The Alibre Experience

[zool]

masterfabr stated: TRULY,zool,I wish to high heaven there would have been someone/anyone around a few years ago to explain it to me so simply and directly how it really is I'd have been soooo much happier and more educated sooner.

Ever hear the saying: Too soon old; too late smart!

Don't feel bad, everyone gets a dose of it whether they want it or not.

I do have Alibre v10, and bought manual and tutorial CD's at same time. Learned a lot of CAD, and about CAD, with this package. I do on occasion still use Alibre. And yes it is a relatively good quality and inexpensive CAD program. Though now I mostly use SketchUp Pro now because I design and make furniture and SketchUp better suits my current needs.

I too looked at the integrated CAM, but the logic of it never struck me as a good idea. I read a lot before buying CAM software, especially as my goal is a 6-axis machine, and when reading about CAM of any sort, found every package had their strengths and every package had their weaknesses. Hence it came to me that there are times one CAM program might work better for one type of operations, while another CAM program would work better for another operation.

I started with D2nc as I was then only doing 2D. It was relatively easy to learn and the program got better over time, though in later versions the user interface got confusing, but the forum is horrid, virtually non-existent, and in some cases downright hostile to a couple people. To get clarity about various issues with D2nc one had to, and still has too, email the inventor, which at time takes days to get an answer. And its only $60, so what can one expect?

I switched to Cam Bam as I was starting to move into 3D work. What a difference. First, 2D work is much easier in Cam Bam, though at first the user interface is a bit confusing, though the video tutorials and help files are very good, and soon working with Cam Bam is easy. Plus the user interface really puts the user in control of the g-code. The jump to 3D, though not painless [nothing in the CNC world is painless is my conclusion], was stunningly rapid.

The real surprise of Cam Bam is the forum. A lot of really helpful and really smart and focused folks, and the inventor is constantly contributing.


And you by now are asking: What is this rambling [and boring] narrative about?

Taking a broader perspective, based on my above experience, it sure seems that as one uses CAD, CAM and all other related CNC-world related programs, that what was once acceptable may no longer be. Experience makes us more efficient [thats the theory!] and so our demands of a software package changes. What was once a good idea now no longer is.

From an even broader perspective, it seems that the close investigation that should take place when software is first purchased, should continue to take place with every use.

Maybe the problem is not Alibre, and is not you, maybe its Alibre, in what ever form, is no longer satisfactory for your needs or your workflow practices, or maybe even your disposition about the manner in which you want to work has changed.

Maybe even it is time for you to sit down and formalize your workflow practices, this in order to see if the software you are now using is really appropriate for your evolving needs, which also might need to be formalized.

No doubt you will figure it out.

Happy trails!

[masterfabr]

Thanks zool I appreciate your way of putting it. AD actually does,for me,all it needs to do. Yes,I agree , that I might well need to just go ahead and look more closely at VM that ACAM is based on. VM seems to be a lot more functional than ACAM and since I already am "comfortable" with ACAM it should be an easy crossover. I hope. I guess I should first see if AD is going to have latest VM version available in ACAM and WHEN. LOL!!!

"Ever hear the saying: Too soon old; too late smart!" LOL!! YUP! I'm 56.

[rwskinner]

I sure didn't have any luck 2 days after the purchase of Expert.

Richard

Good luck with that.

It seems obvious to me that you just want to yell from the top of your soapbox, and I hate to spoil your fun, but I have heard of people getting a refund from Alibre.

Joe

[bruce34rr]

Being new to CNC & CAM, I did a lot of looking, software demos etc before buying AD & ACAM (being a hobby, I couldn't spring for higher end sw). Other than reading about how "real businesses" hire the CAM company to do a custom processor for them, I assumed that if it came with a post for a particular machine, it would only need "cosmetic "tweeking". I learned that the proper attitude is to assume it doesn't work at all (which was true for some functions) and go through each G-code operation and verify the output for each. Fortunately, ACAM allows you to readily modify the post processor. In the end, I now have good posts and I understand how it works so I am happy (I suppose the marketing people won't let the engineers publish this ugly fact). As they say, if this stuff was easy, they would have hired someone better looking.

Bruce

[masterfabr]

Being new to CNC & CAM, I did a lot of looking, software demos etc before buying AD & ACAM (being a hobby, I couldn't spring for higher end sw). Other than reading about how "real businesses" hire the CAM company to do a custom processor for them, I assumed that if it came with a post for a particular machine, it would only need "cosmetic "tweeking". I learned that the proper attitude is to assume it doesn't work at all (which was true for some functions) and go through each G-code operation and verify the output for each. Fortunately, ACAM allows you to readily modify the post processor. In the end, I now have good posts and I understand how it works so I am happy (I suppose the marketing people won't let the engineers publish this ugly fact). As they say, if this stuff was easy, they would have hired someone better looking.

Bruce

I agree but doesn't that all sound just a bit deceitful? Id surely does to me.