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Mastercam Learning Edition

Mastercam Learning Edition is a free CAD/CAM software download for demo and educational purposes. It is a trial version of Mastercam that can be used to learn at home.

Whether you are an industry professional, student, or teacher, if you are looking for a way to get more familiar with CAD/CAM software, Learning Edition delivers the full suite of Mastercam with few restrictions.

  • CAD/CAM Learning Edition does everything but post G-code.
  • Files are saved in EMCAM format (not compatible with industrial versions of Mastercam).
  • Post processors are not included or supported.

Mastercam Learning Edition can be used to create geometry and then program the geometry using Mastercam toolpaths. The results can be verified visually, but they cannot be exported to control a CNC machine tool.

  • Stay up to date with the latest version of Mastercam.
  • Full 3D CAD modeling.
  • Context-sensitive help available from all dialog boxes.
  • Robust 2D through Multiaxis cutting strategies.
  • Explore Mastercam products including Mill, Lathe, and Router.
  • Intelligent, stock-aware toolpaths.
  • Complete tool library and custom tool support.

Try Mastercam for free

Get your free copy of Mastercam Learning Edition today!

Features

Free Trial

When a new version of Mastercam is released, simply uninstall your current Demo/HLE and request a download of the most recent software, so you can keep up with the latest features and functionality.

Accelerated Finishing™

Take advantage of innovative profile tools and processes aimed at greater efficiency and higher machining productivity.

Dynamic Motion

Extend tool life with proprietary toolpath strategies that maximize material removal rate and reduce cycle times.

Advanced Toolpaths

Reduce costs and cut programming time with advanced toolpaths like Deburr and Equal Scallop. Extend tool life with proprietary Dynamic Motion™ toolpath strategies that maximize material removal rate and reduce cycle times.

Valuable Experience

Build your expertise using the CAM software that more schools teach—and more professionals use—than any other.*

Full Access

Whether you want to see if Mastercam has the tools you need for your business or you want to practice Mastercam at your own pace and learn on your own time, the free Demo/HLE allows you to explore a comprehensive software package.


System Requirements

See the table below for minimum and recommended system configurations for Mastercam. These recommendations are based on systems we have in use at CNC Software for testing and evaluation purposes. Our recommendation is to get as much power (processor, video card, and memory) for your systems as you can afford.

MinimumRecommended
OSWindows 10 or Windows 11 64-bit ProfessionalWindows 10 (version 20H2 or later) 64-bit Professional
ProcessorIntel® or AMD 64-bit processor, 2.4 GHz or fasterIntel i7 or Xeon® E3, Kaby Lake or later, 3.2GHz or faster
Memory8 GB32 GB
VideoOpenGL 3.2 and OpenCL 1.2 support with 1 GB memory. No onboard graphics.NVIDIA Quadro® or AMD FirePro™ / Radeon Pro card with 4 GB (or higher) dedicated memory.
Monitor1920 * 1080 resolution1920 * 1080 resolution, dual monitors
StorageSolid State Drive (SSD) with at least 20 GB free and a USB 2.0 reader (for installation media)NVMe Drive with at least 20GB free
3D Mouse3Dconnexion 3D mouse

Operating Systems

CNC Software continues to review the operating system (OS) requirements for Mastercam with a goal of providing the best possible user experience for our customers.

We recommend using Windows 10 (version 20H2 or later) or later 64-bit Professional editions. While Mastercam may run on other Windows editions (such as Home Edition) or virtual environments (such as Parallels for Mac), it has not been tested on these configurations and is therefore not supported.

Mastercam 2021 was the last release to officially support Windows 7 as Microsoft ended extended support for the OS in January 2020. Mastercam 2022 will install on Windows 7 systems but will not be supported. Future versions of Mastercam will not install on Windows 7.

Processor

The processor speed will impact how fast the software will calculate and complete tasks. With each release, more and more aspects of Mastercam are becoming multi-core processor aware. Toolpath calculation and Simulation will generally run faster with a multi-core processor. We typically see a 50% reduction in toolpath calculation time with the latest Intel i7 or Xeon processors.

Memory

When Mastercam uses all available RAM, it switches to using virtual memory space, which is stored on the hard drive and will dramatically slow the system down. We recommend a minimum of 8 GB of memory. For large toolpath generation and simulation, we recommend 32GB of RAM.

Video

When purchasing a new computer for Mastercam, one of the most important component is the video card.

We recommend an NVIDIA Quadro® or AMD FirePro™ / Radeon Pro card with 4GB or more of memory. Other graphics cards can be used, but they must offer full OpenGL 3.2 and OpenCL 1.2 support. OpenCL is required for Mastercam to be able to hand off certain computation tasks to the graphics card to increase system performance.
We do not recommend or support the use of onboard graphics found with some PC configurations. These do not generally have the capability to drive graphics intensive applications such as Mastercam and can lead to system instability.

Make sure you are using up-to-date drivers from your card manufacturer. We often see issues that are resolved with updated video drivers. The driver version can have a great impact on how the card performs.

The latest drivers for NVIDIA and AMD can be found at the online links. We recommend using the automatic detect feature to detect which video card is installed. More information on configuring the graphics card can be found at this Mastercam knowledge base article.

Monitor

Most of our internal systems utilize dual monitors and we find this to be a more productive setup. Mastercam displays on the primary monitor while applications such as Mastercam Simulator, Code Expert, or Tool Manager display on the secondary monitor.

The minimum recommended resolution for the primary display is 1920 * 1080 resolution typical of widescreen monitors available today. Mastercam will run on lower resolution screens but beware of potential sizing issues with larger dialog boxes and panels which may be awkward to work with. Lower resolution monitors may work fine as a second monitor in a dual screen setup.

Mastercam will run on large format displays, including 4K monitors and high-DPI devices however, we do experience some display issues with these configurations.

Storage

We have found that one of the best computer upgrades is to invest in a NVMe drive. These drives are now priced at a point which makes them a good investment. Many of our test systems employ a smaller primary NVMe drive for the OS and installed applications with a second large capacity conventional drive for data.

3D Mouse

A 3D mouse improves the way you interact with your 3D application. It is designed to be used by your non-dominant hand in tandem with a standard mouse for a balanced and cooperative work style. You gently manipulate the 3D mouse’s controller cap to simultaneously pan, zoom and rotate 3D content while your standard mouse is free to select menu items or parts of the model. Additional technical and purchase information can be found on the 3Dconnexion website.

Anti-Virus Software

Most computers today have some kind of anti-virus software to protect from unwanted malware. In some cases, these have been found to interfere with applications such as Mastercam which are running on the computer. CNC Software does not recommend specific anti-virus products, but if you see unexpected issues, it may be a conflict with anti-virus software. Try temporarily disabling the anti-virus software or setting an exception for Mastercam.

 

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Case Studies

SD city college teacher and student Education

San Diego City College

The Machine Technology Program at San Diego City College is known for its strong curriculum that prepares its students for life on the shop floor.  Students take a series of 11 classes leading to an Associates of Science Degree in Machine Technology, and several certificates of achievement – including Performance, CNC Technology, Computer Aided Manufacturing, CNC Operator, Computer Numerical Control Technology, and Machine Technology – unless they are already machinists who are there for training in the latest technology.   
group of students and professors at Catawba valley community college Mill

Catawba Valley Community College

Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC) in Hickory, North Carolina, relies on Mastercam to train the local workforce, close the skills gap, and help improve the area economy.

Mastercam Community

When you choose the world’s most widely used CAM, you gain benefits beyond the technology driving our software. Our global community of Mastercam users, experts, educators, and enthusiasts helps you get the most from your investment.