Which CAD program to choose?

[DavidR8]

If you need any help with FreeCAD, let me know. I'm not an expert at it, but I do manage to get it done. I'd recommend following one of the video series. By the time you get to #12, you can do a lot.

Does FreeCAD have CAM functionality?
Edit: yes it does! Sorry for asking before googling!

 

[WobblyHand]

Does FreeCAD have CAM functionality?
Edit: yes it does! Sorry for asking before googling!

Yes, as you found out, but I don't know how well it works - no personal experience with it.

 

[bemader]

The more I learn about FreeCAD, the more I am liking it but I'm using old computers with Linux so not many programs work. I'm using FreeCAD version 0.17 which is pretty old but I had to have a 32 bit version. I've only experimented with the CAM part of that program a tiny bit and never did more than simulate the g-code.

I started to try to learn OpenSCAD but gave up on it when I got FreeCAD to work on my old computer. For 3d printing, I had been using the online program TinkerCAD but it is very limited in what it can do. For a CNC router, I tried several programs. I have CarbideCreate but have to use build 474 which is very outdated but it still allowed me to save the g-code to use with other programs. As far as I could tell, the newer versions started saving in a format that only worked with their programs.

 

[Paul Fithian]

Thanks fellas! I’ll give Fusion a try

 

[bemader]

I managed to get a 1-year subscription to Solid Edge X and CAM Pro. Still learning but it's pretty amazing.

Happy to use it for free for a year but the list renewal price is a jaw-dropping $28,000.

Seems like a waste of time to learn to use something like that if you can't justify paying for the license especially on a hobby level. Maybe if you work for a shop that uses that software or can use the trial year to make the programs for a lot of repeat jobs.

I don't know anything about that program but I'd think it would take a big shop running many machines to be worth that kind of money.

 

[Ischgl99]

Thanks fellas! I’ll give Fusion a try

Look on YouTube for videos by Arnold Rowntree, I used those when I started with Fusion and they were a big help. Some of it might be a bit out of date on what is available on the free version since the videos are a few years old and AutoDesk likes to make frequent changes to the program, but it should be good enough to get you going, and he has updated some of them more recently.

 

[DavidR8]

Seems like a waste of time to learn to use something like that if you can't justify paying for the license especially on a hobby level. Maybe if you work for a shop that uses that software or can use the trial year to make the programs for a lot of repeat jobs.

I don't know anything about that program but I'd think it would take a big shop running many machines to be worth that kind of money.

You are quite right about that.

I’m finding it extraordinarily challenging to integrate the CAD and the CAM as the version of Solid Edge doesn’t seem compatible with the version of CAM Pro that they supplied.
I do have the Alibre Atom3D and the Community edition of Solid Edge as well which I quite like. Just need to find a decent inexpensive CAM program to pair with one of them.

 

[Paul Fithian]

Morning fellas!

Anyone have a mouse recommendation for 3D? A friend suggested using a Logitech 575 wireless trackball.

 

[verbotenwhisky]

Yeah, i did that too - then all those 'forever' licenses turned into mandatory subscriptions to function and are not cheap. i never believe this any more.

Perpetual Licensing is what you are discussing. Autodesk use to have perpetual license then went to leasing model, anyone who had a perpetual license could keep it as long as they maintained a maintenance agreement, if that lapsed then you have to rent to get updates or never allow the machine it is loaded on to crash, it the government model of doing business. Bricscad is where I am going for my personal use, affordable perpetual with an affordable maintenance to maintain up to date but not CNC related.

John, if your not looking to share files and make money off it SolidWorks has a fully functional makers version for 50 bucks a year that I am also thinking about, just FYI...

 

[verbotenwhisky]

Morning fellas!

Anyone have a mouse recommendation for 3D? A friend suggested using a Logitech 575 wireless trackball.

Logitech M510... Ever since I stopped using my CalComp 12X12 Digitizer I just use a mouse, I like the M510 but I also use a small travel mouse as well. I found that if I set the sensitivity high it requires minimum movement to cover the screen and works with everything else.