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Esprit VS Mastercam for millturn programming

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Cast Iron
Joined
Aug 6, 2008
Location
ma
Guys,
I work for a large company that actually have two businesses running at our location. Up until now the two sides have run independently but we are starting to share resources more and more. One side has many standard type machines, 2 axis lathes, horizontal mills and then a Mori NT6600 mill turn, Esprit is used for programming along with a legacy software Applicon for some of the older machines. The other side of facility has similar machinery minus the millturn machine and they use Mastercam.

The crossroads is the Mastercam side of the facility has a bunch of new machinery coming in soon, some horizontal machining centers and a couple okuma multus millturns. They are planning on using Mastercam for these new machines.

What is everyones thoughts on Esprit vs. Mastercam? I think corporate is going to push us all to use only one CAM system here soon. Thanks!!!
 
I've used Mastercam since the Mid 90's. And I would tell you to go with Esprit for anything Mill/Turn versus Mastercam.
 
Have you used both for Mill turn parts? We are a Mastercam user for milling,turning, and wire EDM and are going to get our first mill turn center soon. I'm sure we will have to upgrade anyway, so if we are going to switch, now would be the time.
 
Esprit is better for WEDM as well. If your running mill/turns and wires and you only want 1 software, Esprit is the winner.
(I've used both softwares for edm, mill/turn etc)
 
Esprit is better for WEDM as well. If your running mill/turns and wires and you only want 1 software, Esprit is the winner.
(I've used both softwares for edm, mill/turn etc)

4 axis wire? I am asking because I used a very old version of Esprit (I know, not apples to apples here), and can't remember it doing anything great for 'regular' wire edm... I will say that was with an Charmilles in which i generated the tec and cmd files at the machine so I was not using any generator stuff inside the Esprit software.
 
4 axis wire? I am asking because I used a very old version of Esprit (I know, not apples to apples here), and can't remember it doing anything great for 'regular' wire edm... I will say that was with an Charmilles in which i generated the tec and cmd files at the machine so I was not using any generator stuff inside the Esprit software.

Yes, 4 axis and 'regular' wire...much better than Mastercam.

I see this so much, user doesn't think software is very good...user never setup the software or learned to use it.

Everything is done in Esprit. There is no need to generate anything at the machine.
 
Yes, 4 axis and 'regular' wire...much better than Mastercam.

I see this so much, user doesn't think software is very good...user never setup the software or learned to use it.

Everything is done in Esprit. There is no need to generate anything at the machine.

That is too funny, I would argue the same thing about the Mastercam haters! :stirthepot:
...But my question was not really about Mastercam vs Esprit for wire in this instance. I just simply asked what was "so good" about Esprit with the wire edm. To which you only responded with "... much better than Mastercam." ?? Sorry to derail this thread OP. So here is what I think about programming an older Charmilles (2 axis, or simple tapers)- you only need to generate basic Gcode and the machine can/will do the rest.

I know some people don't like using the tec and cmd files at the machine (Charmilles) and that is fine. I like to think using the tec and cmd at the machine are like editing a few lines of Gcode at the machine vs reposting from your cam... And honestly, not even sure that is a fair comparison as most of the wire jobs I did were one-off deals so no need to save programs really. I used Bobcad v16, generated the NC file, plugged that into machine and set the tec and cmd. Sooo easy to do, AND so easy to edit the cmd file to modify clearance, run an extra spring pass, rotate/mirror for nesting, and on and on...
 
I used MasterCam to program a B-Axis Mill/Turn and I can/could make it do what I needed. We did relatively complex parts on it. If you have a lower turret though, even with the new "Mill/Turn" module it appeared to need a lot of work in the syncing department. Esprit does a great job at the syncing and simulation. Geometry creation stinks in Esprit compared to MasterCam. Errors can be REALLY vague in Esprit. Tech support for Esprit is pretty good from what I have experienced.
 
Have you used both for Mill turn parts? We are a Mastercam user for milling,turning, and wire EDM and are going to get our first mill turn center soon. I'm sure we will have to upgrade anyway, so if we are going to switch, now would be the time.

No, as of now only Esprit is being used for millturn programming.
 








 
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