software titles

[woodman08]

Most cnc machines come with the machine software and then its up to to purchase whatever you'll need .
I have seen some people talk about corel draw,autocad 2006/2007.
What are some names of software that one should be looking at

[ger21]

What do you plan on using the machine for?

[woodman08]

I would like to be able to scan images ie parts,intarsia projects,marquetry projects and fret work and have the cnc cut them out.

[ger21]

I don't think you'll find any software that will go from a scan to intarsia or marquetry. Even with a very clean line drawing, the process generally won't give you smooth enough outlines, imo.

But if you want to convert scans, the best raster to vector converter I've used is the one included with Vectric's V-Carve Pro.

[woodman08]

I went to the WMS show in toronto ontario yesterday and saw a few CNC routers .
There was a lot of buzz around the people selling these machines .
One company assured me with there software I could do naything except 3d,scan diagrams in,product my own from cad prgs ,intasis ,marquetry etc.He was using mach3 and there own software but 3d required additional software(vcarve pro 4)(have not seen it by vteck)
But I have tried autocad2008(diificult) corel ver12 (good)
Bcad 3.91(ok)master cam 10 (good demoed at the show)
rhino 3/4 (so so) and gibbs cam 2007 (difficult)
I feel this cnc thing is really going to take off with the amt of interest at the show ,people are keen for smaller affordable machines.

[ger21]

Salesman will assure you of a lot of things. Just be careful before you spend your money.

Also, V Carve Pro is not a 3D program. Vectric does make one, it's called cut 3D.

www.vectric.com

[rocket67]

Hi woodman, What was your impression of the machines that you looked at?

Rocket.

[woodman08]

the machines were ok,expensive.The people that are selling them are asking a lot compared to say a shopbot in NC.
Some were running some were just in a demo mode.
I find all this very interesting and would like one for my shop but its going to be a learning thing as they all say what it will do but like one person here said "if one could scan then run the pattern through the router every shop would have one in america.
So I think its going to be a big software hunt then experiment.The machines look well built