5. Toolchain Software
This section discusses software for designing and cutting projects. In general, you will need some type of design software (unless you are using someone else’s design without modification), and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software to convert the design into the gcode instructions that the Maslow follows to cut the design.
Design software can be as simple as drawing software that creates a 2D pattern which can be combined with the user’s instructions on how deep and with what bit to cut each part of the pattern. Conversely design can be done in Computer Aided Drawing (CAD) software which models the shape of the final product, typically in 3D.
In the tables below are software packages which can be used for design and manufacture.
Design Software
| Name | Type | Source | Operating Systems | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alibre Design | Commercial - https://www.alibre.com/ (Windows) | Parametric 3D CAD | ||
| Aspire | Commercial - Aspire 〡Vectric | 2D and 2.5D CAD/CAM | ||
| AutoCAD | Commercial | Parametric 3D CAD | ||
| FreeCAD | Open source - https://freecad.org/ (Mac / Linux / Windows) | Parametric 3D CAD software | ||
| Fusion | Commercial - Autodesk Fusion | 3D CAD, CAM, CAE, & PCB Cloud-Based Software | Autodesk () | CAD / CAM / CAE software; products include Fusion3D and Fusion360 | ||
| Illustrator | Commercial - https://www.adobe.com/products/illustrator.html | Vector graphics editor | ||
| Inkscape | Open source - https://inkscape.org/ (Mac / Linux / Windows) | 2D drawing software for vector drawings. Produces drawings in Scaled Vector Graphics (SVG) format | ||
| Inventor | Commercial | Parametric 3D CAD | ||
| Ondsel | Parametric 3D CAD based on FreeCAD | |||
| OnShape | Commercial - https://www.onshape.com/ (browser-based) | Parametric 3D CAD software | ||
| Photoshop | Commercial - https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html () | Raster graphics editor | ||
| Solidworks | Commercial | Parametric 3D CAD |
CAM Software
| Name | Type | Source | Operating Systems | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estlcam | Commercial - https://www.estlcam.de/ () | CAM software - One-time purchase | ||
| Fusion | Commercial | Autodesk Fusion | 3D CAD, CAM, CAE, & PCB Cloud-Based Software | Autodesk | CAD / CAM / CAE software | |
| MakerCAM | Open source / MakerCAM (browser based) | Reads SVG | ||
| Krabzcam | Open source / GitHub - mkrabset/krabzcam: Online CAM tool for generating G-code from vector graphics and bitmaps | KrabzCAM | Reads dxf/svg | |
| OpenBuilds CAM | Open source / GitHub - OpenBuilds/OpenBuilds-CAM: Online CNC CAM System - | https://cam.openbuilds.com/ |