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Will 2x also include turning?
The general goal is to take the existing application Cloud Milling. Make it available to our customers, as soon as possible. First we must address some mandatory projects. There are many things we as Onshape must address in order to turn this into Onshape developed and deployed application.
We are working as fast as possible. But I do ask for patience. We plan to leave the Application "as is" as much as possible so as to get it into your hands. At the same time, there are many projects that take time.
"will it do this?". or "does it have this capability?"... CAM Studio is being developed as a production level CAM solution, fully integrated in the Onshape data model and infrastructure. It will honor the Onshape way of doing things. It is already starting as 2-5 axis milling. That is the starting place. Many of you likely saw demos of it previously. Robust tool strategies, simulation, tool libraries, post processing. etc... all the basics that you would expect. We expect this product to be used by a range of users from simple prototyping to high end machining. So if there is a capability that is required to meet these requirements. Its very likely to be targeted.
This will not be a static product. It will evolve and rapidly be developed. The answer to most questions, it will likely be "when", not "if". That is if you are asking about capabilities that are common professional CNC needs.
Sincerely,
Joe
I would love to test this when/if needed.
I was hoping/dreaming you guys would somehow integrate HSMworks. But considering Autodesk bought them lock-stock-and-barrel and then made a module for Solidworks, it didn't seem very likely that HSM (originally open source) would become available to Onshape (one of Autodesk's competitors)...
What are the specific needs you and or your company has for CAM with Onshape? Specifically
- What types of CNC machines do you use?
- What kinds of machining do you do? 2.5 axis? Mill Turn? etc.....
- Volume of work, is this for occasional prototyping? Or do you have machines running 24/7?
- Who typically uses CAM in your company? Do you have a dedicated machinist? etc...
- Do you use an existing CAM solution?
Any other details would likely be useful to us.Thanks
Joe
CNC machine: Homag Weeke Vantech 612 (uses "Woodwop" .mpr file post processed files)
Machine type/use: It's a 2.5/3 Axis spoilboard Router. Used to cut, pocket, deck and drill timber and wood like stock.
Volume of work: Machine runs 8 hours a day most of the time preparing commercial joinery for assembly.
Users of CAM: "Setout" team prepare NC data to be run on machine operated by dedicated floor staff.
Existing CAM: Current software package is Microvellum. It is an extremely unsatisfactory software.
To consider an alternative CAM we require at minimum:
- 3D model automatic feature recognition and tool path generation.
- Nesting:
At some point I ventured to develope an integrated nesting extension for onshape, but being just one guy with no license, no history in web dev and only basic programming skills all I have is a half baked UI design. I have come up with a list of solutions to standard issues I see in CAM software. It's quite involved and not worth posting here. But if you or anyone on the team feels it coulf be worth your time to discus please get in touch.-With Grain Matching
-Manual adjustment
-Small part handling (Tabs, onion skin or part joining)
-"True Shape" nesting (AKA. iregular shape nesting)
-There is about 30 other points I can add here but these 4 are the minimum.
What types of CNC machines do you use?
Trumpf Laser, Messer Plasma, Flow Water Jet, Haas VF6 Vertical Mill, Mazak Lathe
What kinds of machining do you do? 2.5 axis? Mill Turn? etc.....
Trumpf Laser: 2D laser cutting
Messer Plasma: 2D plasma cutting
Flow Water Jet: 2D water jet cutting
Haas VF6 Vertical Mill: 3 and 4-axis milling
Mazak Nexus 250: 2-axis turning
Volume of work, is this for occasional prototyping?
All CNC machines run 8-12 hours daily and can range from prototypes to long part runs.
Who typically uses CAM in your company?
CAM is done by machine operators
Do you use an existing CAM solution?
Trumpf Laser: SigmaNest
Messer Plasma: Omniwin
Flow WaterJet: FlowPath,
Haas VF6 Vertical Mill: Fusion 360
Mazak Nexus 250: Fusion 360
Other CAM requirements:
Bi-directional communication with CAD model.
2D nesting
Geometry Recognition
Twitter: @BryanLAGdesign
Current main machine is a Brother S700X1 with fanuc type control and 4th.
We just bought a new shop. Future machines will most likely be a horizontal or 5 axis with pallets. Our goal is to reduce labor/setup time/improve quality via less setups/handling.
Volume of work, is this for occasional prototyping? Or do you have machines running 24/7?
We currently do mainly prototypes.
24/7 is the future goal with a low volume high mix. Our parts typically have tight tolerances.
Do you use an existing CAM solution?
HSMWorks, some manual
I have found HSMWorks to be pretty easy to train someone to get up and running on 2.5d. The surfacing is not as intuitive and can be frustrating, but it eventually gets the job done. There are way to many clicks!
Mastercam has always been a non starter. I just don't have to time and money to invest.
Why CAM in OS is important?
In order to reduce labor and setup time, we need to have predefined setups. This is where the intergrated CAM/CAD really comes in handy.
What types of CNC machines do you use?
CR Onsrud Fixed Gantry Machines with FANUC Controls
What kinds of machining do you do? 2.5 axis? Mill Turn? etc.....
3-5 axis Machining
Volume of work, is this for occasional prototyping? Or do you have machines running 24/7?
Prototyping and Production Machines Single Shift
Who typically uses CAM in your company? Do you have a dedicated machinist? etc...
4 Dedicated Machinist/Programmer
Do you use an existing CAM solution?
MasterCAM Mill 3D with Multiaxis and Probing
Other CAM requirements
Custom Posts
I am a hobbyist and have been experimenting with CAM at my local FabLab (a Makerspace style shared workshop).
What types of CNC machines do you use?
Shopbot PRSAlpha, X-Carve, Carvey
What kinds of machining do you do? 2.5 axis? Mill Turn? etc.....
3 axis (or 2.5 axis? Not sure about the difference), mostly wood (hardwoods and plywood), but also aluminium
Volume of work, is this for occasional prototyping? Or do you have machines running 24/7?
One off hobby projects.
Who typically uses CAM in your company? Do you have a dedicated machinist? etc...
Do you use an existing CAM solution?
It is hobbyists members of the FabLab (and the owner) using the CNC machines.
I have used Fusion360 for CAM (quite powerful, but I hate it). I have also used Easel, Vectric VCarve Pro, as well as Kiri:Moto (in Onshape).
I am really looking forward to a CAM solution integrated into Onshape, and really hope that at least some of the functionality will be available to hobbyist users like me.
Nesting type for sheets goods
Cabinet making- 2.5 axis, drilling via drilling bank
Daily, about 5-10 hours per day. Constant production.
Me and another operator.
Yes, Vcarve- Painful transition from 3D to 2D.
5 Axis DMG Mori with Siemens 840d Celos control.
What kinds of machining do you do? 2.5 axis? Mill Turn? etc.....
High mix 3-5 axis simultaneous machining.
Volume of work, is this for occasional prototyping? Or do you have machines running 24/7?
Mostly prototyping several times a week, and some small production runs.
Who typically uses CAM in your company? Do you have a dedicated machinist? etc...
I do as the dedicated programmer and machinist. Occasional 2.5 programming by other colleagues.
Do you use an existing CAM solution?
Currently using Esprit TNG
I have been cutting lots of sheets already with the product. I use the Auto Layout Custom Feature to get everything flat, and then manually adjust for more optimal placement. It gets the job done. Automatic nesting will come. Optimizing the workflow for flat goods is part of the plan.
Just want to make sure everyone knows what to expect.
Taig desktop hobby machine.
What kinds of machining do you do? 2.5 axis? Mill Turn? etc.....
2.5D milling in aluminum.
Volume of work, is this for occasional prototyping? Or do you have machines running 24/7?
Me. I do engineering plus any minor CNC.
Do you use an existing CAM solution?
Fusion360.
Perhaps a smallish stepping stone in the interim would be to try and utilize the the SVG nest github source to make a "genetic global optimization" algorithm using the following open source project: https://github.com/Jack000/SVGnest
Meran and Arul (@marena_richardson , @lemon1324) what would it take to have you or anyone engage in this sort of project? In all fairness the source code for the algorithm is literally 20 times larger so I'm not sure how feasible this is.
My problem which is probably unusual is that although I work with OnShape almost daily, cutting metal may only happen a dozen times a year, and I tend to forget detailed use of Creo between sessions. AND PTC keeps increasing feature set to the point where processes change or are newly constrained in some way I'm not used to. It's quit being fun.
I would very much like to switch to an OnShape GUI/interface for all of my work. It would be good if something like an editable version of G-Post was included.
It doesn't make much sense to train our students in CAD with OnShape and have to change to Fusion 360 or SolidWorks when we need to train in PCB Design or Simulation or CAM. This could lead to replanting the OnShape option as a work tool at our University.
CNC machines:
Beam Saw : HOMAG - SAWTEQ B-300 profiLINE
Nesting : HOMAG - VANTAGE 100 - 4 axis. (uses "AlphaCAM" .mprx file post processed files)
Pod & Rail ( Used to drill holes in the edges of boards) : HOMAG - VENTURE 114L - 4 axis (uses "Woodwop" .mpr file post processed files)
Types of Machining.
Saw cuts / Nesting / Pod & Rail (edge drilling). Much cutting of rectangles & drilling holes. Profile paths.
Materials are mostly Flat sheets of wood based products. MDF, MFC. Some Solidwood. Some solid surface (Corian & HI-MACS).
Volume of work:
Machines run 8hrs/day. Occasional 24hr shifts. Type of work is roughly 50% bespoke & 50% volume furniture.
Most of the Volume furniture will be set up in a Magi-cut library as standard parts. AlphaCAM is good for bespoke projects.Does feature recognition from imported 3D files to generate tool paths and outputs .mpr or .mprx post processed files.
Who typically uses CAM in your company? Do you have a dedicated machinist? Etc..
CNC department. 3 technicians currently.
Existing CAM solutions:
SWOOD (Solidworks Bolt-on) https://swood.eficad.com/whats-new-in-swood-2022/
Magi-cut (imports: 2D dxf/dwg files ) https://www.magi-cut.co.uk/
Woodwop from HOMAG (imports: 2D dxf/dwg files) https://www.homag.com/en/product-detail/cnc-programming-software-woodwop
AlphaCAM (imports: 3d step files) https://www.alphacam.com/
- We have a 1500 m^2 university machine shop with a half-dozen Sharp and Haas CNCs. We also have a CNC grinder, CNC lathe, CNC EDM, laser cutters, and waterjet.
- We use CAM for 2.5-axis milling, turning, grinding, laser cutting, wire cutting, and waterjet cutting.
- We use the shop for research prototyping, as well as student educational projects. The machines run extensively toward the end of the semester, but not so much during the class breaks.
- We have several dedicated staff members who use CAM. Our students also use CAM for any projects they'd like to do.
- We use GibbsCAM.
Additional info:- We have an Enterprise License for OnShape
- I teach OnShape in my classes
- I want CAM which is as easy to teach as a 3D printer slicer
- I want CAM which has some "hey stoopid" safeguards. Breaking bits because of crashing heads is a deterministic problem, and therefore is completely predictable. Because it's predictable, the CAM should predict it. And when it's not predictable, e.g. for clamps which might be shifted every new operation, the CAM should at least be able to auto-generate a toolpath which I can use *before* starting to mill, to show where the mill extents will be. We can do this sanity check with laser cutters, and it would be very helpful to have the same with CAM.
- I want CAM which can run on my computer, so I'm 1) not required to be at the university just to do the CAM and 2) I can run it on more powerful, more stable hardware than the university-provided computers.
- The CAM package should accept our post-processing files.
Please sign me up for the beta!A little while ago I got so fed up with my CAM workflow with other software that I decided to implement some custom features to generate tool paths in a Part Studio. It’s coming along pretty well and I rather like the model that’s emerging along the way though I guess my project will have sharply limited longevity once these new OnShape features launch. Alas.
I will say that I quite like having my tools and CAM operations defined in the timeline. I can parameterize them in lots of ways and share tools between documents. I also imagined there could be a workflow for applying modifications and edits to tool paths and for incrementally generating additional geometry like work holding tabs. I think an incremental approach to tool path construction could be more usable and flexible than the giant do-everything-with-a-hundred-parameters UI seen in other software.
Anyhow, I’m excited about new CAM support and I hope it turns out awesome.
Hi,
- What about post processors? Will Onshape offer custom posts writing for machine not already available?
- Will the new CAM have the ability to identify multiple similar 3D geometries so same toolpaths strategies can be applied?
Thanks,What types of CNC machines do you use?
Shapeoko3
What kinds of machining do you do? 2.5 axis? Mill Turn? etc.....
2.5d, 3d (e.g. 3d carve, under cuts with a slot-cutting bit), manual multi-axis by flipping parts over (rest machining)
Volume of work, is this for occasional prototyping? Or do you have machines running 24/7?
occasional prototyping, hobby projects
Who typically uses CAM in your company? Do you have a dedicated machinist? etc...
No company, just me.
Do you use an existing CAM solution?
Fusion360 for 3d, Carbide Create when I just want something fast (often via DXF files exported from Onshape sketches)
P.S. I can't justify Onshape's price just for a few private documents (most of my stuff goes up on Printables/Thingiverse, anyway), so I just use the free tier. However, good CAM might be worth an occasional one-off purchase ala CloudMilling's original product (or better yet, a hobbyist license to compete with Fusion360's lower price tier).