# cad cam programs



## Ram48 (Jun 14, 2013)

Hi I am new to cnc and shopping for a cam / cad program for use om my novakon mill I am looking at Bobcad cam v25 and there art software Does anyone have experience with this program? I would like user input both good and bad. Is the learning curve any different then similar programs? what are other programs that you feel I should consider?
 Thanks
 Ray mc


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## DMS (Jun 14, 2013)

I am currently using AlibreCAD/AlibreCAM. I like AlibreCAD quite a bit, though there are some "warts". In short, it's not quite as good as SolidWorks IMO. If I had it to do again, I would buckle down and spring for SolidWorks. 

AlibreCAD (just a flavor of MECSoft FOOCAM) is really trying at times. The default post file for EMC/LinuxCNC is pretty crappy, and I ended up modifying it heavily. It's path generation is also sometimes...odd. Overall, it is servicable, but if I had it to do over again, I think I would look at other options (Sprutcam maybe?).

I didn't review BobCAD, but I did look at Dolphin while I was trying to figure out what I was going to do about software. The sales guy was really helpfull, but it's drawing interface was more like AutoCAD; something that may be a bonus for some people, but I never spent much time with AC, and it is painful to me.

Most of these guys will offer a timed demo license (30 or 60 days). Best way to tell is to give it a try.


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## Ray C (Jun 14, 2013)

I can't comment about the CAM side of the equation but, I too like Alibre CAD.  BTW:  Alibre has been through a major re-vamp in both their CAD and CAM products.  In the background, I was communicating with the owner of the company and mentioned what I felt were some short-fallings with the previous version but still considered it the best overall package in my price-range.  Although I haven't gotten around to installing the latest upgrade, I've seen screenshots and read the release notes.  It seems like they made a good product even better and they now have a centralized method of sharing part labels and dimensions across multiple parts in an assembly.  This is do-able in SW if you pay a few grand more for the appropriate plugins. Also, I believe they now have a different CAM partner than before.

Anyhow, DMS, if you paid the maintenance fee for 2012, you can do the upgrade now.  It's been a few months since it was released so, it's probably got some of the initial bugs already patched by now.  

Ray




DMS said:


> I am currently using AlibreCAD/AlibreCAM. I like AlibreCAD quite a bit, though there are some "warts". In short, it's not quite as good as SolidWorks IMO. If I had it to do again, I would buckle down and spring for SolidWorks.
> 
> AlibreCAD (just a flavor of MECSoft FOOCAM) is really trying at times. The default post file for EMC/LinuxCNC is pretty crappy, and I ended up modifying it heavily. It's path generation is also sometimes...odd. Overall, it is servicable, but if I had it to do over again, I think I would look at other options (Sprutcam maybe?).
> 
> ...


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## DMS (Jun 14, 2013)

I didn't pay the maint fee 

I purchased mine before their major overhaul. Like I said, mostly I like the CAD side, I am less satisfied by the CAM side, but that is MECSoft, not Alibre. For the price, I agree, it's pretty good.


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## geotek (Jun 14, 2013)

You can do a search on posts about BobCad, wear your asbestos eyeglasses, some of the threads are pretty hot.  I have BobCAD V21, but I don't use it.  
I don't know what type or how complex your machining is, but CamBam works well for me.  It is simple to operate and they have a very generous try before you buy program.


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## Mid Day Machining (Jun 15, 2013)

I have both BobCad V23 and GibbsCam 2012. I use my GibbsCam exclusively because BobCad (BOBCRAP) is so keystroke cumbersome.

I can draw a part in GibbsCam using about 15 to 20% of the keystrokes it takes to draw the same part in BobCrap.

Granted, my GibbsCam was considerably more expensive, but I bought it when I owned a real CNC machine shop in the late 90's until 2008.

When I sold the shop, the new owner didn't want my seat of GibbsCam. He was a Mastercam user, so I brought my Gibbs home with me.

Now, I have a Tormach PCNC 1100 Series II in my garage, and I use my GibbsCam almost every day. It turns out, I'm really glad the new owner of my shop didn't want my seat of GibbsCam.


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## medlin6 (Jun 15, 2013)

Ram48 said:


> Hi I am new to cnc and shopping for a cam / cad program for use om my novakon mill I am looking at Bobcad cam v25 and there art software Does anyone have experience with this program? I would like user input both good and bad. Is the learning curve any different then similar programs? what are other programs that you feel I should consider?
> Thanks
> Ray mc



I've used Bobcad since ver. 19 presently using ver. 23
I was using it while running 3axis Prototrak nothing went on the machine without going thru Bobcad first, love this software and do all my drawings with it. 
Have over 50 yrs in fabricating 25 of it cnc programming \,setup, and run.

Meddy


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## dogbed (Aug 12, 2013)

I have been using Cambam for a few weeks now. I like the simplicity. There are a few limitations that I have bumped into but it is really cheap considering the alternatives.


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