Best CAM plugin for SolidWorks? 5-axis wisdom?

[cmm]

I'm shopping for CAM software and would like to know if anyone has used CAMWorks or SolidCAM, which as far as I know are the only two CAM plugins available for SolidWorks. I've used SurfCAM SE in the past, but associativity with Solidworks files was buggy. Specifically, when I made any design changes in SolidWorks I would have to reselect all the machined features in SurfCAM SE. I assume a SolidWorks plugin would have more robust associativity with SolidWorks than a separate program would. If anyone has used the simultaneous 5-axis milling version of CAMWorks, SolidCAM, or any SolidWorks-compatible CAM software, I would especially like to get your advice. I've only used 2.5-axis CAM in the past. Thanks.

Chris Montgomery
Mechanical Engineer

 

[ctopher]

I have worked with machinist's that used CAMWorks. It worked very well for their 3 & 5 axis machines, once it was setup correctly. They were able to import my SolidWorks parts directly and it would incorporate my changes. It also saves the CNC data with the parts.

Chris
SolidWorks 07 4.0/PDMWorks 07
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 04-21-07)

 

[Heckler]

I would start by looking at your business process because an add-in makes no sense if the person doing to programming doesn't need a seat of SWx. Our lead machinists do all our CNC coding via MasterCAM X2 which reads native SWx files. They would have no use for a full seat of SWx thus making the add-in a waste of money.

Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SWx 2007 SP 3.0 & Pro/E 2001
XP Pro SP2.0 P4 3.6 GHz, 1GB RAM
NVIDIA Quadro FX 1400
o
_`\(,_
(_)/ (_)

"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." - Mahatma Gandhi

 

[cmm]

Heckler, how good is MasterCam's associativity?

Chris Montgomery
Mechanical Engineer

 

[josephv]

While I don't personally use CAM software, a few customers have told me that they like EdgeCAM:

http://www.edgecam.com/

 

[Heckler]

Chris - We have MasterCAM X2 as a standalone which just reads native files it's not bi-directional. CNC Software, Inc (makers of MasterCAM) also offers MasterCAM direct as an add-in CAM program. I have only used the MasterCAM X2 standalone.

CAMWorks is produced by Teksoft which also makes a standalone product.

http://www.solidworks.com/pages/partners/partners.html#

Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SWx 2007 SP 3.0 & Pro/E 2001
XP Pro SP2.0 P4 3.6 GHz, 1GB RAM
NVIDIA Quadro FX 1400
o
_`\(,_
(_)/ (_)

"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." - Mahatma Gandhi