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HSMWorks Is Ending. What Are Your Real CAM Alternatives?

HSMWorks retires March 25, 2028, and Autodesk stopped selling new subscriptions back on March 25, 2025. If your shop programs CAM inside SOLIDWORKS with it, that clock is already running. The good news: choosing the next tool is simpler than it looks. Here are the real options, in plain terms, each linked to more detail.

One fact decides most of this: CAM toolpaths do not transfer between systems, so you re-program your parts no matter which option you pick. That means the real question is not "what's closest to HSMWorks," it's "where should my CAM live for the next five years."

Your options

Next tier up

SOLIDWORKS Milling Professional

Adds true simultaneous 4- and 5-axis milling, mold and die surfacing, and high-speed machining. The move once indexed 3+2 stops being enough.

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Stays inside SOLIDWORKS

SOLIDWORKS CAM (CAMWorks)

Runs as an add-in inside SOLIDWORKS. Easiest to try if you already have a seat. The entry tier is basic; true simultaneous multi-axis lives in higher CAMWorks tiers.

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Separate product

SolidCAM

Tightly integrated with SOLIDWORKS, known for iMachining high-speed toolpaths. A separate paid product from a separate vendor.

Not sold by Morphos 3D. Included for completeness.

Autodesk's own path

Autodesk Fusion

An all-in-one cloud CAD, CAM, and simulation subscription. Strong for CAD-agnostic shops and small teams, but a SOLIDWORKS file imports as solid bodies, not the feature tree.

Read the HSMWorks end-of-life details for what Autodesk says about this path.

Standalone standard

Mastercam

The largest installed base in CNC. CAD-independent by design, so a model moves out of SOLIDWORKS and back on every revision.

Not sold by Morphos 3D. Included for completeness.

If your parts are designed in SOLIDWORKS, NC Shop Floor Programmer is the lowest-friction landing spot: it keeps CAM connected to the CAD you already run, and a real number of shops already own it without knowing. Outgrow its indexed 3-axis ceiling, and Milling Professional is the next rung, simultaneous 5-axis, mold and die, high-speed machining, on the same platform.

Not sure which one fits your shop?

Morphos 3D sells and supports the SOLIDWORKS manufacturing lineup and has actually run Autodesk CAM too, so the recommendation is based on your shop, not the logo. Talk to Support for a straight answer, or see the full HSMWorks end-of-life timeline for what Autodesk says and when.

Frequently asked questions

Is HSMWorks really going away?

Yes. Autodesk stopped selling new HSMWorks subscriptions on March 25, 2025, and set a retirement date of March 25, 2028. On that date the entitlement is removed from subscriber accounts, and in Autodesk's own words you will no longer be able to download, access, or use HSMWorks. What happens to genuine pre-2016 perpetual seats is less clearly stated, but even those get no updates, no re-download, and no support for future SOLIDWORKS versions after the date.

Can I move my HSMWorks toolpaths to a new CAM system?

No. CAM toolpaths and machining setups do not transfer between systems, and there is no HSMWorks trade-in or data bridge that carries your programming forward. Whichever alternative you choose, you re-program your parts. That is the single most important planning fact, because it means staying inside the Autodesk family is not the shortcut it sounds like.

What are the alternatives to HSMWorks for a SOLIDWORKS shop?

The realistic options are SOLIDWORKS CAM (CAMWorks) as an in-SOLIDWORKS add-in, SolidCAM as a separate integrated product, Autodesk Fusion as Autodesk's own recommended path, Mastercam as the standalone shop-floor standard, and the SOLIDWORKS manufacturing roles on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform starting with NC Shop Floor Programmer. For a shop already standardized on SOLIDWORKS, the roles that keep CAM connected to your existing CAD carry the least downstream friction.

Is Autodesk Fusion the only option for HSMWorks users?

No. Fusion is Autodesk's recommended path and it is a strong all-in-one tool, especially for CAD-agnostic shops, Mac users, and small teams that want CAD, CAM, and simulation in one subscription. It is a separate platform from SOLIDWORKS, though, and a SOLIDWORKS file imported into Fusion comes in as solid bodies rather than the original feature tree and sketches. If your design work lives in SOLIDWORKS, moving only your CAM to Fusion splits your CAD and CAM across two platforms.

What is NC Shop Floor Programmer, and might I already have it?

NC Shop Floor Programmer is the entry CAM role on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, covering 3-axis milling, 3+2 indexing, laser, waterjet, plasma, nesting, wire EDM, a manufacturability checker, and machine simulation. It is included when you run a SOLIDWORKS subscription that carries cloud services, so many shops already own it without knowing. It handles indexed work rather than full simultaneous multi-axis, which lives in the Milling Professional and higher roles.

Losing HSMWorks? Talk to a reseller that speaks machinist.

Get a straight read on where your CAM should land, and find out if you already own the replacement.

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