Cam for lathes

ARB · Jun 1, 2006

We are getting a new lathe at work and I'm thinking that it is time to look at some cam software for the lathe. Currently I use Gibbs for mill programming. I certainly would look at what they offer. What other suggestions are there? I realize that a 2D lathe is not that difficult to program but if you have parts with odd shapes cam could be helpfull.
I would like some feedback and have an open mind.

Visual Turn?
What about CapsTurn?
OneCNC?
Others?

Oh Yeah. Fanyuk control

Thanks,
ARB

izzoe46 · Jun 1, 2006

i use the mill cam to get arc to angle points or tapers.

then just manually program the lathe using canned cycles.

Cheenist · Jun 1, 2006

I have been using GibbsCAM for my Haas SL-20 for a few years now and it just works great. With the advance mill option I can program live tooling!!
Carl

John Stevenson · Jun 2, 2006

Take a look at Dolphin for lathe.

http://www.dolphin.gb.com/

I can't see what's missing out of this that even the high end programs have.

John S.

ARB · Jun 2, 2006

Dolphin certainly looks interesting. It is very similar to Gibbs in the way that you create your operations. I will spend some more time checking it out.

ARB · Jun 12, 2006

Well, I got the Gibbs quote today.
I think that looking around is a great idea.

Paul T. · Jun 12, 2006

If $ is tight, before diving in with one of those packages, considering using it as supplied, it probably has some conversational features built in. It appears that while with mills higher level CAD/CAM software is almost an automatic, many CNC lathe users don't find a need for it.

Paul T.

fredj · Jun 12, 2006

Gibbs is good for the lathe after you get the post set up the way you want it.
there post can be moded to the way you want to do the work.
you should have a short learning curve sences you have been using Gibbs for the mill

jon_banquer · Jun 14, 2006

ARB,

Do you feel that Gibbs Lathe Geometry Expert would help you?

Jon Banquer
Phoenix, Arizona

ARB · Jun 14, 2006

Jon. I have never used the Gibbs Geometry expert much. I import almost all of my work from Solidworks. I despise the drafting in Gibbs so much that I do everthing I can to avoid it.

I have decided that the price for the Lathe module from Gibbs is far too much money.

I will do without or look for a more reasonable solution.

I have been writing G-code for a long time and it won't hurt to write some more for a while.

One thing about writing code by hand is you get to really know your control and it's features. You also learn to get more creative.

jon_banquer · Jun 16, 2006

"I despise the drafting in Gibbs so much that I do everything I can to avoid it."

Many Gibbs users feel the same way but getting Gibbs to do something about it always falls on deaf ears. After awhile you give up trying to make your point because Gibbs feels point to point geometry construction is the way to go and is faster. I feel point to point geometry construction can be fast at times but isn't fast in many situations.

Geometry Expert is great for training others who don't have lots of CAD experience and it can be a very fast way to crank out the needed profile if your working from a print. It's also great for fixing or modifying profiles as everything stays connected.

Many shops that I have worked for make extensive use of the CNC lathe canned cycles and hardly ever use CAM.

What does Mecsoft sell Visual Turn for?

Jon Banquer
Phoenix, Arizona

g-coder05 · Jun 19, 2006

Im rather fond of featurecam for my kia turn-mills. it has some nice quick cam features for threading, drilling, ect. our machines have x,y,z,b and c axis and it works great with a little post tweaking.

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ARB

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