Best software for my application?

[mulligan]

Ok, I am just about to the point of getting my table to move on its own. All my hardware is complete except for a couple of emergency stop switches and relays to arrive.

This is where I am unsure as to where I should go from here. My main use of the plasma/oxy table will be to cut simple brackets tabs, etc from 3/16th and thicker. Also I intend on doing some artwork with 1/8". I would also like to cut oval holes every 3" in 2" square tube and 2" channel...

I have Corel 12 for the artsy stuff and have tried a few downloads such as A9Tech, Sheet cam, Mach 3, Delta Cad, and quick step.

What is my best software combo for my needs??

[Torchhead]

You are mixing 3 different kinds of software and trying to do a comparison. MACH3 is a machine control software. It takes g-code and issues Step & Dir signals to spin the motors.

A CAD program is made to draw geometric shapes. If you already have a background in CAD drawing then CAD makes sense for doing brackets and geometric shapes. It falls down if you want do decorative stuff like wrapped text, clipart imports, etc. BTW CorelDraw can be used to draw simple shapes as well and it works in 3 or more decimal places of accuracy. Diehard CAD guys don't like it because it's tools are screen oriented and don't work like the "standard" set by AutoCAD.

Then there is CAM. Programs like SheetCAM take your drawing (in DXF format) and let you define HOW you want to cut on your particular machine. You will find SheetCAM a very good fit for plasma cutting. It has automatic lead-in gneration, kerf-offset, piercing control and other functions that a lot of other more expensive software does not have.

A lot of Plasma users have settled on CorelDraw->SheetCAM->MACH3. It allows the fastest throughput of idea to table. You will find plasma cutting is a unique process (actaully harder to do right than most routing) and until you have some hands on time using CNC to plasma cut you won't appreciate what I am talking about.

Tom Caudle
www.sheetcam.com

[millman52]

For the money involved to purchase & ease of use for your brackets & geometric shapes DeltaCAD, Sheetcam, & Mach is a really hard to beat combination.

I've not really used DeltaCAD but did download & play with it enough to know for a CAD software it's about as easy as it gets.

Sheetcam, Well I can't say enough here. For the money there's a lot of bang for the buck there. Support is second to none.

Mach is also in a class all by itself for the investment.

I purchased a copy of Corel but haven't fooled with it any. My machine was built to use on a daily basis. To process 3/8" & up steel for manufacturing parts for heavy underground mining machinery. I just haven't had the need for art work. Sooner or later someone will want & I'll have to learn it.

There is a learning curve to all of them. Probably Mach was my personal largest mountain to climb. It will do so much more than run a simple 2-D burning center. It was in picking out the small part of it I needed to run a burning table that was the challenge. I used Torchhead's (www.CandCNC.com) hardware to interface my table to the computer. That took lots of the Mach learning curve out. His package deals come with a support CD that does much of the Mach configuration for you.

Neil