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CAD/CAM recommend for horology field

Asus

Aluminum
Joined
Mar 28, 2012
Location
Hongkong
This is just a hypothetical question, assuming if money is not of any concern for the softwares.
A friend who is in watchmaking and clockmaking field, would like to invest in a CNC machine and 3d Printer.
Which software would you recommend him to learn ? Which CNC machine would you recommend him to purchase ?

The operator
1) Is a watchmaker and clockmaker
2) Has experience in rhino 3d
3) Time is not an issue for him to learn new CAM/CAD softwares


The tasks are mainly
1) Manufacture small parts no bigger than 5cm
2) Smallest parts can go as small as 0.1mm
3) Materials working on are generally steel/gold/brass
 
The questions are WAY too open-ended to get a real answer. You might get some replies that will just be a reflection of what software / machine brand each user thinks is the best, or just get folks being funny like g-coder above.

Rhino has CAM, and it is probably pretty decent. That might be a good place to start. There are many European brands that specialize in small parts manufacturing. Mikron, Datron, and Kern might be good names to start an investigation, but by no means does it end there. Your options for a machine would be driven by technology and budgetary requirements.

The lack of information in the question is probably why g-coder (likely correctly) assumes this is a hobby-level thing, and you don't have a strong idea of just how complicated and expensive this stuff can get.
 
'm going to recommend NX for the CAM and Hermle for the machine.

I was going to recommend NX also and Kern for the machine then realised if someone says "Cost is no issue" They usually don't want to wait as long as the lead time is for a Kern. Then again, The Kern may be delivered quicker than the Swissmak!
 
Only prints in plastic not metal but I's say +/- 2 microns is getting pretty good --> Boston Micro Fabrication: Micro-Precision 3D Printers : BMF Boston Micro Fabrication
Not so much. Look over to the actual part and it's "tolerance +/- .025mm = +/- .001" You can do that with a 7A shaper (in good condition). Watch gears better be more accurate than that. Look at their sample parts, nowhere near 2 microns. Misleading claims.

Still, better than +/- .006" which was the best I saw before.
 
Samples are all printed on an s140 and they're stating a volumetric tolerance. Everything I've seen so far from actual parts leads be to believe this technology is the real deal.
 
Depends on the part really. It gets awfully fiddly to measure plastic parts at that scale anyway.


This thread is a giant bench racing exercise anyway. No printer below $150K and more likely $250K is in any way useful for part sizes below a watch housing. Technology marches on though...no way I'm ever going back to cutting watch gears on one of these despite the nostalgia.

gearcutter.jpg


PS: I'm bored while waiting for support wax to melt of some 3D printed parts getting delivered today. What else should we argue about over the internet :D
 
If it were me, and if money were truly no concern, I'd get Solidworks, Mastercam, and Vericut, since those are what I know best for a total of about $50k give or take. For the machine I'd get a Matsuura 5 axis linear motor machine (there are a few to choose from) with a pallet pool, with all the options, for about $750k. Since money is always a concern, I might get a Haas CM-1 with a 5 axis trunnion and most of the options for about $105k or so, but it's hard to skimp on the software. Run the machine in metric mode for slightly better than 2X the resolution for small parts. .001mm = .000039".
 
If it were me, and if money were truly no concern, I'd get Solidworks, Mastercam, and Vericut, since those are what I know best for a total of about $50k give or take. For the machine I'd get a Matsuura 5 axis linear motor machine (there are a few to choose from) with a pallet pool, with all the options, for about $750k. Since money is always a concern, I might get a Haas CM-1 with a 5 axis trunnion and most of the options for about $105k or so, but it's hard to skimp on the software. Run the machine in metric mode for slightly better than 2X the resolution for small parts. .001mm = .000039".

Haas CM-1 looks like a really and neat set. I reckon the software like solidworks and mastercam can be used on any CNC machines. It is up to the operator to select, and not "by default" limited by the machines' manufacturers ?
 
Yes, you can use Solidworks and Mastercam with any machine, as with most CADCAM software. Your Mastercam reseller will sell you a post processor to use with your machine.
 








 
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