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Cam Package Challenge Older version of Surfcam vs. Fusion 360......Whats better???

If you don't have anything positive to say maybe best not tpo comment and just move a

can we lock this? so many threads already comparing fusion to every known cam system out here.

Im specifically looking at just these 2 cam packages as this is my only choices at this time. If you don't have anything positive to say maybe best not to comment and just move along!
 
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So I am here not to bust your balloons but theirs :stirthepot::hitsthefan: because I use them and other AD CAM Mainly HSMWorks the father of Fusion360 CAM side.

So I have used surfcam (Traditional) since Version 3 DOS and just installed 2021.0 Tuesday. Better than MASTERSCAM but the is JMO :D

Know the naysayers will say that the UI is old and outdated, yes it is true, very AutoCAD 12 ish for the CAD side, but if you are receiving solid files from other CAD software no big things you cannot learn to do quickly.

Now if you pair it with SolidWorks there is a link function that if the models change it will warn you and allow you to update the geometry and regen, sometime 100%, sometimes less, mainly 3D surfaces. I have used this since surfcam was still owned by SurfWare. So what I do is in an SW assembly is make all my sketches for material, cut boundaries add surfaces for tool containment and then open in surfcam. Everything pops in, you may have to move to different layers but that is simple.

Here is the kicker, if you get just SolidWorks, you can also get FUSION 360 which gets HSMWorks too for free that run inside SW, now you have 2 Design and and CAM, what hasn't been updated in HSMWorks you can use Fusion , same post works throughout AD HSM's, tool library no.

People ask why I still have surfcam, well because when none of the others can do what I need surfcam can because it is not tied to the CAD system and it's limitations, sometimes I use HSMWorks to bulk out and then surfcam to do the surfacing ....still the best toolpath you'll ever see, clean clean clean.

so I hope this helps

What part of CA are you in, surfcam was very big in the Bay area.

lenny
 
So I am here not to bust your balloons but theirs :stirthepot::hitsthefan: because I use them and other AD CAM Mainly HSMWorks the father of Fusion360 CAM side.

So I have used surfcam (Traditional) since Version 3 DOS and just installed 2021.0 Tuesday. Better than MASTERSCAM but the is JMO :D

Know the naysayers will say that the UI is old and outdated, yes it is true, very AutoCAD 12 ish for the CAD side, but if you are receiving solid files from other CAD software no big things you cannot learn to do quickly.

Now if you pair it with SolidWorks there is a link function that if the models change it will warn you and allow you to update the geometry and regen, sometime 100%, sometimes less, mainly 3D surfaces. I have used this since surfcam was still owned by SurfWare. So what I do is in an SW assembly is make all my sketches for material, cut boundaries add surfaces for tool containment and then open in surfcam. Everything pops in, you may have to move to different layers but that is simple.

Here is the kicker, if you get just SolidWorks, you can also get FUSION 360 which gets HSMWorks too for free that run inside SW, now you have 2 Design and and CAM, what hasn't been updated in HSMWorks you can use Fusion , same post works throughout AD HSM's, tool library no.

People ask why I still have surfcam, well because when none of the others can do what I need surfcam can because it is not tied to the CAD system and it's limitations, sometimes I use HSMWorks to bulk out and then surfcam to do the surfacing ....still the best toolpath you'll ever see, clean clean clean.

so I hope this helps

What part of CA are you in, surfcam was very big in the Bay area.

lenny
Thanks Lenny for that great input. Im in the So Cal area. I have an Older version of SC its a 2005 version so I may have to update and thats why I'm thinking Fusion 360 as I have a free trial now and it seems like a very cost effective for my startup 1 man shop. I formerly was a Catia V5 Cad / Cam user and loved it but to expensive for my funding. Do you know where I can get a Post Processor built for a reasonable price in my area? Thanks for posting.
 
Thanks Lenny for that great input. Im in the So Cal area. I have an Older version of SC its a 2005 version so I may have to update and thats why I'm thinking Fusion 360 as I have a free trial now and it seems like a very cost effective for my startup 1 man shop. I formerly was a Catia V5 Cad / Cam user and loved it but to expensive for my funding. Do you know where I can get a Post Processor built for a reasonable price in my area? Thanks for posting.

Before you subscribe to Fusion, read these threads with a grain of salt.....no....make that a fistful of salt.


Autodesk kicking the tires on removing future options based on license type.

and

Fusion 360 Manufacturing Extension..the other shoe dropped..

and

Featurecam 2021 now out, and bad news for Fusion 360 users.

and

Sick of Fusion 360 / Affordable Alternatives

and

absolutely FURIOUS with autodesk/fusion

and

Fusion eliminates tiers


The software itself isn't that bad, its their entire business model that's flawed.
 








 
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