Sliceing A model to fit under the gantry?

[ccw]

Could someone help me find the tool for slicing something down to a manageable size and assemble it after the fact?

[terryd]

CUT3D from Vectric for the slicing provided you have a 3D file. The easiest to use program around for machining large items on a CNC. As for assembly just put locator holes through the entire object perpendicular to the slice planes before toolpathing. Then you just align the parts on a dowel or whatever when assembling.

[frank_hav]

I second that. Cut3D works great and is worth the money for the slicing feature alone.

Frank

[rustnrot]

I 3rd (..er...ah 3d) that! I have Cut3D and it is greattt!!

[paco]

4th


4817

[hines]

If you already have Artcam, you can find help here.
http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/show.cgi?tpc=2&post=18248#POST18248

otherwise, I fifth the Cut3D recommendation.

[ccw]

That good huh?
Would you use that over the ART CAM?

[hines]

For me it's about money. That skews my view quite a bit.

[Brady Watson]

Mark,
Many people fail to realize that you have to install the Slicer.exe from the ArtCAM disc in the unsupported folder. Create a relief, save it, and create slices with the slicer according to your material thickness. If you own ArtCAM, this is how you do it. If you don't, Cut3D is the easiest way to do sliced models on a budget.

-B

[ccw]

Yes Brady I did find that after looking at this thread works like a charm.
Now just as a side note if I were going to be doing a bunch of 3D stuff would I want to own this software?
Or better question is Art Cam The elephant gun shooting at a butterfly?

[Brady Watson]

I use ArtCAM everyday for just about anything that comes down the pike. I also use VCarve Pro & Cut3D for special projects. What many don't get is that the price you pay for software actually makes you more money than it costs to buy. Some just focus on the price of admission, and completely miss the idea of making more money. I don't subscribe to the 'fixed income' notion and don't skimp on my tools. You can't grow & make more money if you don't have the capability to do so.

If you have the need to both create and toolpath 3D on one package with a lot of control and the ability to sculpt in software, then Pro is the obvious choice. If you do occasional 3D, and most of your business is centered around 2D cutting, then you would be better suited to use the Vectric suite of programs and farm out 3D creation altogether. There are many packages out there for creating 3D, and many who use various packages cobbled together to meet thier needs and budgets.

It all boils down to your needs & nothing more. The money you spend on software will pay you back in spades if you are dedicated to learning it and your business needs require it or can grow into it. I would try to make the most of the demo version you are using before it runs out, to gauge what it can do for your business.

-B

[ccw]

Thank you for your thoughts.
I own the Art Cam Pro software.
And was looking cut 3D for other tools and more capabilty.
Mark

[joelschuman]

Check out Rhinoceros. Price is a fraction of ArtCam, and functionality is equivalent. Easy to learn and there's a huge and helpful user community. Sectioning is basic to its 3D modeling capability.
For me, Rhino + Visual Mill Pro = 100% solution.

[bill.young]

FYI, Both Delcam and Mechsoft (the Visual Mill folks) will be at the Jamboree this year.

Bill

[bruce_clark]

Brady,

Honest question here. If you were to loose your Artcam program and dongle, would you rush right out and pay $7500 tomorrow or would you look for something a little less expensive that could do similar work?

Bill, isn't Vectric going to be there as well?

Bruce

[bill.young]

Hey Bruce,

I was just commenting on Joel's thoughts about ArtCAM and Rhino+Visual Mill...I certainly didn't mean to leave Vectric out.

Vectric will be there for sure along with the TurboCAD folks and hopefully a few others.

[Brady Watson]

Bruce,
Absolutely. I can't do the level of modelling or toolpathing offered by any other single or cobbled together package out there. I started with the cobbled together route many years ago and was very frustrated with the limitations that I constantly ran into. There are tools in ArtCAM that are presently not available in any other CAD/CAM package on earth...so cobbling together other packages out of economy isn't going to be the equivalent of ArtCAM.

For most people, the Vectric suite of programs is perfect. I think people need to really take the time to understand what each software package does, the features it offers and how much of it you are actually going to use in your individual business. The real question is if the software meets the NEEDS of your business. Just like you can order a PRS standard, PRS Alpha with either a spindle or router. You have to ask yourself what your needs are. Period. I didn't spend the extra money on a 5hp spindle because I wanted bragging rights...I bought it because I knew that one day I would grow into needing it.

There seems to be quite an adversion to ArtCAM Pro for some reason. I remember seeing all of the amazing things that it could do early on when I was using MillWizard...I wanted it in the worst way...and thought that anyone who spent $7500 on it was a fool...Now that I use it day in and day out, I see the value of the software and just can't run my particular business without it. It wasn't until I actually witnessed all that the software was capable of doing that I fully realized the value of the price of admission. I'm not here to sell anyone on anything. Do your own research and find out what's right for YOU! If it gets the job done without spending a ton of time doing it, then it's the right package for you.

-B

[bruce_clark]

Bill,

Thanks. I heard they were coming a while ago, but thought that maybe they cancelled or something.

Brady,

I don't personally have an adversion to Artcam in particular or Delcam in general. I will say that I am not a big fan of their HTML interface, but really it is a tool and if it gets the job done, that is what matters.

I personally think that there might be an adversion to ArtCam here because of 1) the problems I hear about with PartWizard 2) the high entry fee to play with ArtCam.

I have "played" with 3D stuff (Millwizard and I own a Picza) but other than "playing around" 3D is not my core interest right now. Maybe someday and when that day comes, I will look into Artcam, but I hope that by that time, someone makes a competing product that lowers the cost of entry.

I think ModelMill started down that road to compete with ArtCam, but was bought out by Scanvec and who knows what happened to ModelMill.

Anyways, just my thoughts.

Bruce