Vinyl Software for the shopbot, using "Vinyl"software for routing

[papadaveinwy]

I started this thread to open up conversation on plotter type of software to be used for the shopbot as a design tool for routing designs in wood. I use VE LXI put out by Scanvec Amiable, This soft ware is a freebee when you buy a plotter for vinyl from Sign Warehouse, I don't know if you can buy just the software or how much it would cost. But I can tell you it is awsome for doing 2D signage. I can do nesting, import a bitmap and trace it, design a sign in aprox. 1 or 2 min. with all registering, sizeing,etc as for off sets you can do kerneling manually or automatic you can oversize or under size to achieve the offset just by typing in a box the offset amount. You have total control over the design. it will format to flexi, Inspire,5x,Adobe, Casmate. Corel, and Signwizard, also it will export as .AI, .PSD, .CTM, .CGM, .GEM, .DXF, .EPS, FS, .FMV, .GAD, .IGS, .IGS, .JPG, .MET, .PNG, .TGA, .TIFF, .DWF, .AND .BMP IT ALSO IMPORTS EVERY FORM OF DRAWING OR PHOTO IMAGE FILE THERE IS 53 MAIN ONES AND EVERY KIND OF FLEXI OUTPUT. So if I have a customer that brings in a logo or whatever they have I don't have to worry what it was done in. I CAN OPEN IT!!! any way if you all would imput what type of "vinyl Signage" software you use or whatever lets get this thread going so we can see the potential of this type of software. David in Wyoming

[papadaveinwy]

Hey moderator how about a spell check for guys like me! I just looked at my post and man do I need help today!!!!!

[rookie432]

Dave,

A good thread to start. Considering I was eating up all the space on Gerald's thread.
sorry Gerald. The Vinyl software youre using sounds a lot like the VMP I was so exhuberant about on the other thread. (I'm not going to type all that
again) Vinyl software seems like a fairly overlooked source for great design software. Vinyl cutters or plotters are basically cnc machines in themselves so it makes good sense that the software for these have been well developed over the last 30 years. I have found myself always looking at cad/camm packages for "the answer" to my design problems. Of course we all know that there is about a hundred ways to skin the same cat with cam software, and you can pay about as much as you want for them. Vinyl software can get up there too but if you can find a happy medium between features and price I think Vinyl software is a perfect bridge between visual design and actual milling.

Now that I have second the motion, Dave is open for questions.

[gerald_d]

And I'll third the motion. Bill, no need to re-type - just link to it!


Bill has VinylMaster Pro (paid $500) and David has Vinyl Express LXi (free with plotter purchase, list price $1000 -$4000).

It looks like these as great packages for sign layouts and designs and that they can produce files up to dxf stage - what I would call the CAD side. Going from .dxf to SB-code (CAM), Bill uses Vector and Parts Wizard, David uses the SB converters.

[papadaveinwy]

Well Guys one more two cents worth! Not only Do I believe the software is a great way to design for every kind of 2D signage but in my case like I said I got it along with the Plotter,I paid a total of $2700.00 for a 24" plotter cutter. The machine has more that paid for itself 20 times over in the year I have had it but I got the software (when you lood at the price of machines) for free.I can do a simple v-carve or turn around and do an Island hatch and rout out the background just by clicking one button. David in Wyoming----------Sorry just lost my train of thought, spilled my coffee, snap crackel zzzzz fry. oh well.

[papadaveinwy]

Gerald thanks for posting the links, I just looked at the two and I find the new version of VE Lxi has a couple of new features in the master plus that I don't have will have to do an upgrade. Thanks again. David in Wyoming. Buy The way, I also have Inspire Pro by scanvec and it is one heck of a program, I use it for large format printing (60" wide) but it also has a complete cam package for routers engravers etc. I am in the process of trying to develope a driver for the shopbot, not a lot of luck so far but I think I may have stumbeled onto something that may work. This software is unreal, when I bought it it was $6,000.00 for the software but alas scanvec no longer supports it. That is the problem with high priced software. but it keeps on ticking.

[kfitzgerald@graphicmetalsinc.com]

BobCAD-CAM has a deal right now (until the end of this week) for version 18 for $495.00 (regular price $1,295.00). The salesman told me that they have a ShopBot postprocessor included with it.

Since I already have a CAD program I am familiar and comfortable with, why should I buy Vector instead of BobCAD?

Regards,

Kevin Fitz-Gerald
Project Manager

Graphic Metals, Inc.
P.O. Box 31
715 East Perry Street
Bryan, OH 43506
Voice 419-636-5757
Fax 419-636-6404

kfitzgerald@graphicmetalsinc.com

[rookie432]

Dave,

Thats the beauty of the VMP program. No good, better, best, version. You get it all for the same price. I spoke with them the other day and they do have an upgrade for those of us that have the 1-2 yr old version. They have incorporated ripping capabilities for your printer.I believe you automatically get this if you buy the current version. They also told me that they have an engraving program in "the works". Cool!

Bill

[papadaveinwy]

Kevin this thread is about using Vinyl plotter software for the bot, we are not touting Vecter or any type of Cad drawing software the software we are talking about is designed primarily for sign design with a "soft Cam" function built in, you can manipulate x and Y, starting points, sizeing, bitmap trace,etc. the only function not available is z plunge manipulation as the plotters for vinyl do not have this 3rd axis. even though they do have "z" up and down built in so the cutter on the plotter comes up and down when it needs to. So you have to use either the shopbot dxf converter or BobCad-cam or Vector or parts wizard or whatever to manipulate the Z plunge depth.

No Cad/Cam program is designed just for signmaking,>>> These software packs are designed just with signs in 2D in mind. It really simplifies the design process for 2D signs. David in Wyoming.

[papadaveinwy]

Bill I will have to look closer at VMP Thanks David in Wyoming