Solidcam and communications

[Excelmachine]

Hi:
We are thinking about adding a seat of Solidcam to our machining department. We currently use Surfcam V5 for our mills and 1 lathe. Our Surfcam uses EditNc which allows us to edit the posted code if required and also has the capability of sending it via RS232 to our controllers. How does Solidcam send posted code to the machine controller? Does it have a built in posted code editor or do you have to use notepad or something if you want to change a line of code?

Thanks

[Brakeman Bob]

Here in the UK SolidCAM offer CIMCO Edit as the code editor. That has a DNC function (though we don't use it - we use CADEM for all our DNC).

What I do is post out to a folder resident on my data drive then use my code editor to 'save as' to the DNC area of the network so the set-up people can drag the program on to the machine when they are ready (our programs are big - 10Mb plus).

[axis]

it does the same thing that your other software does. you just direct your output to where you want it to go in the set up of solidcam . if editnc is its own program just send it there you could use cimco if you want when you purcase solidcam the guys will help you set it up and have you putting out code before you know it

[Excelmachine]

Thanks for the replies. Our editNC is tied into our Surfcam license and since our new software will be used at another workstation, I guess I will need to purchase a DNC program then? Am I understanding that correctly? I think I saw a price of about US $750 for Cimcoedit and about same for Predator Editor. We are looking at Mastercam also and that comes with cimcoedit but I don't see anything like that with Solidcam or am I looking at the wrong place. I am trying the demo Solidcam so maybe that is part of the problem?

[Piobaire]

The Demo version of SolidCAM can't create code output. SoldiCAM have a DNC solution called DNCTool, I don't know the price (if any) though.

If you have a network card or USB on your machine, you'll not need a DNC.

CimcoEdit works for every machine and there is alot of settings to get even the oldest CNC to run drip-feed with new and fast computers. It also have a very nice feature that could backplot the POST:ed code before you run it.

Another solution for free is HyperTerminal included in windows.

Cheers and good luck!

[Brakeman Bob]

For straight DNC at a reasonable price check out NCNet from CADEM. First class software

[Excelmachine]

Thanks for the replies mates. Still undecided as to what we will end up with but you answered my questions.

Cheers