Building New PCs for Millbox + Hyperdent CAM - Hardware Recommendations?

[zero_zero]

i doubt we need a new PC too, this one i built a year ago is fantastic. it does bog down with hyperdent calculating big jobs
BUT
thats not the reason we are being forced to review our PC choice.

suddenly our desktop scanners wont work and their solution is...."oh your PC is the problem".
before that it was a windows update, and a usb port, and blah blah blah. i rest well knowing its not my PC but they refuse to troubleshoot anymore at this stage and my scanners stopped working completely. they scan fine on an older PC so they blame the PC

I got a 10 yr old win8 PC for running hyperdent... it works fine. I not like they rewrite the whole code for each CPU or OS release, most of its libraries are compiled long time ago

 

[tehnik]

For now I disabled E cores in bios, will see how that helps. Our old PC was with 11th gen Intel and had little to no problems, but was calculating slowly. After testing with 14th gen, the calculation was much faster, so we decided to upgrade. But now only crashes and program closures.

Is AMD free of the E v P cores problem?

 

[ANoobTech]

AMD does not do the P cores or E cores, all AMD cores for their non X3D line skus are the same

 

[MrNeverFixit]

Yeah, I'm opting for some Corsair RAM w/ 6000 clock speed, heard it helps take advantage of the CPU.
Definitely going to build two new systems, both existing PCs are off-the-shelf desktops with mediocre hardware and cases that are an absolute nightmare to work inside of. A new case doesn't cost much, and this lets me make sure everything plays nice with one another by just putting it together with PC Part Picker, starting from one of their stock builds and swapping out parts as needed to get us under budget.

RE: the mobo BIOS, how do you upgrade that before it has a CPU in the socket? Put the update file on a USB drive using another computer, something like that?

Yes millbox is dependent on cpu. I use i7 9th gen and switch to i13th i can tell the difference. It is much much faster. So either you get i13/14. You are totally good. 32GB ram and 1tb/2tb of nvme or have a second drive for cnc files, pucks, jobs. I did i that way if the main drive crash...its still saved on the second drive. Also i do automatic backup of the puck. Just incase both drive crash which you never know.

 

[MrNeverFixit]

For now I disabled E cores in bios, will see how that helps. Our old PC was with 11th gen Intel and had little to no problems, but was calculating slowly. After testing with 14th gen, the calculation was much faster, so we decided to upgrade. But now only crashes and program closures.

Is AMD free of the E v P cores problem?

May be perform a fresh install of new windows. Also disable windows security, defender or add an exclusions. Adjust your NVidia Control panel. Update drivers and windows these are really important. End of each day, reboot computer or before starting any calculations jobs, i do that and have barely any issues. Plus use the Studio version of Nvidia drivers, not the game ones. These may not be related to your issues but worth a try.

 

[mmbh]

I would suggest spend the money and get a pc that can handle whatever you can throw at it and more. When we went from hyperdent versions 8 to 9 it became painfully slow. Some of that could have been hyperdent issues as well, but its evident that the pc needed a big boost.

 

[ANoobTech]

If you get RGB fans your performance will also increase.

I also haven't seen these topics mentioned, get a watercooler for your CPU if it's a ryzen/intel 7 or 9, something like the Arctic liquid freezer III. I would get a 360mm, but a 240mm would work as well.

Also make sure you have a sufficient power supply, one that won't burn your building down. Just making sure the model is reputable, andone with at least a 80+ gold efficiency rating

 

[CoolHandLuke]

the racing stripe i feel is pretty sharp.

 

[NoName]

Key Performance Considerations for CAM Workstations​

CPU​

• CAM toolpath generation is CPU-intensive, often single-thread optimized (but multithreading helps).
• Intel 14th Gen i9 (like the i9-14900K) is ideal: high single-core and multi-core performance.

RAM​

• Go for 32GB (2x16GB) DDR5, 6000MHz+ if supported by the board. Especially important if you’re multitasking.
• 64GB might be overkill for many workflows, but not outrageous if you use multiple programs or massive files.

GPU​

• While CAM isn’t typically GPU-heavy, some UIs benefit from it, and future software updates may rely more on GPU.
• A NVIDIA RTX 4060 / 4070 is a strong balance of power and price for CAM workloads.
• Don’t overspend on GPU—this isn’t rendering or CAD-level visualization.

Storage​

• Use a Gen4 NVMe SSD (e.g., Samsung 980 Pro, WD SN850X). It makes a noticeable difference in file handling, boot times, and software launches.
• Consider 1TB for OS/apps and 2TB secondary for project storage.

Motherboard / Cooling / PSU​

• Z790 chipset motherboard for 14th Gen CPUs.
• Good air or AIO cooling (toolpath gen can get CPUs hot).
• 750–850W PSU from a reliable brand (Corsair RMx, Seasonic Focus, etc.).

​

Sample Build (for both Millbox & Hyperdent)​

Component	Recommendation
CPU	Intel i9-14900K
Cooler	Noctua NH-D15 / Corsair H100i AIO
Motherboard	ASUS Z790-A WiFi / MSI Z790 Tomahawk
RAM	32GB (2x16GB) DDR5-6000 (G.Skill / Corsair)
GPU	NVIDIA RTX 4060 / 4070
SSD	1TB NVMe (OS) + 2TB NVMe (Data)
PSU	750W Gold (Corsair RM750x or similar)
Case	Fractal Design Meshify 2 / Lian Li Lancool 216

- ChatGPT

 

[CoolHandLuke]

booooo, get out of here with your ai

 

[tehnik]

It is basically the exact PC that I have built, except ddr5 memory. If I don't get it to work properly, then I most likely will build AMD PC.

 

[sidesh0wb0b]

my resident denture tech and computer nerd is telling me the rtx 3080 outperforms the 4060 (which seems to be the case for gaming)
should i be considering the 3080 in place of the 4060?

 

[CoolHandLuke]

if you can still get one, yes.

 

[sidesh0wb0b]

if you can still get one, yes.

i def can!

 

[MikeW]

We're looking to upgrade our agonizingly-slow CAM workstations, but I'm not great with building PCs or choosing parts- anybody have any recommendations?

I'm looking at two separate systems, one for Millbox, one for Hyperdent. I was told by a CIM Systems employee to make sure we have an Intel i9 14th generation processor b/c it cut toolpath generation time by 2/3rds, we're currently running a 12th gen i9 so that's a good place to start there.
The hyperdent system meets the bare minimum specs provided by FOLLOW-ME here - https://www.follow-me-tech.com/support/ so I'm thinking to also upgrade it to the same processor we get for the Millbox system, buy 2x16 gb sticks of decent RAM, and probably upgrade the GPU too. All of this probably equals just building a new system- it's a Dell so I'll definitely need to upgrade the motherboard, and at that point might as well start over and do it properly.

This is all pretty scatterbrained, does this make sense if my goal is to reduce toolpath generation times and keep things running smoothly when I've got a lot of programs running simultaneously? Should I just build two new systems and save ourselves the headache of upgrading systems that were mediocre to begin with?

Sorry for the late reply on this one. I hope you found one that worked for you, but if not - we sell performance CAM Workstations that are verified via benchmarks to provide the best performance in MillBox CAM. I would surmise that Hyperdent can leverage similar resources for calculation.

Here's a link where you can check them out. We also sell configurations ready to use with 3Shape and Exocad if you're looking for a PC that will perform for years to come!

Link: Level Up Store - CAD/CAM Workstation

Our customers take calculations that take 40+ minutes down to 10-15 minutes on average - especially when we pair them with the latest versions of MillBox featuring our optimized strategies. Most people overlook replacing their CAM PC, but I would recommend planning financially for upgrading every 2 years - with the rate that hardware and software have been advancing and with AI accelerating that further, you want to keep the beating heart of your production running as fast as possible. I think after 3.5k price range, you hit a wall of diminishing returns on investing into more expensive equipment.

RAM upgrades can buy you an additional year maybe.

At some point - if you have enough production volume: It'll be better for you to have a 2nd PC and seat for CAM to increase your overall throughput.

 

[losmerengues]

I think it's unreasonable to spend so much money on a computer (unless you care about gaining a few extra minutes).
I have Ryzen 5 3600 cpu and Geforce rtx 2060 gpu. Works good on Exocad and Worknc when i do nesting. Only a bit slow when it calculation on Worknc.
It give me the opportunity to make a coffee. As long as it doesn't give a blue screen, is there any advantage other than speed?

 

[ANoobTech]

These 4 grand computers are more for milling centers as far as my understanding goes. If you want to do so many jobs at once you need all that power. Just taking a look at the recommended specs for WorkNC, the CPU they recommend came out in 2015 (intel 6th gen). Old stuff. Newer hardware is faster, more efficient, and more powerful.

Btw you can build the same one or better (than the one at level up cad cam) yourself for about $2k if you're in the US