What is the best 3D CAM Software?

[SirDenisNayland]

Are any of the people in this thread real machinists?

[OzyMark]

What do you classify as a real machinist? I've been a toolmaker for 25yrs. Did my trade old school way with manual machines, rotary tables, indexing heads etc. mostly injection moulds, some press tools. My boss at the time even bought a spark eroder aka edm. I have three cnc's and don't much like that I can't feel the tool cutting. However in saying that, now that I have had time to get used to the cad/cam side of things I'm more competitive as my experience in manual machining gives me an edge over some cnc operators. Most of the guys on this forum have manual machining experience whether it be wood or steel and are coming into cnc now probably because it's now affordable for home/hobby use. Some of the older guys on here have offered me some invaluable info when I was stuck on something. Those guys did their trade on shapers.

I guess I would call myself a "real" machinist.

What do you think Sir?

[Chrliev]

I made my first chip on a manual lathe in 1975, while serving a 3 year apprecenticeship in the oil tool industry. To the present I have run everything from a manual turret lathe to a 3 spindle 5 axis CNC gantry machine with a 60 foot bed and 16 foot bridge, all the way down to a Mini High Speed precision 5-axis CNC machining center with a 50,000 rpm spindle ...

I have machined every type of machinable material with the possible exception of solid glass, that includes every type of metal, wood and composite materials like fiberglass and carbon fiber.

I have worked as a mold maker, aerospace machinist and CNC programmer, rotary oil tools, custom car parts, boat molds and consumer leisure products.

Currently I program a series of 3 and 5 axis machine tools making molds and I also double as a contract CNC programmer in an Aerospace shop.

I would definitely classify myself as a real machinist...

[cadcam]

Charlie, what do you program with these days sense I see you do not use MC anymore?
Just wondering.

[phil c]

I'd consider myself a "real" machinist since I make and sell machined parts, stock or custom, regularly. Not much training, and I'm slow, but it works.

[Tony the Ferret]

I started in 74 as driller, progressed through mill (Hori & Vert), slot, shape, turn, surface grind, cylindrical grind, gear cutter, Gear grinder, welder, toolroom manager, cnc mill operator, programmer, CAD CAM guy, technical support for CAD CAM, sales for CAD CAM, company owner selling CAD CAM
does this qualify ?????

[sid4680]

Hi everybody,
I am new to this wonderful forum.I am a mechanical engineer with 10 yrs experience with ceramics and advanced cutting material manufacturing techniques . I dont know how to start but i want to join with this thread as well forum.and share my knowledge and clear my doubt.I operate solidworks 3d very well but i don't have any knowledge abt cnc toolpath generation .I ve 3 axis cnc with fanuc controller.i can also write 2d toolpath but can anyone guide me for 3d toolpath generation software.

[bostosh]

Go with a CAM system which interfaces with the cad system you know well.
There is a lot of geometry to be used, extraneous to the CAD model itself.
The cutter is driven (or directed) by you using existing or auxiliary geometry.
Get a basic book pertaining to CNC and how it works.
Then learn cutting tools, fixturing, and tool path generating. then.........

[magnum500sw]

Tebis is gets my vote. I've used a vast number of software work nc included. There are a lot of features I like on any one of the packages I've used but for 5 axes machining tebis is nice it can be a pain but after you get on to it it works well.

[JimPAC]

Today's machinist are not the same as say before nc cnc etc.

There are no apprenticeships for the tool and die or machinist trade anymore,

Anyone who can take a concept and make build and improve it until it works using various machine tool should be considred REAL!

CAD ~ CAM!

3D? Solid Model? Type of Product?

GibbsCAM A+ MasterCAM B+ Catia c- Edgecam B AutoCAD B Solidworks A BLA BLA BLA Come ON MAN

Jim Salter

Machinist GOD

[cadcam]

Originally Posted by JimPAC Today's machinist are not the same as say before nc cnc etc. There are no apprenticeships for the tool and die or machinist trade anymore, Anyone who can take a concept and make build and improve it until it works using various machine tool should be considred REAL! CAD ~ CAM! 3D? Solid Model? Type of Product? GibbsCAM A+ MasterCAM B+ Catia c- Edgecam B AutoCAD B Solidworks A BLA BLA BLA Come ON MAN Jim Salter Machinist GOD

I agree they are not the same and the Tool and Die apprenticeships not any more . I went thru some of this to become a mold maker.

As for the machinist trade apprenticeships at a company not so much but at the collage level there still is at a few out here in Cali.

Thanks for your thoughts Jim

[youssefedward]

i Think that CAMbam is the best and the most reliable. Mch3 is also the best software based controller. visual studio is the best to design and program your CNC machine.