BobCAD v24 is there anything better for £150? Any help will be great thanks

[Musht]

Meshcam is really a CAM program in that it dosen`t have any drawing facilities internally, need to upgrade to Meshcam Art for some CAD functionallity integrated.

Thats pretty universal amongst this type of software, pay more cash get a higher level of integration at the very top end get things like Aspire that integrate everything for people who`s time is money.

If can tolerate doing some things in one program and others in another can save a lot of cash and produce identical end results.

That said , for a beginner like me anyway, have an OK workflow using Sketchup for CAD and exporting a .STL to Meshcam which makes the machining decisions for me pretty much ;-)

[suesi34e]

Hi Musht,

Thank you for your msg. I appreciate you pointing out a bit more about Meshcam but I would not be drawing much in a CAM package even if it has a CAD part. I would sooner draw in AutoCAD or similar and export a DWG or DXF.
Meshcam looks good but I am thinking BobCAD V24 could be easier to learn. I know I am going to regret saying that!
Many thanks for your help here
Suesi

[suesi34e]

Hi Musht,

Thank you for your msg. I appreciate you pointing out a bit more about Meshcam but I would not be drawing much in a CAM package even if it has a CAD part. I would sooner draw in AutoCAD or similar and export a DWG or DXF.
Meshcam looks good but I am thinking BobCAD V24 could be easier to learn. I know I am going to regret saying that!
Many thanks for your help here
Suesi

...............

[suesi34e]

Hi Musht,

I am sorry, I was getting Meshcam confused with another CAM package that is why I thought BobCAD could be easier to learn. Now I am looking a at YouTube videos of Meshcam it looks simple as far as CAM packages go. I did just the same thing the other day with two place names!

Many thanks

Suesi

[GEOFFREY]

[QUOTEI did just the same thing the other day with two place names!

Many thanks

Suesi[/QUOTE]

It only gets worse!!! G.

[suesi34e]

Hi GEOFFREY,

It only gets worse, I hope not! I am not sure I should be let loose on CNC machines!

S

[Musht]

Theres a lot of SomethingCAM packages about, its not easy not to get confused ;-)

CamBAM also offers a free trial and works very well for 2D, cutting things out of a flat plane.

Personally found Meshcam easier for 3D cutting and harder for 2D cutting, then the Vectric 2D module seems popular here....

Try the free trials of things and see which you feel most comfortable with.

It`s the one that gets the object off the screen and into your hand that wins :-)

[Robin Hewitt]

It`s the one that gets the object off the screen and into your hand that wins :-)

There is also the consideration about whether it cuts like a router in a series of parallel passes or like a CNC mill following water lines

I did write an instant gratification program once, I gave it a shape and it gave me a tool path, I then tweaked the parameters to make it credible. It was buggy but I think it is the way forwards, it should not be difficult to get a tool path, you shouldn't have to understand everything before you can see if it works for you.

[suesi34e]

Thanks for your reply Robin, I will see what I come up with!

All the best

S

[suesi34e]

I think what you say about trying the CAM packages is very wise that is what I will do next, then I will decide.

Many thanks

S