# Online CAD/CAM course info



## JPigg55 (Dec 5, 2013)

I originally was going to start this thread to get someadvice for myself, but after poking around Billy G’s sticky on “Basic CNC”, Idecided to approach it in another way. My thought would be to have it added asanother sticky.
Here’s the thing, I’m thinking I’d eventually like to getinto CNC in my home shop so I’ve checked around in my local area for a schoolwhere I could take a CAD course with no luck. It’s either not offered or wouldrequire attending regular classes which I’m currently not able to because ofworking a rotating shift schedule at work.
Not wanting to wait until I retire to learn, I’m consideringtaking an online course. This is where it gets sticky.
After poking around the internet, I’ve found quite a few outthere. Some are self paced, others on a schedule with an instructor over thenet. Some supply the CAD program that they use (cost part of the class cost),others use free programs, and yet others require you to purchase your own copy.
I’ve searched for reviews which seem almost non-existentexcept for the ones “on their site”.
Anyway, here’s my thought. How about a sticky that discusses:
1) Thevarious CAD, CAM, & G code converter programs,their points good and bad along with limitations, costs and links for acquiring.
2) Programsimilarities for those who have used more than one as well as the type of fileextensions they use and the ability to convert to other formats.
3) Booksand online self learning courses. Experience level of the material, usefulness ofthe help files and/or text/video tutorials and opinions on the usefulness for puttinginto practice.
4) Compatibilitybetween the various CAD, CAM, & G code converter programs (ie can one usethis CAD program with this CAM program)
5) Anythingelse that you can think of that I haven’t listed.
My vision for this would be some sort of condensed resourcefor beginners and veterans alike to get help finding useful information inorder to make an informed choice based on the experience(s) of the vast numberof users here.
I liked Billy G’s sticky on “Basic CNC”, but with currently146 posts on 5 pages, it gets a little hard to follow with the amount ofreading and the occasional off subject posts. It would be nice if someone couldtake all the potentially various inputs from those who would reply and findsome way to condense it down to maybe a couple spreadsheets or PDF files. Sayone that compared the various programs, another about the schools, etc
To help get things flowing, I'm considering getting into CNC. After the research I've done and considering what I hope to do, I'm looking and aquiring a Tormach sometime in the future. They offer IronCAD and SpurtCAM, which I take their machines are designed to work with, as well as Vectric CAM and G wizard.
The info I'd like would be:
1) Can other programs be used on Tormach machines.
2) How difficult are they to learn and use.
3) Online courses that use programs similar to these
4) Is their price comperable or cheaper than can be had elsewhere.


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## astjp2 (Dec 6, 2013)

Mastercam is one of the standards of the industry along with autocad and Catia, we have about 75 licenses at work for all of the mills and cnc routers we have.  Tim


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## xalky (Dec 6, 2013)

I'd love to take an online course in AutoCad. AutoCad seems to be the CAD with the most information floating around because it's been around forever. I've dabbled in autocad since 1985, but never used it enough to even get the basics down. This is one of those things where practice and seat time pay off. I have a cnc plasma cutter that I built and I'm really suffering trying to even do 2D parts for that. 

I wish there was a free/inexpensive CAD for dummies easy 2D solution. I haven't found one yet. I know there's an open source cad out there that's supposed to be pretty good, but haven't pursued it yet. Somebody wrote a thread here about 2 months ago with a link to some inexpensive CAD programs with a little spread sheet showing features and ratings.


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## JPigg55 (Dec 6, 2013)

xalky said:


> I wish there was a free/inexpensive CAD for dummies easy 2D solution. I haven't found one yet. I know there's an open source cad out there that's supposed to be pretty good, but haven't pursued it yet. Somebody wrote a thread here about 2 months ago with a link to some inexpensive CAD programs with a little spread sheet showing features and ratings.



That's what I'm talking about and where the "Sticky" idea works. I don't remeber how many times I've tried searching forums and either get no results or so many it becomes overwhelming to try to sort through it all. I'm not sure of the limitations of this webpage format or the ease and willingness of the owner and/or moderators to take on a project like this, but imagine a sticky, board, forum, etc. that would be readable by anyone yet would allow comments or additions to be submitted, but could only be changed/updated by someone with authorization.
I work at a nuclear power plant and many years ago I had the position of department lubrication coordinator for the year (we change jobs/positions annually with a crew pick). Back then, I created an "Access" data base to track oil types and amounts added to all the various types of equipment (pumps, motors, turbines) as one easily accessed location to look up oil types for components by system along with amounts added and when to make it easy for our department and the engineering group to track looking for equipment degredation.
Funny thing was that the company got rid of the position a year later due to downsizing and and trashed the program when they went to a new computer operating system (they didn't want to have a bunch of programs written by employees floating around. Years later, the NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commision) mandated that every site have some process in place to track oil usage of equipment due to equipment failures and the inability of the company processes to track it (LOL). I can't remember how many managers asked me if I still had a copy of that program. Penny wise, Dollar stupid.


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## rhost (Dec 6, 2013)

If you want something to play with while your deciding on a CAD/CAM package, DesignSpark mechanical is a free parametric 3D modeling program. You don't get Assemblies or FEM but you really don't need that if you're just starting out. It's not a bad program for free. For the CAM side, I think CAMBAM is free for 40 sessions and after that it will still produce 500 lines of G code.

http://www.designspark.com/eng/page/mechanical

http://cambam.info/


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## jumps4 (Dec 17, 2013)

I have seen posts like these for some time here looking for how to get from idea to part with the least amount of expense and learning as possible and I have decided to put up a thread with youtube videos showing how I have resolved all these problems myself at the least amount of cost and learning curve. someone will have to show me how to make a sticky.
 5 years ago I had never run a machinist tool ever, the closest I had ever come was a brake lathe in the automotive business I'd worked in for 37 years. I had bought a small lathe and mill to play with for small parts. I was lost I didn't have the skills or knowledge to operate the machines with any precision at all. So I got on the internet and spent the better part of a year downloading every free or demo cad software I could find. now I could draw the part but lacked the skill to operate the equipment to achieve any real accuracy. that's how I got into cnc, if I can make the machine do the motion I'd make less mistakes like turning the handle the wrong way.
 I'm not a machinist, I'm not a draftsman but now I can and do make parts for machine shops in my area that will take them too long to make manual and I get requests all the time.
for 2.5d work I use
1. emachineshop software, it's FREE, very powerful and user friendly.
  the number one reason I use it, is I don't have to type in a location for a line box or circle I just draw it and then in the in the boxes define its size. most cad programs want to know x position y position radius arc ect. before you see anything on the screen. that's too confusing for me I draw it and then define the size. emachineshop has really good help and videos.
2. I use d2nc to convert dxf files to g-code it costs less than $80
it is very powerful also doing pockets, inside outside tool comp, 4th axis wraping and scaling, text, engraving, tabs, ramping and a lot more. everything I have ever needed in a 2.5d part. it does not at this time do islands inside a pocket but I have an easy work around. 
 I built my cnc machines with the sherlines I first converted with these softwares.
3. mach3 I think it's about .......$179
buy the licence you will get all the wizards, they really help get you started.
 It wont come quickly and if there is no interest I wont keep doing it but I will try to make the first video and start the thread in a day or two.
I'm not wanting to go into other softwares or comparisons but just show how I do things for those who are interested with the programs I use.
what do you think?
steve


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## xalky (Dec 17, 2013)

Steve, I'm in . 

I already use paid subscriptions for Mach3 and I use Sheetcam for my plasma table. The area that I'm struggling in is in the actual CAD designing software. I want as easy to learn as possible. I don't need fancy features. I'm actually a very good draftsman on paper, which might be why I'm struggling. I say to myself, "i could have got this done in 20 minutes on paper". But, I have to learn CAD to program parts into my machine. I'm all ears. Especially for the CAD side of things.

Marcel


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## JPigg55 (Dec 18, 2013)

jumps4 said:


> I have seen posts like these for some time here looking for how to get from idea to part with the least amount of expense and learning as possible and I have decided to put up a thread with youtube videos showing how I have resolved all these problems myself at the least amount of cost and learning curve. someone will have to show me how to make a sticky.
> 5 years ago I had never run a machinist tool ever, the closest I had ever come was a brake lathe in the automotive business I'd worked in for 37 years. I had bought a small lathe and mill to play with for small parts. I was lost I didn't have the skills or knowledge to operate the machines with any precision at all. So I got on the internet and spent the better part of a year downloading every free or demo cad software I could find. now I could draw the part but lacked the skill to operate the equipment to achieve any real accuracy. that's how I got into cnc, if I can make the machine do the motion I'd make less mistakes like turning the handle the wrong way.
> I'm not a machinist, I'm not a draftsman but now I can and do make parts for machine shops in my area that will take them too long to make manual and I get requests all the time.
> for 2.5d work I use
> ...



Count me in.
If it's not a lot of trouble, you could shoot out a PM to interested people to let them know.
I've played around with emachineshop software, but not a whole lot of luck with it so far.
Is D2NC just a file converter or is it more of a CAM software ???


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## xalky (Dec 18, 2013)

He already started it here: http://www.hobby-machinist.com/showthread.php/19633-CNC-from-sketch-to-part-the-way-I-do-it


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## jumps4 (Dec 18, 2013)

JPigg55 said:


> Count me in.
> If it's not a lot of trouble, you could shoot out a PM to interested people to let them know.
> I've played around with emachineshop software, but not a whole lot of luck with it so far.
> Is D2NC just a file converter or is it more of a CAM software ???



d2nc is a cam program with a lot of powerful features, and it is really easy to learn. I will take the drawings I make in emachineshop into d2nc and convert them next here http://www.hobby-machinist.com/showthread.php/19633-CNC-from-sketch-to-part-the-way-I-do-it
steve


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