Simplified 2D CAD/CAM
Combine the power of 2D sketching and machining, with 3D simulation to see your designs come to life!
We wrote this software from scratch to give our customers the quickest path from idea to part.
FreeCAD is designed to fit a wide range of uses including product design, mechanical engineering and architecture. Whether you are a hobbyist, a programmer, an experienced CAD user, a student or a teacher, you will feel right at home with FreeCAD. The best part about this CAD app is that it's completely free. This 3D design creating CAD software is supported by Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X systems. It is available in the English language, so it's enough easy to use and even helps with creating animated designs using it. Files in 2D and 3D can be imported using unique formats as well. Nanosoft is a community of CAD professionals. Our team consists of people who have been working in the CAD software industry for years. Many of them have been in the CAD business since the late 1980s. They have been involved in the development of innovative software and have taken part in many successful national and international projects.
- There are many kinds, but CAD and CAM are the most common. What is the minimum CNC Software for a Beginner? A beginning CNC'er needs to learn to use CAD Software for creating designs, CAM Software to convert the designs to g-code, and Feeds and Speeds Software to determine the proper cutting feeds and speeds for their CAM software to use.
- Want to see my honest opinion of this software after using it for 3 months: think this.
Carbide Create is downloaded software that's run from your own machine, it's not cloud software that can be insecure and unavailable.
Best of all, it's free for everyone, not just Carbide 3D customers.Get Carbide Create for Free
Build: 514 Released: 9-24-2020
Build: 514 Released: 9-24-2020
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- 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 carfully 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, not problem- load it in and start machining.
Why is Carbide Create Free?
We make great desktop CNC machines and CNC Routers but the machines themselves are only part of the equation- they need software to go with them.
We created Carbide Create to help our users get started quickly without searching for software. We kept getting questions from people who weren't our customers but wanted to use Carbide Create. We finally said, 'Why not?'
So here's the deal- use Carbide Create and enjoy it. (Please send us photos of what you make with it.) If you decide to upgrade your CNC, consider one of ours. If you wow a friend and they'd like to get into CNC, please send them our way.
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 design.
Tool Library
Keep a library of all of your favorite cutting tools ready to go.
Speeds and Feeds
Let Carbide Create estimate the best speeds for cutting your parts.
Simulation
See what you're going to get before you even walk up to your machine.
Get Carbide Create
Enter your email below and we'll send you the download links and documentation to get started with Carbide Create.
Don't worry, every email has an unsubscribe link if you never want to hear from us again.
Need 3D CAM Software?
Carbide Create is a great way to go for 2D and 2.5D CAD/CAM. If you need 3D toolpaths, or you need to work with a full 3D CAD program, then we'd recommend MeshCAM.
We include MeshCAM with all of our Nomad Pro Desktop CNC machines and it's the easiest way to machine 3D parts.
Do you want to be a better CNC'er in 37 Seconds? Get Better Tool Life, Surface Finish, and Material Removal Rates Fast. It's that easy. You can install and get results now. |
Quick: What's the Best Free CAD Software out there? How about the Best Free CAM Software?
We can help! Here's your guide to the best free CNC software that's out there. Some of it is ours, some is from 3rd parties.
Is 'Free' The Right Choice?
This may seem an odd way to get started, but I need to ask the question in all seriousness. You may have heard the expression, 'There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.'
Sometimes free is totally awesome and there are no strings attached. Other times free makes us choose vastly inferior solutions. We spend so much time fighting with the free software that in the end, had we spent just a little bit, we might have come out a lot better. And sometimes free has sneaky hidden costs.
Keep all that in mind as you check out our choices for the best Free CNC Software you can find.
CNCCookbook Free CNC Software
We always provide a free trial for our software. In addition, when we're introducing new products, we release them for free while in Beta test and don't charge until we finish the software. Typically you use it for many months if not a year or two when that happens. We don't believe in shipping software until it is great. In addition to all that, some of our software is filled with a ton of free features even if you never subscribe.
So checkout our free stuff!
G-Wizard Calculator
We do a terrible job advertising it, but most of G-Wizard Calculator is free. Seriously. You sign up for the free trial, and when that ends, even if you don't purchase, most of the tabs will go right on working for you. There's a giant treasure trove of useful calculators, utilities, and reference information there including:
- Fancy scientific calculator with automatic unit conversions and much more.
- The ultimate productivity hack for busy people–the same ToDo list with Pomodoro timer system I use myself to get all this crazy stuff done for CNCCookbook.
- Geometry and Trig Calculators for Right Triangles, Oblique Triangles, Bolt Circles, Dovetails, Tapers, Chamfers, Drilling, Chords, True Position, Points, Turner's Cubes
- Fits and Tolerances for ISO 286, ANSI B4.2, and DIN 7172
- Thread Database with all the dimensions, tapping drills, and more
- Drill Chart
- Fastener Database with dimensions for Socket Head and Flat Head Cap Screws
- Weights and Volumes for standard metal structural shapes as well as standard lumber sizes
- Thermal Expansi0n Calculator
- Electrical Ohms Law Calculator
- Resistor Color Codes
- CNC Servo and Stepper Motor Sizing Calculators
- G- and M-Code Quick Reference
- Hardness Quick Reference with Rockwell (A, B, C, D, 15H, 30H, 45N), Brinell (Std, Hultgren, Tungsten), Vickers, and Shore scales
- Rigidity Calculator to help figure your tool rigidity
- Chatter Calculator to figure the right spindle speed to stop chatter
- Geometric, Dimensioning, and Tolerancing Quick Reference
Phew! I can hardly keep up with all of it myself. I know there a lifetime subscribers who are still delighted at the new things they discover. And we just keep adding more all the time!
Cad Cam Scanners Dental
I thought I'd make a quick video showing how it all works:
All of this will save you time digging through machinery's handbook or trying to Google for it. It's all stuff that I use constantly and you will love having it at your fingertips. So what are you waiting for–give the G-Wizard free Trial a try:
[ I Savvy, Get Me My Free Trial Now! ]
BTW, you have the choice of buying the software outright (lifetime subscription) or subscribing. Now I hear all the time from hobbyists who don't think they can afford G-Wizard. First thing is that one year is cheap–not much more than a single cutter costs. But okay, let's suppose you still think that's too expensive. The thing is, at the end of that 1 year,Feeds and Speeds keep right on working too.
What's the catch?
The catch is that once the subscription expires, there's a spindle power limit equal to 1 horsepower for each year you subscribe. This is perfect for a hobbyist. A small CNC Router may not be able to use more than a 1 horsepower cut–tiny machines just aren't rigid enough. That means a lifetime of Feeds and Speeds, limited to 1 HP, for just the cost of 1 year of subscription. It's perfect for the hobbyist trying to save.
And, if you ever get a more powerful machine, just re-subscribe to unlock the limit. No muss, no fuss.
Here you can create the content that will be used within the module.
G-Wizard Editor
Everybody who tries G-Wizard Editor loves it because it's the first G-Code software whose focus is on simplifying g-code, and it's also the first to build in Conversational CNC. With conversational CNC, you can work without using CAD. Just answer a few simple questions and GW Editor will write the g-code for you. It's for all those jobs you were thinking would be faster on a manual machine, and it's a totally free additional module you get with G-Wizard Editor.
Free DXF Files
[ Get my Free DXF Files Now! ]
Download our free DXF files and be cutting cool patterns on your CNC Laser, Router, Waterjet, or other machine before you know it.
More Free CNC Software
Speeds and Feeds
Let Carbide Create estimate the best speeds for cutting your parts.
Simulation
See what you're going to get before you even walk up to your machine.
Get Carbide Create
Enter your email below and we'll send you the download links and documentation to get started with Carbide Create.
Don't worry, every email has an unsubscribe link if you never want to hear from us again.
Need 3D CAM Software?
Carbide Create is a great way to go for 2D and 2.5D CAD/CAM. If you need 3D toolpaths, or you need to work with a full 3D CAD program, then we'd recommend MeshCAM.
We include MeshCAM with all of our Nomad Pro Desktop CNC machines and it's the easiest way to machine 3D parts.
Do you want to be a better CNC'er in 37 Seconds? Get Better Tool Life, Surface Finish, and Material Removal Rates Fast. It's that easy. You can install and get results now. |
Quick: What's the Best Free CAD Software out there? How about the Best Free CAM Software?
We can help! Here's your guide to the best free CNC software that's out there. Some of it is ours, some is from 3rd parties.
Is 'Free' The Right Choice?
This may seem an odd way to get started, but I need to ask the question in all seriousness. You may have heard the expression, 'There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.'
Sometimes free is totally awesome and there are no strings attached. Other times free makes us choose vastly inferior solutions. We spend so much time fighting with the free software that in the end, had we spent just a little bit, we might have come out a lot better. And sometimes free has sneaky hidden costs.
Keep all that in mind as you check out our choices for the best Free CNC Software you can find.
CNCCookbook Free CNC Software
We always provide a free trial for our software. In addition, when we're introducing new products, we release them for free while in Beta test and don't charge until we finish the software. Typically you use it for many months if not a year or two when that happens. We don't believe in shipping software until it is great. In addition to all that, some of our software is filled with a ton of free features even if you never subscribe.
So checkout our free stuff!
G-Wizard Calculator
We do a terrible job advertising it, but most of G-Wizard Calculator is free. Seriously. You sign up for the free trial, and when that ends, even if you don't purchase, most of the tabs will go right on working for you. There's a giant treasure trove of useful calculators, utilities, and reference information there including:
- Fancy scientific calculator with automatic unit conversions and much more.
- The ultimate productivity hack for busy people–the same ToDo list with Pomodoro timer system I use myself to get all this crazy stuff done for CNCCookbook.
- Geometry and Trig Calculators for Right Triangles, Oblique Triangles, Bolt Circles, Dovetails, Tapers, Chamfers, Drilling, Chords, True Position, Points, Turner's Cubes
- Fits and Tolerances for ISO 286, ANSI B4.2, and DIN 7172
- Thread Database with all the dimensions, tapping drills, and more
- Drill Chart
- Fastener Database with dimensions for Socket Head and Flat Head Cap Screws
- Weights and Volumes for standard metal structural shapes as well as standard lumber sizes
- Thermal Expansi0n Calculator
- Electrical Ohms Law Calculator
- Resistor Color Codes
- CNC Servo and Stepper Motor Sizing Calculators
- G- and M-Code Quick Reference
- Hardness Quick Reference with Rockwell (A, B, C, D, 15H, 30H, 45N), Brinell (Std, Hultgren, Tungsten), Vickers, and Shore scales
- Rigidity Calculator to help figure your tool rigidity
- Chatter Calculator to figure the right spindle speed to stop chatter
- Geometric, Dimensioning, and Tolerancing Quick Reference
Phew! I can hardly keep up with all of it myself. I know there a lifetime subscribers who are still delighted at the new things they discover. And we just keep adding more all the time!
Cad Cam Scanners Dental
I thought I'd make a quick video showing how it all works:
All of this will save you time digging through machinery's handbook or trying to Google for it. It's all stuff that I use constantly and you will love having it at your fingertips. So what are you waiting for–give the G-Wizard free Trial a try:
[ I Savvy, Get Me My Free Trial Now! ]
BTW, you have the choice of buying the software outright (lifetime subscription) or subscribing. Now I hear all the time from hobbyists who don't think they can afford G-Wizard. First thing is that one year is cheap–not much more than a single cutter costs. But okay, let's suppose you still think that's too expensive. The thing is, at the end of that 1 year,Feeds and Speeds keep right on working too.
What's the catch?
The catch is that once the subscription expires, there's a spindle power limit equal to 1 horsepower for each year you subscribe. This is perfect for a hobbyist. A small CNC Router may not be able to use more than a 1 horsepower cut–tiny machines just aren't rigid enough. That means a lifetime of Feeds and Speeds, limited to 1 HP, for just the cost of 1 year of subscription. It's perfect for the hobbyist trying to save.
And, if you ever get a more powerful machine, just re-subscribe to unlock the limit. No muss, no fuss.
Here you can create the content that will be used within the module.
G-Wizard Editor
Everybody who tries G-Wizard Editor loves it because it's the first G-Code software whose focus is on simplifying g-code, and it's also the first to build in Conversational CNC. With conversational CNC, you can work without using CAD. Just answer a few simple questions and GW Editor will write the g-code for you. It's for all those jobs you were thinking would be faster on a manual machine, and it's a totally free additional module you get with G-Wizard Editor.
Free DXF Files
[ Get my Free DXF Files Now! ]
Download our free DXF files and be cutting cool patterns on your CNC Laser, Router, Waterjet, or other machine before you know it.
More Free CNC Software
Best Free CAD Software
Which one of these packages is your pick for the Best Free CAD Software out there?
| A9 CAD | CAD | http://www.a9tech.com/products/a9cad/ |
| Blender | CAD | https://www.blender.org/ |
| Draftsight | CAD | https://www.solidworks.com/product/draftsight |
| eCabinet: CAD for custom cabinet makers | CAD | http://www.ecabinetsystems.com/ |
| gCAD3d | CAD | http://www.cadcam.co.at/freiter/gCAD3D_en.htm |
| FreeCAD | CAD | https://www.freecadweb.org/ |
| Google Sketchup | CAD | https://sketchup.google.com/ |
| Fusion 360 | CAD + CAM | https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/students-teachers-educators |
| GraphiteOne CAD | CAD | https://www.graphiteone-cad.com/ |
| HeeksCAD | CAD | https://github.com/Heeks/heekscad |
| Minos | CAD | http://www.le-boite.com/minos.htm |
| nanoCAD | CAD | https://nanocad.com/ |
| OnShape | CAD | https://www.onshape.com/ |
| Solid Edge Free 2D Drafting | CAD | http://www.solidedge.com/free2d/ |
| TinkerCAD | CAD | https://www.tinkercad.com/ |
| Wings 3D | CAD | https://www.wings3d.com/ |
Cad Cam Outsole Mold
Free CNC CAM Software
| Estlcam | CAM | http://www.estlcam.com/ |
| Free Mill: 3D Milling from the makers of Visual Mill | CAM | http://www.mecsoft.com/freemill.shtml |
| DeskProto | CAM | https://www.deskproto.com/products/free-ed.php |
| HSMExpress | CAM | http://www.hsmworks.com/hsmxpress/ |
| Fusion 360 | CAD + CAM | https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/students-teachers-educators |
| G-Simple | CAM | https://www.gsimple.eu/ |
| Heeks CAD/CAM | CAM | https://www.heeks.net/ |
Other Free CNC Software
| GCode Ripper | Wrap GCode for 4th Axis or do Engraving on Irregular Surfaces after Probing | See article link |
| LinuxCNC / EMC2 | Free CNC Control Software | https://www.linuxcnc.org/ |
| Jedicut | CNC Foam Cutting | http://www.aeropassion.net/index-en.php |
| Ace Converter | DXF to G-Code | http://www.dakeng.com/ace.html |
| 2linc Engraving Software: Light Version | Engraving Software | http://www.2linc.com/cnc_programming_software.htm |
| DeskEngrave | Engraving Software | http://www.deskam.com/download.html |
| PCB-GCODE | G-Code for Eagle PCB | https://groups.yahoo.com/group/pcb-gcode/ |
| Auto-trace | Image or bitmap to g-code | http://autotrace.sourceforge.net/ |
| Image to G-Code | Image or bitmap to g-code | http://www.imagetogcode.com/ |
| Scan2CNC | Image or bitmap to g-code | http://www.gravomaster.com/Tristan_Dean/scan2cnc.html |
| MaxCut | Nesting | http://www.maxcut.co.za/ |
Free CNC Software FAQ
What is CNC Software?
CNC Software is the Digital Tooling used to create programs for CNC Machines. There are many kinds, but CAD and CAM are the most common.
What is the minimum CNC Software for a Beginner?
A beginning CNC'er needs to learn to use CAD Software for creating designs, CAM Software to convert the designs to g-code, and Feeds and Speeds Software to determine the proper cutting feeds and speeds for their CAM software to use.
What is the most popular CAD Software for CNC?
Fusion 360 followed by Solidworks are the most popular CAD Software packages among CNC'ers according to CNCCookbook's CAD Survey. Fusion 360 is free for non-business users and some small business users.
What is the most popular CAM Software?
Fusion 360 is the most popular CAM Software followed by Vectric/Aspire and Mastercam according to CNCCookbook's CAM Survey. Fusion 360 is free for non-business users and some small business users.
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GCode is Complicated
G-Wizard Makes it Easy
