Project Toolpath on STL

[Sanghera]

Hi all,
I was wondering how you create a toolpath by using the project surface toolpath on an stl cad file. I want to engrave letters on the surface, since the surface is not perfectly flat, a project toolpath on the stl file is needed. How does one go about doing this?
Thanks.

[Sanghera]

Any ideas? Not sure if I have been clear enough.
Thanks.

[dmealer]

Hello,
I think your first problem is your STL. Someone correct me if I'm wrong here. But for this type of toolpath, you are going to need a surface to project to. I don't know of a way to extract a surface from a STL.If you could get a solid file, then it would be easy.
I do that type of path a lot.

[Sanghera]

What file format do you need to put it in for a proper surface? I can change format.
Thanks.

[dmealer]

A IGES works nicely.

[smoa1980]

I just did somewthing like this the other day. what I did was
1 Create the surface in the same drawing as the engraving
2 draw the engraving flat at a z higher than the surface
3 use Create, Curve, Project. to project the writing down onto the surface
4 Then define the stock using a bounding box
5 create a tool path for just the surface and verify it
6 then save the verifed stock as an stl
7 erase the surface tool path and create a toolpath for the engraving I always just use a contour with the leadin\leadout turned off.
8 then run that tool path but instead of useing the bounding box for the stock go into the Verify Config. screen and select stock shape, file and then select the stl file

atleast this is how I did. I had a simple dome to engrave on and only a 3axis mill. This might not work if you have a complicated surface that you can't define

[Sanghera]

Okay, I'll see how this works.
Thanks for the help.

[bpmufx]

If your surface needs to be regenerated from a complex shape be prepared for a
head-ache. The .stl file is only polygon data no surfaces.
Can't you get the file in it's former file type? Solid? Then it's a snap.