Cad / Cam Software

[KE5AFU]

Not sure if this is the right section or not, mods feel free to move if need be.

What cad / cam packages do you guys use?

I use a combination of Cobalt 7. and Autocad 2011 for Mac on CAD and in the CAM department I use EZ-Cam Pro.
Once you get used to the quirks, a few button clicks and you go from idea in head to conceptual drawing to G-code to finished part.
Just curious what other software is out there, and how it measures up.

[Brass_Machine]

eh... I don't think we really have a section  . So this one works 

For CAD I am using Alibre. I really like it. I am still shopping for a CAM solution.

How do you like EZ-cam Pro?

Eric

[wongster]

Alibre Cam looks interesting from their site but the cost is something to think really hard about.

I'm using Bobcadcam at the moment.  It gets the job done but I'm not totally impressed.  Their support is not the greatest, especially if you're not paying for it.  But the user forum is fantastic!  Bobcad still owe me my post when I highlighted the oddity in 4th axis operation.

Vectric's Cut3D is fun to play with.  Seems to be mainly for woodworkers.  I'm playing with the demo at the moment.  A friend of mine milled the leaf shaped bowl in aluminium.  Pretty.

Hope for more input and sharing of Cam softwares.

[KE5AFU]

eh... I don't think we really have a section  . So this one works 

For CAD I am using Alibre. I really like it. I am still shopping for a CAM solution.

How do you like EZ-cam Pro?

Eric

Ez-Cam is pretty good, support comes with it so any issues you can just call and they will walk you through it.
Not just a over the phone deal either, they will log onto your computer remotely and show you what to do.
So far I'm satisfied.

[John Stevenson]

Vectric's Cut3D is fun to play with.  Seems to be mainly for woodworkers.  I'm playing with the demo at the moment.  A friend of mine milled the leaf shaped bowl in aluminium.  Pretty.

Hope for more input and sharing of Cam softwares.

Not really, think outside the box.

John S.

[kvom]

I'm using DraftSight for CAD (free) and CamBam for CAM (moderate cost).

[wongster]

Not really, think outside the box.

John S.

Hi John,

Nice work!

I am on the demo version.  Not sure if there are other options available in selecting the features to be milled.  I tested an STL with 4 holes.  The holes seemed to be ignored.  Do you have the full version?  Are there features like drilling of holes etc?

I like this as it seems a very user friendly software to use.  Fun to play with too.

Regards,
Wong

[John Stevenson]

Should not be any difference between demo and full except for save, produce code etc.
To put holes in the tool has to fit but it puts holes in as a 3D machining operation and holes really are a 2D operation.

John S.

[DavidA]

....I've been an AutoCAD user since one of the earliest DOS versions,...

Then maybe you can help me with a slightly off-topic (but related) problem.

I also used AutoCad R12 on a DOS machine back in the early eighties.  There is a command that allows you to define the length of a line by picking each end and entering what you want this line to be. Say 5".  The program then changes all the other dimensions to relate to this line.
So any line twice as long as the original will be measured as 10" etc.
Problem is,  although I hold a number of Cad qualification,  I can't remember the command.

Can you help ?

Dave.

Age may not weary them...but it plays havoc with your memory.

[wongster]

Anyone tried SheetCam?  The price seems to be easier to swallow.

Regards,
Wong

[stefang]

Anyone tried SheetCam?

Im using sheetcam in combination with Qcad (also very cheap but powerfull) for most of my cnc stuff at home, and im very happy with it.

At work i use ProEngineer with the cam module, thats another beast

Stefan

[Swarfing]

I've never had sheetcam working on Ubuntu. Any tips? it just crashes out at start up with a debug report that is as helpull as ants in your pants?

I use QCAD and GCNCCam which works most of my stuff and all the oddities from windows i run under Wine

[Country Bubba]

The current version of Linux SheetCam on the site is broken.  Les had a server crash sometime ago and has never fixed the Linux version.  Several people are running the windows version quite well under Wine though.
When questioned some time ago, he responded that he will fix it sometime in the future.

[wongster]

I've never had sheetcam working on Ubuntu. Any tips? it just crashes out at start up with a debug report that is as helpull as ants in your pants?

I use QCAD and GCNCCam which works most of my stuff and all the oddities from windows i run under Wine

I have the same problem.  Downloaded Sheetcam to try last week and had the debug report at start up.  I'm on Windows 7.

Regards,
Wong

[Country Bubba]

Wongster,
My best suggestion is to write Les on either his Yahoo group or his direct forum http://www.forum.sheetcam.com

He is always more than willing to help.

[wongster]

Thanks Art.  I will.

[Simon0362]

For big - meaning complicated drawings - I use Solid Edge 2G (free) or I get my wife to do it in AutoCad (since she is a wizz with it). For less complex CAD and for the CAM part I use CamBam - which has just had a new version, adding hugely to it's capabilities.

And then Mach3 to drive the steppers...

Simon