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Camworks

Wire

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Can anyone give me some insight into using Camworks with Solidworks? Is it any good or would a CAM program that runs outside SW (MasterCam, Esprit etc) be a better choice?





Thanks!!





Dana
 
I would first need to know about your process is it just 2.5 to 3 axis work or do you get into 4th and 5th axis work. The nice things about Camworks is the integration, no translation.
 
Just 3 axis milling. I know there are other design packages out there with Cam but price and the learning curve have us concerned. We do mold work but just can't justify Pro-E or Catia etc...








Dana
 
I can see a big advantage in having either CAMworks or SolidCAM if you deal with the design process all the way through from generating the design (in solidworks) right through to prototyping and e.g. mold-making IF there is much chance that a client may require changes (or you want to be able to say you are still open to changes) after toolpaths have initially been made and used.


If a client wants his product e.g. "a little bit thinner" when you give him a prototype to hold, if you've been using CAMworks or SolidCAM to generate the toolpaths from the Solidworks model you may find your toolpaths are easy to "update" to match a model change to make that new prototype. It's clear that using any other separate CAM system will mean making a new folder for new files for another one-off model etc.


But if your clients arrive with a 3D form "frozen" and won't be wanting it changed - just made, then there is no massive advantage - just a guarantee of no data translation difficulties between Solidworks and CAMworks or SolidCAM.
 

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