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Anyone here using Solid Edge Cam Pro or NX Cam Express?

Mud

Diamond
Joined
May 20, 2002
Location
South Central PA
If yes, how do you like it and what kind of parts are you using it for? Will standard NX post processors work with it? What did it cost you?
 
As well / Ditto"

I can't remember did you used to be a SolidCam user at one point or do I have my wires crossed ?

(Sorry for asking you mentioned you were kinda non-plussed with your existing CAM system).

I might be able to dig in on this next week but finished parts and support is the main "metric".

Ta.
 
If yes, how do you like it and what kind of parts are you using it for? Will standard NX post processors work with it? What did it cost you?

CAM Pro and NX CAM Express are essentially identical (basically: NX's CAM module).

So, NX CAM is a really powerful, broad, and deep tool. It traces it's roots back to the very first graphical CAM system - Unigraphics. My NX 1915 seat can open a 30 year old Unigraphics file without issue. There is absolutely nothing NX can't program and there is no machining trick it can't pull off.

That being said, it has a steep learning curve, and the open source training materials (books, or YT videos) are quite thin. Watch over an NX guru's shoulder as they program a part and you'll be blown away at how crazy fast and intuitive they are, when working in their setup. As soon as you buy it though, you'll be totally fucking lost and will have multiple evenings when you'll want to resurrect Werner von Siemens so you can strangle him back to death. Once you click with it however, and the way the thing is laid out starts to make sense to you... you look at other CAM programs as either barbaric or cartoony junk.

It is hard to describe, sorta like using a Space Mouse or driving a Porsche. Once you "get it," you kinda don't want to use anything else, but the getting it part can be a bit of a struggle.

My advice for being successful quickly in NX:

1- Training. Your VAR will offer a training class for what seems like an absurd amount of money. Take it.. but only take it after you've had a couple of weeks with the software, trying you best to hunt down tutorials and learn on your own. Get some basic familiarity and find your pain points so you can work on them with some help in the training.

2- Post Processor. Have a sample part for your machines and have the VAR build a post that successfully makes those parts in NX CAM, on your machines. If they are multi-axis, make sure they dial in safe clearances between ops and the like. NX posts are not complicated, but you don't want to go down the post processing rabbit hole AND the CAM rabbit hole all at once.

3- Most CAM becomes more efficient when you take the time to customize it to your workflows, and this goes double for NX. Model your table, workholding, get some help setting up the tool library and work with your VAR on this.

NX is very powerful, but it is also quite complex. There are some complaints I have (the tool library sucks, and it loves templates, but doesn't make working with templates easy). They are in very active development and the continuous release is helping them speed up the updates to some of this stuff. The team is actually very active in talking with customers, though they readily admit that the sheer scale and complexity of NX CAM makes changing big chunks of it challenging for everyone involved. In the end, I am very glad I went with NX, and think investing in it is basically a lifetime tool that I know will be able to handle anything I throw at it today or in the future.
 
How much is SolidEdge CAM Pro, and NX Cam Express?

I’ve been using SolidEdge for CAD for several years, and once you learn the methodology, it is very powerful CAD software....especially for whipping out dimensioned 2D prints.

ToolCat
 
So, NX CAM is a really powerful, broad, and deep tool. It traces it's roots back to the very first graphical CAM system - Unigraphics. My NX 1915 seat can open a 30 year old Unigraphics file without issue. There is absolutely nothing NX can't program and there is no machining trick it can't pull off.
<snip>

Thanks for the review of NX.
I'm asking about SE Cam Pro and what it was previously called, NX Express. I'm pretty sure it's not exactly the same or it would be called NX. I'm looking for someone using it.
 
CAM Pro and NX CAM Express are essentially identical (basically: NX's CAM module).

So, NX CAM is a really powerful, broad, and deep tool. It traces it's roots back to the very first graphical CAM system - Unigraphics. My NX 1915 seat can open a 30 year old Unigraphics file without issue. There is absolutely nothing NX can't program and there is no machining trick it can't pull off.<snip>



.

Solid Edge ~ scalable in sophistication depending on which license you buy or subscribe to.

The emphasis is on smaller teams or one man , one woman workflow.

Solid Edge CAaaaaaaM - Pro ~ Presumably is like SolidCam (in broad strokes / analogy) that the CAM end of things is embedded directly into the Solid Edge (CAD) interface … No ? Fully integrated ?

Soli- Wwwwwworks for example has some sort of mickey mouse CAaaaaaM functionality now as a module to help designers visualize how CAM tool paths kinda go down in respect of the weird sh*t they just designed to help folks realize stuff has to be manufacturable, but this tool is not a super serious CAM tool per se. Can generate G-code and some kind of tool paths ?

Solid Edge had an "Express like" CAM thingy but is light weight ? (need to verify that ? I think it did.).

so

Then …

Solid Edge CAM PRO - is trying to say it's not mickey mouse CAM but has greater depth to it but is integrated into the friendly and efficient interface of Solid- Edge but according to gkoenig's assertion it's really or actually the lightweight / most stripped down version of NX CAM being … NX CAM EXPRESS

So you are saying if you want to know what Solid EDGE- CAM Pro is, look at NX Cam express ?



As @Mud points out the specific implementation is key as it could be good or a total dog.

Full blown NX (at least when I was fiddling with it over a decade ago ) came across as something that would have to be utilized by much larger teams of engineers and machinists in a coordinated way. Whereas Solid Edge is aimed more at smaller teams so I assume something must have happened to NX CAM (at some point) to make it drivable by a higher level singular "Peep" that doesn't want to make NX an all consuming exercise/ career... 'cuz they have other things to do/ different hats to wear through the course of a year or even a day.


Will snoop about, dig about etc.

But would be good to learn of someone that's actually using the Solid Edge CAM Pro (or that label of product) .

Is it possible to determine that Solid Edge CAM Pro is identical to NX CAM Express ?

Even without going very far it's starting to sound creaky and unreliable from a small user base ? (maybe). Or maybe not. ?

Seems some nice features from NX have crept into Solid Edge CAD-side ?
 
Thanks for the review of NX.
I'm asking about SE Cam Pro and what it was previously called, NX Express. I'm pretty sure it's not exactly the same or it would be called NX. I'm looking for someone using it.

First, you perhaps need to cook your jets with the snark a little. That is a serious dick reply to someone who put some modicum of effort into answering your question.

Second, they are the exact same piece of software. SolidEdge's CAM component was originally marketed as NX CAM Express to give it the air of competitive advantage with the glow of the higher-end NX brand. Turns out, that mostly confused folks in discussions like this one, so they changed the Solid Edge offering to SolidEdge CAM Pro. NX CAM Express branding is still around as the sort of NX standalone CAM package.

These are all the same, aside from how they are sold and some UI differences in the title bar. When you boot up SolidEdge CAM Pro? You fire up the NX Gateway application, it transfers the part file over, and opens up the NX CAM application workspace. Siemens PLM does not support two different CAM packages. Why do I know this? Because it was explained to be by my VAR when I bought NX - they offered me SolidEdge or NX, and I asked what the difference was, and they fired up both in that meeting and pointed out that they are identical.

Or, before typing dickish replies, you could fire up the Google and watch a video demo of SolidEdge CAM Pro and see with your own eyes that it is a seat of NX that boots up and does all the CAM work.
 
First, you perhaps need to cook your jets with the snark a little. That is a serious dick reply to someone who put some modicum of effort into answering your question.

Second, they are the exact same piece of software. SolidEdge's CAM component was originally marketed as NX CAM Express to give it the air of competitive advantage with the glow of the higher-end NX brand. Turns out, that mostly confused folks in discussions like this one, so they changed the Solid Edge offering to SolidEdge CAM Pro. NX CAM Express branding is still around as the sort of NX standalone CAM package.

These are all the same, aside from how they are sold and some UI differences in the title bar. When you boot up SolidEdge CAM Pro? You fire up the NX Gateway application, it transfers the part file over, and opens up the NX CAM application workspace. Siemens PLM does not support two different CAM packages. Why do I know this? Because it was explained to be by my VAR when I bought NX - they offered me SolidEdge or NX, and I asked what the difference was, and they fired up both in that meeting and pointed out that they are identical.

Or, before typing dickish replies, you could fire up the Google and watch a video demo of SolidEdge CAM Pro and see with your own eyes that it is a seat of NX that boots up and does all the CAM work.

Not to be d*ck , I didn't read Mud's response as a snarky d*ckish post , rather fairly neutral and clear … Even stuff written with d*ckish intent doesn't always have to be taken as such … :-)

'cuz the problem with NX (full blown version ) is, that it is extremely complex and time consuming to drive and get a handle on, whereas the Solid Edge CAM implementation is intended to be simple and easy to use / much less complicated.

The main question is … is anyone using that specific version of the product hopefully in the guise of a good implementation = good user experience, and good results (possibly), OR

not so great implementation = more bugs and potential awkwardness,

AND more bugs with a smaller user base = potentially less reliable software / package overall ? And are the results any good from a reduced feature set of NX (not to bash NX , what do they really give you ?) (I guess also depends what you are doing , mold work, 5 axis , turning etc. etc. ? - what tools are available to one ?).

So I think the focus is more on good experience from CAD to final parts versus medium sized collection of modules smashed into Solid Edge interface.

Interesting that Solid Edge Cam Pro can be a stand alone product / import files from elsewhere ?

Siemens PLM offerings (at least to me), in general are vast, very corporate in nature and bewildering in some instances (at least to me lol).

I think SolidEdge "Ethos" is supposed to be the opposite of that ?
 
<snip> you could fire up the Google and watch a video demo of SolidEdge CAM Pro and see with your own eyes that it is a seat of NX that boots up and does all the CAM work.

The product doesn't have much of a web presence / footprint (yet) , one or two videos that are very rudimentary and no detailed PDF's so it might be geared to force you to reach out and contact various VARs Value added Re-sellers (in the instance of CAM-Pro (SE)) etc. more locally.

The Solid Edge Licensing on line and scaling up and scaling down and freezing of licenses looks good.

Again compare that with SolidCAM [in my own type of sand-pit], in terms of documentation, tutorials and web presence being comparatively vast and comprehensive. My only prejudice with SolidCAM is it's embedded in SolidWorks (that's not always a good thing) and I don't get a super warm fuzzy feeling for the AD Inventor version.

Inetresting "they" - (Siemens PLM) offer a price reduced bundle for SolidEdge and SolidEdge- Cam -Pro...

Solid Edge has some good things going for it.

_______________________________________________________________


OK now I see a source of some confusion from the title vs. intent. No big deal, -

Anyone using SolidEdge CAM pro ?

Bueller…
 

So can you do this type of swarf milling on compound curved surfaces ^^^ Like this in Solid Edge CAM Pro and or NX CAM Express ?

Not clear web presence wise from videos etc. what Solid Edge CAM pro lets you do or is included from the capability of full NX CAM ?

If so would the tool paths and various strategies be just as good as the full NX CAM product* ?

I.e. actual surface finishes and geometry of final part(s) (assuming adequate machine(s) for the task.).

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

* Also bear in mind that not everyone knows what the full feature set and capability of NX CAM is... So it's more constructive to approach things from what is actually in Solid Edge Cam Pro -... Cold. Without reference to a it's much more vast and complex 'Daddy".
 
The product doesn't have much of a web presence / footprint (yet) , one or two videos that are very rudimentary and no detailed PDF's so it might be geared to force you to reach out and contact various VARs Value added Re-sellers (in the instance of CAM-Pro (SE)) etc. more locally.


So, the backstory here is that I went to various CAM packages to solve a very particular problem machining some client geometry that they had already locked-down in marketing. The NX reseller was the only one who came back with an answer, with their apps guys having cooked something up in NX (I've talked about all this before). When it came time to pay the piper, I was offered NX CAM Express, SolidEdge with CAM Pro, and NX CAD/CAM. We had a demo meeting, and my first question was "Wait, y'all solved this in NX CAM, why would I go with SolidEdge CAM Pro?"

The sales person kind of rolled her eyes at being asked this (not at me, but at Siemens' marketing here) and explained that Siemens PLM has one CAM package (NX CAM) that they sell under 3 different brands:

SolidEdge CAM Pro - is the one tied to SolidEdge, with some infrastructure to pass part/assembly files between NX CAM and SolidEdge.

NX CAM Express - For folks who only need NX CAM, it is basically a seat of NX licensed to open Gateway and NX CAM. This if for machine shops who get outside geometry and want to program in NX, or NX shops who give their machinists lower-cost copies. It does allow some basic geometry modification and the like, stuff you would need to do to prep a solid model for machining.

NX CAM - Is any seat that includes NX CAD and NX CAM on one license file.

In the end? The CAM package is, in fact, totally identical. A user with SolidEdge CAM Pro gets a full copy of NX installed on their system, with a license file that mirrors NX CAM Express. It is de facto NX CAM with all of the glory, power, and complexity a seat of NX entails.
 
So, the backstory here is that I went to various CAM packages to solve a very particular problem machining some client geometry that they had already locked-down in marketing. The NX reseller was the only one who came back with an answer, with their apps guys having cooked something up in NX (I've talked about all this before). When it came time to pay the piper, I was offered NX CAM Express, SolidEdge with CAM Pro, and NX CAD/CAM. We had a demo meeting, and my first question was "Wait, y'all solved this in NX CAM, why would I go with SolidEdge CAM Pro?"

The sales person kind of rolled her eyes at being asked this (not at me, but at Siemens' marketing here) and explained that Siemens PLM has one CAM package (NX CAM) that they sell under 3 different brands:

SolidEdge CAM Pro - is the one tied to SolidEdge, with some infrastructure to pass part/assembly files between NX CAM and SolidEdge.

NX CAM Express - For folks who only need NX CAM, it is basically a seat of NX licensed to open Gateway and NX CAM. This if for machine shops who get outside geometry and want to program in NX, or NX shops who give their machinists lower-cost copies. It does allow some basic geometry modification and the like, stuff you would need to do to prep a solid model for machining.

NX CAM - Is any seat that includes NX CAD and NX CAM on one license file.

In the end? The CAM package is, in fact, totally identical. A user with SolidEdge CAM Pro gets a full copy of NX installed on their system, with a license file that mirrors NX CAM Express. It is de facto NX CAM with all of the glory, power, and complexity a seat of NX entails.

This sounds like good news. Is there a price difference between NX and solidedge versions?
 
<snip'd for clarity... All very good though>.

In the end? The CAM package is, in fact, totally identical. A user with SolidEdge CAM Pro gets a full copy of NX installed on their system, with a license file that mirrors NX CAM Express. It is de facto NX CAM with all of the glory, power, and complexity a seat of NX entails.

Ok that's super helpful , (no snark)/ good to know good context.

Soooooooo…

I'm guessing it's the same price ? other than the bundle they are pushing.


I really liked SE and the Siemens FEA FEaMap stuff very much, but couldn't square the circle with a trial version of NX CAM (circa 2008) at the time.

Ten years+ later has much changed in NX CAM ?

Lazy question ,

How much would a sim 5 axis license of NX CAM Express / or Solid Edge CAM Pro cost + HSM / trochoidal strategies / strategies that can take into account more modern tool profiles for swarf milling, pencil (milling) and general goodness for nice surfaces in a timely manner ?

Ball park ?

Any guesses or "Knows" ?

Ta much.

_______________________________________________________________


++ So just to clarify (to make sure I have this right ), the "Express" bit of NX does not mean less of anything CAM wise (at least for accessing individual part geometries)?

++ But Solid_Edge with CAM Pro is an embedded solution, so design changes ripple through to the CAM end of things in the same interface + file structure ? <also wondering about bi-directional changes or is it all one way top down from CAD interface or is it still kinda separate ?
 
First, you perhaps need to cook your jets
OK. I'll cook my jets.

That is a serious dick reply to someone who put some modicum of effort into answering your question.
Effort or not, you didn't answer any of my 3 questions. Your answer seems instead to be an effort to show off how much you know about NX.

Second, they are the exact same piece of software. SolidEdge's CAM component was originally marketed as NX CAM Express to give it the air of competitive advantage with the glow of the higher-end NX brand. Turns out, that mostly confused folks in discussions like this one, so they changed the Solid Edge offering to SolidEdge CAM Pro. NX CAM Express branding is still around as the sort of NX standalone CAM package.

These are all the same, aside from how they are sold and some UI differences in the title bar. When you boot up SolidEdge CAM Pro? You fire up the NX Gateway application, it transfers the part file over, and opens up the NX CAM application workspace. Siemens PLM does not support two different CAM packages. Why do I know this? Because it was explained to be by my VAR when I bought NX - they offered me SolidEdge or NX, and I asked what the difference was, and they fired up both in that meeting and pointed out that they are identical.

Or, before typing dickish replies, you could fire up the Google and watch a video demo of SolidEdge CAM Pro and see with your own eyes that it is a seat of NX that boots up and does all the CAM work.

I'm not buying that, just because someone told you that, because even Siemens' sales pitches state that there are things that full NX will do that the lesser packages can't do, and that full NX is available with many options and capabilities, but not SE Cam Pro. As an example, NX's drafting came directly from SE, they stated that's why Siemens bought SE. However it is not exactly the same. and neither is Synchronous in NX the same as Synchronous in SE.

On the contrary, the few videos available show precious little of SE cam pro. I'm doing research here to formulate new questions for my VAR before I call. Despite what you seem to think, I'm not a drooling newb. I first looked at NX back when it was still called UG, and owned by Unigraphics, that's what, 20+ years ago? I ruled it out and went another direction, now I'm interested it it again and motivated to follow through but not in full NX.

Cameraman seems to understand completely what I'm asking, you don't. Now that this thread has been fouled I see my chances of getting a real response here is nil.

I didn't mean to offend you, but I'll take it as a bonus.
 
I'm not buying that, just because someone told you that, because even Siemens' sales pitches state that there are things that full NX will do that the lesser packages can't do, and that full NX is available with many options and capabilities, but not SE Cam Pro. As an example, NX's drafting came directly from SE, they stated that's why Siemens bought SE. However it is not exactly the same. and neither is Synchronous in NX the same as Synchronous in SE.

I don't know dude... I explained how this works twice now in very simple terms and you insist I'm some sort of an idiot. So hey, your VAR stands to make a few thousand dollars on this transaction, so why don't you go have the people you'll be paying go spoon feed it to you instead of being a choosy beggar?
 
FWIW, I'm a Solid Edge and CAM Pro/Express/NX CAM user. As stated above, the products are the same and the name has changed a few times. I can go to Siemens and download CAM Pro or NX CAM and they do the same thing. It's a silly marketing gimmick to confuse everyone ;)

And as with NX, you can choose which modules you need in CAM Pro. So if you're not doing simultaneous 5-axis stuff, you can leave out this bit. Same applies to machine simulation. You pay for the basic program and whatever extras you choose. SE integrates nicely into NX CAM (or CAM Pro if you prefer), so toolpaths are associative.

My guess; the old CAM Express sounded too watered down so they re-branded it CAM Pro. And because they want to push CAM to SE customers they named it Solid Edge CAM Pro. But once again, the actual product is NX, with all its strengths and weaknesses.
 








 
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