Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] CAM Software

On Thu, 28 Feb 2002, Chris Clough wrote:

> Wondering what everyone out there is presently using for CAM software.
> I've been messing with Surfcam, CAMWorks, ProCAM, GeoPath, MasterCAM,
> and Dolphin... just wondering what others have had luck with. Need a
> 4th axis milling solution.

I'm in a similar boat. I need something that'll generate 4-axis code, and
mill control software that'll drive four axes without driving me nuts.

Right now I'm looking at Vector, but the demo doesn't include the fourth
axis, so I'm unable to test that. (For other reasons, though, I'm
planning on buying it. It's got some other functionality I want, and I'm
willing to take a risk on the 4th axis in order to get it.)

For the machine controller, I'm using EMC now. I'm quite happy with it,
despite the fact that I've done some software monkeying to get around a
hardware issue (the issue being that EMC wants to do step/direction, and
my hardware does four phase). I got three axes working with the software
fix, but I've been stymied getting the fourth working properly. I'm
planning on making a converter at some point, so I can get all four axes,
and get optoisolated outputs for running coolant, and inputs for limit
switches.

I'm hoping the Vector/EMC combo does what I want. For the moment, at any
rate. We'll see.

Tom