New Dell 30" UltraSharp Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor

We still have and use SmartCAM, but just recently purchased two seats of Esprit. I had been looking for years at different software packages, but none of them, except Esprit, really knew anything about multi-axis mill-turn machining. When I asked about probing, many of them did not even know what that was and others said "yeah it's easy, just edit the cnc code to add that in by hand".

SmartCAM was, for us, tedious to program multi-axis mill turn machines that required wait codes and a mixture of mill/drill operations which is becoming the norm for us.

We also just placed a PO for a Mori Seiki NT4250, a multi-funtion lathe with a 180 tool changer. We need a CAM software that can do anything we can think of on this machine, Esprit appears to be that software. I say appears because we just purchased the software and are in the process of learning the software and building our post processors.

Time will tell is we will be successful.

I don't disagree that SmartCAM is the ultimate program for total control. But our paradim is changing where I work. We no longer will be running the medium to high volume work (500 pieces per year). That work has been outsorced to the lowest percieved cost/obvious lowest quality suppliers.

We will be making the prototype emerging products and supporting the

1-off customer support work. We need a software program that will allow us to import Solidworks files and rapidly generate CNC programs for our new and existing multi-tasking lathes.

I'am active on the SmartCAM user group and will remain active. We are not dumping SmartCAM, we are just adding a new way to make NC code. Just because we get a new CNC horizontal mill doesn't mean will will get ride of our Bridgeport knee mill.