CNC V-Carve Depth & Stepover Geometry Calculator
V-carving uses angled cutter geometry to carve sharp 3D internal corners and tapered sidewalls. Calculate maximum carve depth, flat pocket thresholds, stepdown pass counts, and vector smoothness requirements for wood, acrylic, and non-ferrous metals.
V-Bit & Cut Geometry
Calculated Cut Geometry
Theoretical Carve Depth:
6.93 mm
Actual Target Depth:
4.00 mm (Flat Pocket)
Flat Bottom Width:
3.38 mm
Required Z-Passes:
2 Passes
Scallop / Cusp Height:
0.08 mm
Carve Profile Type
Flat-Bottom Pocket
Requires flat clearance bit + V-bit perimeter cleanup.
Notice: When feature width exceeds the flat depth limit, CAM software creates a flat pocket bottom. Clean closed vectors are essential for clean clearance pocketing.
The Trigonometry of CNC V-Carving
Unlike standard 2D profile cutting with cylindrical end mills, V-carving is a 3D simultaneous motion. The CNC controller calculates Z-axis depth continuously based on the perpendicular distance between two vector vectors:
V-Carve Depth Formula:
HalfAngle (θ) = IncludedAngle / 2
D_theoretical = (FeatureWidth - TipFlat) / (2 * tan(θ))
Flat Bottom Width (when D_theoretical > MaxDepthLimit):
W_flat = FeatureWidth - (2 * MaxDepthLimit * tan(θ)) - TipFlat
Why Jagged Vector Nodes Ruin V-Carve Finishes
If you feed a low-resolution raster auto-trace into V-Carve Pro, Fusion 360, Aspire, or Carbide Create:
- Z-Axis Harmonic Chatter: Because depth is directly proportional to stroke width, a 0.2mm ripple in the vector outline forces the Z-axis to pulse up and down at hundreds of Hertz, gouging the wood or acrylic.
- Rounded Internal Corners: Dirty vectors prevent the CAM toolpath from reaching true sharp apex vertices, destroying the crisp handcrafted appearance of carved typography.
- Tip Breakage on Fine Bits: 15° and 30° solid carbide V-bits have microscopic fragile tips (0.1mm). Abrupt direction changes caused by micro-segments snap carbide tips instantly.