Machsupport Forum
G-Code, CAD, and CAM => G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions => Topic started by: tazzydean on March 07, 2010, 10:45:22 PM
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can anyone out there recommend a good affordable cam program for doing 3D that works well with mach 3. I'm also using a k2cnc. I'm familiar with cnc's but a little green with mach3 i'm learning lazy cam as well but i need to get a few 3D signs done to satisfy a client. Any input would be very helpful ty
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Look at CAMBAM its 3D and free.
Graham
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thanks i'll give it a try. never too old to learn yet again another program lol
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The version I downloaded is limited to 40 executions.
So far I have not figured out how to do any real 3d work with it. Just 2D with pocket and bulge like a number of others. I can do that with Gsimple and gsimple really is free.
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Hi,
perhaps this Link could help you: http://www.cambam.co.uk/download/latest/cambam-free-beta-release-082.html
It's the last free release of CamBam as far as i know.
cheers, Josef
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I downloaded that one and it does not appear to be time limited. Its kinda odd to use, but I did find a use for it today. Organic shapes for milling. I freehand them with Corel draw, convert to curves and export to DXF. Then open with CamBam and convert all the splines to poly lines. Then open with my DesCNC and start pocketing. Wadda pain. I did not really figure out how to get anything else out of CamBam yet.
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Ya I hear ya Bob iv'e downloaded cam bam and I cant seem to understand it either
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Ok... I am now playing with gmax. It seems to generate some of the fundamental gemometric solids ok. Spheres, cones, cylinders, etc. Now how do convert that to something I can machine.
For example... how would I use that to generate a half cylinder shaped pocket in a piece of plate.
Available tools are Corel Draw, Cam Bam, gmax, gsimple, lazy cam, deskcnc, and a host of other misc items minor utilities. I have not yet downloaded the utility that converts gmax files to another type of file, but will when I need to. I need to generate Mach 3 compatible code of course. I only have DeskCNC for the nice easy 2d cam features.
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Hmm.....
I would recommend you invest some time and think about what you want to be able to do and then ask users about how software is limited, likes and dislikes , etc and then master the use, for example of CamBam or whatever.
As the saying goes, "Jack of a thousand trades but master of none".
Sorry no 3D to recommend as i am still learning the thousand trades.......... ;D
RICH
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GMax is a polygonal modeling program. It is a watered down version of 3DStudiomax. 3DSmax is used mainly for the film industry. Generally, most cad programs that are used for machining, are nurbs based (curves), not polygonal (segmented lines).
You can use "CNC Toolkit" with gmax to produce code for whatever you design. I believe it is a free program. The website is http://www.cnc-toolkit.com/ (http://www.cnc-toolkit.com/). It has been several years since I messed with the program, so I can't really give you an accurate description.
My magic 8-Ball says that it foresees a high learning curve in your future with gmax. ;D
Best of luck!
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Well, I pretty much know what I can do with my first two cam programs. Lazy Cam and DeskCNC. Basically they are 2D pocketing and pocket island tools. Cam Bam I am still learning, but as i mentioend in another thread I figured out how touse it to turn organicx shapes and roatated splines into either exploded splines or poly lines so that my other cam programs can interpret and display them.
So far the closest thing I've found to an easy 3d point and shoot tool is Gmax. One website does list them as a possible 3d CNC CAD resource along with a bunch of other programs including cnc toolkit.
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Well, once again I found myself writing the raw code by hand to get my cylinder. I think I've written almost as much code from scratch using a macro in Excel as with my cam software.
Excel is sure handy for re-iterative work.
Cut this curve. Step down .003, cut this curve, step down .003, cut this curve ...
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Ok... I am now playing with gmax. It seems to generate some of the fundamental gemometric solids ok. Spheres, cones, cylinders, etc. Now how do convert that to something I can machine.
For example... how would I use that to generate a half cylinder shaped pocket in a piece of plate.
..... snippage
I only have DeskCNC for the nice easy 2d cam features.
Save the design from GMAX as an .stl file. Open with DeskCNC and have at it to generate the 3D toolpaths you need.
If Gmax won't save as .stl, there are several similar file formats( which G-max WILL save to) that you can convert to .stl with Accutrans
Fred Smith - IMService
http://www.imsrv.com
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Getting back to Cam Bam for a moment. I was playing with the executions limited commercial product this morning and it is definitely superior in a couple ways to the last free beta version. For one when it appears to freeze up, but is actually working it displays a CamBam is thinking message. While I relaize this may not mean it hasn't locked up, so far it has not. It really does need a lot of processing power. I have a lot of older 3rd and 4th gen machines out in the shop. This morning I ran it my daughters computer int he house. In order to test it I ran it on some very complex engraving files. Zing! Nothing over abotu a minute to generate either tool paths or code files. Stuff that was taking 15-30 minutes to generate tool paths on the machine I use int he shop and overnight to generate actual code files.
Obviously I need to install the commercial executions limited version out on the my shop design computer to see if its really superior. Its only a 2ghz single processor, and this machine is a 2.1ghz dual processor. Both have the same memory 1G and the same hard drive. I suppose also the graphics adaptor could make a difference. Although they are both onboard AGP using shared memory.
Time to break down and put a 2nd gen computer out in the shop I guess.