How well does MasterCAM work with AutoCAD? Is anyone using this combo. I am currently using RouterCIM with AutoCAD and I am looking at switching to MasterCAM.

Thanks in advance for any info.

I have, I used Autocad to create my shapes and nest them manually. Than DXFed it into master cam and created my tool paths. Once you got the hang of it, you could fly through the process. I used templets with in master cam.

Does or can MasterCAM use AutoCAD's layer information. Say if you want everything on layer 1 to be cut with tool #2 and so on...

Mastercam supports importation of .dwg (native autocad), .dxf (autodesk data exchange format), .ipt and .ipa (inventor part and assembly files.)

When importing .dwg files level / layer integrity is maintained including the autocad layer name.

There is also an add on module to Mastercam that allows direct toolpathing of geometry in an autocad file without actually converting the original file. The information on that is here:

http://www.mastercam.com/Partners/CadPartners/Default.asp

I dont have any experience with the ad in product that I can offer, but the translator works very well.

BTW, welcome Speedy and cool avitar. Wheres Trixie these days ?

Thanks for all the input.

BTW, She is out playing with chim chim.

And how is Spritel (Spritle?) (Sprytal?) Oh, hell; the little dude that hangs out in the trunk of the Mach 5 with Chim Chim..

Note that Mastercam 9.1 now supports VBS. Big plus for automating lots of things, specially conversions.

'Rekd teh "Looks as if it's going to be a beautiful day"

Does anyone know if the new 2004 AutoCAD also has VBS support?

This is getting more intresting. Maybe i am going to have a closer look at MasterCAM.

How is the design end of MasterCAM compared to AutoCAD. Most thinking about drawing ease and ability in 2D.



Spritle is hanging out at the shop with Sparky.

I know the previous versions of ACad had VBS. They prolly still do.

The design in MC is sufficient for quick and easy work. It has built in customizable templates for different size prints. It's not nearly as good as ACad, as ACad is strictly a CAD program. But if you will be doing CAM as well, you should find MCam sufficient for most of your design work.


HTH

'Rekd

We do a lot of head to head 2D design for VICA competitions between autocad and mastercam. I am proud to say that usualy I can beat autocad design side by about 5-10% running MC. I learned both programs around the same time, and find MC to be slightly more intuitive. :rainfro:(flame2)

It all depends on what is used to. I have enjoyed mastercam over acad on most stuff. On other things I prefer to use AutoCad. It all depends on what you are doing.

Whats nice to is to be able to write out a DWG file to bring back to Autocad.
I have done this with some designers that make the 2d drawing I make it into a 3d and give it back so they can see it in 3d...

Originally posted by speedracer
Does or can MasterCAM use AutoCAD's layer information. Say if you want everything on layer 1 to be cut with tool #2 and so on...

speedracer,

Mastercam does have the ability to apply toolpath operations, drilling, block drilling, pocketing, roughing and so on to layers using VBScript, essentially mapping layers to operations.

Below is an example of Mastercam calling AutoCAD, creating a spline and saving the drawing all done via VBScript.



'///////////////// My Constants /////////////////
Const acMax = 3
Const acRed = 1
Const vbDouble = 5
'///////////////// My Global Variables //////////


' -- Start Script
Call Main()


' ////////////////////
' Sub Declaration
' ////////////////////
Sub Main()

On Error Resume Next

Dim ACAD
Dim acadDoc
Dim layerObj

' -- See if ACAD is already running
Set ACAD = GetObject(, "AutoCAD.Application")

' -- An error is raised if it is not running
If Err Then
' -- Clear the error stack
Err.Clear

' -- Create a instance of AutoCAD
Set ACAD = CreateObject("AutoCAD.Application")

' -- If AutoCAD is not installed then an error is raised
If Err Then
ShowString Err.Description
' -- We can bail here as ACAD is most likely Nothing
Exit Sub
End If

End If

' *******************************
' * Uncomment below to display the
' * current version of AutoCAD
' ********************************
'
'ShowString "Now running " & ACAD.Name & " version " + ACAD.Version

' -- Connect to the AutoCAD drawing
Set acadDoc = ACAD.ActiveDocument

' *********************************
' * This example creates a New layer
' * named "Mastercam" (colored red.)
' ***********************************

' -- Create new layer
Set layerObj = acadDoc.Layers.Add("MasterCAM")

layerObj.Color = acRed

' -- Refresh view
Call acadDoc.Regen (True)

' ****************************************
' * This example creates a spline in model
' * Space using the CreateTypedArray method
' * off of the utility object.
' ******************************************
Call Example_Utility(acadDoc)

With ACAD
.visible = True
.WindowState = acMax
.ZoomAll
End With

Call Example_SaveAs(acadDoc)


' -- Clean up
'ACAD.Quit
Set ACAD = Nothing

End Sub


' -- Sub declaration
Sub Example_SaveAs(acDoc)
' The following example saves current drawing as "Mastercam_test.dwg"
acDoc.SaveAs ("Mastercam_test.dwg")

End Sub


Sub Example_Utility(acDoc)



Dim splineObj
Dim startTan
Dim endTan
Dim fitPoints
Dim utilObj

Set utilObj = acDoc.Utility

With utilObj
.CreateTypedArray startTan, vbDouble, 0.5, 0.5, 0
.CreateTypedArray endTan, vbDouble, 0.5, 0.5, 0
.CreateTypedArray fitPoints, vbDouble, 1, 1, 0, 5, 5, 0, 10, 0, 0
End With

' -- Create the spline
Set splineObj = acDoc.ModelSpace.AddSpline(fitPoints, startTan, endTan)

' -- Clean up
Set utilObj = Nothing
Set splineObj = Nothing

End Sub