Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Which is the best Cad-Cam Software?

tauscnc wrote:

> Hey Kirk,
> ahh back to the same basic question, many times I have asked and
> wondered myself (much like what milling machine is best-never a
> straight answer hehehe). You have gotten the best answers, however it
> still does not get you many steps further. Will my answer help out
> anymore, probably not as I agree with the other guys : what is best
> for you. The first thing to figure out is WHAT do you want to do. I,
> for example, bought 4 axis drivers for 4 full axis control. I soon
> found out that without a 4D converting program (mega $$$) it's
> useless to have 4 axis. I bought it for "kicks" then but have figured
> it out now. So the answer really is right, what do you plan to do and
> make? How much money do you have to spend? And what are you looking
> for "overall" in your CAD-CAM search. Is it for hobby or to make/sell
> parts?

You don't need a true 4-axis program to do modest 4-axis work, like making
gears, turbine blades, etc. Many of these jobs can be done by indexing the
rotary axis, and then machining a 3-axis shape, indexing again, etc.

> I hope to make no enemies and this is more a personal opinion. I have
> never tired BobCAD but have heard nothing good about it. That has
> kept me from even the curiosity of trying it out (which is pretty
> rare). I did try VectorCAD-CAM after hearing much about it.
> Personally, I found it to be very difficult to use. I found it very
> illogical and difficult to work with. I have used TurboCAD for many
> of my drawings and overall it's a good program, for 3D however I
> think it was tough.

I have Bobcad/CAM V16.1 It works, it is clumsy in some things, and
not immediately intuitive. but, once you get used to the way it works,
you can do stuff pretty well. And, it is pretty reliable. I have managed
to make shapes it couldn't cut in 3-D, and have a 3-D surface that it
couldn't follow properly when milling, but the 2-5D stuff is rock
solid. I've never had it make a G-code program that was not exactly
what was drawn on the screen.

Jon