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 Post subject: CADCAM Where to start?
PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2022 11:16 pm 
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I'm toying with the idea of learning CadCam design and 3d printing.
Suggestions?
Where does one start?


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 Post subject: Re: CADCAM Where to start?
PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2022 3:42 pm 
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A year and half ago, we settled on just purchasing Rhino after years of considering the Stuller, GemVision, Matrix, ArtCam paths. When we can not seem to find the Cad pros here locally to do the work I give it a shot and then send out for printing. As you can tell I have and do spent a lot of time at the keyboard and my PC with ongoing website, photography, etc.... My gem cutting is more or less my fishing type hobby.
There is a learning curve to acclimate to the overwhelming interfaces and toolset built into Rhino and CAD. There is nothing I have found you can not accomplish in just Rhino then in a Matrix environment at least to get started for jewelry. There is a wealth of instructional videos out there for many trades, including jewelry design that can help the beginner.
Most of these are built on top of Rhino and require a license from McNeel anyways, so for me it was a place to start for under a $1000 verses investing 8k+ for the other jewelry related Cad software. They have their advantages if you require a lot of prebuilt jewelry parts and the ability to design with parametric capability.
Your advantage will be your years of jewelry knowledge, many people struggle with the extreme small measurement set, jewelry is comprised of. A 0.10mm or 0.5mm dimension is not uncommon in jewelry design. But you can as well build your new castle looking over the bay if you want in Rhino. :)
Printing is something I have no great wealth of information other than the last machine I inquired about was $30k, but some videos say that there are printers out there for a few thousand dollars that produce good results for jewelry.
https://www.rhino3d.com/learn
I believe you can download a trial to start.

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 Post subject: Re: CADCAM Where to start?
PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2022 8:17 pm 
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Thanks.

You know I get a bee in my bonnet and can't stop researching.

Well.....is anyone working with Casting House in Chicago? I used to work with them when they had offices in SF.
They did all our casting for special orders back when I was almost young. They closed the SF office and I hadn't thought about them again till now......actually last night at about 1am.

Apparently, they offer a program which offers members the ability to have them CadCam anything from a photo or a sketch. One can endlessly alter the design until it is perfect. When approved, they will make a 3D printout for casting and send it to you if you need a customer or self approval. When approved, they will cast it for you (even in platinum). Set gems. (One can supply their own gems for setting OR they can supply and set a bevy of gems they have in their arsenal. Their diamond melee selection is extraordinary and very fairy priced).

I will contact them and see what is needed to be worthy of their services.


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 Post subject: Re: CADCAM Where to start?
PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2022 10:58 am 
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Barbara,
You may want to start here. Russ was an instructor at GIA for many years. His videos are excellent. He used to have an arrangement with matrix for an inexpensive way to learn through a student program. I am not sure if that still exists.

If not he can train you on Rhino as well and you can use the software free for 90 days. That is enough time to take his course and decide if you like it. I think this is the least expensive, high quality way of trying out CAD/CAM jewelry design to decide whether to pursue it.

Good luck!

Steve

https://www.thejewelrycadinstitute.com/


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 Post subject: Re: CADCAM Where to start?
PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2022 1:40 pm 
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1bwana1 wrote:
Barbara,
...He used to have an arrangement with matrix for an inexpensive way to learn through a student program. I am not sure if that still exists.


Matrix (by GemVision in IA) was purchased some time ago by Stuller. They also purchased RhinoGold from a company in Spain. Stuller axed Matrix (was in version 9 w/ Rhino 5) and RG, and created "Matrix Gold". It still hasn't gotten back to the level that I was used to in Matrix, so we have not purchased Matrix Gold. Still using Matrix 9, which Stuller still maintains a server link for license verfication.

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Goldsmith by Necessity

Facetron x2
Polymetrics OMF
GemCad/GemRay/Gem Cut Studio
Matrix 9/Rhino 5, 6, 7
REVO A (still hanging on...)
B9 Creator Core 5 Series XL
Indutherm MC-15


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 Post subject: Re: CADCAM Where to start?
PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2022 2:05 pm 
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abeck wrote:
1bwana1 wrote:
Barbara,
...He used to have an arrangement with matrix for an inexpensive way to learn through a student program. I am not sure if that still exists.


Matrix (by GemVision in IA) was purchased some time ago by Stuller. They also purchased RhinoGold from a company in Spain. Stuller axed Matrix (was in version 9 w/ Rhino 5) and RG, and created "Matrix Gold". It still hasn't gotten back to the level that I was used to in Matrix, so we have not purchased Matrix Gold. Still using Matrix 9, which Stuller still maintains a server link for license verfication.

Matrix Gold still runs on Rhino 6, with just a subset of support for Rhino 7. Rhino 8 WIP is in the background to release Rhino 8. I am curious if the hold up is due to MG needing to catch up.

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 Post subject: Re: CADCAM Where to start?
PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2022 8:08 am 
glhays wrote:
A year and half ago, we settled on just purchasing Rhino after years of considering the Stuller, GemVision, Matrix, ArtCam paths. When we can not seem to find the Cad pros here locally to do the work I give it a shot and then send out for printing. As you can tell I have and do spent a lot of time at the keyboard and my PC with ongoing website, photography, etc.... My gem cutting is more or less my fishing type hobby.
There is a learning curve to acclimate to the overwhelming interfaces and toolset built into Rhino and CAD. There is nothing I have found you can not accomplish in just Rhino then in a Matrix environment at least to get started for jewelry. There is a wealth of instructional videos out there for many trades, including jewelry design that can help the beginner.
Most of these are built on top of Rhino and require a license from McNeel anyways, so for me it was a place to start for under a $1000 verses investing 8k+ for the other jewelry related Cad software. They have their advantages if you require a lot of prebuilt jewelry parts and the ability to design with parametric capability.
Your advantage will be your years of jewelry knowledge, many people struggle with the extreme small measurement set, jewelry is comprised of. A 0.10mm or 0.5mm dimension is not uncommon in jewelry design. But you can as well build your new castle looking over the bay if you want in Rhino. :)
Printing is something I have no great wealth of information other than the last machine I inquired about was $30k, but some videos say that there are printers out there for a few thousand dollars that produce good results for jewelry.
https://www.rhino3d.com/learn
I believe you can download a trial to start.


Thanks for information, this was really helpful.


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