I’ve been thoroughly enjoying my journey with Carbide Create and my Shapeoko CNC machine! The combination has been amazing for bringing complex designs to life. However, I’d like to share a scenario and gather insights on optimizing workflows when using computer desktops for design and CNC control.
Currently, I’m using a mid-range desktop to handle design work and toolpath generation. While it performs well, I’ve noticed some lag when working with intricate 3D models or multiple toolpaths. Are there specific hardware upgrades, such as a better GPU or more RAM, that you’d recommend for improving performance on computer desktops?
Additionally, I’ve been exploring using Carbide Motion on the same machine. However, switching between design work and running the CNC job feels a bit clunky. Would it be better to split tasks across two devices, or are there ways to streamline this setup on a single desktop?
Looking forward to hearing how others have tackled these challenges and optimized their setups!
Having a single application was considered/has been discussed, but doesn’t seem likely to happen now.
Improvement can be improved by a faster CPU and more RAM, possibly a 3D graphics card, but the best thing is good working practices and straight-forward geometry avoiding unnecessary detail and toolpaths which match the cutting capability of the machine.
The two apps do have an integration mode where if Carbide Motion is running on a network first, and if it has been given permission to connect, then Carbide Create will detect that and offer an option to send an open file with toolpaths directly to Carbide Motion. This feature will also work when both files are running on the same computer — note that there is not a requirement to use two separate computers.