What CAM product are folks using for the Slant Bed Lathe?

[MichaelHenry]

I've got SprutCAM 12 but that's giving me headaches with basic stuff such as part orientation and the tool library so I'm starting to look at other products for turning CAM. What do other folks use? I'm thinking to try the Mecsoft Turn product, for example.

Mike

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[Jim Dawson]

Why not try Fusion 360, works well for me and it's free.

[MichaelHenry]

Why not try Fusion 360, works well for me and it's free.

Thanks for the suggestion. I do have a subscription for F360 but really don't like the way it does CAD. My backup plan is to use it for just CAM - if you have the Tormach lathe have you used F360 CAM for that?

[Jim Dawson]

I have a Hardinge CNC lathe and I use Fusion 360 exclusively for that. Fusion CAM does take some getting used to, but I have made a lot of different parts with it.

[BlueChip]

An invitation to check out our KipwareT® ... conversational CNC cam for turning.
https://www.kentechinc.com/kipwaret.html
Thank you.

[BlueChip]

One difference is that KipwareT can handle multiple operations in a single program ... Tormach milling owners especially like that capability but it's just as effective in turning.
KipwareT is not locked to the machine if placed say on a laptop ... take it anywhere ... even program multiple non-conversational machines conversationally.
ID / OD contours can be made up of an unlimited number of steps with any kind of tapers and radii ... all conversationally.
KipwareT can read in DXF files for "non standard" type shapes.
KipwareT has quite a few more conversational menus ... with many more options in grooving ... ball turning ... radius grooves and others.
Threading menus are quite extensive with the ability to even create programs for multi taper threads ... along with many user options to control thread machining for all types of threads.
Not applicable to the Tormach lathe but it also has options for Live Tool ... Y Axis ... and Sub Spindle conversational programming.

We have a lot of in-depth videos on our YouTube channel :
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...o_fRGloXIIPzDw

Thank you ...

[MichaelHenry]

Hi Mike.

So far I have been able to get by with Pathpilot conversational and a bit of hand editing. But I realise it will not be ideal for more complex shapes. I have also used my Bobcadcam mill pro and created a 2D X Y toolpath for more complex shapes. then adjusted it to X Z for the lathe - again not ideal. Really, I also need to learn a lathe CAM package.

Cliff

Cliff - conversational works for some projects but iteration is so much faster with CAM (when it works) that I'd rather have a good option there. Then too, the simulation in SprutCAM is pretty handy and also useful. I watched a webinair on VisualCAM Turn today and that looks like a good candidate, so I'll probably trial it in the next few days.

Mike

[ScottDW]

Conversational and then Fusion for anything that's more complex. Very happy with it.

[MichaelHenry]

Conversational and then Fusion for anything that's more complex. Very happy with it.

Scott - do you use it with the Tormach Slant Bed lathe, and if so, with turret, gang tooling, or quick change?

Mike

- - - Updated - - -

Great. Let us know what you think of it. Cliff

Will do.

[ScottDW]

Mike,

With the Slant and I use the turret and a 3+1 gang setup.

[MichaelHenry]

Mike,

With the Slant and I use the turret and a 3+1 gang setup.

That's my setup, too. I gave F360 a try the other and it seems that I still don't think the way it does. The help system has plenty of suggestions for problem search terms but it takes a while to slog through them. I'm going to have to dedicate some serious time to F360's YouTube channel. At least, I know that F360 is doable with the Slant Bed.

[Jim Dawson]

I'm going to have to dedicate some serious time to F360's YouTube channel. At least, I know that F360 is doable with the Slant Bed.

I might suggest the Titans of CNC Academy https://academy.titansofcnc.com/ It's free and and simple to follow, step by step, best Fusion 360 tutorial I have found. Has both mill and lathe courses, takes you from zero, to drawing, to CAM, to machining parts in a very short time. I went from zero to making chips in a week and I'm old & slow.

Fusion 360 works great for slant bed and both of my mills, just a bit of a learning curve.

[MichaelHenry]

I might suggest the Titans of CNC Academy https://academy.titansofcnc.com/ It's free and and simple to follow, step by step, best Fusion 360 tutorial I have found. Has both mill and lathe courses, takes you from zero, to drawing, to CAM, to machining parts in a very short time. I went from zero to making chips in a week and I'm old & slow.

Fusion 360 works great for slant bed and both of my mills, just a bit of a learning curve.

Thanks, I'll take a look at Titans' videos after I try the Mecsoft VisualCAD/CAM demo, which includes a Turn module. Their Turn Getting Started video made more sense to me me.