Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Which CAD/CAM Package

> I'm only interested in CNC work. And at a small scale, I'll be
> useing small 3 axis mill. This is primarily intended for something
> in my spare time. Its not something that I'll be doing as a career
> and I'm not interested in years of education towards it.

I'd go with Inovate & the Rhino/VisualMill package.

Inovate makes quick work of 3D Solids, especially fillets. In my experience,
it is incredibly faster to use for MCAD than the ProDesktop/Solidworks or
AutoCAD style interface. It makes quick work out of solid modelling. The
fillet tool alone is worth the cost, IMO. I really, really like this
program. Parametrics, powerful rendering, animation, and dual Parasolid/ACIS
kernels native. It is essentially IronCAD without the 2D paper drafting
capability. (Which you don't need if you won't be creating prints.)

Rhino for free-form type shapes & surfaces, taking your model from Inovate,
or sending it to Inovate to add draft/fillets/holes.

VisualMill 4.0 for the milling - an excellent, professional package.
I'd also recommend visiting Andrew Werby's site www.computersculpture.com
for deals on the above.

Total cost would be around $2000. I have a hard time getting over the deals
out there right now!

- Keith

No ties to the above, other than very pleased user of Inovate.