3D relief software for CNC before material meets the table

A compelling grayscale image can still produce a poor toolpath. Tiny halos turn into ridges, noisy backgrounds waste cycle time, and steep jumps demand cutters that cannot reach the detail. DepthCarve lets you inspect the estimated field beside the source, compress irrelevant distance, flatten low-value regions with range controls, and decide whether the source is suitable before exporting geometry.

The STL carries millimeter dimensions and a solid backing, making it easier to place against stock in Aspire, Carveco, Fusion, Vectric workflows, or another CAM system. It does not know your workholding, bit length, spindle limits, or material behavior. Those constraints remain in CAM, where simulation and machine-specific post-processing belong.

Relief height should be chosen with the smallest planned finishing tool in mind. A tall change across a short pixel distance creates a steep wall, and the cutter may rub, leave uncut material, or lose detail. Lowering total relief height often improves the result more than increasing mesh density. Use contrast to separate meaningful planes, but avoid turning soft features into cliffs.

Grid size controls triangles, not artistic fidelity. Start with a moderate grid, generate roughing and finishing simulations, and inspect remaining stock. Increase the grid only when toolpaths reveal faceting that the source depth genuinely supports. A dense noisy mesh produces longer calculations and more machine motion without guaranteeing a smoother carved surface.

Crop and clean the artwork first. Generate a free map, verify whether light or dark should become the raised region, and adjust the useful range. Export a test STL at the final aspect ratio, import it at a known origin, and confirm dimensions. Then create roughing and finishing operations with safe stock allowance, boundary offsets, and a material-appropriate step-over.

Run CAM simulation and check the deepest point against the real blank, spoilboard, and fixturing. For a new source style or material, cut a small sample before the final piece. This staged loop is slower than one-click G-code but dramatically cheaper than discovering a reversed portrait or unreachable crevice halfway through a customer job.

Free depth previews make quoting and source rejection inexpensive. New accounts receive five credits, enough to try the 16-bit container and one relief STL. Larger packs suit occasional custom jobs, while monthly tiers lower the per-output cost for active workshops. A format authorization is idempotent, so downloading the same approved file again does not repeatedly debit the ledger.

External geometry jobs reserve credits before calling the provider and write an automatic refund on failure. The application records status, fingerprints, and accounting entries without storing the customer image in D1. Output links from model providers are temporary, so finished assets should be downloaded into the shop's normal project and backup process immediately.