Mastercam System Requirements

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Seethe table below for minimum and recommended system configurations for Mastercam. These recommendations are based on systems we have in use at Mastercam 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.

Mastercam continues to review the operating system (OS) requirements to provide the best possible user experience for our customers.

We recommend Windows Professional editions with all latest updates installed. 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.

For Windows 10, we recommend version 22H2 64-bit Professional editions.

Mastercam 2022 was the last release available for Windows 7 and 8.1.

Mastercam 2023 and later fully support Windows 11.

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 processors.

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 memory. For large toolpath generation and simulation, we recommend 32 GB of memory.

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 and Code Expert use 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.

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

Most computers today have some type of anti-virus software to protect from unwanted malware. In some cases, the anti-virus software has been found to interfere with applications running on the computer, such as Mastercam. Mastercam 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.

I have a MacBook Pro 2019 and I've installed windows 10 home using bootcamp. I installed Mastercam 2021 from my windows OS but when I go to run it, I get a message saying that my computer does not meet the system requirements. Is there any way to upgrade/update my gpu to run this? And are there any drivers I can install to get around it?

Windows 10 64-bit Professional is the standard requirement for modern CAD/CAM systems, with Windows 10 64-bit Professional version 1903 or newer generally recommended. A few CAD/CAM systems can run on Mac operating systems, typically requiring macOS Catalina, Big Sur or Monterey (also known as macOS 10.15, macOS 11 and mac OS 12, respectively). Although software such as Parallels for Mac can emulate different OS types, this emulation software is not widely supported by CAD/CAM developers, and users may experience unexpected glitches or bugs.

Digital data is stored within physical devices like hard drives. These devices offer differing amounts of data storage depending on their design. CAD/CAM software typically requires users to have at least 20 GB of disk space free for installation, but additional space is useful for storing large CAD/CAM files. Minimum requirements tend to list a traditional hard drive, but solid-state drives (SSDs) offer better performance. SSDs perform the same basic purpose as hard drives, but are much faster and more reliable, retaining data even without power. Flash drives and external hard drives can be useful for moving documents between computers, but installing CAD/CAM software on them will typically result in slower performance, and is not recommended.

All CAD/CAM systems will require a three-button, scroll-wheel mouse. A 3D mouse is an advanced version of the mouse most people are familiar with. These mice are specifically designed for movement in three virtual dimensions, and therefore perform well in CAD applications. Although most systems do not require a 3D mouse for operation, a 3Dconnexion mouse may be recommended for optimal (and convenient) performance.

These requirements apply to all SOLIDWORKS products except where noted. Use this information to ensure you are always working with a SOLIDWORKS-supported and optimized system for hardware, operating system and Microsoft products.

Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machinists and Technicians require a broad mix of hands-on metal working skills and computer skills combined with Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) software systems.

This program covers blueprint reading, Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T), manufacturing process planning, CAD/CAM Solid Part Modeling and Numerical Control (N/C) Programming, precision machining (both manual and CNC machines) and inspection, shop math, and quality control. Knowledge is acquired and skills are developed through textbook, online curriculum, and hands-on lab assignments. Lab work includes the use of CAD/CAM software and state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment to produce machined parts from raw metal stock, according to blueprint specifications.

NOTE: Students enrolling in this program who plan to transfer to a four-year institution should consult an advisor or counselor regarding transfer requirements and the transferability of these courses to the four-year institution of their choice.

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