Sketch Carving
This tool uses the differences in contrast between areas of a Bitmap image or a 3D model to create a toolpath and create a Sketching style carving design of the outline.
Watch this video to see this in action:
Selection
This allows the User to indicate if the selecting image is either:
Bitmap
An image file imported in the following format .BMP, .JPG, .GIF, .TIF, .TIFF, .PNG, .JPEG
3D Model
A 3D file imported in the following format .STL, .V3M, .3DM, .SKP, .RLF, .3DS, .ASC, .PRJ, .X, .DXF, .LWO, .WRL, .OBJ
Cutting Depths
Start Depth (D)
Start Depth (D) specifies the depth at which the Sketch Carving toolpath is calculated, allowing Sketch Carving to be machined inside a pocket region.
When cutting directly into the surface of a job the Start Depth will usually be 0.0. If the Sketch Carving is going to be machined into the bottom of a pocket or stepped region, the depth of the pocket / step must be entered. For example, to carve or engrave into the bottom of a 0.5 inch deep pocket, the Start Depth = 0.5 inches
Note:
The line thickness will also determine the total cut depth when no flat depth is specified. The resulting carve will be as deep as the tool geometry will allow when the cutting edge of the tool meets the internal and external boundary. This will be achieved within increments of the tool pass depth.
Flat Depth (F)
Checking ✓ this option limits the depth that the tool(s) will machine to, and is used for Flat Bottomed Carving and Engraving.
When No Flat Depth is specified the toolpath will be calculated to carve or engrave to full depth as shown below. Multiple z level passes will be automatically calculated where the tool needs to cut deeper than its Pass Depth specified in the Tool Database
No Flat Depth
Flat Depth
Flat Depth Using 2 Tools
Tool
Clicking the button opens the Tool Database from which the required Sketch Carving Tool can be selected. See the section on the Tool Database for more information on this.
Clicking the button opens the Edit Tool form which allows the cutting parameters for the selected tool to be modified, without changing the master information in the database.
Note
Sketch carving is designed to use radiused ball nose, tapered ball nose and angled VBit and Engraving tools. Only these will be selectable in the Tool selection
Machine Limit Boundary
Choose what to use as the outer boundary for the Sketch Carving toolpath
Bitmap/Model Boundary
Using the external edge of the bitmap or 3D file as the boundary for the tools operation.
Selected Vector
Allows a vector to be used as a boundary to limit the extent of the toolpath creation.
Hold SHIFT and select the desired Vector to use as the boundary after selecting the Bitmap or 3D model you are Sketch Carving.
Selected Level
Allows a Component Level to be selected to use the components on that level for a boundary to limit the extent of the toolpath creation.
Boundary Offset
Increase the Machining limit outside of the boundary selected above but the distance used here. The Default value is 0.
Tracing Parameters
The Line Thickness slider will allow you to adjust the weighting of your sketch lines created from your 3D model or Bitmap image.
This can slide between 0 and 100.
The higher the value the thicker and heavier the sketch carve lines will be but the less detail will be picked out.
You can see here the green hightlighted area shows the area which will be cut in this toolpath, with the lower Line Thickness picking out more areas of the finer details, while the Thicker Line Thickness will apply more heavily to the largest areas while not cutting the finer details.
By reviewing the Sketch Carves Green Highlights you can get a good idea how the toolpath will cut before calculating it.
Position and Selection Properties
Safe Z
The height above the job at which it is safe to move the cutter at rapid / max feed rate. This dimension can be changed by opening the Material Setup form.
Home Position
Position from and to that the tool will travel before and after machining. This dimension can be changed by opening the Material Setup form.
Project toolpath onto 3D Model
This option is only available if a 3D model has been defined. If this option is checked, ✓ after the toolpath has been calculated, it will be projected (or 'dropped') down in Z onto the surface of the 3D model. The depth of the original toolpath below the surface of the material will be used as the projected depth below the surface of the model.
Note:
When a toolpath is projected onto the 3D model, its depth is limited so that it does not exceed the bottom of the material.
Vector Selection
This area of the toolpath page allows you to automatically select vectors to machine using the vector's properties or position. It is also the method by which you can create Toolpath Templates to re-use your toolpath settings on similar projects in the future. For more information, see the sections Vector Selector and Advanced Toolpath Templates.
Name
The name of the toolpath can be entered or the default name can be used.
Usable In Both Views
This tool can be used in both the 2D and 3D View.
2D View offers a more direct way to view your vectors while the 3D view offers more flexibility to work with Vectors in 3D Designs and to make use of the Edit Boxes.
When in the 2D view, a number of the forms tools will be driven by options in the form only.
- Middle - Move the vectors (Hold Alt and move the selected objects in one axis)
- Middle - Click a second time to switch to Rotational center. Click and drag the Rotational Anchor to reposition the Rotational Center of the current selection.
- Corner (White) - Scale the vectors proportionally (Hold Alt for scaling non-proportionally, Shift to scale around the centre)
- Edges (White) - Scale the vector in one axis (Hold Shift for scaling proportionally)
- Corner (Black) - Rotate the vectors (Hold Alt to Rotate in 15° increments) about the Rotation Center.
In the 3D view, there is an expanded number of handles to directly edit the vector within the view, without needing to use the creation form on the left.
In the 3D View, the Handles are:
- Middle - Move the vectors (Hold Alt to Move the selected objects in one axis)
- Middle - Click a second time to switch to Rotational center. Click and drag the Rotational Anchor to reposition the Rotational Center of the current selection.
- Corner (White) - Scale the vectors proportionally (HoldAlt for scaling non-proportionally, orShift to scale around the centre)
- Edges (Black) - Scale the vector in one axis (Hold Shift for scaling proportionally)
- Rotation Arrow (Top Black) - Rotate the vectors (Hold Alt to rotate in 15° increments)
- White circles are properties unique to this tool to allow direct mouse editing of values in the tool form from within the view.
When you select a Transform Handle, it will activate the appropriate Edit Box for that Handle.
If you need an exact value for a field while dragging it, release the mouse button and type in the desired value, followed by Enter to accept the new value.