I want to cut an existing item witch is not flat, which I have CAD for. However Easle only allows a rectangular block for a material. This would result in a bunch of wasted time cutting air. Is there a way to import a material shape or some hacky way around it? I need to machine 100 of these items so the wasted time will add up. Thanks!
If you have a cad drawing just put inside a block and it should only cut what is in the cad drawing.
But easel will assume I am cutting my shape out of a solid block, yes it will only actually cut what I want, but it will try to cut material that doesn’t exist, but is just air. Thus it will waste a lot of time cutting air. How do I tell easel that my material is not being cut out of a block?
I am not sure but i think no matter how you put it into easel it will start thinking it has a flat top and working down from there.
Easel can not create 3D patterns (continous XYZ motion).
Easel can run 3D patterns, when designed in a different software and exported with the appropriate post processor. Vectric/Aspire/Fusion360/MeshCAM etc.
Provide more details of what you have, what you want and we may suggest specific work flows 
Not sure if this would be of any interest to you, but it appears to have the functionality you are looking for: Estlcam