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Mastercam for Solidworks and Solid Features


JB7280
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We have a customer that is moving to using solids, no drawings, and just using the features/tolerances built into the model.  I know Esprit had a Solidworks add-in called Esprit FX that helped Esprit to recognize the solid's built in features.  I would imagine Mastercam is capable of the same?  Or would we have to start using Mastercam for Solidworks?

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1 hour ago, Pete Rimkus from CNC Software Inc. said:

If the seat of SolidWorks has the MBD addon, that ribbon bar has a button where you can export to STEP AP242. Mastercam will bring in the model and all the features/tolerances from that STEP file.

If you do use Mastercam for SolidWorks, then everything you need will be right there in the SolidWorks session.

Thank you.  So how is Mastercam for Solidworks?  Is it the same?  Will there be a large learning curve for guys who haven't used Solidworks?  And is it as powerful?

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If you've got a Mastercam license (Mill, Lathe, or Router) then you can run Mastercam for SolidWorks using that license. You don't need a separate license for it. The installer is available as part of the Mastercam installer. Once its installed, open SolidWorks and go to Tools/Addins to load it.

The biggest difference you'll notice in MCforSW is in selection, since it uses SolidWorks selection techniques. But the Operations Manager and all the Toopath Parameter dialogs are the same.

Having said that, there are a couple functions missing - most notably the old-school Wireframe toolpaths like 2DSwept, 3DSwept, Coons, etc.

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52 minutes ago, Pete Rimkus from CNC Software Inc. said:

If you've got a Mastercam license (Mill, Lathe, or Router) then you can run Mastercam for SolidWorks using that license. You don't need a separate license for it. The installer is available as part of the Mastercam installer. Once its installed, open SolidWorks and go to Tools/Addins to load it.

The biggest difference you'll notice in MCforSW is in selection, since it uses SolidWorks selection techniques. But the Operations Manager and all the Toopath Parameter dialogs are the same.

Having said that, there are a couple functions missing - most notably the old-school Wireframe toolpaths like 2DSwept, 3DSwept, Coons, etc.

You will need a SW license to go with each MC license then, correct?

 

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Perhaps - maybe not in the case of network licenses of both SW and MC. If that becomes an issue, then using that 'MBD' option to output to STEP AP242 will get the data into your standard Mastercam session.

If you've already got a seat or two of SolidWorks, I'd recommend experimenting with it. There are definitely benefits as far as associativity to the model, working with 'family of parts', and the use of SW 's annotations and tolerances.

 

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Ok, maybe I asked too soon.  I got QC to send me a model of one of these parts.  They are .prt files, which is Creo, I believe?  Does the method we talked about before still apply?  I can't even open them at all in MC as it sits now.  

 

Thank you

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If it's a .PRT, it probably is from NX. ProE/Creo parts will usually (but not always) be .PRT.# (where # is a version number)

The Mastercam NX importer should bring in the tolerances ... but it is an extra-cost addon (since we pay royalties on it).

If you want, I'd be willing to open one here for you and send it back to you as a .MCAM so you can see the data in Mastercam.

Email it to [email protected] and make sure you let me know what MC version you want the file for (otherwise I'll assume MC2019).

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15 hours ago, Pete Rimkus from CNC Software Inc. said:

If it's a .PRT, it probably is from NX. ProE/Creo parts will usually (but not always) be .PRT.# (where # is a version number)

The Mastercam NX importer should bring in the tolerances ... but it is an extra-cost addon (since we pay royalties on it).

If you want, I'd be willing to open one here for you and send it back to you as a .MCAM so you can see the data in Mastercam.

Email it to [email protected] and make sure you let me know what MC version you want the file for (otherwise I'll assume MC2019).

Sounds good Pete.  Thanks

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