Another vote from me for Alibre Atom software. Just £200 for a perpetual lifetime license.
I also previously used AlibreCAM and was disappointed when they split with MecSoft. In my limited experience it was a very good inexpensive option. I use MecSoft VisualCAM now. I’ve found that deleting the model, reloading an updated stp version into the same file with existing cam features and just reapplying geometry is manageable for a stand alone CAM. > On 13 Oct 2026, at 07:05, johnd <[email protected]> wrote: > > What I'm seeing is this isn't just A Free CAM discussion but also the CAD > version that gets you to CAM and the platform it runs on since Linux, Windows > and MacOS have all come up.As I'm still upset that there was some sort of > falling out between Alibre and MecSoft I've stuck with an older version of > both where MecSoft 'AlibreCAM' can still work with native AlibreCAD files.A > change to the drawing doesn't always invalidate all the CAM work the way > importing a step file into VisualCAM from MecSoft or any other CAM > software.So I'm still puzzled why so few LinuxCNC folks who use Windows for > the CAD/CAM side aren't using Alibre. For me of all the CAD packages it's > the _only_ CAD I've found that works for me. If the FreeCAD user interface > was like that I'd switch in a heartbeat!And if enough people decided they > would buy Alibre on the condition that MecSoft reincorporate it as a CAM > module inside Alibre maybe it would happen?Sent from my Samsung S10 > -------- Original message --------From: andy pugh <[email protected]> Date: > 2026-10-13 12:50 a.m. (GMT+00:00) To: "Enhanced Machine Controller (EMC)" > <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Emc-users] Free CAM On Mon, > 12 Oct 2026 at 23:20, Chris Albertson <[email protected]> wrote:>> > The hardware and OS might make a difference. FreeCAD’s user interface is > written using QT, And then inside QT is a 3D engine that runs on OpenGL. > Performance will depend on how well your platform runs OpenGL.I run FreeCAD > on MacOS and have to admit that the graphics performanceis not stellar.But I > am slowly getting used to the differences from Fusion.-- atp"A motorcycle is > a bicycle with a pandemonium attachment and isdesigned for the especial use > of mechanical geniuses, daredevils andlunatics."— George Fitch, Atlanta > Constitution Newspaper, > 1912_______________________________________________Emc-users mailing > [email protected]https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > _______________________________________________ > Emc-users mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
