file types

[machtek]

Hi all,

 

I am trying to produce a 3d rendering in MDF using art. Sounds simple enough, but the trick is I am starting with line art that is not shaded. I have made things like this in the past by creating all of the surfaces or solids then surface machining it. Art really works well for me with a monochrome transformation of a photograph but again I am starting with flat line art (vector art).

 

Any help will be greatly appreciated in this matter and please excuse my ignorance, I have only had Art for 5 months and can't find any help in the help files for this subject.

 

TIA

Dennis

[Trevor Bailey]

you will need to create an ORGANIC surface. select that option and then you will be prompted to pick the lines/geometry to use.

 

there will be a few other options to play with once you get a little deeper.

 

post back with more questions if you get stumped.

[machtek]

Thanks for the reaponse Trevor, Art, create art surface, organic, is greyed out. Any ideas?

 

Dennis

[Mike Gates from Barefoot CNC]

You have to create a base surface/rectangular first that lays on top of the geometry you want to use. The organic creation needs this to know where to create the surface on.

 

As far as info, if you go to your c:/mcamx/documentation/ there should be a Art Tutorial.pdf file to get you started.

[machtek]

Thank you Mike, I will find the .pdf.

 

Dennis

[Dan@home]

machtek, you can take an Art course for free.

 

http://streamingteacher.com/home/index.aspx

[machtek]

This is absolutely a GREAT tool. I have been creating these artsy signs and the like using the old fashioned surface and solid creation. This usually takes me a day or two, I created the sign in the TUT in only about 10 min. THE FIRST TIME!

 

Woo Hoo!!!

 

If anyone has information on reducing the jaggedness where the bosses meet the floor I would appreciate a pointer.

 

 

Frosty beverages all around! (ok I will buy a round of warm beverages, your choice)

 

Dennis

[Trevor Bailey]

you have a couple of options. look at filters and smoothing under EDIT ART BASE SURFACE.

[Mike Gates from Barefoot CNC]

Also when setting up the toolpath look at machining with parrallel at a given angle not just 0 or 90. sometimes a 45, 23, or 66 degree angle will leave a better finish depending on the direction of the surfaces to be cut.

[machtek]

Hi Mike,

 

Thanks for the heads up, I am familiar with that concept to avoid gouging the part and working the machine tool a little less.

 

I am still having problems with the jaggedness. I can't seem to make even a little difference in the part no matter what I try. Maybe I just haven't tried enough things. It looks like the surface is "gathered" at the base where it meets the ABS.

 

Thanks

Dennis

[Iven May]

Hi Mike

 

I am the product manager for Art here at CNC Software. I think I know what your problem is. I bet your resolution in the Art Manager is set to low. The icon is a purple dome, double what ever you have and the jaggies will go away. Also in the Art Base Surface dialog in the bottom left, there is a Shadding Quality control. It should be set to .001.

 

If you still have problems email me the file. [email protected] I will be happy to look at it and fix it for you. We can also do a video conference if you would like to see the fix live.

 

Rock On

[machtek]

Thanks Iven,

 

you've got mail

 

Dennis

[machtek]

Help!!!

 

I have now worked through several of the tutorials (actually two of them over and over) and the buttons in the .pdf are both-not there or in different places than the mcam version (X2 Mr2 Sp1)that I am using. I also can't get the sample versions to turn out like the graphics in the .pdf, mainly color and resolution. I know this seems very picky but am I doing something wrong or are these known issues. I am trying to complete the tut's and think i'm doing something wrong. I don't want to learn bad habits.

 

Thanks

Dennis

[machtek]

Ok I dropped back to X2 Mr1 and the dialogs in the tutorial .pdfs make sense. Do I have to drop back to the earlier version to get the same functionality?

 

Thanks

Dennis

[Trevor Bailey]

you should not have to drop back at all. which file are you trying in the tutorial? when i get a few extra minutes, i will work thru it also and take some screen shots of where things have moved.

[machtek]

Ok, I'm off and running. I am starting to make this product rock after some very kind and patient assistance from the Mastercam Art product manager and Applications Engineer.

 

Thanks Many times over!!!

 

One further question:

 

Can I make a solid model of the surfaces the Art module creates?

 

TIA

Dennis

[machtek]

Ok I think I have figured out how to make a solid from a the Art surfaces, only problem is when I convert to mcam surfs there are great spikes that get created above the part (emanating from the edges of all curves. I have raised the resolution to help this then my system started crashing "unhandled exception" on anything but a resolution of 30.

 

Any clues?

 

Dennis