does solidworks outperform mastercam w/solids

[MATT Q]

Just getting some initial training on solidworks 2003 and I was wondering if the mastercam with solids add on even compares to sw2003. I don't have the solids add on for mastercam but I was wondering if it is comparable?

[Jimmy Wakeford from Barefoot CNC]

Matt,

 

MC solids is very powerful, but not a solidwork.

For single part modelling it is great. If you need to build assemblies then Sw is way to go.

 

The SW models come very nicely into MC, and you can even add features to it if you have MC solids.

[Fig sign]

Matt !

 

Yes ,Solidworks Outperforms.

But Mastercam is Mastercam ,not MasterCad !

Yet for medium tasks of everyday life I found that Mastercam Solids ver 9 are prelly mighty and fast tool and can cover 90% of your needs at least ,this is IMHO.

 

I use Mastercam for design when I need to and I am comfortable with it .

 

It is a force of habit

 

The notorious Bunny the Rabbit

Was well-known for bad manners and habit

When he saw a nice lass

Tried to get under dress

Beeing caught ,always said: Force of habit !

 

Iskander teh unknown poet

[Fig sign]

Oops !

Double posting

Sorry !

 

[ 01-15-2004, 10:04 AM: Message edited by: Iskander teh ]

[MATT Q]

Thanks for quick replies guys from what I have seen Solidworks is a very powerful tool and I'm looking forward to integrating it into the design part of my job it always good to learn different and new stuff so I say bring it on. My mind is a sponge.

 

 

It was 5 degrees on the way to work this morning winter is good time for training

[Chris Rizzo]

I just took a solidworks class last semester at the local community college, and initially was completly blown away at it's ease of use. I've found that SW is great for designing parts and assemblies, and works flawlessly with MC. MC solids doesn't have half the bells and whistles that SW does.....that said,I still use MC (soilds) a bunch. I've found that SW is a bit too "refined" sometimes, and prevents you from performing some functions, while MC allows you a bit greater flexibilty of "cheating/fudging" geometry to get the job done.

my 2 cents

[crazy^millman]

Yeah and I like the Helical functions of Mastercam over Solidworks also. It just takes something to go back an forth sisnce they reltate the geomenty different between each program.

 

Crazy Millman

[Diablo God]

They are both powerful. And like the others said doing assemblies on mcam is very difficult. But with that said, I have been able to pull off some solids that baffled some solidowrks engineers.

 

So they are both powerful in there areas.

 

Jim

[Müřlıń®]

quote:

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Mastercam is Mastercam ,not MasterCad

---

 

 

quote:

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I have been able to pull off some solids that baffled some solidowrks engineers

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+1 on that

 

I have done the same with the some guys that use Proe.

 

They called Mastercam a "rinky dink" program, but I showed them that it wasnt....

 

 

Murlin

[chip]

quote:

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Mastercam is Mastercam ,not MasterCad !

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+1

 

 

MasterCam has been very good to me over the years. The big dogs that design MC are doing a lot more with solids. Unfortunatly SW has that one. Cam nothing compares!

[Rekd™]

Yeah, but Mastercam kicks serious xxxx on Solid Works when it comes to CAM!!!

 

'Rekd

[Müřlıń®]

quote:

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Yeah, but Mastercam kicks serious xxxx on Solid Works when it comes to CAM!!!

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Ya, well.....after all, Mastercam is the....uhhh....MASTER

 

 

Murlin

[Charles Davis]

I think Jimmy has it right. For single part modeling of static (the dims are being changed), Mastercam is great. The many geometry creation options in Mastercam are very useful, as well as the ability to have solid, wire, and surface geometry on the screen at the same time.

 

However, if you are doing product design, where the model is constantly changing, or if you are working with assemblies, Solidworks shines.

[crazy^millman]

But the biggest thing is havign the right tool for the JOB and Mastercam is the right tol for Machining and Solidworks is the right tool for Assmeblies and if not needed ot do Machining then you should use what I have found to be what is about an 80% market share of people use for this type of work that is Solidworks.

 

Crazy Millman

[Thad]

Speaking of college classes, I'm starting a UG class on Sat. It's my first step in going from programmer/machinist to die designer. It should be interesting.

 

Thad

[Chris Rizzo]

Speaking more of classes, I just started an advanced Mcam Mill class this week...and am VERY excited to learned surface machining the RIGHT WAY.

[Chris Rizzo]

Oh, forgot to add that the computers in my class also have Solidworks on them, and I've been doing some of my own testing- via drawing the identical class project parts in both Mcam and SW and seeing how they compare and indeed differ. SW sure makes nice pictures, but I'm finding that Mcam has way more number-crunching-surface-capability and inherently seems better at producing dead-nuts geometrically accurate surfaces.

 

Oh yeah, and it does toolpaths

[J Coulston]

I hate to see MC taking valuable resources away from the CAM side to work on the CAD side when there are so many good design packages out there. As for SolidWorks, it has assemblies, multiple configurations, design tables, photo realistic rendering, drawings that are associative to the part, relation geometry, E Drawings, the list goes on and on.

 

 

MasterCam, stay focused on what you are great at, that is CAM.

 

John

[Heavycut]

quote:

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Mastercam is Mastercam ,not MasterCad

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Comparing SW to MC is like comparing Apples to Oranges

not a fair comparsion need CAM vs CAM & CAD vs CAD. They are both Excellent software and do a great job at what their intended for.

[Müřlıń®]

quote:

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I hate to see MC taking valuable resources away from the CAM side to work on the CAD side when there are so many good design packages out there.

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I respectfully disagree.

 

I relish the thought of Mastercam improving on their CAD.

 

A friend of mine has Solidworks and I got to demo it the other day.

 

It was very easy to use and has a lot of things that will help on the engineering side.

 

But.....when we are machining a part, we could care less about assemblies, and all that other stuff that SW and other Solid modlers have.

 

Speaking strictly from a design a part to be machined and then machine it point of view, Mastercam Solids blows SolidWorks away. I can build a part 10 times faster in Mastercam, and since you can fudge with NURBS, you can build 10 times more complicated geometry.

 

It has been argued that you cannot make design changes with Mastercam's Solids as easy as you can with solidworks.

 

Here again I disagree. If you use the right building tecqnics, It is just as easy. It might take a few minutes longer, but it is not that lacking by any means.

 

Parametric dimensioning is great up to a point.

Sometimes just changing a smarat dim, one will change the geometry in a way that you don't want it to. It lulls one into a false since of security and things get overlooked. You might not catch it until the part hits the inspection table.

 

The strait forward way you must use Mastercams Solids, lets you see every aspect of the part.

I like this.

 

If you are building a motorcycle from the ground up, you wouldnt want to design it with Mastercam.

But, if your buisness is designing and manufacturing a hgh performance cylinder head for an engine lets say, Mastercam Design with Solids is just as, if not more powerful.

 

Remember, one does not ALWAYS have to have a Solid for everything to achieve the desired resutls in the shortest amount of time.

 

In a small shop environment, every penny counts.

There is no reason to go to the extra expense of purchasing two design packages when one will do.

 

Just my opinion folks....

 

Murlin

 

[ 01-17-2004, 10:20 AM: Message edited by: Murlin ]