Click on the versions below to find out what new features have been added

Wrapped Rotary Axis Job Support

Create wrapped rotary projects and visualize your job in a wrapped environment, with the ability to create and simulate the toolpaths in an auto – wrapped simulation.

Picture Editing & Cropping

With the ability import bitmaps into the software, you can further edit imported images using the edit picture tool, this allows you to adjust the visual properties of a selected bitmap, enabling you to adjust the contrast, brightness and gamma of any selected image.

Borders of different sizes and radii can also be added to bitmaps for aesthetic purposes. Bitmaps can also be made black and white. The software also has the ability to crop images to any given vector allowing you to remove parts of the image you are not interested in.

In-place text editing and transforms

See live feedback of the text that you create and edit. Text maintains formatting, allowing you to easily make edits after the text has been created.

3D Helical Arcs In Ramping

Output helical arcs in a way that your machine understands. Makes for smoother cuts and smaller file sizes.

Helical arcs are like regular arcs when viewed in 2D but where the start z and the end z differ. They are typically found in toolpaths where ramping occurs.

Online Clipart Access

Improved access to the online clipart that comes free with Aspire. This clipart can be downloaded directly from the running software. The software comes with previews of the clipart you're entitled to.

In order to get the latest entitlements , click the refresh button. To download the clipart to use, simply drag and drop your desired model onto your part.

Two-sided Machining

This adds the ability to create double-sided projects in the same session. It avoids the need to have 2 sessions, one for each side.

Job & Material Setup

In the Job Setup dialog, you can pick whether you want to create a single-sided, double-sided or a rotary job. You can change that, retrospectively.

Define how you want to flip the material for double-sided projects from the Job Setup dialog. This influences the positioning of the vectors and models so that geometry on each side is created in the appropriate positions relative to the opposite side.

Multi-Sided View

You can view the opposite side’s geometry using the keyboard shortcut ‘=’, or through the ‘View’ menu.

In the 2D view, you will see the opposite side’s vectors as if you were looking at them through the material block.>

In the 3D view, you will see the entire merged model as if it was simulated.

Importing STL Model

When importing an STL model (with the ‘Import both Sides’ option enabled) into a double-sided project, each side of the model will go onto a side.

You can import the entire model on each side by sliding the slicing plane all the way to the bottom. This is useful when importing models which contain non-convex surfaces, such as, a plate.

Smart Cursor

This allows you to snap to lines and extensions, which don’t necessarily exist as geometry. It reduces the need to create construction geometry, and would be helpful in aligning vectors or nodes.

Mirror Mode

This feature allows you to define a component level so that it mirrors all of its components in a certain way, based on the mirror type. This allows you to build pleasing symmetrical arrangements with ease.

Turn & Spin

Create spun profiles easily using the Spin & Turn Modelling Tool.

The turn tool takes a profile and turns it, like a lathe or a potter’s wheel, to create a rounded symmetrical component. To use the tool you require only the profile that you want to turn. This profile should represent the outer boundary of the shape you wish to create.

Quick Keys

This allows you to add more precision to your shape creation and editing process more easily by allowing typed values while creating geometry. This is supported for creation of circles, ellipses, rectangles, polygons, stars, polylines and when in editing nodes or transforming vectors.

For example, while dragging to create a circle, you could type ‘3R’ to create the circle with a radius of 3. Or, also while dragging, you could type ‘3D’ to create one with a diameter of 3.

Create Texture Area Tool

This feature lets you create a repeating pattern or texture. It requires a single "Tile" component and optionally one or more closed boundary vectors which define the region in which the tiling should take place.

The Create Texture Area form lets you specify the spacing and overlap of each tile, enter a "Shift" for every other row or column of your pattern and control the "Symmetry" or reflection of the tiles. This provides powerful control to make an incredible number of variations to your pattern and create some very interesting effects. The pattern dynamically updates as you make changes, you can even adjust the size and position of your original "Tile" at any time

40 models have been created specifically for use with this new tool and are supplied with the software as part of the included Clip Art. In addition to these pre-created models you can also create new components or edit existing ones to use with this function so the potential for creating architectural panels, sign backgrounds, decorative textures or any other applications are endless.

Moulding Toolpath

This function generates an efficient and smooth toolpath to cut 3D shapes such as mouldings, arches and frames that have a constant cross-section. The shape is specified by selecting two vectors; the first will represent the Drive Curve of the shape and the second defines the Cross Section that will in effect be extruded along the Drive Curve to create the swept shape when machined.

The Moulding Toolpath function allows you to specify two tools, one to in effect "Rough" out the majority of material with a larger tool and then the other to do the "Finishing".

The Moulding Toolpath has some clever options to further improve finish and efficiency. For the "Finish" tool you can opt to "Vary Stepover", this can be used to improve finish on shapes that have a lot of steep angles or curves on the cross-section. For the "Rough" tool you can choose to have it pre-finish any flat (horizontal) regions on the cross section, which are common on a lot of Moulding shapes. Using this option also allows you to avoid creating a "Finish" toolpath in those flat areas further increasing time-savings when machining.

Job Setup Sheet Editor

The Create Setup Job Sheet command allows you to create a summary sheet that details all the important information you will need at your CNC machine when you come to run the toolpaths. This can be used as a reference to ensure you have the setup correct, have loaded the correct tool etc. It can also be used to archive with an old job as a quick reference file to see what the job the looked like and the machining that was involved for that project.

You can also edit this to change the logo to an image of your own choice, adjust the header, footer and border colors and even customize which sections of information to include.

Vector Texture

Repeating vector patterns can be quickly created using the Create Vector Texture tool. Its easy to modify the settings to create an infinite number of variations from regular wave patterns through to uneven natural looking grain lines.

These vectors can be machined using the Profile and Texture toolpaths to create decorative wavy texture panels along with wood-grain and sand-blast effects. These can also be projected onto a 3D surface to add even more variation. 

Video Tutorials

Aspire includes over 35 hours of video tutorials and all the data files you need to work through the examples. These are split into sections beginning with Getting Started projects to let you see the process to produce a complete part and start to understand the general workflow. Then there are videos to cover each area of use within the program.

The videos are designed to take you step by step through different types of projects to explain the key methods you will use in the software and to demonstrate these on real-world examples. You can just watch and absorb the contents or follow along pausing where necessary to complete a task. In addition to learning how to use the program the videos include tips and tricks for better use of the software. The result of each project (along with the Clip Art) provides a library of parts which can be machined to create sample files to improve your CNC skills or help you to demonstrate your capabilities to potential customers.

3D Component Manager

Aspire's unique ‘Component’ based modeling approach gives enormous flexibility when creating complex designs. The ability to work on small simple pieces makes it easier to build up the pieces you need to create a complex job. This also gives you the power to continue to edit individual parts of the design as you build it up. This approach is particularly useful if you need to make design changes based on customer feedback.

Using the component manager (Component Tree) individual 3D objects can be adjusted to change the way they interact with each other within a project. These can be further organized by the use of Levels to create sub-assemblies of shapes that first combine with each other before being added to the overall shape of the model.

As you make changes to a Component the 3D model will update to show you instantly the effects of your choices making it easy to iterate through different design options.

Free Clipart

The already extensive collection of clipart that is included with Aspire has been increased with the addition of a further 50 models from the Vector Art 3D website

New Snapping Options

Improved interactive snapping to more accurately find the significant features of your design and add new drawing elements to it.

Vector Boundary

The Vector Boundary form allows you to create boundaries around selected vectors.

You can offset the boundary outwards and optionally create convex or ‘Rubber band’ boundaries.

Ability to import SketchUp Files

SketchUp files with a .SKP extension (see www.sketchup.com) can be imported as 2D data suitable for machining.

Import a Component or 3D Model

The 3D model import tool has been enhanced to provide for that application of a perspective effect to the imported component.

Emboss Tool

Apply a complex (and non-linear) scaling to the resulting component which provides an alternate way to produce low-relief models from certain types of 3D data.

Drilling Toolpath Enhancements

New peck drilling form options to reduce drill wear & tear

Pocket Toolpath Enhancements                                                                                                          

Automatic slot & groove identification during pocketing

Dimensions:

This tool allows you to add a variety of dimensioning annotations to your vector drawing.

Extend Vectors:

This tool allows you to extend two vector lines to their common point of intersection

Virtual Mid Points for Line Spans:

When in Node Editing mode, all line spans now show a small grey handle at their midpoint. By simply clicking and dragging any of these points, the line span will automatically divide into two new spans.

Extrude and Weave Modeling Tool:

Alows the creation of amazingly intricate 3D designs using relatively simple 2D vector artwork.

Multiply Combine Mode:

This allows a component to contribute to the composite model by multiplying the height at each point in the component with existing height for the corresponding point on the composite model.

Add Zero Plane:

Automatically creates a zero height plane component with the same width and height as the complete work area.

Add Draft:

The Add Draft tool will automatically add a minimum angle to any steep walls that exist in your model.

Material Setup Summary:

This includes all the salient information you may need when working with your toolpaths – material dimensions, datum positions, rapid gaps and home settings all in one place at the top of your toolpaths tab.

Toolpath Preview Enhancements:

The Preview Toolpaths form includes a speed control slider under the toolpath playback tools. This allows the speed of the toolpath preview playback to be dynamically adjusted in order to follow individual tool moves in detail.