ArtCam Update: Free Software Version Was Scrapped

Last year when I downloaded ArtCam, the available software for download was non expiring version of the software but with limited functions. As I explored the non-expiring version, it does not support 3D modeling/machining. Toolpaths is good only for 2d cutting. This good if you are only into 2d cutting. So I thought I would shift to VisualCAD with Freemill plugin for 3D machining but when I try very complex 3D design, my Dual-Core laptop could no longer handle.

I was hopeless thinking I could not do any complex 3d machining so I thought I should never give up and maybe I will have a second look at ArtCam, I will try to check whether the non-expiring version can at least import STL files so that I can do some tweaking. I could not do this with TinkerCad because the file size that will be imported should be less than 25MB, and all complex 3D files are greater than 25MB.

So I googled for tutorial in ArtCam how to import stl files and led me to the official forum of ArtCam and one of the official support staff replied to the same query as I was hoping to find answers and that ArtCam staff posted a link to the download site of the free trial version of Artcam Standard Edition. And here is the link http://www.artcam.com/standard/free-trial/ . I clicked the link and boom!!!... That's when I found out that they scrapped the non-expiring version. The 30-day trial version is a full Standard Edition version of ArtCam. So I downloaded immediately to try the software and I was not disappointed. Just look at my very first 3D Machined project using BigCarver Cnc-5090:

I used 2mm diameter 2 flute spiral end mill for both roughing and finishing. The quality can be improved further if the end mill used in the finishing stage was a coned shaped 2 flute spiral end mill having a 0.25mm tip. I am still waiting for my international orders to arrive to confirm this but unfortunately, the seller had shipped my order using airmail which I expect to arrive may be 3 weeks from now(04/17/2017) which is really disappointing despite choosing the premium shipping method and ordered several items which when combined together is more than enough for DHL/FedEx International Expedited Shipping mehtod. But for now, I am so happy with the result that I can do 3D machining with ARTCAM. 

Oooppssss... ok I noticed that  I could not adjust the resulotion of the finishing stage or maybe it is hidden somewhere in software and it is not as easy as VisualCAD. See screenshot below:

The 0.1 is the highest resolution in VisualCAD. This would result in a very slow carving process but the result is excellent.

This explains why the pixelated output from ARTCAM:

But like I said this will not be an issue at all if this type of end mill was used: