cncArtistMachines / Laguna IQ and SWIFT
Laguna IQ and SWIFT
cncArtist for Laguna IQ and SWIFT: CAM for Mac, iPad and iPhone
Native Mac software for designing, simulating and cutting on Laguna IQ and SWIFT. Free to download. $299 once to cut without limits. No subscription.
Why cncArtist suits Laguna IQ and SWIFT
Laguna routers are bought by woodshops that want to cut cabinet parts and signs. cncArtist has a Laguna post that writes .tap files, with presets for the IQ 2x3 and the SWIFT 4x8.
Nesting, tiling and tabs are built in for sheet work.
What it writes, and how to send it
Laguna IQ / SWIFT 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 machine's controller, usually from a USB drive. Copy the .tap file to the drive and load it on the control. Check Laguna's guide for your model.
Laguna controllers vary by model and year. We have not confirmed every one accepts this 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 Laguna IQ and SWIFT
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laguna IQ 2×3 | 610 × 915 mm 24 × 36 in | 177 mm | Laguna IQ / SWIFT |
| Laguna SWIFT 4×8 | 1270 × 2490 mm 50 × 98 in | 200 mm | Laguna IQ / SWIFT |
Features that matter on Laguna IQ and SWIFT
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.
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.
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 Laguna IQ 2x3 or SWIFT 4x8 in Machine.
- Design and toolpath.
- Simulate.
- Export and copy the .tap file to a USB drive.
- Load it on the control, set zero and 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 edit the post?
Yes.
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.