[scubaru]

From looking around the web I see this question and many like it over and over again. I'd like to start by saying I understand this in itself is a loaded question, hence why maybe given my current knowledge, machines and plan I can get some better insight into the decision.

Experience: I am about 10 months out from getting my Bachelors in Manufacturing Engineering. My school used MasterCam as our CAM software which is my knowledge base at the moment.

Machines: We are trading in our 20+ year old Supermax 3 axis mills for a newer Haas VF-2SS and a brand new Haas UMC-750 (5 axis) that should be here in the month.

Parts/Goals: We are a performance shop that specializes in Subaru's, we do aftermarket part production as well as small engine work. With the 5 axis and many months of training I will be getting into porting the heads.

Currently all of our 3D modeling is done in Solidworks and from how I did it in college I like the easy transfer into Mastercam.

Side by side the pricing is about the same, with all the add on's Mastercam is about $27k and Esprit is $31k. I am very familiar with Mastercam and was blown away by their porting software. They also have some other great features like a post specific for the UMC-750. Esprit on the other hand has some incredible features to make programming a revision of a part a breeze by copying the operations to the new part instead of reprogramming every feature. Esprit also claims they better display how the part/tool/machine will work together where Mastercam just shows the tool jumping around the part. So who has experienced both or has a better idea of what would better benefit us.

I've attached some images of parts we manufacture and will manufacture to show the 5 axis needs we are after.

Attachment 253080

Attachment 253082

[BIRDTOOL]

Can't reply on Mastercam, but with Esprit, you'll need to pay extra for a custom post, they do not offer them free, especially for 5 axis. Could be a couple grand if they made one for someone else and just resell it to you, a lot more if you have to have it made. You'll also need to spend the time modeling your machine if you want it to simulate "pretty" like their brochure, but it's not required. They have their new "cloud" option, but we run our PC's off line so have no experience with that either.

[scubaru]

Can't reply on Mastercam, but with Esprit, you'll need to pay extra for a custom post, they do not offer them free, especially for 5 axis. Could be a couple grand if they made one for someone else and just resell it to you, a lot more if you have to have it made. You'll also need to spend the time modeling your machine if you want it to simulate "pretty" like their brochure, but it's not required. They have their new "cloud" option, but we run our PC's off line so have no experience with that either.

I did talk to both about pretty much every part of a full purchase. Mastercam wants $3400 for the machine post, Esprit says $1000 but that is for a Haas post, not specific to the UMC-750. He did say they do have the UMC-750 on file and that wouldn't be an issue to price that in instead.

The simulation stuff isn't as big an issue to me, I do need to have the table, spindle, vise/clamping, etc to prevent crashes, but side panels and doors aren't a concern of mine.

I'm not sure what your prior experience is with CAM software, did you go through their training and how well did that get you up to speed on their software? I heard (coming from Mastercam) its a PITA to switch.

[scubaru]

The biggest argument that I hear Esprit say against Mastercam is Esprit simulates how the entire assembly (table, tool, holder, spindle, vice) will move in a real world setting. Where Mastercam only shows the part floating in space and the tool moving around it. Now I've seen videos showing both simulations from MasterCam. The more I think about it, having no experience on 5 axis it would be nice to actually see the way the table, tool, part and spindle will all move around. Anyone using MasterCam, any experience with generating real world machining environments?

[BIRDTOOL]

I've been doing cadcam for almost 17yrs, primarily with pro/nc but have tinkered with a few. The shop I'm at now uses esprit, if you go that route just get the cds from thecamwizard.com. very thorough. Like any software there's always issues, the esprit ins
taller was a piece of crap for a long time, it's gotten a "little" better. If you want true simulation, I'd suggest getting something like Vericut since it checks the actual gcode and not just the nc data. Oh and if you want to create your models inside esprit for your machine per their docs, you can't export in the file format required to import into your template.(stl file I think) pay extra for that too.

Another negative is the community size, just not a lot of others using dptech, there online support forum is minimal and you can only get on it if you are on maintenance. I think new licenses only give you 3 months.

[Tony T]

I have used both MasterCam and Esprit. It has been a while since I used Esprit, not by my choice. If I were in your position and had my choice it would be Esprit. While they both have there issues in my opinion Esprit is still and has been for sometime now more of a model based programming system the MasterCam is even today. I know that statement will get $#%^ started but that is what I think.

[surfsup]

I know this thread is old but I agree with TonyT. The overall power of esprit is a much better experience than mastercam. I've used both, but used esprit more in these last 8 years. I still know guys that use mc and complain about stuff that I don't need to deal with. In those part examples, you'll want esprit hands-down. as for a post processor, paying for a post is not a big deal. I'd rather pay for something that works than pay hidden costs and have a machine down for months or years because the mc reseller can't figure out the posted format.