Software
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Software
I bought the CNC Shark Pro and have the VCarve Pro 5.5 software to run it. I am now getting to the point where I know how to set up the work and carve letters (raised and V Carve).
When I went to Vetric 3D Art, I saw all kinds of images I can buy to carve on my projects.
My Question:
Can I buy the software for the images and carve them out with the Shark Pro or do I have to make an additional purchase and buy the 3D Art program in order to carve them?
Thanks,
Wayne
When I went to Vetric 3D Art, I saw all kinds of images I can buy to carve on my projects.
My Question:
Can I buy the software for the images and carve them out with the Shark Pro or do I have to make an additional purchase and buy the 3D Art program in order to carve them?
Thanks,
Wayne
Re: Software
Hi Wayne,
You don't need to make any additional purchases. You do need to download the Vector Art 3D Machinist software from the Vector Art 3D website. It is free. Alternatively, you could use Cut 3D.
The purpose of either is to take that 3D model, configure it, and write out the toolpaths for the 3D object to use in VCarve Pro. A low level description of the workflow can be found in this thread - http://www.cncsharktalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=349
I went ahead and walked through a very simple example of this, and how I've approached it using VCarve Pro. It may not be the ideal workflow, and I'm sure some folks will chime in with their own tips and comments. Because of the 3 photo attachment limitation to this forum, my response will be posted over the next few messages.
You'd start with Vector Art 3D Machinist (VA3DM). The good news is that this application is written by the Vectrics team for use by VA3D customers, so it will be familiar in appearance and use with VCarve.
The first step is to load the 3D model in VA3DM. In this case, I'm using one of the free samples you can download at the VA3D website.
Select Next and Set the dimensions you want the final 3D object to be. Pay close attention to ensure the material depth is the same as the material you are going to use for your VCarve project.
Select Next. You may want to create a roughing toolpath, in this example I'm skipping this step. I hit next again to get to the Finishing Toolpath. I chose to use a 1/16" ball nose. You definately want to use some sort of round nose bit. While waiting for my BNs to come in, I used the round nose bit I got when I purchased the sign bit kit from Rockler. It was good enough to test cut to see if I understood the workflow. Once the bit is selected, and speeds, plunge rates are set as you need, hit calculate. A toolpath will be generated.
Then hit next - and go to the next post as I've hit the limit of 3
You don't need to make any additional purchases. You do need to download the Vector Art 3D Machinist software from the Vector Art 3D website. It is free. Alternatively, you could use Cut 3D.
The purpose of either is to take that 3D model, configure it, and write out the toolpaths for the 3D object to use in VCarve Pro. A low level description of the workflow can be found in this thread - http://www.cncsharktalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=349
I went ahead and walked through a very simple example of this, and how I've approached it using VCarve Pro. It may not be the ideal workflow, and I'm sure some folks will chime in with their own tips and comments. Because of the 3 photo attachment limitation to this forum, my response will be posted over the next few messages.
You'd start with Vector Art 3D Machinist (VA3DM). The good news is that this application is written by the Vectrics team for use by VA3D customers, so it will be familiar in appearance and use with VCarve.
The first step is to load the 3D model in VA3DM. In this case, I'm using one of the free samples you can download at the VA3D website.
Select Next and Set the dimensions you want the final 3D object to be. Pay close attention to ensure the material depth is the same as the material you are going to use for your VCarve project.
Select Next. You may want to create a roughing toolpath, in this example I'm skipping this step. I hit next again to get to the Finishing Toolpath. I chose to use a 1/16" ball nose. You definately want to use some sort of round nose bit. While waiting for my BNs to come in, I used the round nose bit I got when I purchased the sign bit kit from Rockler. It was good enough to test cut to see if I understood the workflow. Once the bit is selected, and speeds, plunge rates are set as you need, hit calculate. A toolpath will be generated.
Then hit next - and go to the next post as I've hit the limit of 3
Re: Software
Part 2 of my response -
So, the last step in VA3DM is to save the toolpath.
A note on this - after installing VA3DM, you'll need to copy the 2 CNC Shark post processor files to the VA3DM installation (in the same manner you did for VCarve Pro). This is typically something like C:\Program Files\Vector Art 3D Machinist\PostP.
Save the toolpath to a location of your choice. You can also preview the toolpath in this view.
The key to understand here is that you're not saving a model - you are saving a VCarve/Aspire/other Vectric Application toolpath representation of a given model. When you import this into VCarve, you will not be able to resize it or influence height, etc. You will be able to move it around and rotate it.
All of the above steps are explained in much more detail in the VA3DM Help file.
Next you'll import this into VCarve Pro. I created a simple test project 10" x 10" using 1/2" material. Select Import, Import PhotoVCarve or Cut3D Toolpaths...
After importing, you'll see a shaded bitmap looking thing appear in the lower left of your drawing view, and if you open the Toolpaths Window, you see that a toolpath has already been added to this "new" project. This is the toolpath you created in VA3DM.
Now have 3 attachments, on to a new post...
So, the last step in VA3DM is to save the toolpath.
A note on this - after installing VA3DM, you'll need to copy the 2 CNC Shark post processor files to the VA3DM installation (in the same manner you did for VCarve Pro). This is typically something like C:\Program Files\Vector Art 3D Machinist\PostP.
Save the toolpath to a location of your choice. You can also preview the toolpath in this view.
The key to understand here is that you're not saving a model - you are saving a VCarve/Aspire/other Vectric Application toolpath representation of a given model. When you import this into VCarve, you will not be able to resize it or influence height, etc. You will be able to move it around and rotate it.
All of the above steps are explained in much more detail in the VA3DM Help file.
Next you'll import this into VCarve Pro. I created a simple test project 10" x 10" using 1/2" material. Select Import, Import PhotoVCarve or Cut3D Toolpaths...
After importing, you'll see a shaded bitmap looking thing appear in the lower left of your drawing view, and if you open the Toolpaths Window, you see that a toolpath has already been added to this "new" project. This is the toolpath you created in VA3DM.
Now have 3 attachments, on to a new post...
Re: Software
Part 3 of my response -
If you preview the toolpath at this point, you'll notice that the part is cut as expected, however it is "sunk in" to my workpiece.
But, because I've fooled around with this, I knew this was coming and it is fine. I'm going to create a pocket around this 3D object as part of my design - of which the 3D component is just one piece. Creating a box inside the material area is the easy, hand drawn part. However, creating a vector border around my 3D object is just as easy.
Select the 3D bitmap looking thing and then Select the Fit Vectors to Bitmap tool (in the Create Vectors section of the Drawing window.
The software knows this is a bitmap of a toolpath, and so type of tracing is greyed out. You can experiment with the other settings to see what impact it has on the outcome. Select Fit Vectors and a new vector that follows the outline of the 3D object will be created.
3 attachments - onto part 4...
If you preview the toolpath at this point, you'll notice that the part is cut as expected, however it is "sunk in" to my workpiece.
But, because I've fooled around with this, I knew this was coming and it is fine. I'm going to create a pocket around this 3D object as part of my design - of which the 3D component is just one piece. Creating a box inside the material area is the easy, hand drawn part. However, creating a vector border around my 3D object is just as easy.
Select the 3D bitmap looking thing and then Select the Fit Vectors to Bitmap tool (in the Create Vectors section of the Drawing window.
The software knows this is a bitmap of a toolpath, and so type of tracing is greyed out. You can experiment with the other settings to see what impact it has on the outcome. Select Fit Vectors and a new vector that follows the outline of the 3D object will be created.
3 attachments - onto part 4...
Re: Software
Part 4 of the response -
By selecting the bitmap and moving it, you can see the outline vector created using the Trace Bitmap tool and the "box" vector I created using the Draw Rectangle tool.
Select both the square vector and the border vector, and go to the toolpath window.
Open the 3D object's toolpath and write down the cut depth. Hit cancel. Select Pocket Toolpath, then the tool and tool settings you want to use. Be sure to set the cut depth to the same value as that of the 3D Object's.[
attachment=0]S12_Pocket Toolpath.png[/attachment]
Already 3 attachments - on to next post...
By selecting the bitmap and moving it, you can see the outline vector created using the Trace Bitmap tool and the "box" vector I created using the Draw Rectangle tool.
Select both the square vector and the border vector, and go to the toolpath window.
Open the 3D object's toolpath and write down the cut depth. Hit cancel. Select Pocket Toolpath, then the tool and tool settings you want to use. Be sure to set the cut depth to the same value as that of the 3D Object's.[
attachment=0]S12_Pocket Toolpath.png[/attachment]
Already 3 attachments - on to next post...
Last edited by jeb2cav on Sat Jan 08, 2011 1:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Software
Part 5 of the response -
At this point, preview the pocket toolpath. You'll see that no material where the 3D object is present was cut in the pocket.
Now preview the 3D object's toolpath. You'll see that not only is it cut, but that the base of the object aligns with the floor of the pocket.
I wanted to add some text below the 3D object. I created a text vector, selected it, moved to the Toolpath Window, and selected a VCarve toolpath. Note that I used the depth of my pocket as the Start Depth for the VCarve toolpath as I'm carving these letters in the floor of the pocket.
3 attachments, on to the last post for now...
At this point, preview the pocket toolpath. You'll see that no material where the 3D object is present was cut in the pocket.
Now preview the 3D object's toolpath. You'll see that not only is it cut, but that the base of the object aligns with the floor of the pocket.
I wanted to add some text below the 3D object. I created a text vector, selected it, moved to the Toolpath Window, and selected a VCarve toolpath. Note that I used the depth of my pocket as the Start Depth for the VCarve toolpath as I'm carving these letters in the floor of the pocket.
3 attachments, on to the last post for now...
Last edited by jeb2cav on Sat Jan 08, 2011 1:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Software
6th and last post in response -
Previwing all 3 toolpaths (3D finishing, pocket, and vcarve lettering), I get -
This project would require 3 tool changes. Not bad, but pay close attention to resetting the z between tool changes. I would use a roughing tool pass. If the roughing tool pass used the same tool as the pocket toolpath, you'd still have only 3 toolchanges.
Hope this helps.
Previwing all 3 toolpaths (3D finishing, pocket, and vcarve lettering), I get -
This project would require 3 tool changes. Not bad, but pay close attention to resetting the z between tool changes. I would use a roughing tool pass. If the roughing tool pass used the same tool as the pocket toolpath, you'd still have only 3 toolchanges.
Hope this helps.
Re: Software
This is excellent! You really went all out on this. All of us on here appreciate what you have done. Thank you for showing how you do it. Tony
Buffalo,NY
"What will matter is not what you bought but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave”
Aspire 11.015, photo vcarve, cnc mako shark extended bed with the new upgraded HD 5 gantry with Led pendent.
"What will matter is not what you bought but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave”
Aspire 11.015, photo vcarve, cnc mako shark extended bed with the new upgraded HD 5 gantry with Led pendent.
Re: Software
Can you put this under software, programming so more people would find it. Thank you, Tony
Buffalo,NY
"What will matter is not what you bought but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave”
Aspire 11.015, photo vcarve, cnc mako shark extended bed with the new upgraded HD 5 gantry with Led pendent.
"What will matter is not what you bought but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave”
Aspire 11.015, photo vcarve, cnc mako shark extended bed with the new upgraded HD 5 gantry with Led pendent.
Re: Software
Thank you. You went above and beyond the call of duty.
This helps me out of something I never would have figured out.
Again, thanks
Wayne
This helps me out of something I never would have figured out.
Again, thanks
Wayne