CAD CAM EDM DRO - Yahoo Group Archive

CAM software recommendations

on 2008-10-27 18:29:20 UTC
Hello all
Apolgies in advance if this has been covered recently. but when I
tried searching the posts I got swamped by results, probably my
criteria were too broad, but if you narrow them too much you tend to
miss things.
I have been using CNC lathe and mill for the last seven years to
produce casting masters and very small production runs of parts for
Gauge 1 live steam locomotive models.
I am looking to replace the CAM software for generating G-code for
both the lathe and the mill - preferably free or low cost - has anyone
recommendations?
The mill and lathe are controlled by a Windows XP box running Mach3.
Mill tool paths are currently generated by MillWizard for 3D, but this
can only move the tool parallel to the X or Y axis which wastes too
much time and produces a poorer finish than can be acheived by
following contours. Lathe and 2.5D milling tool paths are generated
with Dolphin PartMaster. The problem with the latter is I am running
version 8 (not the current version) and having just wiped the C drive
to overcome Windows XP problems I have lost the licence. It turns out
the old version is unsupported and they have no way of giving me a new
licence. Very odd - their support used to be exceptional, but has
suddenly become non-existant. I hate copy protection systems -
particularly when they prevent you from using something you have
legitimately purchased. For this reason I do not want to pay their
high price for an "upgrade" to the current version.
Thanks in advance for any recommendations

Derek Mackenzie

Discussion Thread

Derek Mackenzie 2008-10-27 07:05:00 UTC CAM software recommendations Leslie Newell 2008-10-27 13:57:39 UTC Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] CAM software recommendations Derek Mackenzie 2008-10-27 18:29:20 UTC CAM software recommendations Keith Bucklitch 2008-10-28 03:20:06 UTC Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] CAM software recommendations vrsculptor 2008-10-28 07:17:42 UTC Re: CAM software recommendations