Hey Guys,

I have just built my first CNC machine.  I currently have 2 axis complete and operational with mach3 and I now need to use those 2 axis to complete the parts for my 3rd axis.  This whole process is WAY more complicated than I thought it would be.

I'm a technical/industrial designer and I've been using Catia for years.  It would be awesome if I could us the NC/Machining functionality in Catia to machine stuff with mach3 but I've been trying to get things working for the last 2 days and I'm struggling to generate satisfactory results.  I don't want to have to incorporate ANOTHER piece of software as it make the whole process that much harder, especially for making corrections/updates to parts.

Is anyone here using Catia for CAM?  I could really use the help.  Specifically with the post processor and machine setup and simulation.  There are no good youtube videos and the help documentation is useless.

Should I just ditch Catia for another piece of software?

I think you need to contact Dassault directly to ask if they will provide a PostProcessor which is compatible with Mach3 or Mach4.
Alternately obtain a copy of the Fanuc Post Processor and try the Gcode that produces with Mach3.

Tweakie.

The big boys like Catia have always gotten big bucks for post processors. Many really hot CNC programmers write their own posts to match the kind of work they do, and the VARS that have people that can do it for customers see this as great profit center.

I use SolidWorks and CamBam for programming. Not nearly as powerful as the Catia solution. However it runs on the same underpowered old PC as Mach 3 on the machine making changes really quick. It has rudimentary drawing capabilty and I can stand there wirh my calipers in hand and knock out a workable program in seconds. At 40 sessions before you buy and $149 I rate it as a very good value. We have a second copy on the big machine in the shop that isn’t Mach 3 too.