Re: CAM software recommendations for vocational school

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "kidderkeith" <kidder@c...>
wrote:

> Greetings all,
>
> The local vocational school has recently purchased a CNC router

but

> the deal did not include software. Currently they are running

Turbo

> CNC for control. They may upgrade to Mach 2 if they can get a
> better PC.
>
> They are currently looking for recommendations for CAM software -

as

> in something that can convert their CAD drawings to G-code. Since
> this system will be used by students, ease of use is a high
> priority. Cost would have to be kept well under $1000.
>
> Best regards,
> Keith Kidder

Regarding low cost CAM, I could not resist quoting Andrew Werby's
response to Thomas just posted on the SherlineCNC's User Group site:

[Try Freemill: www.cncportal.com . This is a simplified version of
Mecsoft's
VisualMill that is freeware. It doesn't get a whole lot cheaper or
easier
than this. You will need to give it 3d STL files, not DXF. I'm
pretty sure
Truespace can export these; I don't know about AutoCad. If it's a
problem,
go to Micromouse http://www.micromouse.ca/ and download Accutrans,
which is
a pretty nice shareware 3d file translation program that can convert
3d DXF
to STL, among other useful functions.]

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com