Mastercam popularity

[empower]

I'm in the U.S.,I'm sure it's not heavily taught in schools, we have faculty that love NX so they teach it, the students don't like it and complain about it to me all the time, but I tell them it's a good knowledge to have and it will look good on your resume.

smart man. i wish i'd learned NX a long time ago.

 

[Johnhudson]

Is 9K alot for Mill+Wire?
Seems pretty reasonable to me. Most just go with what they know, Why spend your time fighting thru a new software. I find Tech support is real good with my reseller.
No complaints here.
Plus you own it even after your maintenance is expired.

 

[CNCDude5x]

On the Job I didn't get to pick what machines I had or what Cad/Cam to use. Mastercam is more than adequate and can do the job. I came from the hand G code days from 1984 and up. First Cam I used was Smartcam - then teksoft - Espirit - Promfg - Mastercam x5 - BobCad - Surfcam.

Now I am wrapping up year 10 teaching CNC Machining - I taught Mastercam because it was the most common and would get more people hired. Now I'm teaching Fusion 360 primary and Mastercam 2nd.

 

[Areo Defense]

I'm in the U.S.,I'm sure it's not heavily taught in schools, we have faculty that love NX so they teach it, the students don't like it and complain about it to me all the time, but I tell them it's a good knowledge to have and it will look good on your resume.

It will especially look good if they seek a position with top tier automotive/aerospace/defense companies. MC, not so much, as in zero. To a supplier below top tier, MC yes, definitely.

 

[rickyt]

Mastercam does fine for flight parts here at Ball Aerospace.

 

[wdevine]

These threads always go bad. Every software seems to have it's evangelists. I was just suffering from sticker shock when I happened to see this thread so I chimed in.
I did put in a call to Bobcad though to see how much 2 seats of wire would be

When I saw your post I was actually going to suggest checking out BobCAD. It will probably be half the price of what you had quoted, and honestly for 3 axis milling and wire I like it a lot. Especially the wire - I've run EDMs for 20 years and messed with Esprit and MC, but I've been using BobCAD for the past few years and I like it a lot more. And they really cut down on their sales bullshit.

 

[Rstewart]

It will especially look good if they seek a position with top tier automotive/aerospace/defense companies. MC, not so much, as in zero. To a supplier below top tier, MC yes, definitely.

You would be very surprised...

I'm at a top tier, and they're using SmurfCAM for their cam software

 

[Mtndew]

MC, not so much, as in zero.

I doubt that nobody is using it as a top tier supplier.

 

[Marvel]

I doubt that nobody is using it as a top tier supplier.

I know of a few........two in particular actually have sent a MasterCam files, assuming they could be used.

 

[goooose]

I doubt that nobody is using it as a top tier supplier.

SpaceX and Boeing both use Mastercam. I guess they are considered OEM but whatever, point remains valid.
If we're talking CAD, ya. I doubt Mastercam is being used for CAD design of anything in production. CAM, Mastercam is everywhere, hence the popularity thread.

 

[Marvel]

SpaceX and Boeing both use Mastercam. I guess they are considered OEM but whatever, point remains valid.
If we're talking CAD, ya. I doubt Mastercam is being used for CAD design of anything in production. CAM, Mastercam is everywhere, hence the popularity thread.

Years ago I worked for a company, on of their customers was Lockheed Martin, I know their local facility that had an in house machine shop used MasterCam as well.

 

[jaguar36]

SpaceX and Boeing both use Mastercam. I guess they are considered OEM but whatever, point remains valid.
If we're talking CAD, ya. I doubt Mastercam is being used for CAD design of anything in production. CAM, Mastercam is everywhere, hence the popularity thread.

I'm sure both companies have a couple licenses floating around at random sites, but it is not their main CAM tools, Catia (slowly becoming 3Dx) and Nx are their primary CAD/CAM tools.

 

[empower]

I'm sure both companies have a couple licenses floating around at random sites, but it is not their main CAM tools, Catia (slowly becoming 3Dx) and Nx are their primary CAD/CAM tools.

this is true. most big companies have their main software package, but also some departments do buy their own for whatever purposes. my buddy that works at spacex right now is using hypermill, and his dept has mc as well, along with NX.

 

[Areo Defense]

You would be very surprised...

I'm at a top tier, and they're using SmurfCAM for their cam software

this is true. most big companies have their main software package, but also some departments do buy their own for whatever purposes. my buddy that works at spacex right now is using hypermill, and his dept has mc as well, along with NX.

True that. From our user group meetings at 3M, they have a lot of NX but also have some SW and Inventor seats as well. Because it's aerospace and defense we never receive native part files, only neutral files, usually step. I'd say 90% originate from NX with the remainder mainly Solidworks with others filling in the last share.

 

[Mtndew]

I doubt Mastercam is being used for CAD design of anything in production

That would be torture. I design and model with it, but only basic stuff for job shop work.

 

[Marvel]

this is true. most big companies have their main software package, but also some departments do buy their own for whatever purposes. my buddy that works at spacex right now is using hypermill, and his dept has mc as well, along with NX.

I was going to say the same thing, a lot of these "top tier" more than likely have their main software that their engineers are using, probably NX, but their inhouse machine shops don't always follow, if you have a bunch of experienced MasterCam, HyperMill, programmers, machinist, whatever it may be, why would they care what CAM software is being used. Let them use what they will be successful and efficient in if it can be afforded.

I've noticed this with some larger machine shops as well, I interviewed at one locally here in MN that had a CAM room for their programmers and they believe that each programmer will be more successful with the software that they know rather than forcing them to learn something new, they no joke had multiple seats of each CAM software.

 

[goooose]

a CAM room for their programmers and they believe that each programmer will be more successful with the software that they know rather than forcing them to learn something new, they no joke had multiple seats of each CAM software.

Let that sink in...large successful companies would rather provide the tool that makes the employee more efficient than buy the software that is cheapest. So many shops out there struggling, thinking the opposite is the path to success.

 

[Marvel]

Let that sink in...large successful companies would rather provide the tool that makes the employee more efficient than buy the software that is cheapest. So many shops out there struggling, thinking the opposite is the path to success.

I would, when I have thought about hiring someone, I would need someone day one that is efficient enough to program set up and run their own parts, I don't have time to hold someone's hand and teach them. I know there's not a lot of selection with CAMWorks locally. I came to the conclusion if I found the right guy, rather than buy a second seat of CAMWorks and force him to learn what I am efficient in, I'd buy a seat of whatever the person could hit the floor running with. I've worked at 3 shops that did the same thing, rather than add a seat of whatever they had, they picked up a CAMWorks seat for me.

 

[Areo Defense]

I doubt that nobody is using it as a top tier supplier.

I never said nobody. Empower's comment about having a mix is a common scenario.

 

[Mtndew]

I never said nobody. Empower's comment about having a mix is a common scenario.

You're right you didn't say "nobody"... you said "zero". Gee, how did I miss that one?