Engraving.. and pulling my hair out!


Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Engraving.. and pulling my hair out!

  1. #1

    Default Engraving.. and pulling my hair out!

    Hi all.
    This is my first post, so be gentle with me
    .I'm new to Fusion 360. I've been self-learning by watching Lars on Youtube, and by good ol' trial-and error.
    So far I can sketch shapes, and parts, and generate basic toolpaths, but Engraving has me flumoxed!
    I can't generate toolpaths on the center of my text.
    I drew the text on my part, and extruded it to a negative .030 depth.
    But from there I get stuck.
    In CAM, I tried Engraving, Trace, 2d pocketing, 3d pocketing... it just gives me "Wrong Tool" warning, or doesn't generate toolpaths.
    GGRRRRR.
    Any simple advise for a newbie?
    Dumb it down to step by step for a bonehead like myself?

    Similar Threads:


  2. #2
    Registered
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    108
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Re: Engraving.. and pulling my hair out!

    Some CAM packages will only work with certain font types. You may want to check into that or try the font type ".shx" for example.

    Best Regards.

    Carl



  3. #3
    Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    294
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Re: Engraving.. and pulling my hair out!

    I use .png images for engraving. One problem I had with Fusion was there were no single line fonts. I tried moorpark (GibbsCAM font) but even with that, Fusion would try to engrave either inside of it or trace around it. I'm not sure if this has changed since I still use .png images for their simplicity.



  4. #4
    Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Southern Utah
    Posts
    122
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Re: Engraving.. and pulling my hair out!

    This all took me about 10 minutes.
    Did a search for cambam stick fonts, download, unzip and install.
    Went into drawing program (I use Corel Draw) type out letters.
    Export as dxf file. Make sure fonts export as curves.
    Bring file into Cut2D (cheap and amazing program)
    Set a few parameters and run the preview!
    My experience has been, the preview will look exactly like the finished product. Not sure this is any help but it's how I do it.
    Engraving.. and pulling my hair out!-font-test-jpg



  5. #5
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    413
    Downloads
    31
    Uploads
    1

    Default Re: Engraving.. and pulling my hair out!

    Many programs tout their ability to do "engraving". Most of those who do are able to add that occasional line of text here and there. Having spent 10 years very specifically in the world of engraved text, no one seems to do engraving like the old mainstays...... Signlab / Engravelab is one of those mainstays. Others were the old Casmate, Flexisign and another that yet escapes me currently.

    Sure, crazy money compared to say, VCarve, and an annoying dongle to lose, but night and day when it comes to every single feature necessary for font handling. If you do a lot of engraving, it should be on your list to own. I myself prefer the older version 5 because some of the changes they made in newer versions dealt with creating paths for different machines more difficult as they focused on RIP and the thought that most people only have one machine. I had to create paths for 4-5 different machine brands/controls at any given time.

    Over the years, I've tried to get other program developers to understand the differences, but seems no one really understood the differences, nor I guess wanted to know what they were and why they should have some of them.

    One of the main advantages was a simple one... being able to type and immediately cut the text without any exploding, duplicating or toolpath creating on top of it. This meant you could rapid fire text changes just by typing and cutting. Yet, on the other side of the coin.... Engravelab is certainly not VCarve. They make you need a copy of all of them ! Dang !

    Chris L


  6. #6
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Netherlands
    Posts
    44
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Re: Engraving.. and pulling my hair out!

    Just look out for a single line font and use trace with a chamfer mill with a small tipdiameter.



  7. #7
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    144
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Re: Engraving.. and pulling my hair out!

    I got this error when I tried to engrave with a "tapered endmill". Switching to a chamfer tool solved the problem. This also allowed me to cut a flat-bottomed pocket with v-carved corners. If you just want it to follow the curves, I believe you'll want to stick with the "trace" toolpath, but I believe "engrave" will give the same performance if the font is a single line type. Good luck!

    Ken



  8. #8
    Gold Member daniellyall's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    New Zealand
    Posts
    1856
    Downloads
    3
    Uploads
    0

    Default Re: Engraving.. and pulling my hair out!

    Russ with the engrave in fusion it's realy a Vcarve, if you select a pocket to engrave you have to pick the faces of the extruded whatever to get it to run down the center other wise it just traces around the whatever you have picked to engrave.

    When you do the engrave toolpath just select the faces of what you wont done or if you use the letters from inside fusion you pick them then hit ok, get the toolpath generated then go back and do any changes you need to do.

    It has a limited height adjustment by moving the bottom height up, you can see when you hit the height limit the toolpath will run around the letters not down the center you just drop the bottom height down a bit to it comes good.

    You can use it to traces on a sketch path, you have better height control on this, stick fonts should be fine as well.

    And yes you have to set the V bit up as a chamfer mill.

    If you wont shown how to do it post the file or send it to me in a pm

    <img src="https://ivxo1q-dm2305.files.1drv.com/y4mENMmTr_Cabc7pR0FUdB6gtbADq2JbuG4_rGy0eBQvLJx19pTi6TqMUIJN0xgOyDIc0gWoxYhS38HpbSTFGdfaK-o42IOU6jczrhDpfpCOTNGL1X6hvZCbgj0y35gqmq1YGTrWwShYGV-C7lXA2esy0Pi_WfnBSyroDLSGXwce4uSr1U7op7srdi78rispHCa_K4aFlTlJPVkkNWMfgh_Tg?width=60&height=60&cropmode=none" width="60" height="60" />

    Being Disabled is OK CNC is For fuN


Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  


About CNCzone.com

    We are the largest and most active discussion forum for manufacturing industry. The site is 100% free to join and use, so join today!

Follow us on


Our Brands

Engraving.. and pulling my hair out!

Engraving.. and pulling my hair out!