Your advice about moving on from Bob-CadCam?

[eaglemike]

I've been a customer for more than 20 years. I actually bought every version, including what was likely the most screwed up package ever released, version 22 (first released as 2002 IIRC, and it was so bad they should have bought it back). Even purchased multiple seats, so I could program at home, shop and have an emergency version on the laptop. Without ranting (and I'd really like to), I think their view of customer service and mine have diverged sharply. (I think I started first with version 16, maybe even 15 or 14)
I tried oneCNC for a bit, but the interface is quite a bit different than what I'm used to. I'm an old guy now (67 soon), and the old gray matter doesn't work as well as it did before chemo. I have my own products, and don't need to spend a lot of time programming. Most of my stuff is pretty simple, just once in a while a little 4th axis stuff, mostly 2.5 easy-peasy parts.
I could get current on oneCNC, or go another way. Easy to learn and easy to use is my preference, since I almost never do any fancy surfacing. Would you offer your suggestions?
Thanks in advance!

 

[g-coder05]

20 years on BobCad you should be more than extremely proficient with it. Right now with so many Cad companies juggling ownership you may want to stay put. I was semi forced out of Featurecam from Autodesk recently after 20+ years of being faithful and find myself struggling with most other systems. Not that the other systems are difficult, but rather trying to unlearn what I can do without looking.

There are some super nice systems that I have been trying such as the new PTC Creo and in all actuality its probably better than Featurecam but I will never be as good on it as I was FC.

 

[Plastikdreams]

I'm a Mastercam fan boy so take that for what it's worth. I haven't had a chance to play with the newer versions but the older "x" series programs were very user friendly. I use mine for 2/3d cad and cam. It's pretty straight forward.

 

[eaglemike]

20 years on BobCad you should be more than extremely proficient with it. Right now with so many Cad companies juggling ownership you may want to stay put. I was semi forced out of Featurecam from Autodesk recently after 20+ years of being faithful and find myself struggling with most other systems. Not that the other systems are difficult, but rather trying to unlearn what I can do without looking.

There are some super nice systems that I have been trying such as the new PTC Creo and in all actuality its probably better than Featurecam but I will never be as good on it as I was FC.

I hear what you are saying. I just have a hard time staying in a relationship with someone that has screwed me. I had a big bunch of training hours in the bank, and they decided they weren't going to honor them. Last time I renewed about 7 months ago, I was told they would extend 7 hours for 6 months. I got covid and couldn't function well enough to use them - and there should have been more than 50 hours in the bank. The ownership recently changed hands, and a lot of things changed. I may stay with them, just very much not happy with them.

 

[eaglemike]

I'm a Mastercam fan boy so take that for what it's worth. I haven't had a chance to play with the newer versions but the older "x" series programs were very user friendly. I use mine for 2/3d cad and cam. It's pretty straight forward.

Thanks for your input.

 

[eaglemike]

I meant to post this in general CAD Cam - so if you see this mod's, please move it. Sorry about that!

 

[SD&M]

Hi Eagle:

I wonder if it might make sense to just “stay put”with your current version of BobCad, and perhaps just drop “maintenance” unless there’s something you need to do that your current version won’t handle. You won’t have to go learn something new, and you won’t have to do business with the new folks, either.

I share your frustration about CAM s/w (or more accurately, the folks you have to deal with after a change of ownership or VAR). I like the program I use, but am not super thrilled with the new US dealer, so am just kicking the can down the road for now.

 

[Mhajicek]

I love Mastercam up through X9, which I'm still using. I absolutely loath the new ribbon based interface in 2017+. It's getting to the point though that I'm either going to have to learn to live with it or buy something else. I've heard good things about Top Solid.

 

[eaglemike]

I love Mastercam up through X9, which I'm still using. I absolutely loath the new ribbon based interface in 2017+. It's getting to the point though that I'm either going to have to learn to live with it or buy something else. I've heard good things about Top Solid.

BobCad has also gone to a ribbon interface. Agree with you on not liking it - I think sometimes changes are made for the sake of change, and to look "fresh" and may not actually improve performance.

 

[eaglemike]

Thanks everyone for your input so far. BobCad has gone through a few major design changes (one noted above) since I've been a user. They used to be market oriented more toward smaller shops, IMO. I think they've been trying to move upmarket for quite a while. They also actually used to be fairly reasonable on customer service. They used to stay open later in the day to give better west coast coverage - that's gone. My gut feeling is that there's some kind of problem with the person in charge of "customer service." It might be a problem within the company, the person in charge of that department, or she might have a problem with me, although I've not given her a reason to be angry or whatever. I did tell her I think her position is an expression of bad faith toward a long time customer.
I'm up for renewal in October. They sent me an invoice for the next couple of years, but exactly what that covers isn't completely spelled out. They might say it meets the terms described on their site. They have changed the terms and conditions on their site without giving their customers a good notice in the past, so I don't believe I can trust that.
No matter what company you use, don't trust what they say or promise, get it all in writing, and save everything. Companies will change terms without regard to their customers.
They might be big enough now they don't give a rip about 1 customer that would only pay them a few thou a year.
Stay safe and healthy!

 

[SD&M]

I've heard good things about Top Solid.

I’m using TopSolid here, and would be happy to share my thoughts either online or offline.

In short, I can say that I really like the program, but am not thrilled with the company. YMMV as they say.

 

[Mhajicek]

I’m using TopSolid here, and would be happy to share my thoughts either online or offline.

In short, I can say that I really like the program, but am not thrilled with the company. YMMV as they say.

What's the company done?

 

[SD&M]

If I had to summarize it, it would be perhaps not-so-wonderful support from the US office.

I will PM you my contact info if you want to go into this in greater detail. I think it's a really capable program, but many other factors will figure into the end-user's experience.

I would still give it a thumbs up, with some caveats, and encourage folks to at least have a look if they're looking to "change horses", so to speak. It seems that the CAD/CAM world is undergoing some changes that have sometimes rubbed users the wrong way (I'm thinking of A'desk with some of their acquisitions, the slow move away from perpetual licenses towards subscription, etc).

In Eaglemike's case, I'm not sure I'd recommend TS (but would still encourage trying the 30 day demo...why not?)....there's SO much to learn to really make it sing. The US office really wants to SELL you training, and the availability of self-learning material is limited when compared to other CAD/CAM s/w in my opinion. Having said all that, I think if you had somebody close-at-hand to help you get going I don't think it's too bad. Keep in mind that you will be learning a parametric assembly modeler that runs on top of an integrated PDM system, and not "just" a CAM program. (I think this is a huge advantage, but it's probably not for everybody).

 

[Herding Cats]

I've been running a pretty optioned up 3D version of SolidCAM inside Solidworks for about a year and have yet to find anything I can't do and their phone tech support has been great. They even support (phone tech support) Solidworks if you buy it through them. SolidCAM is a totally different company than SW and are NOT Soliworks cam but they are a SW reseller.

Nice thing about SW is there are a million and one training options including just taking a class at you local college.

I tried OneCNC and wanted to like it cause of the price but there was no way I could use it. The cad side isn't parametric, you can't loft solids and the cam side is very lacking on the 3D side requiring a retract to clearance between every step down. Not a huge deal for trochoidal milling but a massive deal breaker when using feed mills.