Rookie: just want to cut out a profile

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nboyce
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2015 6:41 pm
Model of CNC Machine: CNC Shark 13" x 24"

Rookie: just want to cut out a profile

Post by nboyce »

(transferring this from accidentally posting it in the gallery)

I just want a workflow to export an STL from Solidworks to Cut3D, and have it cut out a simple profile, without unnecessarily routing out huge sections as pockets.

Basically as a simplified example, imagine I have a square piece of plywood on the router, and I just want to cut out a big, round disc out of it. I just want the router to follow a circular shape, and cut out the single 1/8" kerf. I know you can do that in VCarve, but I'm hoping for a workflow outside of VCarve. When I do it in Cut3D, it won't just cut out the circle as a profile, it cuts out by routing all aaaall of the un-wanted plywood as a pocket, which is super inefficient.

So, I want to end up with a circle, and a square with a hole in the middle. I don't want a circle, and a huge pile of sawdust that used to be the rest of the wood. I know g-code can do a circle, but what if I wan to do more complicated shapes from my STL file?

Is that possible? I know there's the "cutout toolpath" function, but it hasn't done the trick for me so far, especially for non-rectangular designs.

(I have a classroom full of high schoolers savvy in Solidworks, so I'm trying to stay in the Solidworks>export workflow...not go from 3D back to 2D in VCarve)
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Adrian
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Re: Rookie: just want to cut out a profile

Post by Adrian »

Basically you're using the wrong tool for the job. Cut3D machines 3D shapes not 2D profiles.

Export DXF or EPS files and import those into VCarve.

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