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Need a cheap CAD/CAM package

H

henryblowery

Plastic
Joined
Jul 17, 2006
Location
Raleigh NC
Hey, I'm fixin to buy a 9x20 lathe to convert to CNC. I'm planning on using mach3 as the control software, but I haven't decided on a CAD/CAM package. I bought DesignCAD and ContourCAM awhile back, but I don't care to much for it, so I'm looking for something else. I obviously need to use this program for turning, but I will also be getting a CNC mill in the future. Being able to do 3D milling would be nice, but due to my price constraints it's likely I'll have to settle with 2.5D. Like most people I have budget ristrictions, so I have to keep it under $1000. I've searched this forum, and I've seen people recommend BobCAD v22(just kidding), One CNC, Dolphin, and SheetCAM. I believe that the first two (serious) programs I mentioned are out of my price range, but I might be wrong. I was looking at SheetCAM, and I like the price but it doesn't support turning. So, anybody out there have recomendations?

Gray
 
you could use your money to travel overseas and buy any type/kind you want for nothing and have all kinds of problems. Otherwise good luck in what I consider an impossible price vs quality venture. Once you get spoiled with the expensive stuff you try and figure out how you ever did without.
 
AlexBanich said:
you could use your money to travel overseas and buy any type/kind you want for nothing and have all kinds of problems. Otherwise good luck in what I consider an impossible price vs quality venture. Once you get spoiled with the expensive stuff you try and figure out how you ever did without.
Click to expand...


So you're telling me that I'm screwed? Somehow, I believe there's a product out there that provides accurate codes, and is in my price range. It doesn't have to make the most efficient toolpaths, or have all the features. It just has to get me making chips. However, if I'm wrong and the other forum members agree with the above poster, I would appreciate it if ya'll would point me in the direction of a book, website, or other source that would teach me how to program by hand while I'm saving up for high end software. Thanks for ya'lls time!

Gray
 
I'm not saying there isn't something out there that you can't tolerate. I'm just saying that good depends upon your experience. I'm assuming that you're using this for just home use? Personally I'm not against using a stolen copy for home use like many others are. Stolen copies are so flawed with gliches and such that I don't see them being anything more than a learning tool.

A guy once told me that he purchased a copy of MasterCAM X for $500 or something in Singapore and couldn't figure out how to transfer the programs of to his machines. Thats why I don't personally find them a smart idea for business settings. At the same time I don't necessarily feel home based people should recieve 100 lashings for getting a pirated copy and using it.

I know that linux offers a decent CAD/CAM package on some of there Knoppix systems. All in all it depends on what you plan on doing with it later that determines what a good CAD/CAM package would be.
 
Dolphin treats me very well. I have used many different software systems and there are many nice systems. I just simply like dolphin better than most, not to mention the price is fitting.
 
" It doesn't have to make the most efficient toolpaths, or have all the features. It just has to get me making chips. "

If your stuff is simple....learn g-code. I did a lot of manual programming on lathes because they are EASY.....learn some canned cycles (especially g71, g72) keeps them programs short and allows you to tweak at the machine.


Also, mecsoft has freemill, a simple 3d package for free. For 5k I HIGHLY reccomend their VisualCam or RhinoCam Pro. The ability of this software for what you pay for it is amazing. They do have less expensive packages. You will not get better support.

The first response you got is accurate. What you spend on cam software can GREATLY affect what you can do. Also, download something and try before you buy. What clicks with you will probably be the first one you buy.

I think our Mod uses and like Dolphin also.
 
2 axis turning programming is so easy to do by hand that a lot of people don't ever think about buying CAM software for lathe work. I've got several CNC lathes, all Okuma, and although I use OneCNC for mill programming, I still do my lathe code by hand and really can't think of a situation where I'd consider buying any sort of lathe CAM software. You can draw a half section view of any lathe part in most any CAD program and use that to pick off any less than obvious coordinates of X and Z values, and also use it to determine I and K values too. Those values, along with the Fanuc-like canned cycles available in Mach, will allow you to program by hand, quickly and simply.

The main reason I prefer to use canned cycles and program by hand is that it keeps most any turning program very short and compact. If you need to change a DOC or feedrate, you go straight to it and change it as a parameter of the canned cycle instead of searching thru 200 lines of cam generated code looking for the line where the finish code starts. I've got parts I run on a repeat basis that run for as long as an hour and a half, and remove over 100# of chips in the process, and the entire program is less than 50 lines.

OTOH, I've done a bit of hand coding on mill work, and very much of that stuff will drive you nuts. Were it not for CAM software, I'd likely never make another part on a CNC mill, ever :D
 
Well thanks for all the imput guys! I think for now I'll just save my money until I can buy a good program. Last night I was searching through my bookshelfs and I found "CNC Machining and Programming: An Introduction" by Thomas Crandell. I stayed up way to late reading it haha. As others have mentioned, manual programing for a lathe seems like something even someone with limited intelligence(that would be me) can accomplish. I think it would be good to have some sort of knowledge of code writing by hand, even if you have a CAM program.

One more question. I would like to practice programming now, but I probably wont have my lathe up and running for a few months...is there a free simulator I can download that will run my codes and tell me when I've screwed something up? If not, would I beable to post short programs on here, or other forums like this one, for ya'll to review and see if I made any big errors? Thanks again!

Gray
 
You can use a piece of graph paper to plot your points and then try writing the code by hand. This is the way a lot of us used to learn code...before cad/cam. It will perpare you not only to understand the moves but also editting at the controller. Just knowing how to run a cad system is only half of it. Reading and editting code at the machine is the other half
 
Have you looked into LazyCAM from MecSoft? I think that's still a "work in progress".

Visual Mill is supposed to be fairly good and the basic version with limited 3D capability is only $1k, but it may not have turning capability.

I use SprutCAM which just added lathe operations in a recent version upgrade and it seems quite capable. The Expert version, which includes turn and 4/5 axis support is reportedly around $3k. I think that some of the more advanced versions of Dolphin are based on SprutCAM.

Mike
 
Thanks for all the imput ya'll!

Alex, I downloaded the cnc simulator to play with and it's exactly what I was looking for. I wrote my first program today and ran it in the simulator. It had a few bugs at first but I managed to work them out and to my suprise it works! It's the profile for a small cannon 6" long. The program is 30 lines long, but I should beable to shorten it using canned cycles(I think.) Canned cycles is something you would do at the controler right? It's not something you would write with g code correct? If not, how would you go about writting the cycle. The program is below.

N01 G70
N02 G94 F10
N03 G91
N04 G01 X1.5
N05 G01 Z-6
N06 G00 X.015
N07 G00 Z5.5
N08 G01 X-.115
N09 G01 Z-3
N10 G00 X.015
N11 G00 Z3
N12 G01 X-.115
N13 G01 Z-3
N14 G00 X.015
N15 G00 Z3
N16 G01 X-.115
N17 G01 Z-3
N18 G00 X.265
N19 G00 Z-1
N20 G01 X-.115
N21 G01 Z-1
N22 G00 X.015
N23 G00 Z1
N24 G01 X-.115
N25 G01 Z-1
N26 G00 X.015
N27 G00 Z1
N28 G01 X-.115
N29 G01 Z-1
N30 G00 X.265

I'm quite proud of it :)

Gray
 
You do write canned cycles in the G code program, that's the time saver, you basically write a program to finish the part, and the canned cycle takes care of all of the roughing cuts, rapid retracts, etc... another good resource from Haas , this will teach you how to G code program, http://haascnc.com/training/LatheProgram_PDF/xlwb.pdf the canned cycles have a few different codes from a fanuc controller, but get you pretty close.
 
Sample Program?

Hello, I like your interest in G-code but the sample you gave would never run on a lathe or a mill or anything that I have programmed before without other prepatory comands at the top. Keep up the training! Jon wilmington, NC:cheers:
 
Programming

Program is missing quite a bit of information,
Not very specific to what your suppose to be making.
Just a friendly reminder you always want a decimal(.) In front of any number.
Example: G00 Z5. Not G00 Z5 -or- G01 X2. F20. Not G01 X2 F20
Some machines do not respond nicely otherwise.
Keep practicing ; writing programs can be pretty satisfying.
Best wishes , Sky
 
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