cad/ cam ?

[jpcuttergrinder]

I have just bought a hurco kmb1 milling machine with the bx upgrade.

I want to be able to make custom parts for pulling tractors. Right now my main project is aluminum roller rocker arms. I have been a machinist for about 21 years but I have little experience with a cnc other than running the Mazak lathe that we have at work. I have zero experience with cad/cam software. I have made a prototype of these roller rockers on my cnc mill. It has conversational programming and I drew out the part on paper at full scale and then measured the coordinates of each point using a dial caliper. The part came out very well but it does have a few divits where my drawing and measuring of the coordinates was not perfect. Now I realize that this is the antiquated method of programming a part but so far this is the only way I know how to do it.

What would be the best cad/cam software for somebody like me that has no real experience with this? I did download a trial version of Bobcad but it seems overwelming to me so far. A salesman from Bobcad called me and wants to sell me the program, training cds and the Bobcad art for $875.00. Do they have any cad/cam software out there that would be better suited for a newby like me?

[HuFlungDung]

Take a look at OneCNC. There is even a demo version available nowadays

Although the cad side may be new to you, I think you'll be pleased with how the toolpathing options are presented to you, in terms that a machinist is used to. The NC manager helps the beginner organize his thoughts and easily modify the programs, without starting over from scratch, nor wrestling with a text editor, cutting and pasting snippets from all over.

OneCNC also has good simulation and toolpath preview capabilities that will help you visualize what you will get on the machine. You can doodle away many hours trying things out, in the relative safety of cyberspace, and get a feel for how the part will look in every stage of being cut.