I just finished my 2ft x 2ft x 3in MPCNC and got my crown printed using the guide on this site for Estlcam and repetier-host. The very next day I left for a week long vacation… That means I am at the point I have a working machine waiting for me in my workshop and a general idea of what I need to do to make it work. I want to spend some of my vacation free time learning more about the software and CAM side.
I have over 20 years of 3D CAD experience in engineering design using CATIA. I have full access to CATIA v5 for anything I need to do. However, I’m sure its CAM is way overkill for this and I’ve never needed to use it since that has always been another team’s job.
So, as of today, what would be the suggested software tools that I should learn and use? I have access to Aspire and Vcarve as well.
I thought I’d just learn Fusion 360 since the CAD seems simple enough, but it seems most aren’t using it for CAM and instead are suggesting Estlcam except for those in the F360 PP thread. If that is the case I’d rather just keep using CATIA for CAD and export as STEP, DXF, STL, or whatever and then do the CAM elsewhere. I did see a guide for generating gcode from CATIA, but again that is probably not the best tool for creating the CAM for a MPCNC.
Any thoughts on what I should focus on? I figured my first project I’d like to start from scratch would be to design and cut a spoil board.
Use whatever you want for CAD. CAM is a little different. I still suggest starting with ESTLCAM for getting your feet wet with CAM. Just like you wouldn’t recommend CATIA for a beginner I don’t recommend anything else for CAM. It has info on every setting, hover tips on all the most common things, and most of use understand it by memory and can help quickly and easily. If you find you need something it can not do, then maybe you can use one of the other programs which at that point might be easier to understand.
Estlcam is like using google maps to get somewhere, Something like fusion CAM is like trying to tell people how to get there with pen and paper, with how to steer, how fast to drive and brake, as well as weather included driving tips…just too much going on and one tiny missed step means ruined job and wasted time.
Estlcam does seem easy enough just going by the crown demo. You are correct that I wouldn’t recommend CATIA to anyone else. However, if you come up with a 5-axis MPCNC then maybe I’d try to learn CAM in CATIA.
So the recommended tools are a CAD program of my choice, Estlcam for the programming, and repetier-host for the actual machining.
Thanks for the feedback and also thanks for the quick order processing and shipping.
I use Fusion 360 because I’m used to Solidworks (which has a HSMworks plugin, which is 99.5% identical to the CAM used by fusion) and I find the woodworking CAM softwares sort of over-simplistic for someone used to machining metal. I do use Aspire (I do like it) when I have to do v-carving though.
If you’ve never cammed the woodworking softwares are most likely just fine.