Anybody using Fusion?

[Here's Johnny!]

I am however teaching my son Brian (Service Tech at Selway) how to use Fusion360 AND Mastercam. May as well hedge bets eh?

It never hurts to know various CAD/CAM software IMHO. Just another tool in the tool box!

[CNCAppsJames]

Just another tool in the box. He's young, has an entire career ahead of him. I do not have that luxury. I don't have another 1,250 days to spare to gain expertise on another CAD/CAM system that VERY FEW of my customers use or will ever consider using.

If I were going to put in the 10,000 hours required on another CAD/CAM system to gain proficiency, it would probably be Esprit. I've got a number of customer that use it. Probably 2nd in number to Mastercam.

[civiceg]

I really like what they have imported from Powerinspect into Fusion's probing. The ability to essentially probe any surface, compare it to the model with DPRNT, and provide an inspection report is so easy. They have a lot of really cool probing functionality in F360.

I also really like how they handle 3+2 operations and not having to use planes/setups/views like other CAM software. For complex parts I can see workflow being slower in Fusion then using planes in Mastercam, by always having to select the tool orientation in every operation in Fusion.

Pretty pissed about their machine simulation in Fusion and what is coming.

But, the big nail for most shops is being cloud based. Also, the auto updates that can brick your file and have to regen everything. 3rd crunching any moderately complex toolpath is frustratingly slow.

After using Gibbs, FeatureCAM, Fusion and Mastercam all for awhile. It highlights how powerful Mastercam is.

[TSmcam]

For complex parts I can see workflow being slower in Fusion then using planes in Mastercam, by always having to select the tool orientation in every operation in Fusion.

After using Gibbs, FeatureCAM, Fusion and Mastercam all for awhile. It highlights how powerful Mastercam is.

It would be interesting hearing your opinion of TopSolid, after your usage of the products above. If Mastercam planes is supposedly quick, the way TopSolid works with planes will have your attention. It is way quicker than Mastercam.

[civiceg]

It would be interesting hearing your opinion of TopSolid, after your usage of the products above. If Mastercam planes is supposedly quick, the way TopSolid works with planes will have your attention. It is way quicker than Mastercam.
[/quote]

Unfortunately TopSolid is not used by my customer base and I already have enough of a challenge keeping up with the software I do use. Any new software I plan on using must support Hybrid Manufacturing. As that has been my large focus in the last 8 months and there aren't too many solutions that support additive, machining, and simulation in one software. At least seamlessly.

[TylerBeer]

I think posts will put an end to the idea
we've got 20+ mill posts included six 5axis posts
and 15+ lathe posts, including C axis VTLs and 5axis VTL
I don't think Fusion can support all these machines
and it would cost a fortune and take years to get them all dialed in if it could

This is often the hidden cost of switching CAM systems,   the sales people often don't even understand the limitations of their software and their developers in that record. Doesn't mean much until the machine starts moving.  

Much of In-House's success came out of having a fantastic post team that could get the whole job done for the customer

[gcode]

I think posts will put an end to the idea
we've got 20+ mill posts included six 5axis posts
and 15+ lathe posts, including C axis VTLs and 5axis VTL
I don't think Fusion can support all these machines
and it would cost a fortune and take years to get them all dialed in if it could

This is often the hidden cost of switching CAM systems,   the sales people often don't even understand the limitations of their software and their developers in that record. Doesn't mean much until the machine starts moving.  

Much of In-House's success came out of having a fantastic post team that could get the whole job done for the customer

Yes.. it was post issues that doomed our previous manager's effort to switch us to Catia
Trying to train 5 programmers is a new software (Catia) while at the same time starting from scratch
developing posts and Vericut Machines for 40+ different lathes and mills was a losing battle.

[TSmcam]

It would be interesting hearing your opinion of TopSolid, after your usage of the products above. If Mastercam planes is supposedly quick, the way TopSolid works with planes will have your attention. It is way quicker than Mastercam.

Unfortunately TopSolid is not used by my customer base and I already have enough of a challenge keeping up with the software I do use. Any new software I plan on using must support Hybrid Manufacturing. As that has been my large focus in the last 8 months and there aren't too many solutions that support additive, machining, and simulation in one software. At least seamlessly.
[/quote]

I wasn't actually suggesting you should look at it, I was just saying it would be interesting hearing your opinion, given your previous remarks about capability within the other applications.

Now that you mention Additive, Machining, and Simulation..... Well, those boxes sure are ticked

[TSmcam]

Yes.. it was post issues that doomed our previous manager's effort to switch us to Catia
Trying to train 5 programmers is a new software (Catia) while at the same time starting from scratch
developing posts and Vericut Machines for 40+ different lathes and mills was a losing battle.

A good CAM application is only as good as its posts, thats for sure. And the more machines, the bigger the task to switch, thats for sure.

As always, it is the cost vs benefit scenario. How much time and money will it cost to switch posts and train staff, and what is the cost benefit of switching applications.