I have the current version of Onecnc - XR8 - v63.55.
I used Bobcad version 19 and liked the ability to read any file but that was all.
Did not care for toolpath verification. My old boss have several seats and gave me one I still have running on an old amd 1st 64bit w/crappy vista. I keep it around because it has some other stuff on it I sometimes use.
Onecnc has a nice new feature for design layout - is basic now but useful.
I did the demo of sharpcam and really like it for some 3d cutting functions but I bought Onecnc because of cad tools and ability to import Solidworks models.
Dxf translator and Pdf support is also handy.
Mastercam is a great software. I do not like the cad much but I used it for years and I can cut any shape with that. My old boss is really mad now because they charge so much for updates. He has 1 seat of fusion and does not like it much but keeps it around for 5 axis cutting. He loved bobcad so much he bought many seats but no one would use it. Onecnc is similar to Mastercam with out all the choices and endless menus. Mastercam is very good if you need to find people who can run it. Onecnc is less known but much easier to learn and start cutting. Having a good model is best in any system so reading a step or XT file is key. I still make some of my cad in an older system and import if I have trouble making it fast in Onecnc or Solidworks. I am cheating maybe.
I hope you can find a system to work for you. Is not easy to get one to do all but Mastercam is mature software and most widely used.
Yes that is very good idea. I have used Camworks running inside Solidworks and it takes over Solidworks and works on a floating network license prone to fail - then you have to re-boot and point to the license folder again. Really?
A company I work with forgot to turn off windows update or accidently clicked yes to install windows 11 and now the custom programs we made do not work. I had every nice automatic feature working on all the similar products able to update designs and automatically make lathe output. The design end is screwed now and no more custom anything. Thanks windows and user saying yes to destroy hours and hours of work.
Keeping cad and cam separate make life more simple I have learned. Camworks is very stout even on 4th and 5th axis but inside another software is just kind of touchy.
your direction with 2 separate in my experience is good.
