mastercam solids verses solidworks

[moldmaker10]

I'm looking at purchasing a solids package. Have some experience with solidworks, how well does mastercam solids compare with solidworks as far as doing product design and developement and injection mold design? Does MC solids have associativity, and can it create a 2D print from the 3D model and import the dimesions like solidworks? Can you create the 3D model in MC and split the parting line to create the cavity and core? I know MC solids is alot less as far as cost since I'm already a MC user, plus not another yearly maintenance fee for a different software. Thank you.

[MACHINEMASTERG]

for what you want to do id stick with solidworks... the solids package for mcam is a nice supplement for machining but for product development and print making and mold work solid works really does work much better we have both here and we only use the solids in mcam for cutting chips everything else comes from solidworks

[Toolfab]

I have to totally agree with Greg here. I use MC to make all my toolpaths, but everything is designed in SW. I was turned on to SW from my reseller so I figured it had to be good. MasterCAM is the best CAM package, and that is what they concentrate on. SW only concentrates on cartoons. Therefore, if you get SW ad you have MC, you have the BEST of both worlds.

 

And piles of money wrapped up in software...lmao

 

 

[pno]

MC is very good like CAM software, but for drafting 2D or 3D modeling its pain in the … if you want to be fast.

I work the path in AutoCAD and import. For my lathe parts it is very good combination.

If you want 3D modeling and after that make 2D drawing, a good solution is Solid Works, Solid Edge, AMD or something like this.

[d00d]

Solidworks all the way. All our models I do in SW, all toolpaths in MC. I dont know what is in store for version X, maybe you might want to wait a couple of months and see if MC hot rods thier design package a little. If you already have solidworks I dont think you will be held back by waiting.

JM2C

[Code_Breaker]

I think SW is a better CAD package and MC is the better CAM package. Presently, MC is working on an export module that will bring in someof the feature tree from SW. It would be nice if the feature tree in MC solid manager would do the same. Does anyone know if MC is going in this direction? I hope so.

 

 

Code_Breaker

[mold100]

Solidworks Rocks, Thats all i gots to teh bout dat.

[Rat]

+1 SW

[Toolfab]

BTW, Moldmaker10, in my haste to respond to your question I forgot to welcome you to the forum.

 

Obviously there are alot of people willing to help here, so once again, WELCOME!

[Accu-Molder]

welcome molmaker and +1 to solidworks for design

[cadist]

We are also in mould desinging and mfg. But believe me MasterCAM is better in machining as well as solids. If you use proper levels and analyze dilouge box. It overcomes sw. And what else it is mc.

McamX might be loaded with parametric solid modelling.

[crazy^millman]

Yeah but I wonder if we will all be saying that when X comes out?

 

[Toolfab]

Ron, I dont think they so. CNC has such a good relationship with SW, I think they prolly just concentrated on the toolpathing side..IMO

 

But, who knows, I havent seen a copy of X yet.

 

::waits with baited breath::

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

quote:

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... baited breath...

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you got that right. Beta should be coming soon. Gotta sign the paperwork, errrrr, gotta get the paperwork first. hint, hint......

[Toolfab]

James,

 

You and me both brother

 

 

[EX-wccprogrammer]

I have SW and use it on occasion. My issue with constructing in SW is that when a solid is imported into MC, it comes with NO history. I program to this solid, and if any modifications are to be made to the solid, they are made in SW, and imported again. Now I have to reassign all of the toolpath associativity to the new version of the solid. Too much work if you have a fluid situation in your design. If the solid is built in MC, any feature can be modified easily, and regenerated without all the hassles.

[Chris Rizzo]

You can import the feature tree now, however not all features are "supported"...in other words, I hav'nt had good luck with it. here's more discussion on that

[moldmaker10]

I certainly appreciate all the input, I believe I will hang on and see what versionX brings, I may talk to my reseller to see if I can get the solids package on a 30 day trial basis. Thanks again for the input.

[Gilberto]

If you do COMPLEX PARTS... Mastercam Solids is the best solution.

 

80% of our customers are Moldmakers, and they do Mold Design in Mastercam, Pro/E, Catia, UG... no one uses SW...Not good enough on very complex models.

For small parts, any solids software is a good software.

 

 

Gilberto

[Steve Biehl - Cimquest Inc]

first and foremost MC is a CAM product. SW is much better for product design and blueprinting. having said that, you definitly need MC solids if you are dealing with solids. MC solids allows importing, manipulation and creating toolpath based on the solid geometry.

[Roger Martin from CNC Software]

Bringing in SoldisWorks data into MC?

 

Mastercam Direct for SolidWorks Add-in

Open New Machining Possibilities for SolidWorks Users.

 

Check it thd latest news here! - www.mastercam.com/ENews/March2004

 

 

And download it from here -> www.mastercam.com/Support/downloads/default.asp

 

Feb04SWorksDirect.zip

 

Add-in for SolidWorks 2004 that allows a SolidWorks user to output part and drawing files directly to Mastercam, including the Feature design tree.

[mold100]

quote:

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no one uses SW...Not good enough on very complex models.

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[kwolf]

I've been a SW user for years. And I love it for its functionalities,simplicity and speed.

 

But I agree with Gilberto. On complex/organic surfaces while being in associative and parametric, SW gets slow. Especially if those surfaces interact with solids , like cut with surface feature, it's likely that you have problems. A tiny gap could result in rebuilt error. It has fewer tools for surface creation than MC, eg , you can't fillet between two separated surfaces. In previous versions you can not variable fillet on a quilt too.

Overall , SW doesn't like surfaces much. Using other plugins like GeometryWorks can make the situation just a bit better. Using Rhino you can create complex surfaces for export to SW but you lose associativity and should create surfaces with a very tight tolerance. This is where WildFire outperforms SW.

Moreover SW doesn't have good curve manipulation tools. MC usually handles surfaces better and have better tools for curves. But with all that said it doesn't necessarily make MC better than SW in CAD side.

 

In fact drawing creation in SW, simplicity in part and assy makes it the best mid range CAD.

 

And remember Mastercam is not MasterCAD , and you gonna have more new features in every version than MC. For instance they include some of the functionalities found in iMoldWorks in SW2004, so parting surface creation and cavity/core separation is simpler than before.

The only things I wish for SW2005 in part mode is having better tools for surfaces/curves.

[moldmaker10]

Does the mc solid have the capability of exporting a 2D print with various view and creating automatic section views like SW?

[cadist]

ofcourse

Have you ever gone through the viewports.

You can get all three standard 2 view and isometric view. Though not as flexible as sw But what else.