Mcam for Solidworks vs. Mill Lvl 3

[neurosis]

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.

 

John

 

 

Are there other features or enhancements that would make you consider the upgrade? What I mean is, if Mill level 1 is "exactly" the same as the mill level 1 that you purchased how ever many years ago, and that is all that you need the software for, then I dont see what your point is. Upgrading wouldnt even be a consideration.

 

However, if there are areas of the software that you use and take advantage of that have been enhanced, then they are not "exactly" the same. There have been improvements and added features. Are those improvements worth that extra 40%, I guess that would be something that you would have to decide yourself. If those improvements or added features are of no use to you, again, why even consider the upgrade?

[neurosis]

 

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)

 

 

 

 

This is an area of Mastercam that I wish that they would focus on. When you see how well stock recognition is working in other packages you begin to realize how far Mastercam is starting to fall behind. We have some cool new paths to play with, optirough and dynamic milling, but most other software packages have either already implemented their own version of the same thing or tied other software in, like adaptive clearing, to accomplish the same thing.

 

Once our company was able to see how much time stock recognition saves it was a real eye opener. So far the only stock recognition that I can get to work properly inside of Mastercam has been .STL files and having to work with stl files when you are roughing from several sides of a part in steps can become a pain in the xxxx to keep organized. Ive tried to use previous operations for stock recognition and so far I have never been able to get it to work properly especially on complex parts that are being roughed from several angles.

[John White WLM&T]

Are there other features or enhancements that would make you consider the upgrade? What I mean is, if Mill level 1 is "exactly" the same as the mill level 1 that you purchased how ever many years ago, and that is all that you need the software for, then I dont see what your point is. Upgrading wouldnt even be a consideration.

 

However, if there are areas of the software that you use and take advantage of that have been enhanced, then they are not "exactly" the same. There have been improvements and added features. Are those improvements worth that extra 40%, I guess that would be something that you would have to decide yourself. If those improvements or added features are of no use to you, again, why even consider the upgrade?

 

I am just talking about adding another seat. One day 40% more. One day maintanence was 40% more for the same seats.

I guess you will just have to wait and see one day when your dealer needs some coin. Just remember there will be no help from CNC Software.

 

Peace out.

 

John

[Dave.L]

IMO, I would never mix the two products, your asking for all kinds of trouble. If you want the unity, get a package that has CAD and CAM, like NX or Catia

[neurosis]

I am just talking about adding another seat. One day 40% more. One day maintanence was 40% more for the same seats.

I guess you will just have to wait and see one day when your dealer needs some coin. Just remember there will be no help from CNC Software.

 

Peace out.

 

John

 

At least I understand what you are talking about now. Still, the new versions of Mastercam are not exactly the same as what they were back in X2. There have been several enhancements over that period of time that we continue to pay maintenance for. If I buy a 2000 toyota corrola i dont expect to pay the exact same price in 2008 for another toyota corrola. Just sayin. I dont know your situation but can tell that you are frustrated.

 

Luckily I have never had any issues with our VAR. I have had several issues with Mastercam over the years. Some due to bugs and some self inflicted due to ignorance of the system. What ever the case was my VAR has always been very supportive.

 

 

IMO, I would never mix the two products, your asking for all kinds of trouble. If you want the unity, get a package that has CAD and CAM, like NX or Catia

 

 

I couldnt agree more. Our company would never consider purchasing an add on cam system. We are constantly trying new products to see what is out there and to keep up on current technology. In fact, we are set to schedule a demo of NX for some time in the near future. The owner of this shop is and has never been a big fan of Mastercam due to its plague of bugs but keeps it around because Mastercam programmers are much easier to come by than any other system. I have a feeling that may not influence him much longer if things stay the way that they are.

[dforsythe]

1

 

 

[MotorCityMinion]

"I couldnt agree more. Our company would never consider purchasing an add on cam system. We are constantly trying new products to see what is out there and to keep up on current technology."

 

LOL, IMO, I couldn't agree less. Trying new products to see what is out there and keeping up with new tech is the main reason I would go with SW. This scenario is flat out flexible. Not trying to sound like a D!@K here but let's face it, some very good players in the CAM world either started in SW, have already joined, or are seriously considering it. If you already know the SW interface, you've already learned part of whatever plug-in that is going to be used. Decide to try a new app and you're that much closer to putting code out. One would think that this type of environment would foster keeping the software as current and bug free as possible amongst the competition. Most of the shops out there that do not design their own products will never need or even use the Class A surfacing tools in Catia or NX and will not like the price tag that goes with hiring people who are skilled with those apps. Yes, they are great apps but are they for everybody? Do you really need a Rolex to tell time, or a Lambo to get to the store?

 

If you do more modeling than machining, MC 4 SW is an option. For mold100 though, I wouldn't go that route.

 

 

[neurosis]

 

LOL, IMO, I couldn't agree less. Trying new products to see what is out there and keeping up with new tech is the main reason I would go with SW. This scenario is flat out flexible. Not trying to sound like a D!@K here but let's face it, some very good players in the CAM world either started in SW, have already joined, or are seriously considering it. If you already know the SW interface, you've already learned part of whatever plug-in that is going to be used. Decide to try a new app and you're that much closer to putting code out. One would think that this type of environment would foster keeping the software as current and bug free as possible amongst the competition. Most of the shops out there that do not design their own products will never need or even use the Class A surfacing tools in Catia or NX and will not like the price tag that goes with hiring people who are skilled with those apps. Yes, they are great apps but are they for everybody? Do you really need a Rolex to tell time, or a Lambo to get to the store?

 

If you do more modeling than machining, MC 4 SW is an option. For mold100 though, I wouldn't go that route.

 

If there werent so many unanswered questions with solidworks it may be more of a viable option but when you think about some of the points that gcode made

 

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.

 

it makes this option a little less appealing for the time being. I do agree with some of what you are saying.

 

If I were to make the choice to integrate a cam package with solidworks it would definitely NOT be Mastercam. Ive seen what some of the other are capable of and it leaves mastercam less than appealing. Then again, some of these others have been around for quite some time so maybe Mastercam will gain some appeal as it matures inside of solidworks.

[Dave.L]

1) All software has bugs

 

2) Group two software system in one = more bugs, not twice as many but some higher power.

 

3) using MC in SW requires 2 licenses, right? Lame IMO.

 

4) Upgrade issues since no matter what they will never be 100% compatible 100% of the time.

 

5) from what others have said, all of the functions of MC are not fully integrated in MC for SW.

 

To each his own.

[gcode]

There are advantages also

1. No post developement... your exisiting posts run in MC-4-SW

2. You already know how to use Solidworks

3. You already know how to use Mastercam toolpaths

4. Maintenance for a seat of SW + a seat of Mastercam

is STILL less than a comperable seat of NX and

WAY WAY less than a seat of Catia..

5. There are more toolpaths coming...though I don't

think the legacy 3D toolpaths will ever be added.

[Dave.L]

There are advantages also

1. No post developement... your exisiting posts run in MC-4-SW

2. You already know how to use Solidworks

3. You already know how to use Mastercam toolpaths

4. Maintenance for a seat of SW + a seat of Mastercam

is STILL less than a comperable seat of NX and

WAY WAY less than a seat of Catia..

5. There are more toolpaths coming...though I don't

think the legacy 3D toolpaths will ever be added.

 

 

I don't agree with #4, except for the Catia part which I have no experience with. And I don't see the benifits but that's just me Tom

 

BTW, just upgraded SW today from 2010 for the next 18 months (did not do the actual update yet just wrote the PO)

[mold100]

So my reseller is unaware that Mastercam will open the solidworks part WITH the toolpath. This is only one of 2 reasons we did not go this route. The second clearly I am a huge legacy toolpath fan and do not want to program using Mcam without them. If they are added this would be no different for me than having Solidworks and a seat of Mcam (which is the route we went), except a single package like G said without the NX or Catia cha ching. The DOWNSIDE I guess for me would be that since I do all designing and gramming and machining is that if I hired a programmer operator I would either have to buy a seat of Solidworks and transfer hasp or a Standalone seat of Mcam because they can not be split.

[gcode]

BTW, just upgraded SW today from 2010 for the next 18 months

 

do you get a better price for 18 months...or were you 6 months behind and they threw

in 6 months free to get you to reup

 

4. Maintenance for a seat of SW + a seat of Mastercam

is STILL less than a comperable seat of NX

 

Maybe you're getting quoted a better prices now than what we were paying before we dropped NV maintenance,

but our one seat of NX was more than 3 seats of Mastercam L3 with mulltiaxis.

 

That was a couple of years ago.. Siemmens IS doing things differently than UG was..

[mold100]

Now to see if I can get back into Beta program ..... haven't done it since 9 to X .....

[Dave.L]

do you get a better price for 18 months...or were you 6 months behind and they threw

in 6 months free to get you to reup

 

 

 

Maybe you're getting quoted a better prices now than what we were paying before we dropped NV maintenance,

but our one seat of NX was more than 3 seats of Mastercam L3 with mulltiaxis.

 

That was a couple of years ago.. Siemmens IS doing things differently than UG was..

 

Tom, I will email you.

[Pete Rimkus from CNC Software Inc.]

"...using MC in SW requires 2 licenses, right? Lame IMO..."

 

Wrong.

[John White WLM&T]

"...using MC in SW requires 2 licenses, right? Lame IMO..."

 

Wrong.

One for SW and one for MC is two right?

 

Please expand on this?

 

John

[Dave.L]

One for SW and one for MC is two right?

 

Please expand on this?

 

John

 

 

That's how my math works. I know in another thread on the forum (where this was discussed), that's what I was told.

[Scott Lundin Shopware Inc.]

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

 

Hmmm? Guess we will have to wait and see about that.

[gcode]

Is Mastercam a gold partner?

 

Yes but this webpage need updating

[Scott Lundin Shopware Inc.]

Dang-it G, I was going to post that link when I got home tonight.

[Pete Rimkus from CNC Software Inc.]

"...Please expand on this?..."

 

To clarify, it does require a license of Mastercam AND a license of SolidWorks.

 

I assumed the questioner meant "requires 2 licenses of Mastercam"....as in requiring one MCforSW license and, say, a Mill Level 3 license to operate the Mill Level 3 functions in MCforSW.