vector outlines from a 3D model?

[Ajcoholic]

I have some 3D carving files, that I bought from Vector Art 3D - that I would like to make some 2D vector files to V carve.

I think there was an easy way to do this in Aspire 8... but I cannot recall.

Any help please?

[bob_s]

Andrew
I'm not at a computer, but yes there is an easy automatic way to do it. Select the 3D model or group of components and there is a tool to create outline from component From memory I think it is the middle row of the modeling tools, it looks like a blue outline of a 3D shape.
Hope my memory is correct, but it is there someplace and works quite well
Bob

[Brady Watson]

The tool will wrap to the boundary of the 3D shape. It will wrap tighter and better if A) You are @ 7x resolution or higher. B) If the overall model space isn't too much larger than the component itself.

You will most likely want to refine the wrapped results via node editing to get better quality vectors. Sometimes this means tracing over with fresh ones to minimize the number of nodes, which will result in a cleaner v-carve.

-B

[Davo]

I would say export a image of the 3D carved model with shadows on

Bring it in then bitmap trace it

I've done this for my laser - also exported a 3D gray scale for my laser to work off of using aspire

[jamesb]

Andrew, interesting you should mention this. I did show a technique I have developed in Aspire at Jim's camp in May which may be what you are thinking of. I have refined this and will be showing it at the Vectric User Group this week. Subsequently we'll publish the videos too. However this does not help in the short-term. So here some notes on how it works.

1 Create a model roughly 8 inches on the longest side, aspect ratio to fit your model.
2 Import and size the model to be about 1 inch smaller than this.
3 Create a 3D finish toolpath with 0.25" Ballnose - 4% stepover.
4 Preview the Toolpath
5 While still in Preview mode - hold Shift - go to the "Model" drop down menu - select the last option "Create Component from Toolpath Preview"
6 Now switch off your original component from the component tree
7 Select the greyscale for the newly created component (which is the difference between the original and the preview)
8 Fit vectors to bitmap - black and white - lower the threshold until you see some detail and fit vectors.
9 Finally offset to create an outer vectors (about 0.05")

Now you have something that should be v-carvable as is but can also be edited too if required to remove small parts etc. Hopefully this is enough to go on, if not then hopefully within a couple of weeks I'll have a video available to show the exact process (it is a bit more nuanced than I can detail in steps).

[GeneMpls]

I (we) look forward to the videos. Thanks Gene

[Ajcoholic]

Thanks James, yes it was the talk at the Mcgrew's camp that I remembered that from.

I appreciate the help a lot! I just need to find the time to work on the files now.. lol. Our youngest just turned 1, and is running the house these days (well running the house ragged). Getting time to do work at home is harder and harder.

[jamesb]

Just to let you know, for any VCarve Pro/Desktop and Aspire users, all our User Group videos are now available from here: http://support.vectric.com/tutorials...2015Index.html - the particular one that shows this specific technique can be viewed from this page: http://support.vectric.com/tutorials...dTricks_6.html (Aspire only).

Cheers,
James

[Studio-N]

Thank you for sharing that James. I was able to follow it and correctly duplicate your results, so I guess I'm off and running.
-Nick