It's been a busy stretch for Carbide Create. Since build 853 (which was on the main download page until recently) we've added new toolpath options, new ways to build 3D models, and a faster 3D view, and we've rebuilt a lot of the toolpath code underneath. Many of the fixes came straight from your forum posts and crash reports. There's far too much to list everything, so here are the highlights.
Projected engraving (Pro)
Engraving toolpaths can now be projected onto the 3D model. Draw your text or line work in 2D, turn on projection, and the engraving follows the surface of the model, whether that's a domed sign, a carved bowl or a curved panel.
Projected toolpaths stay linked to the model. When you change the model, they recalculate automatically.
More ways to build 3D models (Pro)
The 3D modeling tools grew a lot over these builds:
- Angled Plane is a new component shape for sloped and faceted surfaces. Labeled points make it easy to set up, and planes that share an edge now merge cleanly.
- Cylinder is a new component shape, still very much in beta. Rounded ends blend smoothly into the body.
- Align Model moves the model and the selected vectors to the center or an edge of the stock.
- 16-bit heightmaps are better supported, so imported height data keeps much finer detail.
A faster, better-looking 3D view
A large share of this work is under the hood:
- Rendering: we reworked the 3D rendering code and raised the resolution of the model. Vertical surfaces are now shaded darker so depths are easier to read.
- View: the view has grid lines, and zoomed-in simulations no longer look ragged.
- Speed: 3D Roughing, the 3D toolpath calculations and the simulation are all faster.
- Progress: model recalculation shows its progress in the status bar.
Toolpath improvements
- Pocket toolpaths (Pro) now offer Climb/Conventional and a parallel/raster option.
- Helix entry for pockets now starts just above the stock instead of at the retract height, so there's less time cutting air.
- Reordering toolpaths: dragging a toolpath in the list shows more clearly where it will land.
- Linking between toolpaths is faster.
- Shift-click a toolpath button to create the toolpath from the selected vectors without the "Use Current Selection" popup.
- Esc now cancels every toolpath pane.
Behind all of this is a large rewrite of the toolpath code. It's designed to keep toolpaths in sync with your design and to update faster. You shouldn't notice it, except that things are quicker and fewer toolpaths go stale.
Design tools
- Offset has a new Square Corner option.
- Region Builder can delete the source vectors after it builds a region.
- Edit Nodes, covered in our node editing post, picked up a few more options:
- Cutter access checking
- Showing and flipping vector direction
- Offering to convert text to curves at any point while the command is running
- Layers can be reordered by dragging, and there's now a dedicated delete button.
- The grid and rulers adapt as you zoom out, so the view stays readable even with a dense grid.
- Text with a missing font loads exactly as it was saved, and you get a warning before editing it, instead of the text silently changing.
- The icons are now vector icons, so they stay sharp on high-resolution displays.
Better time estimates
The time estimator is now based on a motion planner, and we fixed a bug that made its estimates run high. Job times should be much closer to what you see at the machine.
Lots of fixes
There were dozens of fixes along the way, including:
- Several crashes from BugSplat reports, around simulation, dragging, and closing the program with a command running
- Insert C2D now keeps Pro toolpaths and settings, and undo/redo restores them with their vectors
- A clear message when you open a Pro file without a Pro license, or a file from a newer version
- macOS fixes for the File menu getting stuck and for drag-and-drop imports
- Converting text to curves no longer leaves the toolpaths that use it empty
- The design library's indexing window no longer gets stuck partway through
- DXF and SVG import fixes for some unusual files
As always, keep the reports coming. They really do drive what we work on.
Give it a try
The latest build is available now at carbide3d.com/carbidecreate. Download it, give it a try, and let us know what you think on the Carbide 3D Community forum.
