Of course I noticed that the toolpath Easel created was wildly inefficient. Before I purchased VCarve I used Easel for everything I did and I was pretty happy with it.

The best part about using VCarve is just how efficient the tool paths it creates are.

The gcode created with the X-Carve post processors is very solid, I have not had any problem using the gcode generated by Vcarve. It is also very easy to create toolpaths for Vcarving, 3D objects, pockets and profiles. The user interface is easy to use while still being powerful enough to do really complex projects. When you have new stuff to cut this can save a ton of time cross referencing between GWizard and HSMAdvisor. Then make another tool that’s a clone of the previous one, except change the parameters for a finishing pass. I will create my tool I want (say, a 1/8' 2flute square) and apply the feedrates I would use for an aluminum roughing pass. With Solidworks + HSMXpress I use the tool library as a sort of feedrate database.

I don’t use it for every time I want to do some CAM. I’m convinced that both of them are the most powerful CAM programs out there, but that comes at the cost of complexity and a very steep learning curve.įusion360’s CAM is a more advanced version of HSMXpress/HSMWorks with nice features like insert-able tabs.Īs for feed calculators I use GWizard primarily and confirm final feed rates in HSMAdvisor as well. SprutCAM and MasterCAM are massively complicated. It doesn’t have the millions of options the other CAM programs have, and really boils it down to the essential parameters (WOC, DOC, feedrate, etc). Easy to use and it does 3D milling no problem. MeshCAM was a god-send the first week or 2 of CAM experimentation. You can also get HSMXpress for Solidworks, a free addon that does 2.5D CAM. Definitely not cheap but I think I’m right in saying its the best CAD program out there. Blender is more of a 3D modeling program for game devs, animation devs, or 3D printing. Fusion360 is just as good, IMO but because the program lives in the cloud it is limited in “meta” features (like directly importing DXF’s into an existing project). I’ve tried a few CAD/CAM programs including Fusion360, Solidworks, Blender on the CAD side and MeshCAM, HSMXpress (for solidworks), SprutCAM, MasterCAM, Fusion360 Built-in CAM and of course Easel.

Mastercam vs fusion 360