cncArtistMachines / Axiom
Axiom Precision AutoRoute and Iconic
cncArtist for Axiom: CAM for Mac, iPad and iPhone
Native Mac software for designing, simulating and cutting on Axiom Precision AutoRoute and Iconic. Free to download. $299 once to cut without limits. No subscription.
Why cncArtist suits Axiom
Axiom machines are often sold bundled with Vectric, so many owners already live in VCarve on Windows. cncArtist is the native Mac option, with a post written for the RichAuto DSP pendant.
There is also a generic DSP preset for other machines that use the same style of controller.
What it writes, and how to send it
Axiom (RichAuto) post
File extension .nc. This post has no in-program tool change, so a job that uses more than one bit is exported as one file per bit (for example a -1-T2 and a -2-T1 file). Run them in order and re-zero Z after each swap.
How to send it
The machine's handheld DSP controller (RichAuto), usually from a USB stick. Copy the .nc file to the stick and load it on the pendant.
DSP controllers differ in which file extension and options they accept, and Axiom model numbers vary. cncArtist writes .nc; check that your pendant opens it, and run an air cut first. cncArtist's posts are checked with golden-file tests: the output for a sample job is compared with a saved copy, so a change cannot slip through unnoticed. That is a software test, not a certification on any machine. Run the simulator and an air cut on a new setup before every first cut.
Presets for Axiom
Pick your machine by maker and model and cncArtist fills in the bed size, Z travel, safe height and post. These are the makers' published cutting areas, and you can change any figure.
| Preset | Bed | Z travel | Post |
|---|---|---|---|
| Axiom AutoRoute 6 | 610 × 610 mm 24 × 24 in | 120 mm | Axiom (RichAuto) |
| Axiom Iconic 4 | 610 × 610 mm 24 × 24 in | 100 mm | Axiom (RichAuto) |
| Axiom AutoRoute 8 | 610 × 1220 mm 24 × 48 in | 127 mm | Axiom (RichAuto) |
| DSP pendant (RichAuto) | 1300 × 2500 mm 51.2 × 98.4 in | 200 mm | Axiom (RichAuto) |
Features that matter on Axiom
Every line checked first
The simulator plays the whole job back in wood, marks gouges on the board and lists each problem with its toolpath or G-code line, before anything reaches the machine.
Nesting with tabs
Pack parts onto the sheet to waste less wood, with tabs that hold each one in place.
Inlays that fit
Male and female parts are cut from one design, so the plug seats tight. V-carve, pocket, profile, 3D, two-sided, tiling and nesting are all in the same app.
Times that learn
Record how long a job really took and cncArtist adjusts its run-time estimates for your machine, so they get closer every job.
From design to first cut
- Pick your Axiom in Machine, or DSP pendant (RichAuto) if yours is not listed.
- Design and toolpath.
- Simulate.
- Export and copy the .nc file to a USB stick.
- Load it on the pendant, set zero and run an air cut.
Questions
One file or several?
This post has no in-program tool change, so a job that uses more than one bit is exported as one file per bit (for example a -1-T2 and a -2-T1 file). Run them in order and re-zero Z after each swap.
Does it work with my model?
Three Axiom presets and a generic DSP preset are included. Check your own controller's expectations.
Can I change the post?
Yes. Copy and edit it in the post editor.
Coming from Vectric? Read VCarve for Mac.
Free to download.
$299 once to cut without limits.
Design and simulate as much as you like. Your first three jobs export free. Then one purchase unlocks cncArtist on Mac, iPad and iPhone. Commercial use included.
Cut 3 jobs free.
Every design tool, every simulation, and G-code for your first three jobs. No card, no time limit.
Once. Everywhere.
Unlimited export on Mac, iPad and iPhone with one purchase. Free 1.x updates. Family Sharing. Commercial use included.
Launch price $249 until 11:59 pm on Thursday, Dec 31, 2026.
No subscription.
Pay once, cut forever. A paid major version every few years, with an owner upgrade price.