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mnelson1-Visitor
1-Visitor
June 28, 2012
Solved

PRO NC V.S. THE OTHER GUYS

  • June 28, 2012
  • 4 replies
  • 7649 views

I just wanted to start a discussion to keep the forum talking. But anyway I have been using pro nc for a couple of years now I think it was wildfire 3 when I started. I used to use mastercam before my company switched to pro e. I was just wondering what some of the other users that have used other software thought pro nc matched up to them. I have been to some tool shows and talked to other cam vendors when they ask you what your running and I tell them pro nc there like I am sorry to here that. But I have watched some demo's from competitors and it all seems sugar coated. I will ask them if I can try and run the software and they will not let you.

    Best answer by JoseCoronado

    I would like to suggest you try Creo 2. There's a huge difference in usability and new functionality. Some useful links:

    NC Mfg Demos (WF5): http://www.ptc.com/products/tutorials/production.htm

    The "what’s new" descriptions and videos are on:

    http://www.ptc.com/appserver/wcms/relnotes/index.jsp?show=y&product=403&module=338&version=&functional=&process=

    filter it for Creo1 and Creo 2.

    In other hand, machine simulation is a topic more and more important, we are looking on different ways to improve it on future releases.


    4 replies

    N
    NickMihelich12-Amethyst
    12-Amethyst
    June 28, 2012

    Hey Matt

    I have been using Proman for 3-4 years to program 3 axis mills and we use Esprit to program our wire edms. About 6 months ago I started using Topsolid 7 (for free) so far I prefer TS7 for its automatic stock management, multi threaded toolpath calculation, and integrated cutting simulation (sick of vericut).

    S
    SteveLucas1-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    June 29, 2012

    Matt,

    I have been using Proman since rev18. (around 1998 I think). so It's been a few years. Before that I used Smart Cam. I think for the money Proman is about the best out there as far as capability vs. cost. you are correct when you get a canned software demo they usually have it polished and practiced. The company I worked for had been using Pro Engineer for a while. They had a applications engineer from PTC come in and demo Proman for me and he started giving me the canned demo stuff I stopped him and asked him to use one of my parts that I had already programmed in Smart Cam. He said no problem and programmed it in about half the time that it took me using SmartCam. I was impressed and sold and have been using it ever since.

    There are many downsides to ProMan Like the learning curve. But once you have most of the basics down it becomes kind of fun to experiment and learn to use. That also becomes a frustration when you are under the gun and can't get something to perform as expected. I think that will happen with any of the cam systems where you will say "I used to be able to that a lot easier in my other cam software"'.

    Most of the cam systems all do the same stuff. It all just get implemented differently with different packages.

    M
    mnelson1-VisitorAuthor
    1-Visitor
    June 29, 2012

    Thanks for answers guys I like talking about stuff like this I know sometimes it can be a real diverse subject. Does anyone think the development people from PTC read these forums and get tips or ideas for improving the software? I know one thing I liked a lot other software's had was the ease of machine simulation. I did this in pro a while back and it seemed a little difficult to do and you could only simulate one tool at a time. I know for simple jobs it sometimes is not necessary you do machine sim but for 4 and 5 axis work with fixtures it would seem useful. Has anyone had experience with this in pro nc or other software?

    S
    SteveLucas1-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    June 29, 2012

    Matt,

    I think that is where using vericut for simulation is lacking... The training on how to use it. It's like PTC and Vericut are pointing fingers at each other and saying you train the users. You get the vericut manuals buried in the software that you have to dig out and try and read to figure out how to cut more than just cutting one operationat a time. I am sure there is a way to cut one side of a part save the cut models and cut the otherside of the part using the existing models but I haven't figured out how to do it yet and like I said before I have been using the software for a long time. I don't get a lot of free time to play with the software to figure it out. Pretty basic stuff that training material should be available for but it's not.

    J
    JoseCoronado15-MoonstoneAnswer
    15-Moonstone
    June 29, 2012

    I would like to suggest you try Creo 2. There's a huge difference in usability and new functionality. Some useful links:

    NC Mfg Demos (WF5): http://www.ptc.com/products/tutorials/production.htm

    The "what’s new" descriptions and videos are on:

    http://www.ptc.com/appserver/wcms/relnotes/index.jsp?show=y&product=403&module=338&version=&functional=&process=

    filter it for Creo1 and Creo 2.

    In other hand, machine simulation is a topic more and more important, we are looking on different ways to improve it on future releases.


    N
    NickMihelich12-Amethyst
    12-Amethyst
    June 29, 2012

    "Does anyone think the development people from PTC read these forums and get tips or ideas for improving the software? " there is your answer... The big guy (Jose) posted to your thread that is awesome! Creo 2 is a big imporvement with many updates and changes must have been alot of work. I hope development keeps the pace up and adds more features. Also if you join http://portal.ptcuser.org/ and participate in the technical commities you can help guide that development.

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