Hi In small industrial city (where I am), I can count few CAD/CAM software that in use. Here is list of CAM software - everything for mill and some cost, which is very important. 1. MasterCAM; ($ 16 000) 2. ProE manufacturing; 3. CATIA; ($ 21 500) 4. Unigraphic UG; 5. NCL. ($ (27 000 +7 250 +7250)= $41 500) 6. SurfCAM; ($ 16 000.) 7. Gibbs; ($ 17 000) 8. SmartCAM; 9. EasyCAM; 10. EdgeCAM; 11. DelCAM; 12. PowerMill; ($ 30 000. !!!) 13. PhinoCAM; ($ 1 000.) 14. Alibre; 15. MadCAM ($2 500.) 16. Open Mind CAM; ($40 000.!!!!!!!!) 17. BobCAM ($ 3 700)
Many machine shops buy what they think is good CAD/CAM and than trying to find who can use that CAM. It is hard to know all those CAM languages. Good question is: is it good investment of time and money to learn one of CAM that will or will not be useful at the next job? I think machinist that want to grow professionally, need eventually buy his own CAD/CAM and generate his own program, set machine and make a part. That is usually call contract programmer/machinist. I think it be less expensive for company to have contract programmer/machinist than full time programmer and needs to buy their own CAD/CAM. Many industries already develop independent committee to evaluate new and existing products and compare them. As an example we can see many committee that comparing new auto products, new electronics products and especially new cell phones. Independent committee that will compare CAM software will help machinist to determine which CAM software is more suitable to his application. aram > Aram, > You are correct to evaluate the CAM systems and ask a lot of questions. > The best one for you is the one that will do what you NEED to do. > To find the 'best' CAM system your first priority is to define the word > 'best'. > What does the user want? > Who will use the software? > Where will the user be? > Is support in the user's native tongue? > What will the user need/want to cut? > What machines will be used? > All these questions and more will help define 'best'. > > There is not one CAM system better than all the rest. All the cam systems > will generate gcode to make a part. > Some systems will generate plastic injection mold cores and cavities > easier than others. Some systems will generate family of parts programs > easier than others. Each user will have a tendency to like and recommend > the > known system. > Almost any CAM system can program almost any type of part. Some CAM > systems have features to minimize the programming time necessary to > complete > a particular type of part. > No one can recommend a system that is the BEST system for ALL > programming > situations. That system does not exist. > I prefer NCL from NCCS. This system gives me the capability to program > any > cut with any machine. NCL is not the 'best' system for some programming > situations. I have (but do not know how to use) Mastercam 5 axis. > Mastercam > is better than NCL for generating gcode on some types of work. Mastercam > does not generate better gcode than NCL. Mastercam is faster at some > things > with fewer chances of error. Some of Mastercam's features allow Mastercam > to > be 'better' at some things if you define 'better' as faster, with less > chance of error. NCL will allow you to optimize the gcode to make a part > faster, extend tool life, enhance the surface finish of the part, etc > easier > than Mastercam but NCL will take more time to get there. I must use the > 'best' system depending on the circumstances for each and every part. > > Forgive me but here is my personal plug for NCL. > We have had situations where other CAM systems have been unable to > generate the gcode we needed to complete a part. The list of CAM systems > unable to cut the part like we wanted included Mastercam, Smartcam, CATIA, > Unigraphics and probably some others as we have done quite a bit of > programming for other shops. NCL has allowed us to cut the part in the > exact > fashion needed. > NCL has recently developed many of the speed enhancing features of other > systems. NCL merits consideration in anyone's list of CAM systems for > purchase. > thanks for listening > Stuart > > > On Mon, Jun 28, 2010 at 11:27 PM, <a...@conceptmachinery.com> wrote: > >> hi >> today i call to http://www.openmind-tech.com/ >> which is most expensive $ 40 000 everything for mill. >> i ask them why your CAM more expensive than PowerMill ($30 000) and i >> got >> very fascinated answer. they said that with their g code surface finish >> is much better. is this true? >> is there some kind gage to compare capability of on CAM against another? >> All industries like auto maker, cell phone manufacturers already >> developed >> independent group of analyst that comparing new and existing products. >> it >> be nice to have similar group of analyst that will compare different CAM >> products. >> >> aram >> >> > On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 12:14:02 -0600, you wrote: >> > >> > >> >>FeatureCam is the same PowerMill. it is product of Delcam. It become >> that >> >> DelCam is the best. Is this right? >> > >> > No. >> > >> > It's not the same as Powermill. Delcam bough out FeatureCam because it >> > was more advanced than their own products and their main rival. >> Whether >> > it's "the best" is subjective depending on the type of work. >> > >> > Steve Blackmore >> > -- >> > >> > >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> > This SF.net email is sponsored by Sprint >> > What will you do first with EVO, the first 4G phone? >> > Visit sprint.com/first -- http://p.sf.net/sfu/sprint-com-first >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Emc-users mailing list >> > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net >> > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users >> > >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> This SF.net email is sponsored by Sprint >> What will you do first with EVO, the first 4G phone? >> Visit sprint.com/first -- http://p.sf.net/sfu/sprint-com-first >> _______________________________________________ >> Emc-users mailing list >> Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net >> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users >> > > > > -- > dos centavos > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > This SF.net email is sponsored by Sprint > What will you do first with EVO, the first 4G phone? > Visit sprint.com/first -- http://p.sf.net/sfu/sprint-com-first > _______________________________________________ > Emc-users mailing list > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This SF.net email is sponsored by Sprint What will you do first with EVO, the first 4G phone? 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