need cheap CAD/CAM software for small company?

Hey i just started a small company making custom parts etc.
I still have my day job at a factory where I... basically do the same ;)

normally I use Gibbs CAM and Autodesk Inventor, but they are waaaaay to expensive for my own (small) company

can you recommend a cheap CAD/CAM solution I can use for my own (small) company that aren't too expensive?
it needs to be "allowed" for me to use it for business purposes.

I want standard CAD/CAM posibilities for CNC milling and turning and ofcause i don't expect the software to be able to do everything (since I want a cheap one)

please help me, it would be greatly appreciated

- Kind regards Laurids :)

I would look at ezcam. I tried bobcrap twice over the years and will I have not tried the newer stuff there older stuff was junk,,, I played some with mastercam and gibbs but just did not have the months to put into getting to understand it,,, I picked up ezcam a year ago and was doing simple parts the first day I played with it,,, I really like how dead SIMPLE it is ,,, but if you need to get some better fast code out of it you can get what you want by using the advanced programing parts. and there drawing side is good with a short learning curve ,,,

For 2D CAD try Draftsight(similar to autocad but free) or for 2D and 3D try MoI (Moment of Inspiration) which has a real good price.

For CAM I would recomend NC12 from FILOU (which is for 2.5D) and for 3D DeskProto 6.1.

I don't know what kind of parts you are going to make, but please don't take a 3D CAM software to make 2,5D parts, just to have the option for 3D.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dune1982

I don't know what kind of parts you are going to make, but please don't take a 3D CAM software to make 2,5D parts, just to have the option for 3D.

---

why do you think 3D software for 2.5D parts is a bad idea? :)

and thanks for your input! :D

thanks, I will definitely look at ezcam, thanks for your response :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by teglberg

why do you think 3D software for 2.5D parts is a bad idea? :)

---

This is some basic diffrence between the way 3D and 2.5D works. It is a little to much to explain it all the way, but a simple example. In 3D a circle will be divided into verry verry little short straigt movements (which means compared to the work done, a lot of code). In 2,5D it would only be a few lines, in fact just two bows. If you have a fast machine with a good controller this might not be a problem, But a lot of code will slow down older machines and if you try to make the movements bigger to have less code, then your part wont look as good.

To make it short, if working and machining time is not a concern, well then you are right, you can use 3D for 2,5D. But else I might be wrong as I do not know every CAM solution out there but until now I haven't seen a real good solution for both in one software.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by teglberg

normally I use Gibbs CAM and Autodesk Inventor,

---

Autodesk's Fusion 360 with HSM Works ?
Free to start-up companies.

Edit // OOps, forgot turning cam hasn't been added to Fusion 360 (they're planning to add it some future date)

Take a look at Vectric VCarve. I use it all the time. Fast easy and cheap. Has never let me down and I have always been able to do what I want with it


.........Ricochet

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Ezcam like its name says is very simple to learn. Support is the best you will find, and usually very quick! Have not really used it as a CAD package but depending on your needs I am sure it is doable.

Chad

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ricochet

Take a look at Vectric VCarve. I use it all the time. Fast easy and cheap. Has never let me down and I have always been able to do what I want with it

---

Definitely look into VCarve. We recommend this with all of the machines we sell. It's extremely simple to learn and is inexpensive. Hope you figure something out!