cncArtistMachines / CNC Shark
CNC Shark by Next Wave Automation
cncArtist for CNC Shark: CAM for Mac, iPad and iPhone
Native Mac software for designing, simulating and cutting on CNC Shark by Next Wave Automation. Free to download. $299 once to cut without limits. No subscription.
Why cncArtist suits CNC Shark
CNC Shark machines have long shipped with Vectric software on Windows. cncArtist has a Next Wave post and presets for the HD5 and the extended HD510, and runs natively on the Mac.
It is a good fit if you bought the Shark with a Windows PC you no longer want to run.
What it writes, and how to send it
CNC Shark · Next Wave post
File extension .tap. 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 control software that came with your Shark. Load the .tap file there.
Next Wave controllers changed over the years, so check that your machine accepts the file as written. 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 CNC Shark
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNC Shark HD5 | 635 × 635 mm 25 × 25 in | 152 mm | CNC Shark · Next Wave |
| CNC Shark HD510 (extended) | 635 × 1270 mm 25 × 50 in | 152 mm | CNC Shark · Next Wave |
Features that matter on CNC Shark
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.
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.
Longer than your bed
Tiling splits a long sign into sections that line up across the joins, and two-sided jobs flip on guided registration.
Guided zeroing at the machine
Walk up to the machine with your iPhone or iPad and follow the steps for X, Y and Z, so the zero you set is the zero the program uses.
From design to first cut
- Pick CNC Shark HD5 or HD510 in Machine.
- Design and toolpath.
- Simulate.
- Export and move the .tap file to the Shark's PC.
- Load it, set zero, air cut.
Questions
Which extension?
.tap
Multiple bits?
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.
Can I import my old Vectric vectors?
Yes, as DXF or SVG.
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.