Cimatron
General-purpose CAD software
Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software
CAD software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
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- Manufacturing
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What is Cimatron
Cimatron is a CAD/CAM software suite used to design and manufacture parts, with a strong focus on mold, die, and electrode workflows. It supports 2D/3D design, toolpath programming, and shop-floor deliverables for CNC machining. The product is typically used by moldmakers, tool-and-die shops, and manufacturing engineers who need integrated design-to-machining processes. It differentiates through specialized tooling features (e.g., mold design and electrode management) combined with CAM in a single environment.
Integrated CAD and CAM
Cimatron combines part/mold design and CNC toolpath programming in one system, reducing handoffs between separate CAD and CAM tools. This can simplify revision control when geometry changes and toolpaths must be updated. Users can keep manufacturing intent close to the design model, which is useful for iterative tooling work. The integrated approach aligns with job shops that need both design and machining functions in the same workflow.
Mold and die specialization
The product includes features oriented to moldmaking and tool-and-die processes, such as mold design utilities and electrode-centric workflows. These capabilities address common requirements like splitting, inserts, and managing EDM-related deliverables. Compared with more general-purpose CAD tools, this specialization can reduce the need for custom workarounds. It is particularly relevant for organizations producing tooling rather than only end-use parts.
CNC programming capabilities
Cimatron provides CAM functions for generating machining toolpaths and producing manufacturing documentation for CNC operations. It supports workflows that connect geometry preparation, machining strategy selection, and output for the shop floor. This helps teams standardize how programs are created and updated across jobs. The CAM focus makes it suitable where machining throughput and repeatability matter.
Less suited for architecture
Cimatron is primarily built for mechanical manufacturing and tooling, not architectural drafting or building information workflows. Teams looking for broad AEC-oriented features may find gaps in domain-specific objects and documentation conventions. For general-purpose drafting needs, it may require additional tools or processes. This can limit its fit outside manufacturing-centric organizations.
Learning curve for tooling workflows
The mold, die, and electrode toolsets introduce specialized concepts that can take time for new users to learn. Organizations without established tooling processes may need training and internal standards to use the system consistently. This can increase onboarding time compared with simpler 3D modelers. The depth of manufacturing features can be more than required for basic CAD-only use cases.
Ecosystem and interoperability constraints
As with many CAD/CAM platforms, interoperability with other CAD systems, PDM/PLM tools, and downstream manufacturing software can require careful configuration. Data exchange may depend on supported file formats and translation quality, which can affect feature history and associativity. Companies with heterogeneous toolchains may need validation steps to avoid rework. This can add process overhead when collaborating across different design environments.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Quote / Contact Sales | Not published on official site (contact reseller or Cimatron sales) | Cimatron offers modular products (Mold, Die, NC, CAD, Viewer). Licensing options include dongle (portable), single‑machine, and floating (license server). Pricing is provided via reseller/sales quotes; no public list prices found on the official site. |
Seller details
Sandvik AB (Cimatron is part of Sandvik Manufacturing Solutions)
Stockholm, Sweden
1862
Public
https://www.cimatron.com/
https://x.com/Sandvik
https://www.linkedin.com/company/sandvik/
