It makes sense that the Pro version of CC has all of the 3D features - if you are not doing 3D, you don’t need it. But now that the MC Etcher tool is available, why did C3D decide to make the toolpath to use it a pro feature? It makes me think that all new features will only be in pro, and the free version will become more and more like crippleware.
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You can use the etcher tool without the pro.
There’s a John Clark video floating around that shows how you can do it.
Pro is going to get new features/more development. Like that’s just how stuff works. Improvements and updates are still made to carbide create like the tracing feature and groups and whatever else.
It’s pretty straight-forward to do something very similar to the Engraving tool path using a combination of contour and texture tool paths:
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If there is a workaround way to do it with tools in the free version, then that give even more reason that the feature should not be in pro. Otherwise, what are you paying for? The convenience?
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When you say “Pro is going to get new features…” then it is true that the free version will eventually become useless, and everyone will be forced to buy the pro version.
You’ll find that most of the things you pay for in software are literally for convenience. I spent $750 on Vectric Vcarve to make things faster to program. Because time is money.
I engraved a few things with Carbide Create using toolpaths. and textures as @WillAdams pointed out.
I was able to vcarve (I bought Vectric before CC had the advanced vcarve function) with CC, but Vectric was faster for me to use.
Asking free software to do everything is asking a company to give away their time. I don’t give my time away…
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I’m not asking that the free software do everything. I already said that it makes sense for the 3D features to be in pro.
If the software is going to have a free version and a paid version (other than a trial or crippleware), there should be a clear paradigm of what the paid version gets you. It is clear that “advanced” features, like toolpath optimization, advanced simulation, and part nesting would go in the pro version, just as 3D carving does, but if they came out with a pro feature that made it easier to draw stars, one could argue that you can still draw stars with lines in the free version. Then you would have to ask yourself, “Why is drawing stars easier a ‘Pro’ feature?”
All I’m asking is, “Why is engraving a ‘Pro’ feature?” What makes it advanced enough not to be in the free version?
Engraving with a diamond drag engraver is not a core function of CNC routers, which were what we were selling when Carbide Create was first released.
Note that we’ve done a number of features which probably folks would be willing to pay for such as Image Tracing:
which are in the free version, so I don’t see that the Free version will be crippled, and as noted, there is a work-around (doing both contour and texture toolpaths), and the reason Engraving is a Pro feature is that it is not a basic routing functionality, which is what is being offered up for free.
Please write in to sales@carbide3d.com if you have any concerns about pricing or feature availability.
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