Letting the Cat Out of the CAD

I am taking an opportunity in my project schedule to try another CAD/CAM package. I had looked at it long ago and it has been around for over 25 years. When I first saw it (back then) I believed it was one of those,”yet another CAD/CAM packages.” I am sure at some point I registered and ran at least the demo, as it seems I have been receiving occasional marketing from them forever. Back in that time, I was looking for a cheap all in one CNC solution. I was still a bit naive of all the requirements. I did find and purchase DeskCNC with its serial port interface. That worked OK but I am now using much stronger and expensive Rhino and Vectric 3D software and MACH3 from ArtSoft. You get what you pay for.

The product to which I am now referring to is BobCAD-CAM. I knew it was created by a guy named Bob (Bob Twaalfhoven) so I assumed he just called it BobCAD after himself. I was thinking simplistically it was Bob’s CAD. Today it is a more professional play on the image of a Bobcat, just change the T to a D. Whatever the thought on the name, it has survived the test of time.

Soon I will see if it survives the test of Dan.

DeskCNC is still around too but the web page has changed little to none. BobCAD-CAM is on version 24 and a first web site look, while allowing for marketing hyperbole, seems impressive.

It will take me a few weeks or a month or so to give it a full workout and use it to construct a CNC project. I’ll probably leak a few comments here in the blog, but I am considering doing a full report, probably in the web site.

While devouring the Bob CAD-CAM website I discovered another new bit of information. They have a division they call Turnkey Mills (Turkey Mills?) and they offer a Sieg size X3 CNC mill (BobMill 375) in a full package. Hmmm!! Very interesting.