I a m brand new to machining and after looking at all the stuff available for various applications, the Mach3 looks really nice and the wizards are very well done for someone like myself to be able to easiy understand.  I would likle to get an idea of where Mach3 fits into the entire spectrum of softwares, it is obivous that Mach3 is not a 3d drawing software, but can read cad files for output to machines.  It does look to me that Mach3 is being used instead of a cad program for simple operations that don't require drawing.

Can anyone make this clearer to me as to why and when you would only use Mach3 over a cad/cam software, say for example Bobcam, Onecnc, Mastercam etc.   

Onecnc, masterCam and others... Are called CAM programs. They are for making the "Gcode" that will run your machine. This type of a program is not needed at first if you run wizards. But you will not be able to make the cool 3d and odd shapes with the wizards (That is a Cam job). Is that any help?

Brian

Bobcad, Mastercam etc are cad cam programs where you draw the part which generates the G code to go to the machine.
The next stage is a controller that reads the G code and moves the motors to do the shape.
Mach 3 is a controller.

Some controllers can also do simple tasks like pockets and bolt circles so you don't have to draw and code these.
This part of the operation is called conversational programming and Mach 3 can do this using the illl named wizards, which really ought to be called conversational.

So whilst Mach3 can generate and make simle parts all by itself it needs a CAD/CAM generated file to do more complex jobs.

Bobcad, Mastercam , on the other hand can't run a machine.

Hope this simplifies the operation.

John S.