2 min read
Easel CNC Software Updates
There is a lot to love in Inventables Easel CNC Software. Over the years, we’ve listened to the Inventables CNC community to learn how they use their machines and what features they look for in the CNC software.
Brandon takes us through some of the updates made to Easel for 2021 & 2022. Here are some highlights with the video following. Some features are available on the free version while others appear for Easel Pro users.
Software support for more CNC Machines
We know that the community of CNC carvers uses many different CNC machines. To provide these users with the best carving experience, we’ve expanded our catalog of supported CNC Machines. To add the 3018 machines, you can set up your machine specifications in Easel. We’ve also added many popular machines to the machine selection drop-down. Here are some of the more popular CNC machines that are supported by our Easel CNC Software.
Work Pieces
When creating your designs in the software, you may often have different versions. You may also complete a rough carve and a finish carve over the same design. Or, you may add customization to a base design. In all of these cases, Easel Work Pieces lets you maintain multiple design/carve spec versions in the same file.
This feature allows you to easily access versions without closing and opening files as well as maintaining the base design integrity throughout the process.
Z-index Rapit Retract
The speed at which the bit is retracted, or pulled up and away from the piece is now much faster and the feed rate on the retract is higher as well. This allows you to complete projects in much less time.
Pro Design Library
The Easel Pro Design Library has millions of ready-carve designs. These are easily added to your project so you can speed the design process and get to carving faster.
V-Carve Improvements
We’ve made great tool path improvements for V-Carving. You may have noticed that v-carves slowed down carving quite a bit. With the new tool-path improvement, the overall carve time is now much lower.
Settings for Multiple CNC Machines
Your shop may have an X-Carve and an X-Carve Pro, or you may have multiple CNC machines from other manufacturers. In Easel Pro you can save settings for all your CNC machines. Since the CNC software is web-based, you can easily run it from different computers that may be used on different machines.
Tiling for Larger Workpieces
The Tile feature in Easel Pro allows you to carve on pieces that are larger than the machine area. You can run a 4x8 sheet of plywood through the X-Carve Pro 4x4, carving ½ then, guided by Easel instructions, adjust the sheet to carve the 2nd half. This can be done on any CNC machine through which you can feed your material.
Ramping Plunge
A standard plunge drops the bit to the carving depth and then proceeds with the carve-path. The new ramping feature lets you set a moving plunge or a ramping plunge. This makes the plunge better for harder materials.
Features & Tool
Our CNC Software has received many updates, and there are more to come. To help you keep on top of these, we’ve added a “Features & Tools” menu option that lets you see the new features. There is also a place where you can ask questions of our developers if things are not going as you expected.
There are more new capabilities in our Easel CNC Software. Take a look at Brandon’s video: