Surfcam 5.2 Anyone using it?

[moldcore]

Maintenance has expired and was offered to upgrade with no penalty. 5.1 was little improvement over 4.0 and had too many bugs to use. Any thoughts?

[ToyMaker94566]

I'm using 5.1 bugs and all with the 5.2 update sitting on my desk for the last couple of months... For me, it's not the yearly fee that deters me from staying on maintenance but the install processes, another learning curve to deal with and the inevitable changes to perfectly working features. Surfware recommends a clean install which means backing everything up, uninstalling the old version, install the new, re-load models, re-setup posts and re-tweak the editor while I'm still having to make new programs so the production floor doesn't shut down.... Needless to say, this is the real reason I seem to only upgrade every two to three years. Of course the last time I upgraded, Surfware took away "Velocity" and made it a pricy separate upgrade once I learned how to use it! So I have lost my enthusiasm to share it's potential to anyone...

Do I think 5.2 is worth upgrading to? I would say that I’m sure there are some cool new features to like but you have to ask yourself: "How much time do I have to install and learn the new stuff again?"

It seem to me that every time I find something new to love about Surfcam, something old that I loved even more gets taken away. Let me give you one example.

When I first started using Surfcam back in the days of DOS, Surfcam use to spiral pocket into the corner and left the coolest pattern on the floor. Then they "improved" the next revision to feed from the plunge point straight into the wall. I swear, I wanted to beat someone; even my customers questioned the change in my floor finishes. If Surfcam was gonna change a perfectly good function, they would at least include an option to choose how to finish floor. To this day, I can't stand their pocketing routine, it looks to much like Mastercam. This is a perfect example of how Surfcam likes to disappoint with their idea of "new and improved". That is why 5.2 is still sitting on my desk, because it’s new and improved.

[moldcore]

Originally Posted by ToyMaker94566 So I have lost my enthusiasm to share it's potential to anyone...

Same here...

[dustinlyle]

I loved the 5.1 updates except for the bugs. Rest machine works well, HSM Steeps Shallow is (pretty) good. Bugs were bothersome though, so we updated to 5.2 hoping to solve them. BAD IDEA, we have spent coutless hours disabling windows UAC, trying to run in compatability mode, run as administrator, etc. All per instruction from support. New version crashes way to often, like hourly or worse. "GP fault" "Runtime errors" and more. Surfcam blames windows7, our tech guys says the new v5.2 isnt addressing memory correctly. Whatever the case, I would stay away.

[ToyMaker94566]

Originally Posted by dustinlyle I loved the 5.1 updates except for the bugs. Rest machine works well, HSM Steeps Shallow is (pretty) good. Bugs were bothersome though, so we updated to 5.2 hoping to solve them. BAD IDEA, we have spent coutless hours disabling windows UAC, trying to run in compatability mode, run as administrator, etc. All per instruction from support. New version crashes way to often, like hourly or worse. "GP fault" "Runtime errors" and more. Surfcam blames windows7, our tech guys says the new v5.2 isnt addressing memory correctly. Whatever the case, I would stay away.

Phssss... Been there done that more times than care to remember....

Hey Dustinlyle, do you know if you are using Windows 7 32 bit or 64 bit?

[dustinlyle]

Win7 pro 64bit
Quadro FX580 Graphics

We're considering scrapping our 5 seats and starting over with new software. Probably Cimatron NC.

[ToyMaker94566]

Originally Posted by dustinlyle Win7 pro 64bit Quadro FX580 Graphics We're considering scrapping our 5 seats and starting over with new software. Probably Cimatron NC.

I used Cimatron a few years ago and wasn't impressed, Surfcam smoked it, especially on the 3D end. They weren't even a true windows software at the time. They ran in a DOS shell, you couldn't open more than one copy at a time either. There were a couple of things they did well but nothing better than Surfcam. The thing I really hated about it was the endless mouse clicking to move around inside, and I mean endless! I use the mouse enough, that stuff was a repetitive stress injury waiting to happen. Not to mention they are not an American company and that matters to me.

My advise when it comes to CAD CAM systems, find the most mainstream. Check out what the local trade schools and colleges are teaching. That way you don't get a software only one guy in the state knows how to use, incase he quits or is out sick or something, it doesn't shut down the shop. In all my *****ing about Surfcam, It is still my software of choice when it comes to 3D machining and user friendly interface in spite of it's few difficulties. Good Luck with your decision.

[dustinlyle]

I switched from Solidworks to Cimatron Design about a year and a half ago and havent looked back, really powerful, and getting to be popular, at least in MI. We've got 2 NC seats as well. I havent gotten into it to deeply. The guys that use it like it though, good 3 axis multi tool re-ruff cycles and their rest machine beats the one in surfcam V5 by a mile, surface finishes are way better too. I admit, not being able to open multiple instances a is a big drawback, processing paths is pretty slow too.

[ToyMaker94566]

When I first installed Surf V5.1 it was sooo unstable. The tech suggested re-installing it in the C drive root directory instead of the default "Program Files" directory and all the instability went away. The only problem I'm having now is with the video after going into sleep mode and the verify utility. So if they fixed those problems (and I'm told they did) I'll be a happy camper. Oh hell..... Fine, I will install V5.2 tomorrow and give my feedback.

[lkenney]

I always do a clean (new directory) install with the new version. Haven't done 5.2 but I have been able to run both version as I leatn the new one. Some times I have to save a file back to the older version and do it there but at least I can keep our mavhines running.

On the video lockup and refresh in 5.1, I had a HUGE problem with that until I went to a video card with 1 gig of Ram and current drivers. Seems to have fixed the problem.

Lowell

[ToyMaker94566]

Well, I've had V5.2 up and running for a couple of months now. I finally have all my personal preferences set and the system is running well. However, today I went to translate a customers "step" file and Surfcam replies "no translator found." I checked my install list of translators and see “stp, step” in there..... So what's up?!... The translator was included with Version 5.1 so why is it not working in V5.2? Please don't tell me Surfcam has changed that to an option as well! It’s not that my customer can’t translate to something else but I hope Surfcam isn't getting petty on us. Can anyone else read “stp/step” files in V5.2 or is it just me?

[moldcore]

Stp has been an option as long as I can remember. I don’t understand why because it’s available in some of the really cheap CAD and CAM software out there. I keep my CAD program up to date just for the translators and bring everything into Surfcam using the X_t translators.

As far as V5.2 goes, we finally bit the bullet and paid the maintenance and have been running V5.2 for a few weeks now. Can’t say I’m real happy with it because we had to cripple Windows 7 to make it run. Now our other programs look like crap and we can’t use some of the fun stuff in Windows 7. Surfcam says it’s a Windows 7 problem. That’s like telling me my new 2011 auto will only run on leaded gas. It’s 2011 and Surfware is still fighting the Windows operating system, unbelievable. I can’t wait to see what happens with Windows 8.