×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Solidworks compatible Cam ware

Solidworks compatible Cam ware

Solidworks compatible Cam ware

(OP)
I really need to find the best cam ware that will support Solidworks. Either directly as a built in or be able to import iges created from SolidWorks correctly.

It's extremely important that I am able to import points and curves from solid works, along with the surfs 'course.

If someone has found that cam ware, perhaps you could mention how you were able to get points and curves exported with the iges file from solidworks? (ie. do they have to be specific types of entities, any relational no-no's?)
I've tried multiple forums to no avail so far.

Thanks All! :)

RE: Solidworks compatible Cam ware

You should check out the Gold partners at the SW website. That will list their partners. HTen you can contact them to give you a demo. Question them to death when they come in an give you a demo.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
http://www.3dvisiontech.com
http://www.scottjbaugh.com

FAQ731-376

RE: Solidworks compatible Cam ware

(OP)
Thanks SBaugh, already done that. Camworks will not cut the 3d trimlines that I need, only in 2.5x
SolidCam will, however, their software introduces a hell of a lot of air cutting due to the fact that the tool always raises up to safe Z between each and every pick within a toolpath. And you can't ramp your z-plane toolpaths.
We cut to very fine tolerances involving thousands and thousands of picks/stepovers, and this would waste hours over course of a job.
My next option was to try out a certified partner, such as Mastercam.
Perhaps I can coax a Gold Partner to institute the changes I desire, and then wait for that particular release.

I'd like to hear from actual cam users please.

RE: Solidworks compatible Cam ware

Surfcam was used for one of the companies I used to work for. We used Surfcam for a EDM machine to cut very small pinions and gears. Surfcam had other types of software for the different types of machines out there. Give them a try.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
http://www.3dvisiontech.com
http://www.scottjbaugh.com

FAQ731-376

RE: Solidworks compatible Cam ware

We use Solidworks and Surfcam.  There is a free translator available on the Surfcam site that we use called "PRT2DSN" that translates all the sketch lines as well as the trimmed surfaces that come from the solid.  While I've never been able to translate SW surfaces using this, the surfaces that I need to control the cutter are easy to make using the sketch lines.  We do a lot of 4 axis machining on swept surfaces.

Saw your post under machining too.

Tom Stanley

RE: Solidworks compatible Cam ware

tstanley,

Can you tell me what version of Surfcam that you use?  Also is your Surfcam a 4 axis version?  Thanks

mncad

RE: Solidworks compatible Cam ware

We use GibbsCam solidsurfacer program and i love the direct pushbutton transfer in SW, this allows me to make changes to the model and hit a button to transfer to Gibbs then i hit a button on gibbs and it updates the toolpaths. I can also explode any 2d or 3d line of a solid model that i want to so then it is a line, curve, nurbs ect...

RE: Solidworks compatible Cam ware

We are using Surfcam 2003 with the 4 axis module, and Solidworks 2004.  The 4 axis version allows us to continuously vary the 4th axis.  There is also a translator, Solidworks to Surfcam along the lines of what Rocko mentions for Gibbs, where you can use Solidworks to update the Surfcam drawing and press a button to update the tool path.  I haven't used it much though, (old habits die hard) and couldn't say whether the surfaces (as opposed to the solids) that you draw in Solidworks are translated as well using that method.

I want my cutter to follow the surface at a constant z height and the actual, real surface of the part varies up and down.  Therefore I use the sketch lines from the Solidworks drawing to create an untrimmed surface that has an edge at a constant z height.

Tom Stanley

RE: Solidworks compatible Cam ware

Way back in 1989 SurfCAM was new and I was one of the first VARs.  It was pretty good (and FAST) even then in its first version, so I would agree that it would probably be a good package to look at today.  It did some cool things that no-one else seemed to be able to on as PC.

John Richards Sr. Mech. Engr.
Rockwell Collins Flight Dynamics

There are only 10 types of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources