Looking for BobCADCAM User to Compare Notes

[rustnrot]

I recently purchased BobCADCAM ver. 19 (with training). I am a first time CAD user and am learning it slowly. I also downloaded their Shopbot post-processor. I would like to correspond with other BobCADCAM users, particularly in the area of generating the Shopbot code with BobCADCAM.

I particular, BobCADCAM looks for a NC text file as .tap file. The software allows you to change and define the text file extension. Should I change the extension to .spb, the text file for Shopbot?

[Brady Watson]

Tom,
I bought v18 w/ training. It's OK for CAD, and I am not a big fan of the toolpathing options in it. Here's what I recommend:

If you are doing 2D cuts, export the geometry as a DXF file and import into PartWizard. Do your toolpathing there...It's much easier, much more reliable and there is no need to manually place tool projections and retractions like BC. If you have a ShopBot, you should have PW or Vector.

If you are looking to do 3D and know how to offset the geometry for the tool and put in all of the lead ins and lead outs, then create the Code in BobCAD. Save it as a *.NC file or *.TAP. I believe you can change the default extension in the CAM options...Once you have an NC/TAP file, open it up with the ShopBot control software using the FC command. This should convert the file to an SBP perfectly. I tried using the SB post from BC and for some reason when I did there was a problem....so in the rare occasion that I do use BC to generate toolpaths, I just convert it in the SB control software.

Hope that helps!
-Brady

[rustnrot]

Brady I have an older PR that did not come with PartWizard. BobCADCAM was only $200 thru a dealer closeout so that is what I am working with at least for now. I am just using it for 2D cutouts.

I look forward to meeting you and your presentation on molds at the Jamboree!

[Brady Watson]

OK...well another option is to use the DXF converter in SB to convert the profiles out of BC. I know it gets hairy on curved pockets...I thought that the v18 training was a little lite on toolpathing documentation. I also hate the fact that you have to manually insert each and every tool drop and retraction. Not sure if v19 is the same way or not. Cross your fingers...maybe you'll win a copy of PW at the Jamboree!

Yeah...working out what I am going to use as an example for the presentation...With anything possible, it's hard to decide!

-Brady

[rustnrot]

Now that I have been using BobCADCAM for about a week I agree that it is a good CAD program (although I have not used any other). Here is what it does and does NOT do for me (and I am posting to see if perhaps I am missing something).

DOES: Have a tool library
DOES: Saves a .sbp file
DOES: Generate a cad drawing working backwards from G Code but I cannot get it to do this working backwards from a .sbp file.

DOES NOT: Do an automatic offset based on tool diameter, you have to create the offset and define it as the tool path.
DOES NOT: Have any machining "smarts" or even generate a clean .spb file that works, i.e. you have to manually add/remove steps to move the tool from one piece of geometry to the next on the part to get a good file.

Just checking to see if others agree with my review or if I am missing something.

[Brady Watson]

Tom,
You hit the nail on the head!

When I bought v18, I thought that it would be a quick way to get toolpaths together and to do 3D....well yes you CAN do all of these things, but NOT quickly...and NOT reliably. The dog and pony show that they put on about how great it is and what it can do is very misleading.

When they call me (usually at least once a month) I tell them my disdain for purchasing their software and how out of the loop they really are. Then the conversation is swiched to 'you should see how great the next version is going to be!!!' "BobArt is just LIKE ArtCAM!"...Uh-huh...riiiiiight!




-Brady

[rustnrot]

OK, since my software is new I decided to utilize Tech Support and glad I did. Turns out the .spb post processor is faily new (so they say) and not all functionality is there yet, e.g. backplotting from the code. However, I was able to get rid of all of my CG generation problems by changing the decimal fields and accuracy settings in the shopbot post script as BobCAD tech support walked me through it. Now it seems to generate "perfect" 2D profiling code everytime and cut full CG's as per the CAD drawing.

[rustnrot]

PS, I verified with BobCAD that I was correct in changing the .tap to .spb for the text file it saves the NC code in as I mentioned at the start of this thread.

[rmyers2051]

Has any one tried this conversion with V20 yet?
Is there really any correllation between Bobart and Shopbot Art?