Just ordered my XR last week. When I say I have no idea what I’m doing believe me. Start with a couple of Q: Does sheet Cam come with the XR? What is the best to try to start with, Sheet cam or Fusion 360? I will be trying some custom parts, but I think as far as the metal artwork goes Inkscape will be used for that. Thanks for your time.
Welcome!! Sheetcam is something you must buy separately if you want it. The software you use is up to you and how well you can pick it up.
A lot of people run from fusion it does have a learning curve. I steered away mainly because it isn’t a stand alone program which means you need the internet to use it.
Sheetcam is very user friendly it is a cam only program so you must have a cad program to go with it .
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true but you can use offline mode for 2 weeks at a time before it needs to contact the mothership.
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Oh yeah I know about that one too. Honestly it is goes much deeper than that. The pice I would pay for it( I know there is a free version but that’s like having a sports car stuck in 2nd gear). If I buy the software I should in my mind never have to log on to that account again for that price If I don’t want to. I know update but still. Then the annual fee I could never justify or overcome.
We use the software for our vinyl plotters to do artsy stuff then I have a 2d cad software I use for my cad work that you may have to think a little to do complex parts. Hey you have to exercise your mind. Much much cheaper it works for me anyway.
I also see so much of the software world goin to cloud based use. To be honest I don’t like it and as long as I don’t have to I am not going that route. Don’t think I am weird because my wife make sure I know it. Kinda a principal thing if I sink 500 into a software I should be able to do as I please.
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Thanks for your time. What do you mean by CAM only, so you need a CAD?
A cad program is to draw up a part. A cam program take that drawing then turns it into g codes which the table reads. Fusion is a cad and cam program does both.
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Do you have any plasma cutting or metal working experience?
Thanks for responding. Yes, I have 30 years with welding and metal work. I have a Hypertherm 1000 power max I have used for 15 years. My drawback is going to be the learning curve on the CAD/CAM, Inkscape, Fusion 360, and Sheet cam work. Not much of a computer guy. Will take all the feedback I can get. Machine my not be here until next year. Just trying to get out in front of the curve. Thanks
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Perfect, you will be in a much better situation than the average bear.
I think most peoples issues arise when they have no plasma or metal experience. If all you need is to figure out cad/cam you got this.
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