ArtCam
 

Thread started for Stephen Hull...

Forum members,
I am in the final process of purchasing ArtCam Pro with maintenance = tutorials. Before finalizing this arrangement, I would like to ask if any of you have experience using this software and what you find good or not so good about it. Art Cam has nice wrap features and from my research, is generally a very good program and well received. As a note, I am not a CNC fluent user and will have a learning curve that may be somewhat steep, a good thing. I do have Rhino but find it does not have the readily available geometric features that I need although great for curves. My purpose for this is reproducing Tibetan art and symbols in good detail with my to be built MechMate (parts ordered).

Stephen:
Before you jump into the tremendous cost of ArtCam Pro { a wonderful, but costly program}.
You might want to look into a program called Enroute3. sold bt SA International.
www.enroute3.com/Signmakers123 <----link broken 1/6/07
Though this program is somewhat expensive also, It is more intuitive during the learning process, and much less expensive than ArtCam PRO.

Bob,
Thanks for the referral. I will go to the web site you listed. I also appreciate your evaluation of ArtCam.
Stephen

http://www.enroute3.com/index.html

I couldnt find any prices there though.

Also have a look at Vectric products . . . . started by ex-Artcam people.

There was an industrial Woodworking show in Orlando today which I attended. ArtCam had a booth. I looked ArtCam Insignia which is priced at $3000 the Pro goes for $10,000. Insignia looks like a very nice package but I don't have any CNC using experience.

I hope that I have an opportunity to look at Vectric.

Spot On..
 

I own the v-Carve suite of products and like them very much. Without a doubt they are great for 2.5D but even Cut3D is more about toolpathing than a starting point for 3D, unlike v-Carve from which I start nearly all 2.5D work. So, in looking for something to do end-to-end 3D, I looked at ArtCam. So, I'm looking at the videos on their website (http://www.artcam.com/videos/) and I first notice the english accent. Then he demos the program and I think I'm looking at v-Carve.

That explains it - I wondered why they act (node editing, previews, layout on-screen, etc) nearly the same.