Originally Posted by
rally.sport
Ill add my 2 cents
Rhino, love it, i have Rhino3 ,4, and 5(WIP) for surfacing it is simple, intuitive and fast.
I also have 2 seats in Catia, so i know both ends of the market.
Rhino does not do solids as well as it does surfaces, also the export to iges can be rather clunky, missing data or reversed faces, no idea why but in my 10 years of using it always has. Step files are normally OK
We use Edgecam for our CAM work and find that it takes a Rhino stl file exceptionally well, its easy to use and the best feature is that it comes with its own post processor editor, so no extra costs for unusual post processors (we actually run mach 3 on our mills having converted from mazak and fanuc and pacer's own horrid control.
This month we have upgraded all our machine's to Win7, or rather our last Xp machine died so we have looked for our new software at the same time.
Tried featurecam today and after maybe 2 hrs with the rep flicking through at speed ive picked up enough to be able to program it myself, it is good and robust with stl and iges, but step seems to be an additional feature, and therefore cost - when choosing software I always insist on the program i buy is complete, any add on's then nah not buying (except 4th or 5th axis as i can appreciate the extra cost in the machine warranting paying more for the work it does) because you will be stuck with it for a while, we changed to edgecam 7 years ago for example and in that time have gone through 5 machine upgrades as the business expanded.
Side by side all these programs are the same, they start with a blank sheet, you punch in some details and end up with a page full of numbers.
The important thing is how you get on with it, i once read an argument about software that got heated about this is easy and yours is hard, well its like riding a motorbike and driving a car, you can probably do both and they achieve the same thing but one you will take to and enjoy and be good at, the other youll get there in the end but never be as fast, it will always be lacking something...
for me Ill probably stick with edgecam as i know it inside out and can program it whilst doing something else, got all my preferences set so i will be drawing and flipping screens etc. and at my age re -learning is not top priority id rather be in the pub!
As for CAD Get Rhino everyone should have a copy its like $800 less if you've been with them all along but use it for finding problems or opening files sent to you (it opens everything so its a good viewer and file converter)
As for solid modelling, cant help I was trained in Catia 15 years ago and do some work for BEA and BAA so its all i can use. From what ive seen solidedge is not quite as good as solidworks but then SW is a Dassult program like Catia so im probably biased.
A lot of companies now are switching to SpaceClaim (Toyota i believe are one of 10 big names to use it) Had a look at it but couldnt be bothered to spend the time as I prefer Rhino
Hope that helps, buy what you like the most and provides most for less so long as who ever sells it to you is someone you like, cause your gonna have to ask someone when your stuck and that factor is probably the most important one.
Anyway thats my 2 cents!