Chapter 6. CAD/CAM Project: No Machine Necessary!

This chapter unites the CAD/CAM process by outlining the steps needed to design a wooden toy racer, then create and simulate the toolpaths—even if you don’t own or have access to a CNC.

Inkscape

Inkscape is a free and open scalable vector graphics editor (see “Inkscape”). If you didn’t download as you followed along in Chapter 4, go ahead and do that now.

MakerCAM

MakerCAM is a free, fully functional, browser-based CAM software with basic built-in CAD functionality (see Figure 6-1). You can draw circles, rectangles, rounded rectangles, and polygons, and do basic vector editing.

MakerCAM can import an SVG file, create toolpaths, and save those toolpaths as a set of machining instructions or ...

Get Getting Started with CNC now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.