Questions about CAD part of OneCNC

[titchener]

OneCNC pitches their software as filling both your CAD and CAM needs, but in OneCNC's videos they only show the CAM part, and on the forums (the ones accessible by non-customers at least) I only see discussions about the CAM side of the product.

Is the CAD part of OneCNC good enough to use a primary design entry tool for both 2-1/2D and 3D designs?

Thanks,

Paul T.

[HuFlungDung]

Paul,
Absolutely. I use it for all my cad needs. You'll need the Mill Professional level to do actual surface and solid modelling (hint: that is where the fun is ) But, you can certainly draw 2d in it as well.

Many users may already have familiarity with another cad package, so that is why the emphasis is on the CAM part of OneCNC, because that has the widest appeal. The purpose of the software is CAM, after all.

I'll add that XR2 has enhanced modelling to rival any modeller out there. It is not another cut rate, barely-get-you-by type of modeller.

Here is a recent example: nothing too fancy. I had to build an output power shaft on the end of a motor housing. So, with the power to make surfaces and extrude holes, bosses and outlines in any plane, it made short work of discovering the necessary detail to design the shaft bearing seat positions properly as the last step in the model. A person could do this in 2d, but then you would not really be 'done' the way you are 'done' with a 3d model, ie., I can now extract any dimension from any part and I know for a fact that it will fit.

[titchener]

Originally Posted by HuFlungDung Paul, "Absolutely. I use it for all my cad needs. You'll need the Mill Professional level to do actual surface and solid modelling (hint: that is where the fun is )" But, you can certainly draw 2d in it as well.

Ouch, I was hoping to get by with the Advantage level, and at $3000. even the Advantage level's a little hard to justify for what we're doing, which is mostly 2-1/2D work, but of course I'd like to have more capability.

I know this is probably hard to answer since you don't have the Advantage version, but if I had that version, do you have a feeling for what my limitations would be in designing and machining 3D objects?

Thanks,

Paul T.

[HuFlungDung]

Advantage is primarily for guys using Solidworks (or any other modeller) who mainly want a program to handle the CAM only, and their requirements are strictly 2 or 2.5d toolpath, and planar and Zlevel SMT machining, as we call it. The CAM portion is the same as the Mill Professional, but the CAD does not permit the solid modelling, although you can import and view and manipulate a solid model, and run toolpaths on it.

However, there is another version of OneCNC altogether, if you want only the modeller. OneCNC SolidCreator. You should phone in and ask about that one. It has no CAM with it.

Here is the link to the features chart:
http://www.onecnc.net/quicktour/quicktour_last.htm

Oh, my opinion on the best all round package for the machinist? Mill Professional. It gives you nearly all the power you need. Having done without a Solid modeller all my life until I got OneCNC, there is no question about the value of solid modelling. It makes a huge difference. Even 2.5d guys need to make complex fixtures now and then (ie., special soft jaws). With a 3d modeller, your soft jaw set is only a few clicks away from the final part model.

[titchener]

I'm looking for both a CAD and CAM solution, currently I'm using Autosketch to create 2D .dfx files and reading them into SheetCAM to generate the g code for simple 2.5d parts. It works but I'd like to be able to tackle more complex designs.

I guess I'm confused about the limitations of these different levels. OneCNC's example video of Mill Advantage shows them milling a part that looks 3D to me, it has a slant across the top surface and a curved pocket.

Are you saying I can mill shapes like that at the Advantage level but not design them, I would have to use a different package for the design?

Thanks,

Paul T.

[HuFlungDung]

Yes, that is correct. "Advantage" means you already spent a good dollar on another modelling system, and wanted to take advantage of that fact by buying only the necessary CAM portion