Extruding letters to follow surface

[Programinator]

Im trying to extrude letters down so that it will be the same depth into the solid. Is it possible?

 

This is what i came up with so far but i have no idea how to make it the same depth

 

[CNCGUY]

Maybe project them onto the surface first.

[Mike S @ S4A]

Not sure what you mean by same depth - from what POV? Anyway I guess the first question is do you really need to fully model this, or are just trying to get toolpath? xform project/project to surface or the surface finish project toolpath might be more expedient...

[mold100]

you want them extruded cut offset from surface the same dist. correct?

[Programinator]

mold100

 

Yes i need the letters to be offset down from the top arc the same distance. So all the letters will be the same depth from the top of the arc.

 

Its for a air cleaner cover for my bosses motorcycle.

[mold100]

Shawn,

 

Very similar to my specialty and side business, if you iges it out all geometry and email it to me I can do it in solidworks in about 20 seconds if the chains are good. in MCAM its a more tedious task form memory I would cut the letters deeper than needed before that I would create surfs from solid top surf move it down letter depth, then cut the letters deeper than that surface, it will appear as you want, however do not forget to selct the surf as well as solid when you machine it. sorry for sounding confusing but my mind races

[jagg2499]

project the toolpaths down to the surface and just leave the letters straight it will surface machine them all to the same depth

[Programinator]

mold100..

 

Thanks Im going to draw it up and i will send it to you soon.

 

I just need to figure out what font he wants...

 

Any suggestions on that?

[mold100]

I use several differant formats, you can check out a limited selection of some of stuff if you have a my space page coreylee75 is me.

[Programinator]

mold100..

 

Cant find it can you send a link?

 

Thnaks

[htm01]

you can just cut a pocket of the letters to whatever depth then just project the toolpath on the surface but click add depths, the curve doesn't look like much so a straight project should be fine

[Programinator]

htm01 ..

 

I see what your saying but what do you mean by click add depths. Is that in the toolpath perameters or in the project window somewhere. I dont see any add depths selection.

[htm01]

under finish project parameters

 

Projection type

check NCI

then Add depths

 

so if you pocket -.01 deep thats how deep it will be into your surface

[crazy^millman]

What I would do it make the letters as solids. I would then make a offset of the chain used to make the surface. If you do not have one do a solid slice then make the chain offset it and then use it to cut the bottom of the letters to keep them all at the same depth. Then do a Boolean remove of the letters from the solid and you have letter that have the same depth of that shape. You can do the same for irregular shapes. Unless the letter are EDM sinker then the square corner become a problem. So most time I create the fillets on the letter before Boolean removing them from the solid body. The other way sometimes cause problems.

 

HTH

[MotorCityMinion]

I've done some very simular work with pop can dies. I just projected them on to the dome surface, then use 3d contour to establish the path. Set my Z depth to -.016, and they all came out nice. I used a .125 ball and measured the width of the letters after machining and they all checked good.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

For letters sticking out fromthe surface I would extrude the letters as solids, create a surface from solids of the face, boolean add the the solids, solid trim the letters and go like that. If you ned the letters' walls perpendicuar to the surface of the shape, I'd use draft surfaces and chain the projected letters.

 

JM2C

[Programinator]

Thanks for all the suggestions......I will try some of them and let you know how it works out.

 

Thanks again

[Müřlıń®]

Do a 2-D pocket of the letters. You will get a nice uniform path, with a finish contour all the way around the letters.

 

Project the path down on the surf and set your tool deeper than it needs to be to cut the letters.

 

Be sure to use a higher retract than normal, so when you go from letter to letter, you wont crash.....

[Todd84]

project on a surface?

 

[Müřlıń®]

quote:

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project on a surface?

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Most definately...unroll your surf and then you can scale the geometry and make sure it will fit right..

 

Then do an axis sub...

 

That path would be just like the rings I engrave...I use a homemade o-ring driven attachment for engraving on the inside of the ring....the cutter is a .005 dia 2 flute endmill.

 

video1

 

video2

 

I have found that projecting a 2-d pocket works best for me for stuff like that then verify it with your multi axis verify

[JDowe]

create letters above your solid

create solids from your letters so that they

project down into the original solid

boolean remove the bottom of the letters

using the original solid - the bottom of the

letters solids will now match the contour of

your original solid - transform the letters

down into your original solid by the depth wanted

then boolean reomve the letters from the original