[Jennifer]

I'm searching for an easy to use, decently priced (less than $1,000) program that I can use to convert a common picture/jpg to a line drawing that I can then use for tool paths. I've been searching via Google but would love to hear from some actual users with experience.

Thanks in advance.
Jen

[Swami]

I am using the trial version of RasterFritz. It works okay on photographs, but it would work flawlessly I think for line drawings. Its from IMService I think.

Swami

[ger21]

Not to be negative, but I've never seen any of these conversion programs work flawlessly. I've never used any of the high end ones, though. I'd recommend trying all the cheap ones until you find something that works for you.

[buscht]

These two programs seem to be about the best I've seen. They fit your budget, but are for 2 totally different applications.

http://www.rams3d.com/trace.htm

http://www.designscomputed.com/vs3d/index.html

Good luck
Trent

[Swami]

Not sure if you are referring to my post, but I wanted to point out that I think it will do LINES flawlessly, not photos.

And I say that because I doctored any photo that I put through it by adding lines where I wanted them. Invariably, THOSE lines came out great.

Shadows and gradients were difficult to tweak.

[turmite]

Hi Jennifer, haven't seen you on much lately. I think, but am not sure, that Meshcam might do what you need. Bobcad's artcam might do it also as well as the one from IMService. You using this on doors?

Mike

[Swami]

What about Mach2?

[Jennifer]

Hey guys - I really appreciate the suggestions and am slowly but surely taking a look at the demos. I don't expect anything to be completely flawless, I'm just looking for something to take some of the work away from me.

Mike - We might use it for doing some decorative stuff on doors...I wouldn't mind getting a helping hand from some software

[dcarr]

Hello Jennifer,

VS3D might be a good choice for what you want to do (Trent included a link in his post). VS3D can do full image (gray-scale) carving as a 3D surface. VS3D can also automatically trace image contours if you just want to carve outlines.

There is a relatively new VS3D forum here at CNCzone. More info is located there.


PS:
I'm the creator of VS3D, so if you have any questions about it, let me know. I'm the VS3D expert !

[Swami]

I know Mach2 can do a similar function. Im guessing by the price difference that VS3D must bring a lot more to the table.

Does it do a much better job even on just doing a relief of JPG?

[dcarr]

I know Mach2 can do a similar function. Im guessing by the price difference that VS3D must bring a lot more to the table.

Does it do a much better job even on just doing a relief of JPG?

I don't know enough about Mach2 to answer that. I do know that VS3D does an excellent job on reliefs from images. VS3D will automatically calculate the tool offsets at each point along the path, based upon the 3D shape of the cutting tool and the 3D surface being cut. VS3D will also display the predicted results of a cutting pass as a shaded surface showing tool grooves. And unlike many of the "raster"-based CAM programs, VS3D automatically performs "anti-aliasing", which is a technique to reduce raster "stair-stepping" artifacts.

But one of the main features of VS3D is the ability to perform free-form Virtual Sculpting on relief surfaces.

Here is a tutoral showing image relief carving in VS3D:
http://www.designscomputed.com/vs3d/...mg_emboss.html

PS:
VS3D is currently priced at $975 - so it is not an overly-expensive package.