# Dolphin Cad/cam Deal



## brav65 (Aug 13, 2015)

Hey Guys I just got a call from Dolphin CAD. I had spoken with them in May about their product and they offered me a price of $495 for the Pro version. I did not bite at that time. Today they offered me two pro seats for $375. I took the bait. If anyone was looking at Dolphin that seems like a very good price for full pro versions.


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## countryguy (Aug 21, 2015)

The product is very good from my view too.  Lots of users and from what I can tell they are always working on the softeware.The CNCzone Dolphin forum is monitored by both the US and UK houses.   My hobby version was the same $400 range too if I recall.        Hobby price justification  for me also.    I love the go-around and the ability to engrave and contour automatically by grouping.   Yeah-  IT's a keeper for me.


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## alloy (Aug 25, 2015)

I'm seriously looking at getting a seat.  I downloaded their demo and you have to put your phone number in to get the download to work.   Now I get at least 2 calls per day from them. And I'm always at work when they call. 

I wonder if they would sell me one seat at half the  $375?


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## alloy (Sep 1, 2015)

Well I went ahead and bought a seat of pro.  First the price was $795, then $595 for 2 seats, then $495, then $395 for 1 seat.  Finally it was $300 and I took that deal.  I couldn't get 2 seats for $375.  I tried but no dice.

I'm working on learning the software.  It's frustrating being an old Smartcam user.  I keep trying to do it the old way and I'm having to unlearn and relearn the new software.

I have to learn it, soon my mill will be home and I can't just let it sit for lack of a code to run it


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## gr8legs (Sep 2, 2015)

We got Dolphin a loooong time ago and updated in 2014. Here is a review a co-worker posted February 2014 on alt.cnc after receiving the newest version:

Newbie Review of Dolphin CAD / CAM 

OK gang, first some background. We purchased Dolphin PartMaster CAD / CAM about 12 years ago for a project that appeared initially to need more design horsepower than we thought we had available. As it turned out, the 'Conversational Programming' on our Hurco Ultimax II was sufficient to get our prototypes done and our encounter with Dolphin at that time was pretty limited. We did use a little of it to generate G-Code files to give us coordinates for programming the Hurco - and in the process discovered a problem with the Hurco-specific post-processing files that were supplied with Dolphin. We passed that information back to Dolphin and figured that was that. We continued to use the Hurco conversational programming interface and forgot about Dolphin CAD/CAM. 

Fast forward to 2013, when Dolphin had the discount offer for their product and we had some loose change under the sofa cushions. We upgraded to the current version and this is a _very_ preliminary report on the product if anyone is interested. 

Also, keep in mind neither of us are real machinists - more like putterers or tinkerers who play around the edges. Our background is computer firmware and software engineering but we get sucked into mechanical design and prototyping when deadlines and budgets are short. We're a little reluctant to jump into this newsgroup pool of experienced machinists, but ya know, 'fools rush in'... 

First of all, Dolphin Partmaster may have bells and whistles that I doubt we will ever use. It appears to be an amazing value for its under $1K price. Apparently any product development money went into adding features, and providing documentation or instructions on how to use it is an extremely low priority for the developers. We have only dabbled with it so far and we may post more reports as time goes by. 

There are really two programs here (three if you count the third party CNC simulator, but we're going to hold off on that until we figure out the CAD/CAM bits) A CAD program (PartMaster CAD) and a CAM program (PartMaster CAM - duh!) 

The CAD program is _NOT_ a 3D program, it's 2D. You can squint at it and build your 2D plan and then add a third dimension "profile" to it, then merge them once you go to the CAM side. Our only other CAD experience has been Generic Cadd 2D - which is now Visual CADD - so there's a steep learning curve to get used to the PartMaster way of doing things. 

The CAD system does most everything you'd expect from a 2D CAD system - lines, arcs, circles, rectangles, curves of various sorts, etc. The usual assortment of line styles, layers, colors (apparently only one color per layer) - the user interface is 'different' but after a while you get used to it. 

Once you have your part drawn you then (still in the CAD part of the product) extract lines, curves, etc. from it and generate 'contours' and 'profiles' to send to the CAM side. Once you get used to it it's pretty slick, but some things that should be obvious don't work. For example, if you start with a circle and stretch it into an ellipse it is no longer visible to the cam side of things. If you want an ellipse you have to start with an ellipse (which in Dolphin is a multi-arc segment creation that approximates the ellipse you want)... 

We have been unable to project a Z-Axis profile onto any 2-dimensional (XY) rectangular shape in our many attempts. We can take a Z-Axis profile and get a radial object with the Z profile, and make a bunch of these circular radials to produce a round 'dish', but a rectangular pocket with Z-Axis profile has eluded us. It seems like it should be easy, but doesn't work and we've tried and tried. 

Creating a simple X1,Y1,Z1 -> X2,Y2,Z2 move is also a challenge. Making that move in an XYZ arc (very simple on the Hurco) has been frustrating with Dolphin. 

And now we get to the real problem with Dolphin: There is ZERO support. There are no documents, and the few videos they have are not really tutorials, they are just demos of features. Technical support is spotty at best - about 10% of our emails are answered. Why bother asking if there's seldom a reply? 

When we emailed them 12 years ago about the problem with the Hurco post-processor file we expected it to be fixed in the new version we purchased last December. No, we got exactly the same error-filled post processor file and had to tell them again. Then we got a custom post file back - whether it gets from Dolphin to the other Hurco users is anyone's guess. I don't think a Hurco Ultimax is that obscure a machine that no other end user noticed the problem (with the file error it would not output fractional decimal inch values in the G-Code - whole inches only!) and not fixing it seems a bit careless. 

Sadly, I really like what the Dolphin product could be - so much potential! - but it just isn't. I'm sure once this review hits the street there is not a ghost of a chance of getting any further support from Dolphin - which is why I've waited... But if we're getting no reply to support question now, how much worse could it be after this review? 

Carla 

"A fool learns from his own mistakes. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others". -Anonymous


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## alloy (Sep 2, 2015)

So far I am really struggling to learn their way of doing things. I keep getting a message that says this tool is not suitable for this operation.  I chose a 1/2" end mill to do an area clear, and then picked the area,gave it the depth and other required info and hit run and it somehow defaults to the last tool on my list which is a center drill.  I can't seem to get past this. I've watched the videos, but I guess I need to watch them again. 

And yes the answers from support are slow in coming.  The software has a lot of nice features as seen from the vids. For what I paid I think it's a pretty good deal. I just have to invest a lot more time learning it than I had anticipated.


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## countryguy (Sep 2, 2015)

Hmmmm  Did you import a DXF into the CAM tool or into their Partmaster CAD setup and then go into CAM?  The way it builds contours on CAM import can be diffcult.  I also find that odd errors are solved by saving the part, closing down, then restart and open last drawing. 

I did this write up some time ago.  I'm not sure it will help, but it's out there.  
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/dolphin-cadcam/222260-importing-dxf-passing-cam.html

the write up from gr8legs is pretty elaborate-  I can say that I did not buy it as a CAD tool but CAM only.   I heard/read so many things between bobcad/cam and Dol[hin that I had to pick one.  the CAM ability of Parmaster V13 is pretty darn cool to me as a newb w/ simple needs.   Thanks to gr8legs for the great write up!


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## alloy (Sep 2, 2015)

I made up a DXF file in the CAD program, then imported it.

I'm sure it's me, just have to keep working at it.  I'll try closing and re opening my drawing.

I'll take a look at your write up.  Thanks for posting it.  Every little bit helps 

Where I work we make helicopter parts and "had" bobcad.  We now have HSM cad.  I've heard so many not so good stories about bobcad I had to go with something different.


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## brav65 (Sep 2, 2015)

alloy said:


> Well I went ahead and bought a seat of pro.  First the price was $795, then $595 for 2 seats, then $495, then $395 for 1 seat.  Finally it was $300 and I took that deal.  I couldn't get 2 seats for $375.  I tried but no dice.
> 
> I'm working on learning the software.  It's frustrating being an old Smartcam user.  I keep trying to do it the old way and I'm having to unlearn and relearn the new software.
> 
> I have to learn it, soon my mill will be home and I can't just let it sit for lack of a code to run it




I pulled the trigger because of the two seats for $375. I have a new CAD workstation being delivered this week, so I should be able to play with it over the long weekend


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## countryguy (Oct 2, 2015)

Hey Alloy-  How did your Dolphin work go?  Just curious.   I have to agree-  So many issues w/  the robert-cad that I opted to do something else.  I would have loved some of the big names.    I know that Dolphin takes a hit for user support-  But free support is not their model from what I can tell.    They will do free support via CNCZone where I see Andre' (owner) reply most every day.   Too bad there are not a lot of users that post there.        I just learned how to setup 'point patterns' for my drilling operations.   I'm setting up the mill now.   And I need to learn about tool heights.  I need to bite this bullet once and for all.


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## alloy (Oct 2, 2015)

I have to admit I've not spent as much time with Dolphin as I should have.  Just been too busy with my mills and lathe projects.  

The support is very lacking, I've sent emails and get answers about 1/4 of the time.  Pretty soon I'll have my CNC mill home and will have to buckle down with Dolphin, otherwise I'll have a CNC sitting there laughing at me saying "FEED ME"


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