Download the Designer 4 software demo free. DOWNLOAD The free version cannot save or compile (upload) unless using a licensed project from the CarveWright Pattern Depot.

The software will run on Windows 10 and all current versions of Mac OSX including Big Sur

The CarveWright Designer software is configured very much like a clip art program. There are libraries of 3D models we call “Patterns” that the user can drag and drop onto their project board. These Patterns can be resized, rotated, stretched, mirrored, inverted, copied, deepened, constrained, dimensioned, outlined, or cut out.

Yes, You can add more Patterns to your library by importing images or STL files, by using the Scanning Probe to 3D scan an object, by drawing and modeling your own patterns, or by purchasing additional Patterns through our searchable STORE called the Pattern Depot.

The CarveWright Scanning Probe allows 3D objects to be scanned into the software and added to the library. The scanner maps a 3D surface by tracing the object with the needle probe. Objects are placed on a scanning jig so that they can be fed into the machine and the parameters are determined in the scan setup. Once finished, the scan can be downloaded into your software for recreating or editing.

All versions of Designer can import standard graphic files like .bmp, .png, .jpeg, .gif. Photographs can be imported directly by the software and added to the workpiece. The software converts the photograph’s color directly to depth (black and white being at opposite ends of the spectrum). Importing photographs and carving them into semi‐transparent plastic with backlighting creates a very interesting photographic effect. Carving realistic 3D photographs into wood takes additional image manipulation expertise simply because of the lack of information contained in the 2D photograph. It is important to understand how this process works and what type of carving will result. In a 2D image there is only limited information that the software can work with – the position and “shade” of each pixel in the image. The Designer software imports the graphic and analyzes the “shade” of every pixel in the image. Each pixel is then assigned a depth based on its “shade” (black being converted to shallowest depth and white converted to the greatest depth). This means that if you have a black and white image that there will only be two depths to the carving. The most common misconception is that the software can convert a 2D image into a complex 3D pattern like those seen in the included libraries. This is untrue and further, there is no software in the world that can do this because of the lack of information in the 2D image. Simple clip art designs and logos import and carve very nicely. Other more complex designs may take some additional editing to achieve the desired design effect. Also, the quality of the carved output is highly dependent on the resolution of the image that you are importing. High resolution images are recommended especially if the carving is large in size. The software allows you to quickly invert the depth scale if desired.

Yes, the designs need to be saved from the 3rd party CAD software package as either DXF for the Vector line information or as STL for a 3D model. If the file format is DXF, the customer will need to purchase the DXF Layout Add-On Module. DXF Layout allows you to manipulate and prepare vector line-art for project boards in Designer.

The CarveWright software does not import or export in G‐code.  The CarveWright system uses a sophisticated, custom designed machine control language that communicates with our ServoSmart controller.

Each license allows the customer to install the software on up to two computers at any one time. Additional software licenses are available through the online store.

For users with a high‐speed Internet connection, updating the software is very fast and easy. Simply open the Designer software and when it makes its initial connection it will check for available updates. If one is available, it will prompt you to download and update.

Designer is able to use all True Type fonts already installed on your computer (in the system “Fonts” folder). This means that there are no proprietary fonts that you have to buy to use on the machine. There are three distinct text effects that can be created with the software. Raster (carved), Outline (routed), and Centerline (Vcarved). Centerline is part of the Vcarve Suite Add-On Module.

The machine is fully capable of vectoring text but the design software is not optimized for engraving anything less than about 1/2″ tall. That is to say that we do not maintain our own proprietary vectored fonts that are used to form letters. The CarveWright software draws on fonts already available on your system. The advantage to this is that you have an endless number of fonts available to carve and several different ways to carve any font. The drawback to this is it is more difficult to engrave very small fonts.

Vcarve Suite is a collection of Vcarving tools done with a 60 or 90‐degree v‐groove bit including Vector Groups (Vcarved designs), Centerline text (Vcarved text), Conforming Vectors (Vcarve surface merging), and edit outline for editing and cleaning up vector shapes.

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Advanced drawing capabilities similar to popular graphics drawing programs along with other powerful features.

• Smart Spline (drawing tool for faster drawing and tracing)
• Import Tracing Image (import background images for tracing)
• Offset Path (offset a specified distance in or out of a vector)
• Trim Tool (join or remove overlapping vector segments)
• Copy Offset (repeat a pattern or shape)

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Model your own patterns! This tool set allows you to model your own custom models and patterns.

• Puffing Tool (puffs vector shapes into curves, bubbles, bevels, and flats)
• Sweeps (sweep a profile along a vector path)
• Sweep with Rails (sweep a profile between two different vector paths)
• Extrude (extrude a profile inside a vector shape)
• Revolve (revolve a profile around a circle)
• Tilt Tool (tilt a pattern vertically and/or horizontally)

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Sculptor is a sculpting and editing software tool for 3D relief models. Quickly and intuitively, smooth, smudge, and add or remove details to prepare patterns for carving.

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