![]() ![]() I would recommend Microvellum Software and Ardis combination to anyone who deals in the high-end commercial and architectural millwork industry.Technically, CNC software is just the actual program that controls the movement of the cutterhead. But the phrase has come to mean much more, encompassing an entire process that even includes design. Most CNC machines come with some version of CNC software already installed and this just allows the operator to program the machine. However, the router bit won’t know where to go if it doesn’t have some kind of map to follow. CAD (computer-aided design) software lets a woodshop create that. A CAD program, such as AutoCAD or TurboCAD, is used to actually draw the parts that need to be made. It does so by locating points such as the corners of a cabinet and connecting them with lines, curves and shapes. These paths are called strokes or, more commonly, vectors. (Vectoring is a type of graphic artwork that uses geometric formulae to represent images. These are more easily manipulated than raster/bit-mapped graphics, which are essentially a collection of dots.) The points that the vectors connect together are known as control points or nodes. The KCD business model is quite familiar in the CNC field. Many of the companies started out with just one or two designers and their programs grew as personal computer technology advanced. Plus, CAM/CAD software that was designed specifically for the custom casework market has quite often been developed not by programmers, but by woodworkers who got a little distracted. The founder of ShopBot Tools is another example. Ted Hall, a professor of neuroscience at Duke University, liked to build plywood boats in his barn. ![]() He became frustrated by the amount of time it was taking him to cut panels for curved hulls when he was using portable power tools, so his solution was to build a big plotter with a cutter instead of a pen. Nowadays, when a customer buys a new ShopBot, the company includes a basic CAD/CAM software package called PartWorks Suite that applies a new generation of Hall’s boat solution to any number of woodshop problems.ĪrtCAM ( is an industry leader in software for creative woodworkers. Its design options include programs for small businesses that need to get into routing and engraving and 3-D design and manufacturing suites. The company’s Insignia CAD/CAM software is used worldwide for both 2-D and 3-D design and production. ![]()
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