CAD/CAM recommendation

[split63]

I have a 3 axis CNC mill and currently using Mach 3 to control it. I have no CAD/CAM software so I have just been using the simple wizards in Mach 3 to do crude milling.

Can you recommend CAD/CAM software to make very simple objects. I'm looking for something easy to learn and use but something that is well supported and documented and has a strong following so that there will be good forum help.
With any such software, I'll need to invest the time to learn it and become profficient, so I want to make sure I'm investing in the right software. So I'm looking for strong recommendations.

Thanks,

[ger21]

If you don't want to spend any money, try using ProgeCAD http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33589

and LazyCAM in Mach3. Or try the SheetCAM demo. The SheetCAM author Les will give you an extended demo license if you want more time to play with it. SheetCAM has a very good user group on Yahoo, and Les also answers questions here fairly quickly to.

[split63]

Originally Posted by ger21 If you don't want to spend any money, try using ProgeCAD http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33589 and LazyCAM in Mach3. Or try the SheetCAM demo

I don't mind shelling out a few bucks, I just want something that will be around a while and its worth the effort investment. At the same time its got to be simple. I really dont want to become an expert, I just want to crank out a simple part every so often, so it should be intuitive. By Simple parts, I mean I make simple automotive brackets and adapters, your classic simple geometries.

[turmite]

Check out Rhino and Madcam. They work together and are awesome.

Mike

[dertsap]

http://gcam.js.cx/index.php/Main_Page
http://www.polaris.com.gr/gsimple/home.html

these are both freeware and quite simple to use
gcam you will need to add a dummy line for a lead in ,other than that simple software for straight forward parts

[DareBee]

You cna use Alibre free version for design and MecSoft has a starter CAM called FreeMill

[CAMmindLuke]

I am currently looking at Tebis and Nx4, why is tebis so expensive when nx can do the same, is there a advantage with tebis? can anyone comment, Thanks.

[tebisuser]

LIGHT YEARS AWAY

[Tony the Ferret]

Cannot believe you think that all cad cam is the same, do you also believe that all cars are the same, all brands of tyres are just black rubber and the tooth fairy. It comes down to the useability, reliablty, ease of use and payback time.
To fully investigate every solution would take far too much time. For you to try and evaluate a product yourself is also not feasable, you will spend too long evaluating the GUI, and not the cutting software, then you will forget about the features of the first one.
Get a selection to come in and demo to you, also get them to give you code to run on your machine "Live".

[dertsap]

Originally Posted by Tony the Ferret Cannot believe you think that all cad cam is the same, do you also believe that all cars are the same, all brands of tyres are just black rubber and the tooth fairy. It comes down to the useability, reliablty, ease of use and payback time. To fully investigate every solution would take far too much time. For you to try and evaluate a product yourself is also not feasable,

i don t think anyone here suggested all cad/cam is the same ,are we in the same forum same thread same page ?

evaluate a product yourself is not feasable ?? how do you figure that ?


if a guy is going to make a bracket or two a month ,how economical is it to spend any kind of serious money on something that can be so easily hand coded ,there are a lot of good gui softwares out there ,if a guy has the initiative to find them and try them