Jump to content

Welcome to eMastercam

Register now to participate in the forums, access the download area, buy Mastercam training materials, post processors and more. This message will be removed once you have signed in.

Use your display name or email address to sign in:

Multiaxis vs Curve/Drill 5 axis


RyszardW
 Share

Recommended Posts

From Mastercam.com

Curve/5X Drill

Its basically an entry level 5 axis package

while the Multiaxis module contains the full suite of 5X toolpaths

I would imagine there is a big difference in price between the two, but there is also a big difference in capabilities as well

 

Quote
  • Curve 5-axis cuts a 3D chain or surface edges, generally for 5-axis trimming operations.
  • Drill 5-axis simplifies the creation of 3-to 5-axis drilling output for holes in a part.
  • Cost effective way to get into 5-axis machining.
  • Generates 5-axis code that can run any CNC machine

 

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
24 minutes ago, RyszardW said:

Thank you gcode and 5th Axis CGI, difference in price is almost 10x. We just about to buy MasterCAM and option for now is 2D Lathe 2-2 1/2  Mill and  Curve/Drill 5 axis extension.

Okay well that is going to come down to the type of work you do and how much possible 5 Axis work you are going to be doing with your machine. What is the machine and type of work? Simple turn and burn with some C axis, 4 Y Axis Turrets Twin Spindle Machine, or B Axis Twin Spindle with Lower Turret? Every additional axis adds to the complexity of the programming. That is one aspect to consider the other is what are the parts and what needs to be done to support them? Most people may not realize, but Curve 5 Axis will support just any thing you throw out if you know how to go about it.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are you getting Mill 3D level if so with Multiaxis you get some great tools for 3 and 4th axis that you can use now were the Curve/Drill will not do anything for you at this stage really if you do not have a 5axis machine. Also when you get the 5axis are you looking at doing simple drilling and trimming of parts?

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
17 hours ago, RyszardW said:

but by the end of this year we intend to buy 5 axis mill. We have three Brothers with Nikken rotary table, so we can do some 5 axis jobs.

I strongly recommend that you skip the Curve/5X drill module and buy the full 5X module.

If you plan on doing more than drilling some holes and very simple 5x curve work you will need

the 5X module.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unless thigs have changed with how you can bundle mcx license.

 

Curve5 is an addon that can run on a mill1 seat, its actually pretty powerful if you know what your doing but by no means a replacment for full Multi.

 

Full Multi requires mill3, the largest portion of the price increase is the added full 3d package.

 

If you buy curve 5 now there is no reduced upgrade price as curve5 is considered an addon, and full multi is a software upgrade.

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The type of work you intend to put on your 5 Axis Machines, and your personal Mastercam knowledge have a lot to do with what you should get.

Without Mill 3D, you will be very limited in what kind of toolpaths you can easily create.

With "Curve and Drill 5X", you must create wireframe to drive every 5 Axis cut. If you have any kind of slightly complex geometry, you'll quicky find that it takes you hours and hours to drive even simple stuff.

Here is the thing you should also understand: you can do "5 Axis machining" (really, 3 + 2), without having the "5-Axis" module. You use Toolplanes to position the rotary axes, and perform 3X machining. Reposition, then repeat to get the part done.

How much do you know about Mastercam and the Toolpath options available to you? Are you new to Mastercam or are you a seasoned programmer?

The complexity of the parts you make will have a huge impact on what kind of licenses are needed and the approach you take in machining your parts. Are you hogging out blocks of metal, or are you doing 5 Axis trimming of composite panels? Or machining parts out of wood? If you were just doing 5 Axis trimming, I'd say get the Curve Drill 5X. 

My recommendation if you don't know the software that well yet, is to start with Mill and Mill 3D first. (And Lathe.)

Spend some money and time on training and learning the software. Wait until you buy a 5X machine (place the order), then upgrade and buy the 5X module. You don't need Curve 5X or Drill 5X, if you don't know how to do 3D machining yet.

How many people will be programming? 

The reason I ask is that you can install a Nethasp, where you can share licenses. So you might have 1 Lathe, a couple Mill and Mill 3D licenses, and 1 5 Axis license, which can be shared among several users.

If you are just starting with a Lathe that you want to program, then Lathe and Mill licenses will get you that. You can machine a ton of lathe Toolpaths, and do a lot of Milling with those 2 licenses. The regular Mill license supports single surface machining, so you can do chamfers, or radius features, but you'll quickly find that any serious 3D cutting will require Mill 3D.

  • Thanks 1
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
3 hours ago, RyszardW said:

Thank you guys, we just bought 2D Lathe and 2-2 1/2 Mill for start. 

Good.

Spend some time learning how to use those tools first, including the CAD side of Mastercam. You can do quite a bit of Lathe work, including 3-Axis and 4-Axis Milling, with just those two modules.

Once you know how to use those licenses, the next step for you really should be Mill 3D. After you can do 3-Axis Roughing and Finishing, then it is time to step up to full 5-Axis.

The one "5 Axis First" situation I can think of, would be if you said this to me; "Our shop wants to start machining impellers for building turbochargers". Then I would tell you to get the Blade Expert module, and with about 8 hours of training, I'd have you making impellers from start-to-finish.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
11 hours ago, RyszardW said:

I'm using MasterCAM for sometime mainly programming for lathes. Colin, yesterday I subscribe to eapprentice.net. Do you still have those live courses?

Hi RyszardW,

We haven't been running live courses for a few years. I've had a lot of changes with my family situation, but much of the strain I was under has been eliminated with my move back to Washington State this past October.

What courses would be of most interest to you? I'm finally in a situation where I can get new live classes going again.

I started a different thread on here, about offering "live help" on Saturday afternoons, but didn't get much interest in that idea. The hardest part of the courses is not the teaching. It is the promotion and marketing, and getting enough people signed up for each course to make it work for me financially.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

FWIW Brother doesn't ship full 5 axis to the US, as far as i know. Correct me if wrong, but I was under the impression they are strictly 4+1.

If this is still the case you are not being done a disservice by being offered the 5xis drill module

Robodrill = full 5

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Colin, unfortunately always the marketing of any online business is the most difficult part . As I said before so far I'm mostly lathe guy, so any advanced lathe tutorials will be helpful for me.

mkd, those Brothers are not  full 5-axis machines. We use them mainly for simple milling operation. We are planning to buy a new 5-axis mill.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

Join us!

eMastercam - your online source for all things Mastercam.

Together, we are the strongest Mastercam community on the web with over 56,000 members, and our online store offers a wide selection of training materials for all applications and skill levels.

Follow us

×
×
  • Create New...