Introducing Larkspur! Origin’s Biggest Update Yet.

Our 12th Free System Update is here! Larkspur brings updates to workspaces, probing, and pocketing for AutoPass.

Workspaces Become More Flexible Than Ever

Import from Workspaces

For years, Origin owners have asked for a way to effectively “save” designs created on Origin. Because of the rich design tools available on Origin – from text and shapes, to slots for mortise and tenons – it’s easy to find yourself wanting to reuse designs from one project to another. Well, you asked and we listened!

With Larkspur you can now import designs from a previous workspace, making it easy to reuse those existing designs you’ve created on-tool. It’s effectively a copy and paste routine for workspace designs. You can even include the grid from one workspace to the next.

Bi-Directional CAD: What’s This?

Every new scan on Origin creates a Workspace. A Workspace is a picture of your work environment with the shapes and designs you’ve created (and hopefully a grid to make it easy to work with and return to). With the new import and export tools, you can push and pull designs from one Workspace to another, or out to Shaper Studio and back to Origin. Let’s see how it works.

After updating your tool to Larkspur, you’ll notice a new button on the left-hand toolbar called Export. You can now export the designs in your Origin Workspace, including the Grid, as a Studio design. Once in Studio, you can make edits and then even import it again to Origin to begin cutting and bring your idea to life.

This is especially powerful when combined with probing routines, where you can first create geometry and anchor points to reference real world objects then export it to Studio to continue making changes before cutting with Origin. It’s a kind of two-way, “bi-directional CAD” that we’re sure will open up new possibilities, and create more flexibility with how you use Origin in the shop or in the field.

Probing Routines Get Major Updates

For years you've been able to create an all-essential Grid on Origin by probing your material, which then defines an anchor point and grid for your workspace. But now, you can probe circular and rectangular objects to create new shapes and geometry on Origin, as well as define a grid.

Using the Circle Probe tool, you can easily create a round tenon on a dowel without the need to separately measure the dowel, create a circle on-tool, and then position that design in the center of the dowel. With Circle Probe, it’s all done accurately, precisely, and in one simple step. You can probe on the outer edge of material, like this dowel, or on the inside of a pocket, like in the flush-mounted hardware example below.

When working with square or rectangular stock the Probe Rectangle tool enables you to quickly measure and find a center point. You can even digitize old shop templates by probing multiple features using both of these new probing tools.

You’ll notice the probing routines are released as part of Labs – Shaper’s sandbox for developing new products and features for the Shaper System. We think these probing routines are ready for prime time, but we still expect some changes in future Free System Updates before they graduate out of Labs. Stay tuned!

Pocketing Available on Autopass

In our 10th Free System Update, we included an optional paid Extension called Autopass. If you haven’t tried it, head on over to your settings menu and launch the free on-tool trial. For those using Autopass, pocketing is now a supported cut type! Simply enter your final cut depth while pocketing, and Origin will work its way down in steps. Open paths are also now supported on Origin, making things like engraving multiple depths and other applications work seamlessly with this optional paid Extension.

Thanks for your feedback and patience over the last two updates. We’re happy this new feature for Autopass is finally here.

Continuing to Get Better with Age

If you’re not already halfway out the door to go update your Origin, get outta here and go do it. As with all of our Free System Updates, we truly hope you’ll enjoy the improvements to functionality and performance that Larkspur brings to Origin. And we’re happy this time to also provide two powerful Probing extensions free of charge as part of our new experimental Labs initiative. Larkspur is available today on all Origin models, including Origin Gen1 and Gen2. Enjoy and see you on Shaper Sessions!