Shop Systems CAD/CAM

[FranH]

About 10 years ago I purchased Shopcam from Shop Systems. They were the only company willing to discuss prices over the phone. DOS was what was available and now happily working from a 486CPU a thru Pentium4 used today. I purchased everything they offered....you know 'just in case' I might need it later. I was never able to go to Michigan for training so it was trial and error and at the time it was for complicated set-ups for inspection purposes. I am also a firm believer that a locomotive is not necessary when a wheelbarrow can do the job. To my surprise when others charged for each post processsor I was allowed 1 custom post for any machine, a year free help, and over 200 free posts......lathe, edm, mills, nibblers, lasers in the package. (At that time others were charging up to $2000.00 per post and, I guess, that is why those software companies grew so fast. Upper management, without experience on the shop floor, making decisions in areas of not their expertise. So to cover themselves, bigger is better...more expensive HAS to be better thus I'm not in trouble.). For 2-2.5 axis is excellent. Full 3 axis I have not used as well as pseudo 4 axis - meaning stop - signal - wait for rotation to stop - continue machining.

Its simplicity of design follows a machinist's logic for quickly getting chips. Use of DOS commands are limited. You don't have to be a computer whiz. Its shortcomings are program identity is limited to 8 characters, printer and plotter drivers are within the program and a phone call is needed to add one not on the list.

I have been offered to migrate to the windows version with all its bells and whistles.....OH NO....I will KILL before allowing anything to happen to my DOS program.

Anyone who choses the DOS program needing some help, I would be happy to assist as payback for all the useful info I have garnished from this web site.

FranH