Community Question: what CAM software do you use?

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Community Question: what CAM software do you use?

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I just purchased a CamBam seat for +SMW3D and use a TinyG with tgfx, I cant say I tried all of them but this one is pretty user friendly!

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Thanks for the reply. I see CamBam is available for linux too!!

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@Dan_Heeks ​ is there likely to be a HeeksCNC for Linux?

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There is already a PPA built every day, so you can easily install HeeksCNC for Ubuntu. https://code.google.com/p/heekscad/wiki/HeeksCncUnderUbuntu

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@Dan_Heeks is the PPA upto date? HeeksCNC 1.0?

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I have an Edge-cam licence I use at work so I borrow it on weekends to make programs for my CNC hardware. I can tell you that it is an amazing albeit at an equally amazing price. I have a licence for MeshCAM which is quite decent for simple parts and sequences but still not free or open source. I wrote a bit of code in python to make up 5 axis code for CNC porting of cylinder heads, I made it work for the job I wanted but it’s really just a very crude script. If anyone is working on 5-axis software I’d be happy to share what I learnt and explain the maths behind it.

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@Daniel_Wood
The HeeksCNC Ubuntu PPA is built from the latest source code for HeeksCNC. It should have everything that the Windows full version has, but there has not been the same bug fixing efforts for Linux as there has been for the Windows version ( because I sell the Window version ). Also the solid simulation with the Windows version is only for Windows.

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Thanks @Dan_Heeks ​. I’ve bought a copy to have a play with.

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@DeskProto despite it’s limitations on 4 axis work. (using X+A+Z and not using Y, wrong computation of toolpath distances when changing distance to center of rotation) with MACH3 (no computation of speed when changing distance to center of rotation)

Working on SimpleMultiAxisCam but the FreeCAD-integration is making nearly no progress.

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CamBam and tgFX on a tinyg

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Anything anyone would recomment for work that makes heavy use of rotational axis on a CNC?

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Mastercam

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I’ve heard good things about mastercam. I only have a 3 axis licence for Edgecam so can’t comment there