Shape3D vs APS

General Discussion
1

This is a thread about the strengths or weakness about each machine.

I live in Orange County and have been looking at getting involved with machine shaping as a garage shaper.

As I see it I have a choice between Shape3d and APS.

First off, in my situation there is an APS machine 100 miles to the south of me in

San Diego and 100 miles North of me in Ventura. I dont mind the drive so much, as

much as probably being limited to weekend pickups and who knows what weekend hours these guys

have.

However, there is a Shape3D machine in Huntington Beach and I could easily make picking up

a board before 5PM on a weekday an easy enough thing in my situation.

All things figured I’d rather go with a Shape3D machine thats closer to me, rather than travel

100 miles.

However, I know that APS gives near finished results from the shaping machine.

Q: How does Shape3D stack up in the ‘near finished’ area?

Any other issues I may want to acquaint myself with.

I understand that a free Shape3d software version is in negotiation for the near future.

2

Otis,

 My brother also has an APS3000 machine in San Clemente. I've got an evaluation version of Shape3D on my PC as well as APS3000. The programs from a design standpoint are very similar. Shape3D has a Master Scale that is pretty easy to enter the critical dimensions and both use control point tangencies like Adobe Illustrator or AutoCad to manipulate curves. At this point the major difference I see between the two programs is how they make the data available. But, then I've never cut from a Shape 3D file.  APS3000 makes their software available for free but will not accept other software data or output universal translator files like iges. Shape3D will accept and export iges files or DXF files, but the software costs  to use aside from their valuation version.
3

APS3000 machine in San Clemente contact info: ??

They are not listed on the www.aps3000miki.com site , so I dont know how else to find them.

4

I’ve cut on APS3000 and a KKL using Shape3d software. The results are similar - more the attention of the operator in setting up the blank and (I think) defining the cutting path and the quality of the blank. You can pay more and get a finer cut on both machines and probably not be able to tell the difference.

5

Shape3D is software not a machine. APS3000 is software as well as hardware but APS3000 software is only intended to run an APS3000. Shape3D runs just about anything as far as I’m aware.