Favorite CAM software?

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08 Jul 2012 06:51 - 08 Jul 2012 06:56 #21689 by gera229
What's your favorite FREE CAM software?

What's your favorite PAID CAM software?

How do these compare for free software:
PyCAM
Freemill
CamBam Free
PartKAM (2.5D)


Also let me know of anything not on the list that you may think is better.
Last edit: 08 Jul 2012 06:56 by gera229.

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09 Jul 2012 10:31 #21710 by andypugh
Replied by andypugh on topic Re:Favorite CAM software?
gera229 wrote:

What's your favorite FREE CAM software?

gEdit.

What's your favorite PAID CAM software?

I haven't used many of them, but SheetCAM is adequate for most of my needs.

However, as I mainly make CNC machines, rather than make things on CNC machines, I don't have much relevant experience.

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09 Jul 2012 19:46 #21727 by gera229
Replied by gera229 on topic Re:Favorite CAM software?
Does G-Edit convert your CAD files?
Or is it a program where you type the commands manually (and it has a built in command list and explanation to help a bit)?
Does it have a built in screen or something to show you what you are coding in a visual manner?

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09 Jul 2012 19:56 #21729 by andypugh
Replied by andypugh on topic Re:Favorite CAM software?
gera229 wrote:

Does G-Edit convert your CAD files?


No. Sorry, but I was being slightly flippant. Gedit is the built-in text editor in Ubuntu. Just about the only think it does to help is syntax highlighting (and it does that rather badly with the default filter)

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09 Jul 2012 20:11 #21731 by gera229
Replied by gera229 on topic Re:Favorite CAM software?
Ahh, okay. It seems like your the only one monitoring this thread.
I will wait for others to reply as well.

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09 Jul 2012 20:39 #21733 by BigJohnT
Replied by BigJohnT on topic Re:Favorite CAM software?
I have to agree with Andy my favorite free CAM is Gedit... the wiki has a cam area with links to some CAM software. I use OneCNC and while it works for me the GUI is not the best. Having said that on my lathe I use ngcgui for 95% of the ops and some on the plasma and I'm sure when I get my knee mill converted from Anilam I'll have a bunch of ngcgui subroutines for it too.

You don't say what your wanting to CAM so it is only a WAG on our part...

John

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10 Jul 2012 04:47 #21741 by jmelson
Replied by jmelson on topic Re:Favorite CAM software?
gera229 wrote:

Ahh, okay. It seems like your the only one monitoring this thread.
I will wait for others to reply as well.

Well, I have Bobcad/CAM, it is a bit cumbersome to use, and so I use it more to
make drawings than for the CAM function. The CAM does work fine, but I
mostly do instrument panels and such, with round and square cutouts,
and that is just too much work to do using the typical CAM system.

So, I made a bunch of programs that write G-code for typical things I
do. See pico-systems.com/gcode.html to see what a few of them
do. I have both Windows executables and c source code there.
I string the output of a bunch of these together with a text editor,
and machine it. The Axis preview lets me detect gross screwups
before cutting metal.

For me, this method is about twice as fast as using the CAD/CAM
system. The only downside is I don't have a nice printed drawing.

Jon

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10 Jul 2012 06:20 #21742 by cncbasher
Replied by cncbasher on topic Re:Favorite CAM software?
paid software ,
mastercam & cimco edit .

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10 Jul 2012 18:54 #21757 by dab77
Replied by dab77 on topic Re:Favorite CAM software?
I'm a newbie with CAM, expert in drawings.. i was looking for some free CAM for linux, and after having tried PyCam, which is too limited, i've found Heekscad/cam interesting. my machine is a standard XYZ.

Ciao.

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10 Jul 2012 22:17 - 10 Jul 2012 22:18 #21761 by gera229
Replied by gera229 on topic Re:Favorite CAM software?
Yeah, and PyCAM takes sooooo long to generate the G-Code for me for simple paths. It's ridiculous.

Have you tried FreeMill?

Right now I want something simple and am trying PartKAM which is a flash based application for simple tasks and can mill 2.5D, but I hope it generates G-Code much quicker than PyCAM.
Last edit: 10 Jul 2012 22:18 by gera229.

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