import bitmap

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mrmartin
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2012 10:12 am

import bitmap

Post by mrmartin »

I imported a logo that is a bmp, not a real clean image but it is all I have to work with. my question is when I tell it to cut .4 in deep it doesn't seem to cut it deep enough on all the vectors. It has a lot of design that maybe cut it 1/16 of an inch deep. What do I need to do? Any ideas are greatly appreciated.

thanks
Martin

jeb2cav
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Re: import bitmap

Post by jeb2cav »

Hi Martin,

Not enough info from your description - what kind of toolpath are you using? Can you share the project (as an attachment) - you'll get a much quicker and detailed response from one or more members if you're able to do that.

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wolffie
Posts: 283
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Location: Far North Queensland, Australia

Re: import bitmap

Post by wolffie »

When you import a bitmap, the program reads the different colours as different heights.
If you want it to be all the same height, your bitmap has to be in 2 colour (lines) only and then you probably can't see the details.
I did a line design yesterday and carved it as a profile with a V-bit for the outline and a round end bit for the fill ins.
I separated the thin lines and the fill-in parts in 2 different toolpaths.
Looked OK.
Cheers
Wolffie
I am never going to die, I live in Paradise already

jeb2cav
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Re: import bitmap

Post by jeb2cav »

Hi,

The Fit Vectors to Bitmap tool - to create vectors from a bitmap - does not read different colors to result in different heights (in Z). With a color image, you can select different colors to control where the vectors are created. I've also found this feature handy to create vectors using different colors in the source image, running the tool 2 or more times to generate the 'final set' of vectors. The Vectric Online Help (Help, Help Contents from the VCarve or Aspire toolbar) has a pretty good explanation of different choices when using this tool.

To my knowledge, VCarve and Aspire use all vectors in the project in a 2D mode in that the vertices along the vector are in terms of x and y only - no z (height) value. If you have Aspire, a 3D tool that is available is creating a component from a bitmap. In that case, the z value is calculated based on the pixel color value. But, in this case, the end result is a component (3d model), not a vector.

You can also use PhotoVCarve and the gray scale machining method to create 3D models from your bitmap if you don't own Aspire or another modeling package that gets you to an stl file. Some example posts on the Vectric forum include:


http://www.vectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2192

http://www.vectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=6672

http://www.vectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=536

http://www.vectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2282

Martin - I think the reason you are seeing different depths of cut is the result of the toolpath type you are using on the vectors you created using the Fit Vectors to Bitmap tool. Again, responding with what toolpath type you're using and even better, uploading the project or a piece of it with the toolpaths you are using in there, will help the forum members answer your question.

mrmartin
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2012 10:12 am

Re: import bitmap

Post by mrmartin »

Thanks for the response. I was just using the v-carve 90 degree bit. I will upload a pic monday night of what I am working on if I don't get it to work the way I want by then.

Thanks for all your help.

Martin

jeb2cav
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Re: import bitmap

Post by jeb2cav »

Hi Martin,

If you're using the VCarve toolpath, and the selected vectors aren't 'wide enough' apart from each other, you may not be able to use a setting that would result in a consistent depth of cut. It took a bit for me to figure this out when I started (for what it's worth) and once I finally took a moment to read the Vectric manual on this toolpath, it was pretty darn frustrating for me. If you open the manual from VCarve or Aspire (Help, Help Contents), and search for VCarve Toolpath, you'll quickly get to the 2 pages of information on this toolpath. Hopefully that will provide you a better sense of how the software calculates the VCarve toolpath.

Some other posts on this topic that may be useful are:

http://www.cncsharktalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=334
http://cncsharktalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1755

If you want to carve to a given depth along a line, you may be better off trying the Profile toolpath, 'On the line', and set the desired depth.

Hope this helps.

mrmartin
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2012 10:12 am

Re: import bitmap

Post by mrmartin »

Attached is the loo I was working with. Any ideas to make a better cut would be appreciated.

thanks
Martin
Attachments
FFA.bmp
(5.53 KiB) Not downloaded yet

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