Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

My mill is an Atrump bed mill. It supports my drag racing operation - I basically only make parts for internal use. I have been using it just about 2 years. M400 control.

Up to this point I have been limited to 2D operation. I normally draw my part up in CAD, output a DXF file, and go from there.

Time to step up to 3D. I was just starting to get serious about learning and using Fusion 360, but I am livid with Autodesk for reasons I won't get into, and with the changes they have done to Fusion 360, I'm done with Autodesk and Fusion 360. I need to find an alternative.

Any suggestions on what to look at that would give me the ability to develop 3D drawings and code to run in the Centroid control? Again, it only supports my drag racing hobby, so I don't need crazy complicated software, and I need to be able to learn it fairly easy. I have never done 3D - all my work has been up to this point with AutoCad 2D. I do not at this point have any grasp on making a 3D drawing and generating the proper code to run in the M400.

My very strong preference is something with a perpetual license.

Suggestions?

Unless your budget is over $10k, I would find a way to get over your convictions about Fusion. I can't stand Autodesk either...but there is not really any 3d alternative that cheap (free) with virtually unlimited online support. There are literally hundreds of tutorials on youtube. In a weekend you can start cutting metal. In a month you can be proficient. No other platform compares.

CJD wrote: ↑Thu Oct 08, 2020 9:10 pm Unless your budget is over $10k, I would find a way to get over your convictions about Fusion.

You underestimate my distaste for Auto desk! LOL!

I have narrowed my choice down to a stripped down version of Solid Works or EZ Cam but Solid Works looks more promising. Problem is I don't know what I don't know regarding the sot wares.........

Stripped down version of SolidWorks is just a CAD system, isn't it? You still need to add a CAM package on top of that.

I know you said you don't want to use Fusion. There's nothing out there that compares for the price point, or ten times the price point on the CAM side. You are getting very modern tool paths for an extremely low price and it will show in the machined part. Just my two cents worth. Autodesk drives me nuts too.

tblough wrote: ↑Sat Dec 12, 2020 8:33 am Stripped down version of SolidWorks is just a CAD system, isn't it? You still need to add a CAM package on top of that.

Not anymore. A couple of years ago Solidworks Cam Standard became part of the Solidworks CAD package including a post processor for Centroid.

The stripped down version does not include Assembly (that is no big deal for what I do) and no Part Drawing (that bothers me a little more but is not a deal breaker). The stripped down version is $2,995. Of course that is a single license. That is not all that bad.................

I will spend the $3,000 in a blink versus giving Auto Desk $300+ a year for Fusion 360.

One thing is I would have to rethink how I bring in my digitized files into Solidworks. Not as straightforward as what I was doing in Fusion 360.

After a bunch of research, I decided that Solidworks CAD Professional with Solidworks CAM Standard with a custom post processor was right for me. I feel I got a good deal. Now I just need to figure out how to use it! LOL! Will take a while but I am looking forward to the challenge...........

tblough wrote: ↑Sat Dec 12, 2020 8:33 am Stripped down version of SolidWorks is just a CAD system, isn't it? You still need to add a CAM package on top of that.

Well I did find out you have to be on subscription to get the Solidworks CAM with the CAD package...........

Gulp...take a look at BobCad/Cam
I have a friend that runs a CNC shop and likes it.

martyscncgarage wrote: ↑Fri Dec 18, 2020 1:29 pm Gulp...take a look at BobCad/Cam
I have a friend that runs a CNC shop and likes it.

I bought Solidworks Professional CAD and CAM Standard so I don't have to be on subscription. The CAM was $2700 which is less than 2 years of subscription.........

$7800 total with year end discount. Not too cheap.