Carbide Create

What is Carbide Create?

Carbide Create combines drawing and CNC toolpath preparation in one desktop application. Use it to lay out vector designs, add text and plan cuts for projects such as signs and shaped parts. It is CAD/CAM software; Carbide Motion is the separate application used to control Carbide 3D machines.

The download linked here is V7 build 778, which the publisher lists under older downloads as the final V7 release for Windows 10 or later. It is not the current release. V7 introduced text on an arc, expressions in numerical fields, tabs attached to vectors and toolpaths linked to layers. These tools let a design carry machining information alongside its geometry.

Licensing and machine output matter before choosing this application. The publisher now calls the included edition Core: it comes with Shapeoko and Nomad machines, while paid Pro adds capabilities and standard G-code output for other CNC machines. In V7, the non-Pro workflow saves toolpaths inside a C2D project for Carbide Motion rather than a standalone G-code file. Pro retains standard G-code export and adds options including rest machining and STL import.

The publisher screenshot illustrates the V7 design workspace with curved text. It shows an earlier build 718 on macOS, not the Windows build 778 installer linked here.

Product images