Surfcam or Solidworks/Cam AGAIN

Cliff, thanks for your comments
Solidcam works within Solidworks and that is the cad/cam package I was
referencing.

I need solids primarily to alleviate recreating these in other packages that
we use to make instructional video CDs. Our current method of Acad to 3D
Studiomax is a real pain. If I can use the same package to create my 3D
models in a solid I have a much quicker creation of the elements needed to
generate the files for video editing.

We will need 3 axis for future products in the works now.

You referenced > >Primary interest is the creation of tool paths for my

Can you elaborate on that comment? I am not a machinist but am having to
learn about the industry in a hurry. I have a part-time machinist that runs
the VMC but we want to be able to utilize the computer to maximize
everyone's efforts. If the software (cad/cam) can create the toolpaths for
the VMC and create the 3d model it saves everyone time. We want the software
to be as seamless as possible, ie.. as little importing / exporting /
converting etc to go from design to cutting object on VMC.

As I hate Acad because of the way it works (remember not machinist here), I
do like the interface of Solidworks/Cam and Surfcam. What I want from the
machinist community is your appraisal of these packages (a) Surfcam (b)
Solidworks / SolidCam. There are a lot of medium price users out there who
have opinions I'm sure.

Thanks for your comments!

Pete

 

<<Snip>>

Pete,
SURFCAM can be used to draw complex surfaces, but it can't draw solids. If
solid models are what you need, then Solidworks may be the better choice.
SURFCAM can create good, gouge-free (with the proper settings) tool path,
and you can draw parts with NURBS surfaces that can be shaded to look like
solid models, but if you must have solids, SURFCAM doesn't do that. It will
also be much quicker to create new files in Solidworks, so if the majority
of what you need is in the CAM features, then Solidworks may be the better
choice.


--

Later,

Charlie

fix the e-mail address and it will get to me

 

It's a separate system to buy, which went beyond the scope of his question,
so I didn't even think about it. Doh!


--

Later,

Charlie

fix the e-mail address and it will get to me

 

Brian,

Actually, I've been using MC for over thirteen years. I've used other
systems as well, but inevitably ran into situations where I couldn't do
something the way I wanted to. MC can be intimidating for multi axis stuff
(lots of values, checkboxes. etc.,) but if you know it well, you can make it
do anything. Kinda like a Swiss army knife CAM system.

When I was looking at Surfcam, I was looking specifically at it's full 4
axis contouring capability. At that time (ver 7 I think) MC only had 4axis
surfacing, and "A" axis mapping. I needed to swarf cut the side of a part
using either upper and lower rail curves, or tangent to a surface. I was
unable to trick MC into doing this at the time, and SC's multi axis was
superior to MC's. That changed with version 8.1.1.

Most of the newer systems don't have the flexibility or depth of either of
these CAM systems.

Regards

Mark

 

Brian,

As far as I know, CNC Software wrote it, they licensed Parasolid. According
to them (at least the guy I talked with) they saved money by making it an
add in module. Apparantly the license fees are less than if you use it as
the basis for your whole system. MC ver 9.1 uses Parasolid 14.1.

It's not a design system by Solidworks standards, not by a long stretch. No
dimension driven sketches, geometric relations, assembly environment, etc.
The only things that can be changed with a number are Parasolid native
functions, fillets, chamfers, extrude heights, and so on.

What it can do pretty well are single part files, and fixing buggy
translated files.


Regards

Mark

 

<<Snip>>

When did they start including it? When DesignPlus was introduced it was a
separate purchase.


--

Later,

Charlie

fix the e-mail address and it will get to me

 

<<Snip>>

Bill,
this doesn't quite jive with our experience. We kept current on
maintenance up until 2000.1 was released, which is what I still use. At
that time, the disc included DesignPlus, with a 60-day password. After 60
days was up, we were given the option to purchase DesignPlus for around
$3000.00. Since our primary design software is Pro/E, my boss didn't think
it a worthwhile investment. If it comes with the software for free now,
that's a much better deal.


--

Later,

Charlie

fix the e-mail address and it will get to me

 

I have been working with SW and Surfcam (SC) for the last five years. The
work is most 3-5 axis. We create in SW and dump into SC. . The name of the
game in machining is get done ASAP. So this way works great for us.

The solid modeler provided by SC is very crude. It is not worth investing
in.
The next realize of SC will have associatively with SW files. how that will
happen I do not know. They have added baby steps along the way. that give
warnings that the path that was written for a certain geometry is out dated
because a change to that geometry was made ( little red light beside the
path).

I came in late on the post, so what kind of work will need to be done?
3-4-5 axis?

I can be contacted off post if need be.

Todd Anderson

Salisbury Machinery Company ( a division of Cooper Tire)

704-855-1400

 

He hasn't really specified what he'll be cutting, but he did mention 3-axis
in one of his replies. For that end of it, I have no complaints with the
tool path I get from SURFCAM.


--

Later,

Charlie

fix the e-mail address and it will get to me

 

Are you saying that Surfcam is 5 axis?
Do you write your own posts?

 

DOOd!
How do you know about EVERY software? You must read every press release and
do all the demos.