VCarve Toolpath
Watch tutorial: How to use the VCarve ToolpathThe V-Carve Toolpath uses a constant-angle cutter (a V-bit or engraving tool) driven at continuously varying depth to produce a carved effect with crisp, sharp corners. Rather than cutting to a single fixed depth, the software calculates the path automatically from the combination of the tool's angle and the width and shape of the vectors being machined: the cutter runs deeper where the vectors are wide and rises towards the surface as they narrow to a point.
Basic Usage
Select the vectors you wish to carve and click Select to choose a V-bit or engraving tool.
With a Start Depth of 0, click Calculate to carve to full depth, where the depth of each region is determined entirely by the tool angle and vector width.
For wider areas that would otherwise be carved deeper than required, enable Set Flat Depth to give those regions a flat bottom at a defined depth.
To remove the bulk of the waste in large open areas more efficiently, enable Use Clearance Tools and add one or more flat-bottomed cutters to rough out the area before the V-bit completes the detail. \
Tip
V-carving is well suited to lettering, decorative engraving and signs, where sharp internal and external corners are needed that a standard end mill could not produce.
Set Flat Depth
With this option enabled, a Flat Depth value can be entered to limit how deep the tool will carve, producing a flat bottom in any region wide enough to reach that depth. This is used for flat-bottomed carving and engraving. With the option disabled, the toolpath is calculated to full depth, with the deepest points reaching wherever the tool angle and vector width dictate.
Tool Selection
Use Clearance Tools
Enable this option to use End Mill, Ball Nose or Engraving cutters to clear the large open regions of a design before the V-bit carves the detail. A single clearance tool can be selected; the first tool removes as much material as it can leaving an allowance for the V-Carving tool to finish.
If Set Flat Depth is enabled but no clearance tool is added, the selected V-carving tool will be used to clear the flat areas as well as to carve the detail. The clearance behaviour can be tuned with the following: Clearance Strategy sets how the first clearance tool clears material, either Offset or Raster. When Raster is chosen, a Raster Angle can be entered.
Cut Direction can be set to Climb or Conventional for the clearance tool.
Ramp Plunge Moves applies ramping to the plunge moves of the clearance tool.