Re: cad to cam

Rich,

I make small jewellery sized stuff.

Rhino3Dfor modelling with a stl export.
Meshcam converts that to g-code for a rather small $$ price. It is a 3D
program in its guts but can do 2D if you are creative. More machining
strategies than I can remember. Easy to configure to your mills specific
preferences.

Confession time... I have been using MC for years, 1 e-mail request for a
feature addition and I got a revised version in a day to test to
destruction. Very good support and an attentive author. For really big
detailed stuff (door sized) it does fall apart and a moderately fast
computer is quite useful.

While being a moderator on the forum (drafted position kicking and
screaming) I am not hired help unless you count the xmas bottle of single
malt.

Try it out. Free demo (un crippled) A good forum with some smart people (no
L and R painted on their shoes :-) who are willing to help.

jeffD

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

> Posted by: "Armilite@..." Armilite@... armilite
> Date: Tue Jun 28, 2011 8:45 am ((PDT))
>
>Hello:
>
>If I had a Solidworks 3D Solid model part and wanted to have it CNC
>machined.
>
>What do I need to have for software to convert it to G code for a certain

>CNC machine?
>
>Does Mach3 open the Solidworks 3D Solid model directly and converts it, or
>
>do I need to convert it to some other format?
>
>What format is best to use, sld.prt, dxf, iges, dwg, etc?
>
>Does MasterCam open Solidworks 3D Solid Models directly, or do they have
>to
> be converted to something else to?
>
>Just curious on the process.
>
>Thanks
>Rich

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Demand Designs
Analog/Digital Modelling & Goldsmithing

http://www.gmavt.net/~jdemand
jdemand@...
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