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CAM software for mold making - Part II

Mr Steve, Well well well, we have an PowerMillscam expert here i guess, or maybe I'm full of shit? I'm not a powermill user & would not want to be after using Cimatron for .......13years. Previously Masterscam since '86 in the mold biz. I can tell you what I've seen: as I've said previously sitting shoulder to shoulder watching a powermill guy work on a complex 3D mold: allot of manual editing Toolpath was created, very quickly, he had to delete allot of areas the tool went that were not desired, why? maybe inexperience? He had the big shot powermill trainer come in & sit with him & I saw him do the same thing? What the hell? ok benifit of the doubt inexperienced powermill teacher. Next point;

Cimatron's STEP translator slow? maybe I stay away from it. STEP has never been very good way to translate. Use IGES from Pro-E making sure the Pro-E system set properly for IGES export. Which holds true for importing Pro-e into most cam packages including Solidworks for an imported fully nit dumb solid. FYI: If the Pro-e system is left at the factory default settings allot of cam packages will fall on their face, not Cimatron - it will just require a bit more "clean-up" deleting unnecessary geometry. IE: master surfaces that trimmed surfaces came off of.

next point:

Once in Cimatron you do not need to export out - in a perfect world. Ok you gotta have some outside work done or give a Masterscam guy or a Power guy Shape,Mill, VX whatever a file: Again, do not use STEP. Use IGES. Cimatron like Pro-e has export settings that have to be set by the user - factory default settings will give you monstrous files as you described. Plain & simple, Cimatron gives too much info.

The mismatched surfaces you describe come from YOUR import translatator - go figure. due to all the info Cimatron outputs your importer does not know how to handle. Again, all this could be eliminated if the export settings in Cimatron were set properly. been there done that. Mastercam guys very happy with my Cimatron IGES files. Delcam guys .......... well they shake their heads, but are still happy with my Cimatron exported models.

As we've seen there are inexperienced users of all cad/cam software. To bad your Cimatron guy did not know about exporting. I think that explains it? If you need more specific help, like IGES settings for Pro or Cim. let me know. Be glad to share may 25yrs of import/export experience with you- oh excuse me my full of shit Pro-E,Mastercam,Cimatron adventures.

PS: why use 3 software's when you can use one? \|||/ (o o) ______.oOO-(_)-OOo.____________________ ~ Gil ~ the HOLDZEM=A9=AE king

______ /_____/\ Best Regards, /____ \\ \ Gil Pawl /_____\ \\ / HOLDZEM =A9=AE /_____/ \/ / / /_____/ / \//\ West Chicago, IL \_____\//\ / / USA \_____/ / /\ / \_____/ \\ \ \_____\ \\ \_____\/

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download my self running demo: DEMO
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Reply to
milgil
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Ignore this nonsense Michael, your input was very much appreciated.

Reply to
Tim

So please enlighten me on what type of "manual edits" were required. Because, while you can very easily edit a toolpath afterwards, it's rarely, if ever needed when used properly.

Well, that's what we get from Harley, Caterpillar, and many of our other customers.

So I'm going to call the customer and ask for a different file format? Naah, I'll stick with software that can properly open the files in a competent, and timely fashion when required.

I get a call from a custom molder, who's got a ProE step file from their customer. You have to have the quote done in 2 hours. Do you want to waste time, and look foolish, calling the customer, so they can call their customer and ask for another file format? That's a good way to keep a good customer :)

The only exports VX has problems with are from Inventor, or from Cimatron. Delcam can deal with the Inventor files. But neither like the Cimatron files

Really? You don't supply customers with your designs?

So, you're going to export your assembly in to an iges file? While, in theory it works. But in practice, it doesn't often work. Been there, done that. The IGES file didn't do very well in VX, PowerShape, or ProE either.

Yeah, must have been VX's ProEs, AND Delcam's translator then :)

Again, it must have been VX, ProE, and Delcam's importer, COULDN'T have been Cimatron!

But, to be fair, Delcam's exports aren't liked by many either.

Because there is nothing perfect. VX gives rapid design results. Whether it be part design, or tool design. While it's CAM side is very capable, PowerMill is better, faster, and easier for the shop floor.

And as I've said, we tried a demo of Cimatron. While a very capable piece of software, We need to get the parts on the machine. Not wait for it to translate a file.

Reply to
Steve Mackay

Michael seems like a sharp guy, I think he knows what to ignore with out anyone's pointing it out. Too bad Tim's ignorance is bliss.

\|||/ (o o) ______.oOO-(_)-OOo.____________________ ~ Gil ~ the HOLDZEM=A9=AE king

Reply to
milgil

Cliff , not so mean on the poor guy ..............he's trying to learn. He's just CAD/CAM challenged & possibly coupled with a learning disability. By the scope of his "mold" work, he' just a bit more than an advanced wood worker. That's ok man were here to help ya.

Hey maybe he could use some HOLDZEM's=A9=AE .................. ?

\|||/ (o o) ______.oOO-(_)-OOo.____________________ ~ Gil ~ the HOLDZEM=A9=AE king

Reply to
milgil

Good luck with getting any real meaningful specifics on that. Your asking this of someone who offers to provide a surface grinder rebuilder in the Illinois area because he knows several and than when asked for specifics he can't produce jack "s". He's the same idiot who doesn't have any clues on just how good a Mitsui surface grinder is or on how the Z axis operates on most Mitsui=92s.

I ignore everything he posts at this point.

Jon Banquer San Diego, CA

Reply to
jon_banquer

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