Cam programs on sale for alibre

[KeithH]

I’m still trying to decide on a cam program myself. If you like MeshCam, alibre has a deal on it for alibre users (contact them and they will tell you the deal)

also Mecsoft has a sale going on their express package until December 16 (it’s half price but if you want the alibrecam version instead of their stand alone they say to contact them and they will do it, but their stand alone gains their art and nesting modules. Mecsoft says that Alibre’s api stops them from including their art and nesting modules, which their stand alone one has. But it’s the same with the solid works version also, so im guessing it has something to do with the parametric deal) normally $595 but on sale for 299) https://mecsoft.com/shop/product-category/visualcad-products/

also Dolphin cad cam is on sale until the end of December (i edited This because dolphin sale is until the end of December). The picture shows the coupon codes for it (they had the codes during Black Friday but they work until the end of the year. www.dolphincadcam.com (FYI dolphins website says they have an alibre plugin, but on talking with them it’s outdated, and they are working on recoding it to work with the new alibre, so its not integrated now and required the export from alibre and import to them).

alibrecam has an integrated one. I’m not sure about meshcam. But on the stand alone versions just export a step or iges from Alibre and import in them (obviously these cam programs are not expensive, but hopefully my post might help someone who isn’t rich and just wants to make some parts: people with their own desktop or bench top cnc router, mill, or lathe)

 

[bigseb]

You want integrated cam? I think Alibre CAM is the only option (correct me if I'm wrong). After that there is a huge market, so it really depends on your needs and budget.

 

[MikeHenry]

SprutCAM has a connector for Alibre but that just opens SprutCAM and passes the saved Alibre file to it.

 

[Killiwatt]

In my opinion, you can't beat MecSofts AlibreCam add-on. Its a bit pricey but the ability to stay within Alibre and jump back and forth from the design window straight to the CAM window is hard to beat. It's what Fusion strives to be but of course with out all of the internet connection BS and such that comes with Fusion. I use it for both my mill and my lathe and it is seamless. I own an original Meshcam licence from years back and never took to it. Found the options for generating tool paths limited which may be exactly what some users are looking for but it wasn't for me.

 

[tk1247]

I have been using Mecsoft's Visual CadCam standard for a couple of years now, and am very satisfied with it. It is their standalone version with an included rudimentary 3D Cad program built in, and can import almost all cad types. I typically design in AD, export stp to Visual CadCam, create toolpaths and it works. They are very good with support response, including helping to create post processors that work with your machine. The AlibreCam version is the same CAM as VisualCadCam and is the same price......I didn't want it tied to a particular Cad program.

 

[KeithH]

In my opinion, you can't beat MecSofts AlibreCam add-on. Its a bit pricey but the ability to stay within Alibre and jump back and forth from the design window straight to the CAM window is hard to beat. It's what Fusion strives to be but of course with out all of the internet connection BS and such that comes with Fusion. I use it for both my mill and my lathe and it is seamless. I own an original Meshcam licence from years back and never took to it. Found the options for generating tool paths limited which may be exactly what some users are looking for but it wasn't for me.

I have been using Mecsoft's Visual CadCam standard for a couple of years now, and am very satisfied with it. It is their standalone version with an included rudimentary 3D Cad program built in, and can import almost all cad types. I typically design in AD, export stp to Visual CadCam, create toolpaths and it works. They are very good with support response, including helping to create post processors that work with your machine. The AlibreCam version is the same CAM as VisualCadCam and is the same price......I didn't want it tied to a particular Cad program.

I've been working through a bunch of the Cam trials, and I think I've decided to go with Mecsoft. I can only afford the Express level right now. But it has a lot of things I like. I love the integrated version, but I am going to go with their stand alone version, like tk1247 mentioned. Mainly because, then I get the extra Nesting Module with it that way. Some of the items I want to machine, it would be supper helpful (like rc shock towers and other parts; I'd like to be able to take my alibre model and make a bunch of them at once in one setup).

Thanks for all the help everyone for all the advice. Now that I have my Cam figured out, I can get back to the fun stuff: designing my stuff in my Alibre Design

 

[jduran02]

Hello,

I am a French user of AlibreCam since 2017. We use it in our small company and I recommend it.
Before AlibreCam I use an external software delivered with the CNC (CamBam) and it was very complicated.
We loose the time when we make an modification, we had to make a new .STL or Dxf and you have to restart all the Cam...
With AlibreCam it is so flexible and usefull (we just have the express modul) we win time and money !

Jérémy

 

[Lew_Merrick]

Hi Jérémy -- Please, please beat me about the head & shoulders if (and when) I mistake "American" (quasi-)metric for actual ISO-metric. [This goes for all those on the mm/cm side of the universe.] -- Lew

 

[jduran02]

Hi Lew - Sorry my english translation is not very good
I don't understand excatly the problem with the shoulders in AlibreCam.
With the express module there is not detection of collision and not many parameters to defin it.

Could you send a example of your problem ? In MP if you don't want to reply int this thread.

Hope I can help you, jérémy

 

[Lew_Merrick]

I don't understand excatly the problem with the shoulders in AlibreCam.
With the express module there is not detection of collision and not many parameters to defin it.

Hi Jérémy --- If you search through the Resources section here you will find a number of "Libraries" I have posted regarding what passes as "metric components" here in the United States of America. I am aware that, internationally, there are a number of "issues" with them but have nearly no access to the ISO specifications that the "American standards" violate. -- Lew