Hi Guys,
Very new to drawing, please bear with me.
I have recently purchased Cut2D Pro to help draw toolpaths for my lasercutter.
I wanted to be able to 'pocket' drawings/texts for the laser etching process. Currently, as far as i know, there is nothing in Autocad LT that does this and my lasercutting software does not support it either. So I opted to use some sort of CNC program with a pocketting or engraving function. That way I could draw and pocket my design in Cut2d, then export it to open with my lasercutters nesting program.
The good news is I was able to add toolpaths in a way that would work both in a hatching format and outline format. The problem is when I export to a DXF, the toolpaths dissapear.
I feel as though the toolpaths drawn are not vectors? And so do no show up in the DXF when exported.
Is there anyway I can make the toolpaths vector lines?
Vee
Converting Toolpath into Vector for DXF Export
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- Posts: 2
- Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2020 6:28 am
- Model of CNC Machine: TF1530 Lasercutter
- Adrian
- Vectric Archimage
- Posts: 14680
- Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 2:19 pm
- Model of CNC Machine: ShopBot PRS Alpha 96x48
- Location: Surrey, UK
Re: Converting Toolpath into Vector for DXF Export
Toolpaths and vectors are different things. The vectors are the drawing and the toolpaths are what you create to instruct the machine (simply put) what to do with them. The toolpaths are saved from the toolpaths menu in whichever format the CNC/Laser cutter machine needs using the appropriate post processor from the drop down list. The nesting etc can be done in Cut2D Pro or manually using array tools and manual placement in Cut2D Desktop.
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- Posts: 2
- Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2020 6:28 am
- Model of CNC Machine: TF1530 Lasercutter
Re: Converting Toolpath into Vector for DXF Export
Thank you for the reply mate.Adrian wrote:Toolpaths and vectors are different things. The vectors are the drawing and the toolpaths are what you create to instruct the machine (simply put) what to do with them. The toolpaths are saved from the toolpaths menu in whichever format the CNC/Laser cutter machine needs using the appropriate post processor from the drop down list. The nesting etc can be done in Cut2D Pro or manually using array tools and manual placement in Cut2D Desktop.
I use Cypcut for nesting, unfortunately it's the only thing I can use with current lasercutter - so nesting from Cut2D is not possible.
Is there anyway the toolpaths can be draw as vectors?
The other option is if there is any other function that can hatch/outline like a pocket function, but using vectors..?
Vee.
- Adrian
- Vectric Archimage
- Posts: 14680
- Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 2:19 pm
- Model of CNC Machine: ShopBot PRS Alpha 96x48
- Location: Surrey, UK
Re: Converting Toolpath into Vector for DXF Export
There's quite a few ways of doing it with the drawing tools but a lot would depend on how your laser software "sees" the lines. If it expects them to be a continuous line that's a whole different kettle of fish to lines that are separate but touch each other.
You can use the array copy tool to create multiple lines and then use Trim tool (looks like a barber pole) to cut those lines to fit inside your shapes.
You can use the array copy tool to create multiple lines and then use Trim tool (looks like a barber pole) to cut those lines to fit inside your shapes.