[Mr.Chips]

I have Vectric VcarvePrio and I need a STL file of the drawing attacked, and I cannot make it in my SW. could someone with Aspire generate it for me.
I need to cut text on a curved surface like this but I can’t with me SW
Thank

[Mr.Chips]

i have a CRV file of the end view woukd that help in developing a STL file? but dont know how to upload it to the forum
THanks

[duanecr]

Is this what you wanted?

[Mr.Chips]

YES, that's exactly what I needed.
thanks so much
HH

[Mr.Chips]

Duanecr,
Thanks again for the STL file is is exactly the contour of the 3D object I need to Vcarve an image into.

I have never Vcarved into a 3D object before and first I want to make a wooden copy of the STL file to learn how to and practice on, prior to attempting the cut into my friends 3D object.
I imported the STL file into VcarvePro 8.5 (VCP) but get a error msg of "The composite model is empty", do you know what this saying?

Thanks

[ger21]

Try this one

[Mr.Chips]

Thanks Ger
Now im making better headway, still on new ground though. Looked for examples on YT but many use SW other than CVP, And others are working with a canned clipart which is different than my approach.

Thanks
HH

[Mr.Chips]

Ger.
Think I'm trying to do something that isn't possible or I am not doing it properly.

The image I have is made to be cut inside the lines, but if I try and use a 0.060" bull nose bit I don't get the option to "PROJECT TOOLPATH ONTO 3D MODEL".

If I select a 60 deg V bit i doo have the option to project it.

I would like to use the bull nose bit, is there a way ti project it onto the surface?

Or what's a work around?

Thanks

[ger21]

Post a picture with the ballnose bit?
You need to be using a V Carve toolpath.

[Mr.Chips]

Here's a photo of bit.
Thanks

[ger21]

I meant a picture of V Carve when you can't project the toolpath.

[Mr.Chips]

Sorry for the confusion.
If i put a dim like 0.020 as the flat depth it generated dots all over the cut preview area..

if I dont put and dim in the flat depth the preview looks a solid black, and the cut depth is way to deep, set the Z zero. I zet the Z axis zero 0.060" above the surface and it makes a cut aproximately 0.020" deep which looks good.

How are you supposed to set the depth of cut on a 3D surface? i can make it look OK but im missing something in the setup.
thanks

photo of preview with dots as described above.

[ZASto]

For V-carving you need to use conical bits, even in Aspire you can project tool path onto the model if you use ordinary ball nose bit, see attached pictures.
On all simulation pictures Flat depth was set to 0.1"

Ball nose 0.06"
Attachment 451476

Conical ball nose 8 degrees, tip radius 0.00984252"
Attachment 451478

V bit 60 degrees

[ger21]

If the ballnose bit is smaller then the space between your lines, than you need a flat depth to limit the depth of cut.

With a ballnose bit, you would generally want the flat depth to be at least half the diameter, or slightly deeper. Somewhere between .030-.045.

If that's the simulation preview, there's a setting for the quality. I keep mine set to the highest quality preview.

[Mr.Chips]

I’m missing something in setting the Vbit cut depth.
I have a 3D shape that was sent to me, I cut it out, then move the Vbit to the surface of the material and zero the Z axis. I clicked on the characters I wanted to cut into the surface and set the flat to 000 as I had seen others do, and clicked on the follow the contour.
I then cut the characters and they were very deep cutting into each other. Then moved the router off the object and moved the Vbit to the current Z zero, then raised the Vbit 0.060” and set Z zero at that height, (0.060” above the material) and cut the text into the material, this time the depth was OK.
I’m not understanding how the Z cut depth is set, will I have to make this type of compensation each time I apply text to a 3D surface?
I must be missing something, can’t believe VCP would have to be ran like this.

[ZASto]

You can not set flat depth to 0.
In V-carving process, flat depth is just what it says, a level under which cutter will not plunge deeper.
Starting depth is depth at which your geometry will follow your drawing boundary.
Flat depth is the final depth that the cutter will descend to.

So, with the model that Gerry attached, I set flat depth for both cutters in the linked video to 0.1", Start depth at 0 and VCarving was projected to the underlying model.
Don't be confused with finishing operation near the end of the video, it is just for cosmetic purposes stock has to be machined to the shape of the model

https://youtu.be/TIg5uwQ9810

In any case, please read the documentation for the software that you use.

[Mr.Chips]

Ger, I’m still struggling with getting Vcarve text on a 3D model.
Here is what I did line by line, but I think I missed something as the cut depth is always way too deep.
1. I unzipped the file you sent me.
2. Then imported the United zipped file and aligned it on the screen.
3. Imported the JPG of the Chinese Characters CC
4. Went to trace bit map and placed it on the 3D material, and resized it
5. Then clicked on the CC vectors highlighting it.
6. Clicked Toolbars.
7. Then V-Carve
8. Set flat depth to 0.020”
9. Selected 60 deg V bit and speeds
10. Clicked on “Project tool path onto 3D model”
11. Gave it a name
12. Click calculate, reset preview, then preview. It all looks OK
13. Saved toolpath to file.
I then loaded the toolpath file into the CNC Mach3
1. Set XY axis to center of crown on material and lowered the Z axis until I just touched the material and set the Mach Axis to all Zero.
2. Pressed start run.
3. Instead of cutting 0.020” into the material it cut about 0.060” into the material.

My problem is the V bit is cutting deeper than the 0.020” in input into the flat depth.

I talked to a fellow at the wood store here and he said that the 3D model and Vcut depth have to set from a different screen but he wasn’t sure how. Modeling Setup, but I cannot find that screen is it in VCP???

Sorry to bug you and hope this isn’t too difficult for you
Thanks
Hager

[ZASto]

Hi Hager,
can you zip and attach that G-code?

[Mr.Chips]

Here's the Gcode
Hager

[ger21]

Your Z zero is in the wrong place.
The g-code is only cutting between .02 and .03 deep.
After it finishes cutting too deep, jog the Z axis down to the surface, and see what the DRO is displaying?