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From Transwiki

[edit] WARNING - Software Licenses Matter!

A lot of the Machining folks don't realize how important GPL open-source is (Please don't confuse Open-Source with GPL-open-source as many proprietary software companies are trying very hard to blur and confuse the terms. If you don't keep it straight, it will be at your loss!)

When you start using a CAD package you will become married to it and while you might think you will never have to upgrade (as computers change you will) and if you are using something that is not GPL-open-source you may have to pay dearly.

Commercial software gets good enough to ship and then stops. Any bug fixes will likely be in the next 'paid for upgrade along with new bugs. On the other hand, GPL-open-source software may be lagging a bit, but if there is a bug - it will bother some code bug enough to pull in the source and fix it - sending the fix off to the author and it becomes more and more polished over time.

Some GPL software is really cripple-ware - the code is GPL, but with documentation stripped out so no one can fix it and lacking key features. I've warned you - if we all support REAL-GPL software, it will get better and provide all of us with long term solutions.

[edit] Linux friendly CAD CAM packages

True open source = GPL/BSD and could be part of Debian If actually part of Debian - the last version of Debian name. Please note - being in Debian greatly increases the possibility of being in Ubuntu.

To vote -- Add a * if you use like to use.

[edit] Code fragments - works in progress - Alpha code

apt360 and visual called vapt

[edit] Code Converters

[edit] Cripple-ware Windoze or not in the gpl Open-Source Spirit

• qcad crippled-ware-GPL 2D limit - CAMexpert is the advanced version
• gCAD3D not GPL - not Freeware
• synergy Warning not GPL

" 30day free trial - I'm told it may be pretty good? need more info"

• SheetCAM Cripple-ware? No source.. 2D
• Dolphin Partmaster Pro
• CamBam

"Its a windows program but will run under wine and the betas are free. Works fine for basic needs.." "It has a bit of a learning curve, but it has a ton of power for it's price."

• CadMax Solid Master
• EZCAM

"I tried to use the EZCAM Express Turn software (about $1000) and after about 8 hours of banging my head against a wall I gave up.

The manual and documentation is terrible. I have worked with some really hostile software before but this stuff is really bad. I don't know how bad BobCad is, but EZCAM, at least the version I used (purchased new about two months ago) was truly horrible.

If you look at the CNCZone website they have a group, but the group came together chatted a lot about how great the software is for a couple of days and then there has been no activity for a long, long time. I think the exchange was rigged, seriously.

I wouldn't buy the software if it was $20. It is that bad.

• SheetCam

"isn't open source but it is pretty reasonably priced and there is a Linux version as well as a Windows version. The Linux version is a little out of date at the moment but the Windows version runs well under Wine. I am working on an update to the Linux version.

• Rhino3D Windoze based "I use Rhino3D with the MadCam-plugin, it's amazing powerful."

• BobCAD

"I had BobCad and it truly sucks. It was a complete waste of money for us. They sold it to us "twice" promising that it would just take a few small edits to the G-code translator to get it to work with Isel machines. After 4 months they still could not translate to Isel and Bobcad was worthless after lots of money and time wasted."

• Vectric Windoze based"For routers and the like the Vectric software is hard to beat ...Good support and easy to use.

• FeatureCam Windoze based

"For turning and milling I use FeatureCam. It has it's quirks but it's highly configurable and relatively easy to edit the post processor files to suit any machine. "

• Visual Mill

"It's very easy to use if you are coming from a solid model, so it works great with Alibre CAD (which is only $197) or another solid modeler (Rhino, Solidworks, Pro-E). You can also work from DXFs with it, but it loses many of it's benefits if you do. Visual Mill starts at $1k, but it does have a pretty good feature set for the price."

• Alibre CAM $$$$ About $2k for all the parts to get usable CAM

"Based on Visual Mill. Unfortunately, by most accounts Alibre CAM is buggier than the Standalone Visual Mill. Alibre also charges for Maintenance, and I believe Visual Mill does not, so in the end Visual Mill works out to be quite a bit cheaper. "

• Pro/E $$$$$$$$$$$$$

"has a build in g-code generator, compatible with EMS, or at least for the 3 axis what I have been using so far. It's extremely powerful and modifies the G-code even after the model has been changed, parametric to the power!!! It's does have some learning curve though, but you benefit from if if you make the same part in different configurations (sizes or family tables)."

• SprutCAM

"SprutCAM is really good and not expensive (free for educational use). There's a free trial version to download and it already includes a lot of postprocessors. I use it to generate the tool path for y 3+1 axes mill for about ten years now and really like it."

• Hypermill $$$$$$

"(way to expensive) for 5 axes tool path generation. "

• Catia v5 $$$$$$$$$$$:"

CAM module integrated into (very expensive as long as you don´t use it for education only)."

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