5-axis CAM Software 1

[rakes]

We are planning to buy a 5-axis CAM Software. Currently Unigraphics is actively in our minds. Can anyone compare this program with other 5-axis CAM programs in the market?

 

[knobhead]

If you want absolute unlimited freedom to do exactly what you want, try NCL. It's a bit old fashioned in the way it works, (you have to program the program, rather than point and click), but there are literally no limits to what you can get the cutter to do.


Absoleutly horrible to use of course, and brain meltingly complicated, but incredibly powerful....

 

[lmackie]

Have you looked at Surfcam. I have programmed using 2 thru 4 axes withit and I know it also does 5 axes. I know most of Boeings suppliers use it.

 

[rakes]

Thanks guys. But I have never heard of NCL! Where can I learn about it in the web? I have heard about SurfCAM though, and my understanding is that it is a good program for 3-axis surfacing. Not too sure about 5-axis.
Has anybody used Euclid?

 

[knobhead]

For NCL have a look at

http://www.nccs.com

Another program we bought for 3 axis use, but we find ourseleves using more and more for 5 axis work is MasterCAM.
Very easy to use, (I pretty much taught myself on this one), and very powerful. Nice modelling package too.

 

[lmackie]

Surfcam does 2 thru 5 axes machining .

http://www.surfcam.com

 

[gogsie]

I've been using Licom Alpha CAM for a few years now and it has never let me down or limited me in my machining ambitions. I would recommend Licom for your 5 Axis needs. I've used surfcam and master cam and both of these dont really compare to the ease of use offered within Licom.

 

Knobhead pretty much said it all.
If you're in aerospace making tough parts, USE NCL, and combine it with either Mastercam or SurfCam for the simpler stuff.

NCL is a language based program, so it's incredibly easy to alter things if you have any experience writing programs with decision loops or variables. Do you need to know lots of math? NO! Just logic. If you can figure out that you need to keep the tool tilted forward yet still in contact with the floor, but also tangent to the side of a contoured wall at some height, then at a specific distance start a transition to being tangent to the next wall you run into, all the while never violating the "floor" surface or changing the forward lean of the cutter... And if you want to do this with bull, ball, wheel, lollypop, taper, full radius wheel, barrel or truncated large diameter balls, NCL is it and has been for 20 years!!! If you fight cutter-whip, or need to machine with the top of a wheel cutter, the top of a bell shaped cutter and at the same time control it's contact with several other surfaces, it's powerful.

The only package I've seen that looks as powerful is the one "Think 3" packages with their software for CNC. It's been a big hit in Europe and detriot.

 

have you lokked into pro engineer and pro manufacturing, we build injection molds and use it to program machining centers and a 4 axis mazak turm mill, it is also what all of our design work is done on also. it is different than most other things but i love it.

 

[PV1]

Hello Rakes,

If you haven't already purchased a 5 axis software package, you may want to consider this. The gentleman that suggested NCL has some great contributions I would agree with.

I have worked with about 10 different CAM packages in the last 20 years and have found for the really complex stuff NCL is the best route for full control. For simple parts that don't require controlling more than 3 axis', I have found that Surfcam is the best.

Now, having said that, NCCS that produces NCL has their latest version that is pretty user friendly and simplifies the programming to make it more efficient for the simple parts. However, I would also look at EdgeCAM. I saw a demo of it a few months back. It might be a worhty solution for you- I don't know how they do in the multiaxis programming arena though. It looked like a great contender for the 2 1/2 axis market.

Ask for demos, but also have them program your parts as well- not just the canned demos they come prepared with.

Good luck!

 

[andrew74]

I AM NOT SURE IF THEY HAVE 5 AXIS BUT METCAM BASED OUT OF LAS VEGAS,NEVADA IS A REALLY GOOD COMPANY TO WORK WITH ON ISSUES.THEY CAN WORK WITH YOU AND POSSIBLY SOLVE ALL OF YOUR PROBLEMS AND THIER SOFTWARE IS REALLY EASY TO LEARN.IT MAYBE METAMATIONS.THEY MAKE IT EASY TO IMPORT DRAWING FILES AND USERFRIENLY.

 

[jwarren]

I'm very surprised that no one has mentioned Mastercam as a solution for 5-axis CAM software. Mastercam is #1 CAM software in terms of seats installed worldwide. There support/service is excellent. You may also want to give Catia 5 for Windows a look at as well. Its more powerful that Mastercam or any other software mentioned here... but you get what you pay for. If you want a proven full 5-axis Cam software with huge support resources that compare to Surfcam or Unigraghics, you have to at least consider either Mastercam or Catia.

 

[snuffy]

Sometimes having the same CAD/CAM package that your customer uses can give you an advantage in winning a job bid. What kind of work are you doing? Complex 5-axis work or 3-axis work? I'd stay away from NCL unless you have experienced people who are familiar with it. It's a powerful system but I feel ultimately, over time, this software will end up like the dinosaur. MasterCam is a good package but weak at 5-axis work. CATIA is twice as expensive as Unigraphics but doesn't have all the functionality. I would recommend UG for the best all around CAM package. It can handle it all.