association. The cons however 1st were the legacy paths. No Parallel, contour, shallow, pencil, surf rough pocket are not in this product.2nd the inability to read or write an MCX file. It is saved as a Solidworks file and not as an MCAM file. Mastercam standalone seats can not open a MC for SW file with operations, and the same for reverse. These 2 options justified the stand alone seat. If these options could be integrated right into the SW seat it would be an absolute no brainer.

[gcode]

Mastercam X (August 2005)

Mastercam X MR1 (January 2006)

Mastercam X MR2 (May 2006)

Mastercam X2 (October 2006)

Mastercam X2MR1 (March 2007)

Mastercam X2MR2 (October 2007)

Mastercam X2 MR2 SP1 01/21/08

X3 Product Release - Initial Release 08/11/08

X3 Maintenance Update 1 12/02/08

X4 Product Release - Initial Release 06/11/09

X4 Maintenance Update 1 10/13/09

X4 Maintenance Update 2 12/01/09

X4 Maintenance Update 3 02/01/10

X5 Product Release - Initial Release 11/01/10

 

 

X2 had a life span of 20 months, but they did put out 4 MR's during its life.

That's the only gap I see.

I wouldn't call me a company man. I have as many isues with Mastercam also.

The guys and gals who answer the beta emails will tell you that.

The main difference between me and you is I try to fix the problems.. and you just b!tch and whine.

[John White WLM&T]

So all I was saying is if X5 lives for 20 months that could be a problem for X5 In Solidworks.

 

John

[gcode]

So all I was saying is if X5 lives for 20 months

Don't concern yourself.. it won't

[John White WLM&T]

OK. Who are you really.

 

If you can promise that can you also promise my pricing won't go up another 40%. I want something we can pin up on the wall here.

 

 

 

Post me a good one...

 

 

John

[gcode]

OK. Who are you really.

 

gcode.. owner of a personal seat of mastercam..

I've owned it and been a beta site since V8 (1999)

based on 12 years experience as a beta site I'm dead certain we'll see a point release this year.

 

can you also promise my pricing won't go up another 40%.

 

No... but I can tell you for a fact that MY pricing NEVER went up 40% or even 10%

Maybe your paying a PITA surcharge

[neurosis]

No... but I can tell you for a fact that MY pricing NEVER went up 40% or even 10%

Maybe your paying a PITA surcharge

 

Or maybe he let his Maintenance lapse assuming that he ever had it and is having to play catch up.

 

 

One question about Mastercam solidworks.

 

How does the stock recognition work? It is similar to what we see in stand alone?

 

Ive played with a few different solidworks cam packages recently and one thing that really caught my attention was how well they have implemented stock recognition. Mastercam looks very unimpressive in this area when compared to what I have seen from some of these.

 

Does the solidworks plugin use the same posts?

 

Do they have a backwards compatibility? Meaning, if you are stuck on Solidworks 2011, will ANY future versions of Mastercam install in to them or will have have to remain 100% current for them to continue to work?

 

 

I dont even want to ask what happens if Solidworks ever does go 100% cloud.

 

 

After taking a close look at the product today, we decided to go with stand alone X5 mill level 3 seat. The pros for it were never leave solid works and live association. The cons however 1st were the legacy paths. No Parallel, contour, shallow, pencil, surf rough pocket are not in this product.2nd the inability to read or write an MCX file. It is saved as a Solidworks file and not as an MCAM file. Mastercam standalone seats can not open a MC for SW file with operations, and the same for reverse. These 2 options justified the stand alone seat. If these options could be integrated right into the SW seat it would be an absolute no brainer.

 

 

When you are opening a solidworks file from inside of stand alone mastercam, in the options there is a check box for importing mcx tool paths from solidworks file. Does this not work as I would assume?

[gcode]

Or maybe he let his Maintenance lapse assuming that he ever had it and is having to play catch up

 

I hadn't thought of that.. but yes.. the penalties for lasped maintenance can be painful.

 

The toolpaths in MC-4-SW work exactly the same way as they do in Mastercam

They are the same toolpaths..

One very cool feature..

A Mastercam session in Solidworks is saved inside the SW sldprt file.

If you open the sldprt in Mastercam.. the toolpaths come it too.

Mastercmam is working on stock recognition but I have no idea when it will be fully implemented

Its already in a few toolpaths .. ( see the high speed finishing paths/ trim to stock)

 

Do they have a backwards compatibility? Meaning, if you are stuck on Solidworks 2011, will ANY future versions of Mastercam install in to them

 

The Product page on Mastercam.com says

Additional Software: SolidWorks 2008, 2009, or 2010 32 bit only.

but that's out of date..

I know for a fact that they now support x64 OS's too.

It looks like they're trying to support at least 3 past versions

 

 

I dont even want to ask what happens if Solidworks ever does go 100% cloud

 

Check the interviews on Deelip.com from SolidWorks World 2011.

They have walked that Cloud talk back a LONG way.

The new CEO flattly staes there will always be a desktop version of SolidWorks.

SolidWorks customers and vendors screamed long and loud about the Cloud.. and SW listened.

The more worrisome point is that SolidWorks will be switching from the parasolid kernal

to the Catia V6 kernal at some future date.

I have no idea what this will do to MC-4-SW.. a total ground up rewrite???

minor modifications???.... put it on the dead shelf and walk away???

I don't know the answer to that.. but its something to think about before buying any

CAM in SolidWorks package.

[John White WLM&T]

Or maybe he let his Maintenance lapse assuming that he ever had it and is having to play catch up.

 

 

 

No that is not the case. I am talking about a straight 40% price increase. Mill level 1 for us was *K. Less than a year later its $*K.

Exact same package.

 

I know I have been called a whiner and boohoo but I can't understnd why there is not more interest in this.

This means any one of your dealers can up the cost of your seats and maintanence as much as they want at any time without any protection from CNC software.

And in my case I can't switch dealers because there is only one in the country?

Get a Canadian quote. It used to be *K.

 

John