[scorch]

There are a couple of relatively new open source projects on the web for doing v-carving:

Open Voronoi
- Uses Voronoi diagrams to determine the tool paths

and

F-Engrave
- Uses some less complex planer geometry to determine the tool paths (this results in the tool cutting some locations twice as the program steps around the geometry)

I have long thought v-carving was a missing capability in open source CNC software. Ironically it wasn't until after I finally sat down and wrote my own simple program (F-Engrave) that I found another project (Open Voronoi) in the works.

Both of these projects a Google-able. I can't link them because this is my first post on cnczone.

I am the author of F-engrave but I think Open Voronoi will have some definite advantages.

Scorch

[txcncman]

Thanks.

[scorch]

In an attempt to make F-engrave more accessible and useful I incorporated support for True Type Fonts (TTF) and DXF files. I also added a windows executable zip package.

To give F-Engrave a try you can download the windows executable zip package, unzip and run f-engrave by double clicking "f-engrave-XX.exe". Where XX is the current version of F-Engrave.

The program can be downloaded from the F-Engrave Home Page: F-Engrave
My next task will be some documentation so let me know if there are things that are unclear/confusing so I can address them first. Also, feel free to post or send a picture of something you made using F-Engrave.

Scorch

[Vogavt]

This is freakin' insane!!

:banana:

How in the world did you write all this and then just toss it out there without even having anyone's input AND it come off flawless?!

I just wished I could program.

Revealing something like this for the world to use and giving it away redeems my faith in humanity?

Let me know what you might need help with regarding the manual. At least I do have some professional skills in that area.

Regards,
Vogavt

[scorch]

@Vogavt, Thanks for the kind words. Flawless is definitely an overstatement but I am glad you like F-engrave.

I am starting to see a small uptick in the response from people using the program which hopefully will get me moving on the documentation side.

Scorch

[marzetti]

Wouldn't ya know, just 2 weeks after I plop down $600 for V-carve Pro I find an open source solution! Great work Scorch!

[cyclestart]

Also, feel free to post or send a picture of something you made using F-Engrave.

A couple of simple things borrowed from inkscape's open clip art library. Test pieces #'s 1 & 2.

Thank you very much !

[Vogavt]

Unless my eyes are deceiving me, these appear to be raised (embossed) and not carved down into the wood!
Looks great!

If so, I may have missed it in the documentation, but how did you pull this off?

[cyclestart]

Unless my eyes are deceiving me, these appear to be raised (embossed) and not carved down into the wood!

A combination of glossy finish and poor photography skills, although I suspect this software can v-carve embossed letters in the right hands.

Has an example bitmap been posted somewhere ? Does it need to be straight black&white or grey scale is allowed ? The terminology of bitmap files is a bit confusing to the uninitiated.

[marzetti]

The raised effect is a common optical illusion. The same thing happens with photos of moon craters making them appear as bumps rather than depressions.

[scorch]

Has an example bitmap been posted somewhere ? Does it need to be straight black&white or grey scale is allowed ? The terminology of bitmap files is a bit confusing to the uninitiated.

@cyclestart Thanks for posting the pictures.

F-engrave input images should only be two colors (black and white). The PBM (Portable Bit Map) format only supports black and white images. Images can be converted to PBM using GIMP (GNU image Manipulation Program) or ImageMagick's convert. (PBM format is preferred but F-engrave will also accept black and white images in PBM, PGM, PPM, or BMP formats using: "File" - "Open PBM/DXF File" from the menu bar )

A couple of additional notes:
A key setting when v-carving images is the Flip Normals option in the V-Carve Settings. This setting will change whether the inside or outside of the image is carved.

For now F-Engrave treats images as a font character (specifically the character "F"). I am working on changing the interface for images and DXF files.

The attached BMP works with F-Engrave (The design is public domain from wikimedia)

Scorch

[epineh]

Nice work, looks like something else to add to my "to do" list

Russell.

[Vogavt]

Okay, I've been working with this and it's fantastic!
I downloaded the Hershey cxf file and extracted it to the fonts folder, but it's not showing up. I've searched the web for what to do with the file, but I'm coming up empty.
I did note that the file is huge (~2,740kb) compared to the normal.cxf file which is 8kb.

What am I missing?

[Jtheletter]

Scorch - I've been using F-engrave as one of the first test carves on the DIY 3-axis CNC I built. The letters come out great (Gothic fonts look fantastic) and it's been a breeze to use so far. I'm still getting the machine to its final working state so I haven't stressed F-engrave too hard but I'm very impressed so far.

Just wanted to say thanks for creating this! Hopefully I can help contribute to it in the future.

[scorch]

@Vogavt
Based on the file size you quoted my guess is that you downloaded the cxf_fonts.tgz file and now have it unziped (gunziped). To access the cxf files you need untar the file after you unzip it. When you untar the file many individual .cxf files will be extracted.

If this is the case the file you have now should have a .tar extension.

Scorch

[Vogavt]

Nope! I got it sorted out.

Once the file gets extracted, it fails to write the file extension.

Simple enough! I added the " .cxf " to the end of the file and reloaded F-Engrave and it found it! (of course after moving the file to the fonts folder)

I'm a happy camper now!

I suspected and figured it out after I download the qcad cxf files and saw one of the files with about the same file size (unicode.cxf). Knowing about unicode, I knew it has many more characters in its character set.

So.... :idea: I had a hunch and I was right. (don't get to say that very often).

Properly named the file and voila! :wee:


You can get the individual qcad cxf files here or all of them here in zip format. It appears to be public domain since the link says "community.src....."

Thanks again!

[scorch]

@Vogavt
Great! I am glad you figured it out.

The web links you provided will be very useful for new users. Especially those using Windows.

I already added the links to the F-Engrave web page.

Scorch

[Vogavt]

@Vogavt
I already added the links to the F-Engrave web page.

Scorch

Might I suggest you also post a link to this cnczone thread on your website? Your call as I'm not certain how others are "finding" you on the web.

If they use a search engine for open source vector carving they may happen upon your site. If that works, I'd think this thread would be useful to them as well. I know it has been for me.

Cheers,
Vogavt

[geomagnet]

Wow...you must be a mathematical genious. I tried to do this about 4 years ago and spent 6 months trying to develope an algorithm (and failed). I wrote about 1,500 lines of code and could never get it to work with nested geometry. This is brilliant and extremely generous of you.

Thank you so much.

James

[scorch]

@geomagnet
Thank you for the encouraging words.

I am slowly trying to make F-Engrave more useful. I now have at least some documentation on the home page and I am keeping a list of features people would like to see added. Until F-engrave is made obsolete by another more advanced open source program I will keep chipping away at improvements.

Scorch