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CAD/CAM Software for Artistic Machining & Custom Woodworking

Integrated CAD/CAM Software for Artistic Machining? In the not too distant past, woodworkers and designers were left with innovating their designs on paper. Thanks to the modern era of Computer Aided Design & Machining technology, these artists and designers can now create their drawings as models that can be machined faster and more efficiently than ever before. However, it has not always been made affordable enough for a home designer/machinist that is trying to start a business. At least not until recently within the last 5-10 years. As we moved out of the 90's and into the new...

Raster To Vector Conversions Black & White Vectorization: Once the picture is imported you would then be able to use customizable tracing features to gather vector geometry chains. Strategies for this should include a 2-Level Black & White technique that can be controlled by adjusting the "threshold" value. CAD/CAM Software for Artistic Machining & Custom Woodworking You can see in example image A that a threshold value of 4 was used on the black and white celtic heart that resulted in a rough outline of the black and white boarders. In image B, the threshold value was increased to 150...

CAD/CAM Software for Artistic Machining & Custom Woodworking Individual layers can be used to create relief regions as well as being able to use them later in the machining process for toolpath containment. An example of this would be a project that requires a pocket as well as an area containing lettering that requires V-Carving. Creating a Relief Model from a Picture Modern CAD/CAM technology allows you to open a black and white picture or a color picture and instantly create a relief model. A great function available in some artistic CAD/CAM systems is an "Emboss From Image" feature that...

Creating & Working With Textures Another important visual aid is being able to create embossed models that are created with different textures, wood and even metal textures. Custom wood working applications require a database of wood styles such as the wood texture seen in the next image. CAD/CAM Software for Artistic Machining & Custom Woodworking Wood styles like Pine, Walnut, Birch and Cork among others are all available generally to be used in creating textures. Different metal textures may include Brushed Aluminum, Copper, Diamond Plate and many more for use in the texturing process as...

Dynamically Using Artistic CAD-CAM To Get the Best results A good art program allows you to accomplish your ideas in a variety of ways. To provide maximum capabilities the functionality should include: •The ability to emboss directly from an image •The ability to generate vector geometry from a picture for embossing •The ability to generate 2D geometry from a picture for profiling and engraving CAD/CAM Software for Artistic Machining & Custom Woodworking In addition to these three main characteristics the software should also offer the following capabilities: •Embossing from components (STL...

Several different types of operations should be available within one project to bring about a much higher level of detail. The "Emboss from Image" feature is great for simple pictures. However the more complex the picture is, the more likely that there will be a need for greater definition in the final 3D model. CAD/CAM Software for Artistic Machining & Custom Woodworking Custom woodworking requires the element of embossing, carving, sculpting, smoothing and engraving that only an artistic CAD/CAM system can provide to make the process efficient and Integrating the CAD with the CAM is a key...

The CAM Tree also houses the machine Post Processor that will be used to send NC programs to specific machine controllers. Without a "Post Processor" the CAM software is relatively useless. In this example you can see that two square boundaries exist. These are regions where toolpath will be created. The larger boundary is for a .25 cutter where the smaller boundary contains toolpath for a smaller .125 cutter to accommodate more detail. The first process shows a planar toolpath used to machine the largest area. Then a smaller Equi-Distant Offset finishing toolpath shows the more detailed...

Increasing Speed & Efficiency With CAM The purpose of CAM technology is to take designs and machine them exactly per specification based off of programmer input and the design itself. The ultimate goal is to allow these artistic designs to be machined on a CNC Router, Mill, Water Jet, Plasma, Laser or burning machine. CAM software generally provides simulation capabilities that offer even more benefits to catch and eliminate errors, calculate cycle times and perform machined-part-deviation analysis to preview the results of the programmers inputs. Here you can see the progression. "A" is...

Here is a close up of the V-Carve and pocket operation. Here you can see the tapered walls and the flats that are pocketed out with the flat end mill cutter. X-Cornering is used on fonts to create that chiseled finish. CAD/CAM Software for Artistic Machining & Custom Woodworking X-cornering is where a V-Cutter is used to come in and create the tapered walls. The toolpath takes into consideration the center line of a font. Stick fonts can also be used to create the desired look. Toolpath machining strategies can also profile or pocket around or inside of fonts to create different results for...

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