Why Mastercam?
What's New
Compare Products
System Requirements

Why choose Mastercam?

Mastercam is the Industry Standard

The most recent analysis of CAM software seats produced by CIMdata, Inc. shows that CNC Software’s Mastercam® is the world’s most widely-used CAM software. With almost 136,000 installed seats, Mastercam has more than twice the installed base of the closest competitor.

What does this mean for you? It means that when you choose Mastercam, you’re using innovative CAM software that has helped more shops achieve success than any other. It also means that skilled Mastercam users are much easier to find.

Mastercam’s Support is Second to None
Mastercam is supported by a worldwide network of dedicated, expert resellers who focus exclusively on ensuring that Mastercam fits your needs. They know the software, know your area, and are there when you need them.

Mastercam also enjoys a large online user community that offers advice, help, tips and tricks to fellow Mastercam programmers.

Mastercam is Dedicated to the Future
As one of the pioneers in PC-based CAD/CAM, Mastercam has a long history of company security and health. As a privately-owned company, we continue to focus exclusively on the needs of NC programmers. And as a CAD/CAM innovator, we’ll be here to work with you as you move into the future.

Tools and Holding at Center Stage

Mastercam X3 includes updated Sandvik® and Kennametal® tool catalogs. A new VTL right turret tool library has been added, with some basic tooling realistically oriented. New vertical tool machine and component definition files were integrated in Mastercam X3. Each new VTL machine definition includes several improvements. Right turrets with a Y axis now use a negative home position to represent the toolpath approach and retract accurately. In addition, the positive axis direction for the X axis right turret has been updated, which provides accurate coordinates when verifying the tool's path.

Reduce Collisions with Steady Rests

The Steady Rest C-Hook, a new add-on to Lathe for Mastercam X3, defines the boundaries for steady rest machine components for Lathe machines and helps avoid costly collisions. You can define boundaries for custom steady rest designs as well as for generic roller-type steady rest components. If you have both a left and right spindle, you can apply the boundary definition to either spindle.

	Lathe	When combined with Mill Level 1	When combined with Mill Level 3
CAD
Complete customizability
Quickly create and dimension live wireframe geometry
Read / write IGES, DXF, SAT, Parasolid & more
Read native Autocad, SolidWorks, Solid Edge & more
Read native Catia and Pro/E files	optional	optional	optional
Live surface modeling
CAD file change recognition
Solid modeling	optional	optional	optional
CAM
Streamlined "Quick Toolpath" programming
Intelligent ID and OD roughing
Easy finishing
Optimized facing
Grooving
Threading
Canned cycle support
Automatic gouge checking
Boring, drilling, and point-to-point machining
Machine directly on a solid
Chuck, part, steady rest, and tailstock collision check
Fully associative toolpaths
Machine and control definition
Face and cross contour
Face and cross drilling
3D C-axis contour machining
All pocketing routines
All contour routines
All drilling routines
Full multisurface and solid roughing
Full multisurface and solid finishing
Full multisurface and solid "clean-up" machining
High speed toolpaths
Multiaxis machining			optional
Engraving		optional	optional

Mastercam System Requirements

Processor: 1.5 GHz (minimum) 32-bit Intel-compatible processor; 64-bit Intel-compatible processors are supported.
Operating System: Windows XP, Windows Vista (Business or Ultimate) including the latest service packs and recommended updates; .NET 2.0 framework.
Memory: 1 GB (minimum), 1.7 GB available hard disk space.
Graphics: 128 MB OpenGL-compatible graphics card (minimum).
Monitor: 1024 x 768 at 96 DPI (minimum)
Mouse: Windows-compatible 2-button or 3-button mouse (or with middle mouse wheel.

As an independent software vendor partner with Dell, Mastercam receives and tests their latest hardware offerings to make sure that they are compatible with Mastercam. Once a system is received, Mastercam is installed and we run tests to insure the hardware platform and its individual components work without error. By eliminating the issue of incompatibility, both software and hardware vendors help reduce troubleshooting and resolution. If the system meets our approval, it is deemed “certified” and then listed on Dell's web page as a supported and recommended system from running Mastercam.

Click here for a list of the current Dell Precision Workstations that Mastercam has certified.