Exporting DXF with LINES AND ARCS

[SN Charlie]

I work for a sign company and I use Vcarve for all of my work on the AXYZ 5010 ATC Router. I also use an Accubender to bend the returns (sides) of a channel letter set using a program called EnRoute. The EnRoute software is only on one computer and Vcarve we have on multiple computers. I would really like to use Vcarve for everything that I do including the setup for the returns on the Accubender.

My question is, using Vcarve, can I export the DXF as lines and arcs instead of polylines?

I have attached a screen shot of what I get in the EnRoute software which allows me to export with lines and arcs.

[Adrian]

Not as DXF as far as I'm aware but you can export as EPS and maintain the arcs.

[Mark]

Hello SN Charlie,

A DXF export from Aspire would export the geometry as it is drawn in Aspire, where ever it can.

For DXF, this means that If you draw arcs and polylines, these will be exported and can be re-imported as arcs and polylines
into any package that can read these entities.

EPS does not have an arc entity, so if you choose to export an arc as EPS format. The Arc will be output as Bezier Curves.

I hope that this helps.

[Will Williamson]

Mark,a couple of questions.
How is a bezier curve calculated and how is it converted to G code.
Is it a series of short lines ?

[Adrian]

Sorry Mark. I was getting my arcs and beziers mixed up. Has the DXF export changed recently? I've always used EPS as DXF used to change everything to lines.

[ger21]

How is a bezier curve calculated and how is it converted to G code.
Is it a series of short lines ?

Yes, unless you convert it to arcs with the curve fit tool.

[Mark]

Hello Will,

As Gerry mentioned, unless you convert the geometry to arcs, the program would need to output the moves
as a series of straight lines, I am afraid that there is no G-Code command that can machine a Bezier curve.

Hi Adrian, the DXF import tends to be updated with each release, (providing that the timing of the releases allow).
The version that we export, was I think, last changed at around version 5.5 (We changed it to an older standard if memory serves, to make it more compatible).
But I think that we have always exported arc geometry as arcs when exported as DXF. (The oldest version that I have on my current computer is VCarve Pro 3.1 it is the case with that version).
However, like you, I tend to use EPS, unless there is a specific need to export arcs.

Cheers,

Mark.