User Library for common parts?

I have just built my own CNC machine, by merging a few different designs I saw on line. I’m now just looking for some good CAD/CAM design software, and it seems to be perfect timing as Carbide Create has just been made free for all machines :slight_smile: A big thank you for that!

I have only just started playing, so don’t fully know the software yet, but from the video tutorials I have seen it looks like its going to be great.

What I’d like to be able to do is build up my own library of parts. I’m mainly going to be using my machine to create custom control panels, and so I will end up with lots of standard designs for switches, connectors etc. If I could save each on of them into a library and then when I build a panel, all I need do it take them out of the library and place them in the correct position.

Does the current library exist on disk somewhere, so I can just save my designs into a the right folder?

Regards

Ben

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There’s no way to get to the library in CC, it’s embedded in the program itself. The latest CC build 302, which was just posted today, will let you import SVG and DXF files into a CC design without clearing it.

I think that’ll get you 90% of the way there, you just won’t have the browser that the library has.

-Rob

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Thanks Rob,

I’m not with the software at the moment, but I assume under the save as menu option you select to save a design as an SVG file to make this work?

Regards

Ben

I believe what you’d like to do is create your panel parts library and paste them into your Carbide Create workspace as each job requires… I don’t think you’re gonna be able to perform said operation. You can initially open an SVG or DXF, but there’s no saving to anything other than C2D.

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Yes your right, I have looked and can’t do it. I’ll have to find some other software to create the SVG files I guess.

It would be a really neat feature though to let you have a custom library that you can add a grouped object into.

Not being able to copy and paste between documents really does make it tough, but maybe you could make a series of templates with more items than you need so you can pick the useful ones and delete the cruft. I do this with one master file that I develop all of my items in, make a copy and pare it down for a particular task, then create the final design and save it. It’s can be a real pain in the ass to remember to ALWAYS add a new file (one that you know you will be using multiple times) to an ever growing, and increasingly cluttered master file, but that is all I could come up with.

Hope it helps.