I've been using SmartCAM since 1989 (Adv. 3D v3.0, now FFM v11.5). I was verrrrry sorry to see it go.
The higher-ups decided that since SmartCAM was no longer being developed, we should get something else (I thought, like Jon Baker, that we could use SmartCAM for quite a while yet). We now have Surfcam (99 1st, now 2000). I spent about 6mo. at a mold shop that we purchased that had MasterCAM v7.2. I used it for 2d and 3d cutting, and found it couldn't hold a candle to SmartCAM, but it worked well enough for what we did there. I've been using Surfcam for about 6mo. now and it generates good code, it's file translators are very good (the best I've seen so far). The main complaints I have are the absence of undo functions in the most critical areas (same with MasterCAM). By undo I mean it's interface is more of a serial nature (Mastercam's too), as opposed to SmartCAM's all info being in front of you before you accept what you entered, once you answer a question and need to change it you have to start all over again, or you get interrupted and forgot what you answered so your not sure of the final result. One of the best things about Surfcam over MasterCAM is the ability to edit the tool path to insert feed changes and such. Kind of like SmartCAM, but it is a secondary step instead of the tool path being actual geometry. We are a full service company, doing part design, mold design, mold making, molding, inspection, and assembly, and we are currently looking at some "all-in-one" solids based packages (currently using Solidworks and Cadkey for mold design and Pro-E in our new product division). Right now we get a lot of part files from different systems and the translators are the most important to us (if you can't get it into the CAM package correctly, you can't cut it correctly). It sounds like you do a lot of different things so I would stick with SmartCAM as long as you can, otherwise you may need to get a couple of different softwares to cover everything you do. Hope this helps. It's kind of hard to put all of one's opinions/experiences in an e-mail and I'm getting to long winded already, so I'll wish you good luck in your decision. Chuck Glawe Courtesy Corporation Mold & Tool Div. [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.courtesycorp.com All opinions expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Courtesy Corporation. -----Original Message----- From: George Peterson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2000 11:55 AM To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' Subject: [mfg-smartcam] New software? What is everyone switching to Master Cam, Surfcam, GenMach etc.? What does everyone recommend? We are a Tool & Die job shop. We design some injection and compression molds but our main parts are short and long run production jobs. I us Peps for our wires EDM's, Adv turning for Lathe and Fee Form for the VMC's & CNC Jig Grinders. Any feedback would be helpful. Thanks in advance. George Petersen <<George Petersen (E-mail).vcf>> ====================================================================== To find out more about this mailing list including how to unsubscribe, send the message "info mfg-smartcam" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] ======================================================================
