As I understand a company picked up the SmartCAM/FreeForm Machining software rights. Has anyone used the latest 'upgarade'?

Sorry guys, I've edited this posting of mine out - wrong software (Supercam not SmartCam)

:o :o :o

Regards
John

We dont have the freeform but I am using v13. for milling and turning. We also have a seat for wire but another guy uses that.

Is there a current reseller? Are they working on new releases or updates?

A company in Oregon purchased the rights to the software and they are reviving it. They have a web site http://www.smartcamcnc.com. The are working on releases and updates. I guess there were a lot of people that really liked the software when it was out originally. Honestly, I had never even heard of it until I started this job. My initial inpession was not good but a lot of that was probably due to a lack of training on the system. The more I run it the easier it is getting for me to navigate my way around. I will say that it has been a major learning process for me.

This is a link to a magazine press release that you may find interesting. I have always been a fan of SmartCam.
http://www.deskeng.com/News/Headlines/SmartCAM-V13.5-Released-200608211219.html

Independent CNC Programmer
www.ctcn.net/~3kings/

Ive been using smart cam since 1992-1993 , a dos version if anyone remembers that . its a great program, has its problems in some areas like most softwares do.
most print parts for lathes and mills can be made in just a few mins. We are thinking of buying the new version they have coming out as ours it outdated via 5-6 years. I also used to program citzen and star screw machines with it, that took a while to get used to.
From what I understand the new verison fixed alot of bugs in the old version.
one thing I do like about smartcam is that its very easy to prgram in the xz yz and xy planes for 3d programming. one thing I wish they had was the ability to change the direction of the mesh for different angles rather than just radial (90º) and along the part (180º). I never used free form, wire just advance turing and advanced milling.

The post processors are extreamly easy to make your own and you can make them do anything you want. for example in our old windows 3.1 version I wrote a post processor to do all of our certs and inspection data sheets, saved alot of paper work.
I would use the same program to generate code then use the other post processor to generate the data sheets, there were some edits i had to do cause I was too lazy to finish it ;)
when the machinists on the floor got the packets its was complete with inspection data and other things necc. for the Job.

Delw

I have been using SmartCam since Version 3.02. I have Version 11.10 Advanced Milling and have found it sufficent for the companies I have
worked for these past years.

We started using SC when it was a standalone system. The unit was a 'desk' with a monitor and 8 1/2" floppy disks. I still have some of these disks brand new in the wrapper. Thru the years we upgraded to the FreeForm Machining package. We used that until SDRC closed its doors.

I heard that a company is trying to resurect the SC FreeForm machining. I started this thread to see if anyone was using the latest version. I think that it is V12. Awhile ago we recieved a trial version however there was really not anything new, apparently just work done to the IGES x-lator. The new company wanted us to spend 5K to get back on board and pay yearly maintainence fees. I was hoping to see some major improvements to the 3D side of the software prior to investing. I also want to see how stable the new company is.

Comment...

Long time Smartcam user, starting shortly after the windows version came out I think. Using 11.5 FFM still

As I understand it, the current owners are some of the original programmers that rebought the rights to the code that had more or less been abandoned.

Hi Guys.
This is my first time on your forum. I've used Smartcam about a hundred years ago. The place I'm at now has Ver9.1 3d mill and lathe. They also have Mastercam 3d mill/solids and lathe. I need to make some changes on some old
Smartcam files. Is there a way to save a pm4 or sh3 file into a dxf or another cad type file.

Do the earlier versions have import export capabilities? We have V13 and I think you can export the files as a dxf or a few other file types. I have never tried it myself.

No. Just that silly CamConnection.

Hi Guys.
This is my first time on your forum. I've used Smartcam about a hundred years ago. The place I'm at now has Ver9.1 3d mill and lathe. They also have Mastercam 3d mill/solids and lathe. I need to make some changes on some old
Smartcam files. Is there a way to save a pm4 or sh3 file into a dxf or another cad type file.

You have to use CAM Connect to export the files into IGES and dxf formats. PM4 is the FreeForm machining 3d file. I think in that version you can export the PM4 file directly to an IGES. IF you try and convert a 3d file to a dxf it will not work.

I'm not sure of the exact capabilities (file types and versions) of V9 but the import/export has been there for a while, as long as you have cam connection installed.

In some of the earlier versions one had to use CAMConnection outside of the SmartCAM software. I do not remember when SC incorporated this into the framework. Chances are if he has a PM4 file he is using FreeForm Machining in which case one can go to File-Import/Export to export into .IGES.

Hey guys, I am currently using V14 and find it's very similar to V11.5 visually but now they have really started to add some more modern features. It is still very familiar looking and does some cool new stuff like pencil toolpath and more solids functionality.

Yes, we are still using Smartcam. 17 yrs.

I still use smartcam to challenge myself, Its the 1st cam software that I learn. I got all the books published that I use to reference with. I love to torture myself with this software. Its a solid cam module and Its very advance when it was introduce years and years ago........

Would they have been better off staying retired

Techmachineman, WHY?

Independent CNC Programmer
Home Page: http://www.ctcn.net/~3kings