I go back a long way with Alibre (ver8), including keeping my support alive during (enduring) the Geomagic years.....
This year, I re-upped with 2018, including CAM(4axis), Motion & FEA add ons.
While I expect to use this with my vertical mill, which is being upgraded to 4 axis, I also have a small 3 axis mill that will likely never get rotary axis capability.
I'm considering the following scenario, if it would work:
Keep Alibre 2018 license with me as I move from station to station (laptop, home, engineering lab).
Get Atom3D+CAM, and install (essentially permanently) it on the system that connects to/drives my 3 axis mill.
Originate, in Alibre 2018 w/CAM, a part including CAM ops, which will be destined (therefore limited to 3D ops) for the small mill.
Load said part file into Atom3D at the machine to make corrections, refinements, etc. Resultant native file would need to still be compatible with Alibre 2018.
Major additional requirement:
Native file format of Atom3d+CAM be kept concurrent (at no cost or for a VERY minimal fee) with same in full Alibre+CAM beyond 2018 when "yet another non backwards compatible native file format" is created.
OR (Better option)
Alibre get with the program and allow new versions of full Alibre+CAM to save part in older native formats (if utilized features, ops, etc. allow), thereby having ongoing interchangeability with (perpetual) Atom3D as well as platforms that have an older, perpetual licensed, version of full Alibre+CAM installed. This would firmly (re?)establish Alibre as a product, and company, to be trusted and relied upon, especially with small operations who do not have unlimited budgets.
TG
This year, I re-upped with 2018, including CAM(4axis), Motion & FEA add ons.
While I expect to use this with my vertical mill, which is being upgraded to 4 axis, I also have a small 3 axis mill that will likely never get rotary axis capability.
I'm considering the following scenario, if it would work:
Keep Alibre 2018 license with me as I move from station to station (laptop, home, engineering lab).
Get Atom3D+CAM, and install (essentially permanently) it on the system that connects to/drives my 3 axis mill.
Originate, in Alibre 2018 w/CAM, a part including CAM ops, which will be destined (therefore limited to 3D ops) for the small mill.
Load said part file into Atom3D at the machine to make corrections, refinements, etc. Resultant native file would need to still be compatible with Alibre 2018.
Major additional requirement:
Native file format of Atom3d+CAM be kept concurrent (at no cost or for a VERY minimal fee) with same in full Alibre+CAM beyond 2018 when "yet another non backwards compatible native file format" is created.
OR (Better option)
Alibre get with the program and allow new versions of full Alibre+CAM to save part in older native formats (if utilized features, ops, etc. allow), thereby having ongoing interchangeability with (perpetual) Atom3D as well as platforms that have an older, perpetual licensed, version of full Alibre+CAM installed. This would firmly (re?)establish Alibre as a product, and company, to be trusted and relied upon, especially with small operations who do not have unlimited budgets.
TG