Originally Posted by Toolrunner  Thank you for your responses. Svenakela, that was a helpful way of answering my questions and helped with your original posts on region curves which I had read, but still didn't understand at the time. |
You're welcome.
It seems that I can be confident that the 4-axis version (no remachining), will be sufficient for prototyping and initial product development. When it is time for production runs, where I need more speed and lower cutter stress and wear I can upgrade to 'expert' level, which allows remachining. |
Sounds good. If you ever need it.
A last question for this thread: Would region-curves be a useful work-around for the stock model limitation, at least in 2D applications; for example if you wanted to mill into circular plate stock rather than a rectangular plate? I would be happy for a response to this question. |
You never use regions when 2D-machining. You define the 2D machining with profiles and then if you want to cut outside or inside the profile. Regions only have effect when you go for 3D (as far as I know). You still model in 3D though. There are tutorials coming on 2D as well. I happen to know that.
A general feedback comment here too: More information is needed on the madCAM website, explaining and defining the features more fully. The videos are good but I noticed early on that the product level is not declared and most are apparently made for expert level. MadCAM offers the entry level product but the marketing is not entry level - insufficient explanation to base a purchasing decision when you are a first-time CAM buyer - so I for one have been holding back (but special pricing until 01 February is a new incentive). The demo version is there but I never seem to have enough time to explore it sufficiently before it would reach its 30-day expiry. Anyway demo versions mean little to a first-time buyer because you never know what to look for in the product; you only find out the limitations once you buy and get fully involved in a real project. So plenty of explanation and explicit and honest examples of the work that can be produced with each product level (not just expert level) is more important. |
My personal experience is that MadCAM is an extremely powerful underdog. But as you say you need to know how to use it and there's a barrier for most users, but that's not only specific to this tool. I think on the other hand that MadCAM has been for the advanced users and the effort as been to add advanced features instead of marketing. And now more and more "standard" users have realised the capabilities and therefore the entry level pricing has been changed upon request. MadCAM is a competitor to the big dragons out there. It just happen to be sold for a very nice price. When it comes to trials and first time users, unfortunately that's a problem where ever you go.
As I stated in earlier posts and in this one as well, there are more tutorials coming. If you know Rhino (which is a requirement to model) this is a fantastic tool.