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QCAD/CAM

Are there any CAM users here ?

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Michael Gilligan16/11/2021 18:08:37
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I am on the verge of purchasing a licence for QCAD ... which seems a very useable 2D package [despite the irritation of it not supporting the use of a digitising tablet]

But I am struggling to decide about the CAM module : **LINK**

There seems to be very little information about it on t'internet.

Can anyone advise, please ?

MichaelG.

Emgee16/11/2021 18:54:22
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Michael

I notice you are able to download a copy of the CAM program FOC, do this and you can compare easily what's available within the program and see if it would suit your use.

Emgee

Michael Gilligan16/11/2021 19:25:38
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Emgee

I have the 'trial' download ... but, since I am still considering my possible use, I am seeking guidance from those more familiar with such things.

MichaelG.

Emgee16/11/2021 21:51:15
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Did you view the Demo video ? if not that may answer some questions.

Emgee

Michael Gilligan16/11/2021 22:21:33
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Posted by Emgee on 16/11/2021 21:51:15:

Did you view the Demo video ? if not that may answer some questions.

Emgee

.

Yes, I viewed the demo video ... and No it doesn't answer my question.

What I want to know is how good, and how versatile, this module actually is.

I currently have a small grbl laser engraver, but will hopefully be venturing into other [as yet unspecified] aspects of CNC.

Whilst I am grateful for you taking the trouble to respond: What I want is some advice from someone who has the practical experience that I lack.

MichaelG.

Michael Gilligan17/11/2021 08:04:45
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As Donald Rumsfeld famously put it :

… there are also unknown-unknowns …

MichaelG.

.

Ref. __ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_are_known_knowns

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 17/11/2021 08:05:28

blowlamp17/11/2021 11:47:54
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It seems you may struggle to find many users of the QCAM module - it's not something I have come across in my CAD/CAM travels, I must admit.

If you just want a well sorted & reliable CAM system for milling & laser at a reasonable price point, then I suggest you download the CamBam trial software. It will accept DXF files from QCAD, as well as STL & STEP for any 3D work you may want to do in the future.

CamBam has an excellent support forum which will put you back on track as and when you need it. There are also people on here that can help too - me included.

Martin.

JasonB17/11/2021 12:49:55
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The one big advantage of having the CAD and CAM in the same program is that if part way through the CAM you find you need to alter the part it should be possible to do that and the CAM file automatically update. If you are exporting/importing from one program to another then you basically have to start again with the newly imported revised part.

blowlamp17/11/2021 13:15:55
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Posted by JasonB on 17/11/2021 12:49:55:

The one big advantage of having the CAD and CAM in the same program is that if part way through the CAM you find you need to alter the part it should be possible to do that and the CAM file automatically update. If you are exporting/importing from one program to another then you basically have to start again with the newly imported revised part.

CamBam has some very usable CAD facilities built into it that allows editing of imported files and in fact quite a few users draw their projects from scratch within it.

Martin.

John Baron17/11/2021 15:32:00
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Posted by blowlamp on 17/11/2021 11:47:54:

It seems you may struggle to find many users of the QCAM module - it's not something I have come across in my CAD/CAM travels, I must admit.

If you just want a well sorted & reliable CAM system for milling & laser at a reasonable price point, then I suggest you download the CamBam trial software. It will accept DXF files from QCAD, as well as STL & STEP for any 3D work you may want to do in the future.

CamBam has an excellent support forum which will put you back on track as and when you need it. There are also people on here that can help too - me included.

Martin.

A major problem for me is that there is no Linux version of CamBam ! Where as Qcad with the Cam module does support Linux. Having said that I do use Qcad regularly, and I have played with the Cam part but don't actually use it in anger, not having any CNC machines.

blowlamp17/11/2021 16:01:24
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Posted by John Baron on 17/11/2021 15:32:00:
Posted by blowlamp on 17/11/2021 11:47:54:

It seems you may struggle to find many users of the QCAM module - it's not something I have come across in my CAD/CAM travels, I must admit.

If you just want a well sorted & reliable CAM system for milling & laser at a reasonable price point, then I suggest you download the CamBam trial software. It will accept DXF files from QCAD, as well as STL & STEP for any 3D work you may want to do in the future.

CamBam has an excellent support forum which will put you back on track as and when you need it. There are also people on here that can help too - me included.

Martin.

A major problem for me is that there is no Linux version of CamBam ! Where as Qcad with the Cam module does support Linux. Having said that I do use Qcad regularly, and I have played with the Cam part but don't actually use it in anger, not having any CNC machines.

Here you go.

Another JohnS17/11/2021 17:23:38
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Michael - maybe off topic, maybe not?? You decide.

I'm a CamBam Linux user, and a QCAD linux user. Paid the "subscription" for both of them.

I actually do 99% of my CAD on my Linux machine, my Windows partition containing Alibre Atom 3D and Meshcam gets turned on maybe every 6 months or so. I just like Linux, and do share my monitor with an Apple Mac Mini, and poor old Windows comes last. I did download CAMBAM on Windows, so I do know it starts up, but have not actually used it. (nor Meshcam!)

I build to plans; I enjoy making parts; the 3D designing part of my brain gets used for other things other than Model Engineering, so likely my thoughts are different than the norm. I do watch what Jason does; fantastic work.

My current project is finishing up two Southworth 3" pumps; I just QCAD up the parts, CAMBAM them, and transfer the gcode files to my CNC machines in my workshop. I'm building 2 of them, and parts are interchangeable, as one would expect. After that, back on my Martin-Evans "Ivatt", when that's complete, we'll see.

Saying the above, my thoughts are to use Windows 10 more often, but it seems to be always updating when I turn it on, so there goes my evening. My CNC machines all run Linux, we have a couple of Macs and Macbooks and iPads/iPhones, so Windows is definitely the odd thing in our abode.

I did write a few articles in Model Engineer showing what I did with QCAD and CAMBAM when building my Kozo Shay locomotive, if that is of any interest to you.

John.

Michael Gilligan17/11/2021 18:17:40
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A somewhat delayed ‘thank you’ for the input, Gentlemen yes

[ we were out for the afternoon ]

Martin hit the nail on he head when he wrote: “It seems you may struggle to find many users of the QCAM module”

… and the truth of that observation is, of course, is what prompted me to start this thread.

As Jason then observed, however … there are perceived advantages to having CAD and CAM integrated into a package from a single supplier.

I guess my question is really : Does QCAD/CAM have any significant issues which would make it worth the effort of using two discrete packages instead ?

Since there appears to be little take-up of QCAD/CAM, that question ^^^ may in fact be unanswerable sad

… I certainly don’t have the background knowledge to make an ‘informed decision’ at the moment.

It does seem clear that there is wide enthusiasm for CamBam … so I will surely need to investigate that.

.

One thing I should mention is that I expect to use ‘whatever’ on my old MacBook Pro, which runs El Capitan:

RibbonSoft seems to be particularly ‘friendly’ regarding legacy machines, and QCAD/CAM is available in versions to suit most of the Mac operating systems.

You will see that I am stumbling around in the dark here … So, whilst I have a look at CamBam, I would be very grateful for any further input.

MichaelG.

Michael Gilligan17/11/2021 18:25:36
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UPDATE :

Oh well … that didn’t take long:

System Requirements

CamBam V1.0 requires the Microsoft .NET framework version 4.

CamBam has been tested on Windows versions from XP up to Windows 10.

.

MichaelG.

blowlamp17/11/2021 18:49:24
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Which operating system do you intend to use?

Martin.

Michael Gilligan17/11/2021 19:05:35
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Posted by Michael Gilligan on 17/11/2021 18:17:40:

[…]

One thing I should mention is that I expect to use ‘whatever’ on my old MacBook Pro, which runs El Capitan:

[…]

.

Martin,

Please see above ^^^

The [2009 vintage] MBP currently runs El Capitan, and I intend to continue using that.

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 17/11/2021 19:06:48

John Baron17/11/2021 19:38:24
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Posted by blowlamp on 17/11/2021 16:01:24:
Posted by John Baron on 17/11/2021 15:32:00:
Posted by blowlamp on 17/11/2021 11:47:54:

It seems you may struggle to find many users of the QCAM module - it's not something I have come across in my CAD/CAM travels, I must admit.

If you just want a well sorted & reliable CAM system for milling & laser at a reasonable price point, then I suggest you download the CamBam trial software. It will accept DXF files from QCAD, as well as STL & STEP for any 3D work you may want to do in the future.

CamBam has an excellent support forum which will put you back on track as and when you need it. There are also people on here that can help too - me included.

Martin.

A major problem for me is that there is no Linux version of CamBam ! Where as Qcad with the Cam module does support Linux. Having said that I do use Qcad regularly, and I have played with the Cam part but don't actually use it in anger, not having any CNC machines.

Here you go.

Hi Blowlamp,

Thankyou for that link ! I'll have a play with that.

blowlamp17/11/2021 20:30:26
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Posted by Michael Gilligan on 17/11/2021 19:05:35:

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 17/11/2021 18:17:40:

[…]

One thing I should mention is that I expect to use ‘whatever’ on my old MacBook Pro, which runs El Capitan:

[…]

.

Martin,

Please see above ^^^

The [2009 vintage] MBP currently runs El Capitan, and I intend to continue using that.

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 17/11/2021 19:06:48

That's a bit of a limitation, Michael. wink

The QCAM module appears to be limited to profile cuts, which can have a wide range of facilities within them, but I doubt would be enough once you become a capable CNC'er.

At the moment, the only Apple compatible CAM I can think of with a reasonable price/performance ratio would be Deskproto. Although it is primarily designed as a 3D system (Geometry Machining) , it also has enough 2D facilities (Vector Machining) to do useful work.

In essence, if you could find a Windows machine that you'd be happy using, then your choice would expand greatly. devil

Martin.

Michael Gilligan17/11/2021 20:50:26
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I guess that’s ‘case-closed’ then.

MichaelG.

Andy Carlson17/11/2021 22:24:16
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I can't answer your question Michael as I use just QCAD myself but I am interested in the discussion.

FWIW I use dxf2gcode to do G Code generation. It is fairly basic but helped by some careful layer naming (tool diameter etc) it has got me up and running. It's OK for profiling and has recently had pocket milling added but probably falls a long way short of some other CAM options. All of my stuff is on Windoze but the web page says it works on Linux and Mac too.

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