Re: what cad/cam package

[Henry Palonen <henkka-at-yty.net>]

Well... I have used Cam Expert very little, mainly plastic works for
my radio-amateur antennas and similar. When I do CNC-code from
dxf-drawing, software opens a dialog asking for parameters such as
depth, feed-rate, clearing etc. There is an option to take layers in
account and to define cutting-depth for each layer. There is also a tick-box
"Optimize way" and it's tool-tip says "Tick to optimice the NC-program
for shorter way" (haven't used that one myself).

There is also a tick-box for "Cut contours from
center" and choices to cut contours "clockwise","contours
counter-clockwise", "longer side first".

I have used different "hash"-types for different types of toolpaths
(honeycomb, vertical-lines, horizontal-lines etc.) when I have made
pockets. All in all, quite a lot needs to be done by hand. But after
all, I don't know if this is common or not, since this is the only
NC-program I have used ;-) (At least if my homemade perl/gtk "simulation"
NC-software is not taken into account...)

There is also demo version available, maybe that could give better
answers than me... (I have used my machine so little lately :( )

Henkka

* dlantz-at-armorholdings.com (dlantz-at-armorholdings.com) [05.10.2001 14:58]:
> 
> GREAT!  Ive been waiting for someone who has used Cam Expert... I've used
> Qcad for over a year and really like it.  What can you tell me about the
> toolpath layout, is it automatic?  how is it linked to the drawing itself?
> does it offer features like varied forms of pocketing? (zig-zag vs spiral...
> etc... i dont know the proper terminology)
> ---thanks, Dave L.

-- 
Space: the final frontier.  These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise.
Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life
and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before.
		-- Captain James T. Kirk