SolidWorks Vs MasterCam Question.

[Bob W.]

I do 100% of my part and fixture design in Solidworks. I couldn't imagine trying to design and build our fixtures without assembly mode, or with Mastercam. It will pay for itself quickly.

 

+1000. Any true CAD package will run circles around Mastercam when it comes to design. I often create full assemblies of my part, fixtures, and even the mill table when I need to and I have all standard fixture files in libraries so I can pull them up in seconds and add them to an assembly. It is very fast and it leaves nothing to chance.

[Marshal]

I'm certainly no expert on either software, but I'll add my 2 cents anyway. I can't draw much of anything 3D in MCam, the perspectives just don't seem to be there. In SolidWorks on the other hand, I can do some pretty decent work a LOT faster than I can in MCam, and just bring the SolidWorks model right into MCam to make the toolpaths. If there's a change (which there has been on a recent project), I've learned just to bring the new model in on a different level and transfer the toolpaths, and that's worked pretty good so far. I haven't messed with the change recognition feature much, but considering I design the stuff we make, I know what's changed anyway.

 

There's also MasterCam for SolidWorks, which I haven't really looked into so I don't know if it's decent or not, but the features of it were supposed to be pretty neat. It was supposed to be that if something changed on the model in SW, then the toolpath was supposed to update automatically since the toolpaths were made right in SolidWorks. No idea how well it really works though, but maybe I'll convince the boss to get it in the next year or two

[Joe788]

I'm certainly no expert on either software, but I'll add my 2 cents anyway. I can't draw much of anything 3D in MCam, the perspectives just don't seem to be there. In SolidWorks on the other hand, I can do some pretty decent work a LOT faster than I can in MCam, and just bring the SolidWorks model right into MCam to make the toolpaths. If there's a change (which there has been on a recent project), I've learned just to bring the new model in on a different level and transfer the toolpaths, and that's worked pretty good so far. I haven't messed with the change recognition feature much, but considering I design the stuff we make, I know what's changed anyway.

 

This is what I do. I never use change recognition. I bring an XT file in on a different level. This also forces you to save out an XT file from the SLDPRT file, which gives you a record of WHAT you imported.

[gcode]

This is what I do. I never use change recognition. I bring an XT file in on a different level. This also forces you to save out an XT file from the SLDPRT file, which gives you a record of WHAT you imported.

 

 

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^

+1

[M_CODE1]

Does anybody know what a seat of solidworks goes for these days?

 

Dont quote me, but this should be fairly close.

4k for SW Core + 1.2K for maintenance per year

5.5k for SW Pro + 1.5K for maintenance per year

Dont know price of next highest package, I think its called Premium, but you should't need it anyways.

Should be able to work a 10-20% off base price,

Where are you located? I'm sure someone on here can reccomend a reseller. I know the support I get from mine is great.

 

We have one seat of Pro and one of the Core. About the only thing I use in the Pro that Core does not offer is the Toolbox.

 

What version to most other use? Is there anything that Pro offeres that you could't live without?

[Tyler Robertson]

SW extrudes non planar chains. Variable rads are easier. Lofts are easier and much more flexible. Extended edges follow the curvature of a face on all edges. Filled surfaces that are tangent to all faces and look sweet. Repairing or rebuilding crappy models is much easier. The list just goes on and on. Simple models I do in MC just for the speed advantage. If I see something that looks like it's going to be tough, or even speculative as I'm building it, SW right away.

 

One huge advantage is all the add on apps across multiple disciplines that you can purchase for SW. It is what it is. I've never seen a claim by MC that it competes directly with any CAD app. The real test would be to have a CAD guy who has no experience with either app try to make a model. I'd bet the MC noob would get there first.

 

The add on apps for Solidworks can be fantastic - a big +1 to this. A friend of mine has been doing some industrial design in solidworks and he went through the PCB layout add-in he bought and it will model up your circuit board automatically so you can design enclosures for it. - saves an incredible amount of time and the cool factor in watching it work is through the roof

[mchin-pilot]

Depends on the simplicity of jobs, If slyym claims that in 10 years had not no difficulty creating , then may the company slyyms work

is dealing with straight forward 2d type parts ( may not have tried doing Chamfer on a cross hole drilled on a pipe/cylinder!!!)

 

However if company has funds, and boss agrees then by all means let the new technology come. Infact it is companys expansion by buying a special design tool.

[chip]

( may not have tried doing Chamfer on a cross hole drilled on a pipe/cylinder!!!)

[JMWorks]

Personally I refuse to use Mastercam's design interface unless it is something extremely simple. I have always used 3d instead and have little time with Mastercam design but I usually find myself screaming obscentys at it because I wish it was more like our CAD software. My company has Autodesk Inventor and it is so much faster and user friendly to create models and geometry with, and they import seamlessly. Have used solidworks previously and it is a nice program also.

[Slixmix]

I have been learning Inventor from a co-worker here. Two weeks ago I took a 3 day class on it. All I can say is Wow! All these years designing pallets, fixtures, tooling, etc, in Mastercam. There is really no comparison to designing in a cam package and designing in Mastercam. One day the class was on making blueprints. Now I know how easy the "engineers" have it making prints! I hate to say it, but if you guys were givin the same project to model up, he would probably take the cake.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

then may the company slyyms work is dealing with straight forward 2d type parts ( may not have tried doing Chamfer on a cross hole drilled on a pipe/cylinder!!!)

Sorry, you're dead wrong here. I've modeled so many different parts in MC over the years and it does a good job. Is a strict CAD modeler better? DUH! But I've modeled up blisks, turbine blades, hydraulic manifolds, implantable medical devices, airframe parts, an engine block and the list goes on and on, and Mastercam performed well. There are easier and better ways, but Mastercam is no slouch on the CAD side. If yo uthink it is, perhaps you should try something REALLY primitive like GibbSCam.

 

JM2C

[slyym]

Well it looks like I'm getting a seat of solidworks and also a new computer. Being a pretty diehard mastercam user for so long how long do you guys think it will take to get proficient at solidworks. I've heard that the actual solids part of it is very Similar. Is there any good online tutorials or books that I would be able to get? Thanks for all the help guys.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Being a pretty diehard mastercam user for so long how long do you guys think it will take to get proficient at solidworks.

It took me about a month in CATIA to ge comfortable with the CAD side. I've heard of guys getting proficient with SolidWorks in 1/4 that time.

 

Mastercam Solids (and the principles I learned building them) has served me well in CATIA. Things like draw everything sharp, add fillets from largest to smallest, etc... has done well.

[BenK]

It shouldn't take too long to pick up on Solidworks. I took a full semester college course and it took me about 1.5 months to finish everything. The tutorial books from SDC publications are really good.

[chip]

If yo uthink it is, perhaps you should try something REALLY primitive like GibbSCam.

I hate Gibbscam, I hate everything about their egyption style icons that clutter the screen. I hate Hellen KELLER his wife. I hate Kimmy GIBBLER, his neighbor. The last thing I heard gibbscam made some Saturn rover wheels, that we don't even know if they work because their still in shipping....

[chip]

I hate Peter GIBBONS his kid. I hate Jennifer Aniston his kids girlfriend. I hate Flanningons their favorite resturaunt!

[Jayson Kramer]

Sorry, you're dead wrong here. I've modeled so many different parts in MC over the years and it does a good job. Is a strict CAD modeler better? DUH! But I've modeled up blisks, turbine blades, hydraulic manifolds, implantable medical devices, airframe parts, an engine block and the list goes on and on, and Mastercam performed well. There are easier and better ways, but Mastercam is no slouch on the CAD side. If yo uthink it is, perhaps you should try something REALLY primitive like GibbSCam.

 

JM2C

I am with you James been doing for many many years and I draw everything as a #d model so much better to work with.

I do not disagree it is not Solidworks for sure.

[Tyler Robertson]

I've used autocad, solidworks and I-deas/NX - when I first started drawing in Mastercam I actually really liked the wireframe drawing side of things (I still do) - It's not the most powerful cad on the market no, but with some hot keys you can be really quick at creating simple things, and often that's the brunt of what I would want to do.

[koko76]

We are an SW shop, and I have used it for ~10 years. I do all my tool design in Solidworks, I can't be bothered using MC's geometry creation to draw something unless it's exceptionally simple. There are things that SW can do that MC can't (as far as I know) such as relating features between parts in an assembly. SW can have features dependent on features in another part, IE clear holes in one part are related to the position of tap holes in another. Move the tapped hole and the clear hole moves with it. Likewise I use a lot of the mold tools in SW in a similar way. Making a cavity (I know you can use boolean ops in MC) in SW which is dependent on the shape of the original part, and will change if you change the original geometry. While these things can be worked around, as with most stuff it's a matter of time, which of course is a matter of money.

[Jeremy Grigsby]

I modeled this assembly in mastercam.

[drafting3]

Complete 12 cavity mold design in Mastercam. This is 1 of 3 MUDD inserts, all producing similar parts of different size.

 

Can I draw it in Mastercam? Obviously, yes. Does it take me 8 hours to revise the model and 2D prints if there is a change? Definitely, yes.

 

 

I can draw anything in Mastercam. I might have to use surfaces, but it's quite capable. Using Solidworks would have cut my drawing time by about 70%, and my revision time by about 95%.

 

However, we do not do enough design work to justify the extra expense as of yet. *crosses fingers*

[drafting3]

just ran across this little gem.

 

design for casting mold of a handle. all drawn in mastercam.

 

AND... I did this after only a few weeks experience with mastercam, so I think it does say something for how easy to use the CAD engine is. still, solidworks would have made it faster and more efficiently.

 

 

Thank god I never had any revisions to make...

[rogkick]

Solidworks for CAD...hands down.

But have a look at Missler TopSolid....very interesting package.

[FROZEN]

SW all the way

[Guest]

There are many things that sure, you can do them in Mastercam but SW is just so much easier to work with, that if it isn't just a rudimentary part and you have access to SW's why wouldn't you use it