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Thread: Posting What CAD/CAM You Use

  1. #21
    Insider new ion?'s Avatar
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    If it's just for personal amusement, you might be best off just finding a cracked version to use. Yes there's some ethical quandaries with that, but if you're just using it to teach yourself how to model, and goof around, personally, I'm okay with it. If you're going to produce anything, then I'd say buy the program.

    Pretty much everyone I talk to says that Autodesk purposefully makes their programs easy to crack - you get it out there enough and it becomes a standard. Granted, most everyone you'll talk to here uses Solidworks. As as student, I'm using inventor (also for farting around) as Autodesk gives students 3 year licenses to any of their programs.

  2. #22
    Insider Ydna's Avatar
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    here's a nice link I found while downloading models of octopus

    ( permalink http://thingiverse-production.s3.ama.../fb/02/4b/b4/L[1_display_large.jpg )
    it's meant more for oddball 3d things but it does list a couple cheap programs out there...

  3. #23
    Insider ElPanda's Avatar
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    anyone here ever use volumill? we are thinking about getting a license for an NX volumill module

    it looks amazing
    ABET accredited level II machinist - CNC Programmer - Mechanical Engineering Technologist
    Rio Grande Inc.

  4. #24
    Junior Member m98custom1212's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ElPanda View Post
    anyone here ever use volumill? we are thinking about getting a license for an NX volumill module

    it looks amazing
    Yes, used a demo for NX. I love the toolpaths. Tool Life Increase Cycle Time Decrease ...but my company hasnt pulled the trigger.

  5. #25
    Insider Pump Scout's Avatar
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    That flowchart is exceptionally helpful. Thanks!

  6. #26
    Rhino FTW! lol

  7. #27
    Insider ElPanda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by m98custom1212 View Post
    Yes, used a demo for NX. I love the toolpaths. Tool Life Increase Cycle Time Decrease ...but my company hasnt pulled the trigger.
    glad to hear its as good as I am seeing in their videos

    I can get the NX toolpaths approximately 90% of the way towards a volumill "style" toolpath using trachoidal combined with direct stepover (only in certain instances)

    but there are things that I see volumill doing that I really wish NX had from the get go

    like how it forces the tool to stay down and rapid to the next engage BEHIND the previous toolpath (to avoid crashing into uncut material) something that NX cannot recognize if you turn on direct engages

    also how it will start at the lowest cut level and look upward to finish uncut faces, which is something I have to do manually essentially in multiple separate operations using an in process workpiece

    those few features alone make it worth it IMO
    ABET accredited level II machinist - CNC Programmer - Mechanical Engineering Technologist
    Rio Grande Inc.

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