CAD CAM software

Related to all sorts of CAD and CAM tools. Users should post questions, comments, and recommendations with respect to their favorite CAD and CAM tools.

Moderators: GlennW, Harold_V

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Harry Shonteff
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Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2020 5:06 pm

CAD CAM software

Post by Harry Shonteff »

I have been using Rhino cad and cam for a few years. However the Windows 10 upgrade has ended my cam use and MecSoft will not offer support because it is a few years old. I was told the upgrade messed up the dongle. Any way I want to up grade my cam software. I make custom sewing machines so a lot of small precision parts. The last upgrade was an extremely bad experience. I bought a new computer. Then the Cad Cam package would not work so I upgraded them both. Then the CNC Jr still would not work . I had to but all new motors and electronics. So this computer upgrade was $13K.

Now I am in need of a good new CAM package to make my tools paths. Any advice would be great. This is for a home shop not General Motors

Harry
San Francisco
www.a1sew.com
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Harold_V
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Re: CAD CAM software

Post by Harold_V »

Welcome aboard, Harry.
We have some outstandingly brilliant computer people on this board, so I suspect you will receive some excellent guidance.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
pollys1dad
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Re: CAD CAM software

Post by pollys1dad »

Harry Shonteff wrote: Thu Jun 18, 2020 5:09 pm I have been using Rhino cad and cam for a few years. However the Windows 10 upgrade has ended my cam use and MecSoft will not offer support because it is a few years old. I was told the upgrade messed up the dongle. Any way I want to up grade my cam software. I make custom sewing machines so a lot of small precision parts. The last upgrade was an extremely bad experience. I bought a new computer. Then the Cad Cam package would not work so I upgraded them both. Then the CNC Jr still would not work . I had to but all new motors and electronics. So this computer upgrade was $13K.

Now I am in need of a good new CAM package to make my tools paths. Any advice would be great. This is for a home shop not General Motors

Harry
San Francisco
www.a1sew.com
Hi Harry, there is a forum called Bleeping Computer, https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/

Lot of folks with a lot of know how, could try there. Good luck :)
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Gary Armitstead
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Re: CAD CAM software

Post by Gary Armitstead »

Why not have a "dual-boot" system and partition the drive? OR you could also use freeware called VM Ware, that will allow you to run your computer as two separate machines. The Virtual Machine software will still recognize the dongle and Rhino will run just like it always did. I use MasterCam V9 (2002 circa) with a dongle that will only run on XP Pro and will not run at all on Win 10. Now I run MasterCam on my Win 10 computer, but MasterCam "thinks" it's running on a full blown XP Pro computer. You might need a good computer geek to do this for you. Definitely not for a novice :).
Gary Armitstead
Burbank, CA
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BadDog
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Re: CAD CAM software

Post by BadDog »

I seem to recall that once upon a time, MS offered a free XP Pro VM for use on their virtualization platform. I believe that was for "Virtual PC" IIRC?. That may or may not still be available, but if so, would be preconfigured and easily setup. I would expect the only thing necessary after install and initial setup would be to bind the USB dongle to the VPC instance. If you have a machine with decent speed and sufficient memory, virtual machines are a great option. But I would recommend physical hardware with enough real RAM to fully support both the VM and host OS. Technically not required, but if you rely on sharing, things slow down in what seems a near exponential degradation. And a fast SSD SATA (or equiv) drive for persistent memory also helps a lot, as does a real multi-core CPU. But all these things are relatively common in recent generation desktop machines, and even many laptops.

On VM Ware, I'm not sure what their free licensing looks like, but IIRC, the player is free, but you can't setup your own VMs. You have to find one (may also be free downloads?) that will work for you, and just run it. But that detail may be out of date.
Russ
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LIALLEGHENY
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Re: CAD CAM software

Post by LIALLEGHENY »

It's very simple, have one computer running XP for your Rhino software, and your other computer running Win 10 for everything else. I have Mastercam V8.1 (2000 vintage) on an older machine running XP. You can get the older machines for next to nothing, or in my case it came from someones trash. It is also good to have a dedicated computer for your CAD that is not online....then you don't have to worry about being hacked, getting a virus, etc

Nyle
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Bill Shields
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Re: CAD CAM software

Post by Bill Shields »

Autodesk Fusion will drive a basic 3A mill or 2A lathe with little trouble and low $$ and runs on Win 10
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
dorin
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Re: CAD CAM software

Post by dorin »

I really like Estlcam, for a low-cost cam tool. https://estlcam.de/

However Like Russ mentions, a virtual machine might not be a bad idea.

You could try spending $25.00 or so on Windows XP from Ebay and then install virtual box on your new pc. (which is free)
(Or do you have your old Windows XP install CD or recovery CD, that might work too and be free!)

VirtualBox can be found here: https://www.virtualbox.org/

You basically run XP inside a window on your new windows 10 machine.

This is not too hard to do.
-Mike
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Adirondack
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Re: CAD CAM software

Post by Adirondack »

dorin wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 6:41 am I really like Estlcam, for a low-cost cam tool. https://estlcam.de/

However Like Russ mentions, a virtual machine might not be a bad idea.

You could try spending $25.00 or so on Windows XP from Ebay and then install virtual box on your new pc. (which is free)
(Or do you have your old Windows XP install CD or recovery CD, that might work too and be free!)

VirtualBox can be found here: https://www.virtualbox.org/

You basically run XP inside a window on your new windows 10 machine.

This is not too hard to do.
-Mike
Mike, can it be used for turning? I went to their website and it looks to be mill-centric. How does it compare in ease of use to the other major players?

Thanks

Chris
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dorin
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Re: CAD CAM software

Post by dorin »

Chris,

I bet it can't be used for turning...I see a comment on the web wishing for "Estlcam turn."
I am not experience with other tools...but for me, for the milling, it is super intuitive.
(It could be that I am just nuts too!)
The nice thing is that it is free to try. It is actually free forever, but if you don't buy a license
each job takes longer and longer..

-Mike
www.chaski.com
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Adirondack
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Re: CAD CAM software

Post by Adirondack »

dorin wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 1:25 pm Chris,

I bet it can't be used for turning...I see a comment on the web wishing for "Estlcam turn."
I am not experience with other tools...but for me, for the milling, it is super intuitive.
(It could be that I am just nuts too!)
The nice thing is that it is free to try. It is actually free forever, but if you don't buy a license
each job takes longer and longer..

-Mike
Bummer. I have no love for Fusion and its CAM module for my lathe.

C.
Adirondack Car & Foundry
Check out our projects: https://www.facebook.com/ADKrail/
Visit our ALL-NEW online store: https://adirondackcarfoundry.square.site/

A little locomotive with 4 wheels on the track is a lot more fun
than a 1/2 finished one with 16 wheels on the bench!
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