Carbide Create

Simplified 2D CAD/CAM

Combine the power of 2D sketching and machining, with 3D simulation to see your designs come to life on your CNC router!

We wrote this software from scratch to give our customers the quickest path from idea to part.

Carbide Create is downloaded software that runs from your own computer, it’s not cloud software that can be insecure and unavailable.

Need 3D design and machining? Check out Carbide Create Pro.

Get Carbide Create for Free

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Carbide Create is Cross-Platform... without the Cloud

Carbide Create is downloadable software that runs on Windows and OSX computers. In fact, it’s the only cross-platform CAD/CAM software available that doesn’t depend on “The Cloud”. (Let’s face it, if you’re looking for CAD/CAM for the Mac, your options are limited)

Why are we against the cloud? Because it locks you into a vendor- to their availability and their willingness to continue providing the software.

If we’ve done our job right, you’ll come to depend on Carbide Create and we don’t want you to think that we’re holding you hostage. Download the software and keep it. Use it where ever and however you want.

We don’t want to limit you.

Carbide Create is a Full-Featured 2D Design Program

Create Basic Shapes

This is not a shock, but Carbide Create lets you quickly create basic shapes.

Splines

Create smooth, organic shapes with bezier spline tools.

Background Images

Load a background image so you have a reference for your design. Whether you're looking to just make sure the parts are in proportion or you need to carefully trace an image, this will be a huge feature for you.

Alignment

If you need to make parts that fit perfectly, the alignment tools in Carbide Create will help you put all of the sections of the design in the correct locations.

Booleans

Booleans are an incredibly powerful way to combine simple shapes into more complex ones. Carbide Create supports unions, intersections, and subtractions.

Offsets

You can select a vector and create another vector that's offset to the inside or outside from the original one.

Text

You can create text vectors from any font on your computer. You can treat it like anything else you drew from scratch so all of the tools work the same way for text that they do for anything else.

Import DXF and SVG

If you need to start your design from another program or file, you can load SVG and DXF files directly into Carbide Create.

If your design is already done and you just need to create toolpaths, that's no problem- load your file and start machining.

Carbide Create has all of the machining tools you need

V-Carving

Create detailed 3D carvings without the time and effort of 3D modelling

Pockets / Contours

Pockets and contours are the basic operations in any machining job. Carbide Create has them.

Engraving

Engrave text, or any other design, directly into your project.

Note: Additonal engraving options are available in Carbide Create Pro

Tool Library

Keep a library of all of your favorite cutting tools ready to go.

Speeds and Feeds

Carbide Create includes speeds and feeds for many common cutters and materials.

Simulation

See what you're going to get before you even walk up to your machine.

Need 3D CAM Software?

Carbide Create is a great way to go for 2D and 2.5D CAD/CAM. If you need 3D toolpaths then we’ve got two options for you:

If you already have 3D CAD or already have 3D files to machine, we’d recommend MeshCAM.
If you need to start from a blank canvas, check out Carbide Create Pro.

Note: We include MeshCAM with all of our Nomad 3 Desktop CNC machines.