Carving text with Sprutcam?

[mrquacker]

I am trying to carve some text on a flat piece of aluminum.

Trying to make something like this:
http://i.imgur.com/Zdxd0.jpg
That one was done using the mach text wizard.

Now, I have figured out how to use sprutcam to project text and a toolpath, and to actually make the cuts. However it constantly goes up-down by 0.00XX" on the Z when it cuts the individual letters. Is there a way to minimize that or to do a constant Z path? I just dont like the way the letters look after they are machined. Instead of a constant smooth arc like the wizard makes, its like they were chiseled out.

If I use a spring loaded engraver then that is eliminated. However is there any issue with the machine doing such tiny rapid movements for no reason? Does doing 1000+ lines of such small up-down movements introduce positional error in mach?

Is it the font that I am using? Or some other parameter I am missing? I really need to use the © and ™, and the text wizard doesn't have those.

[TXFred]

What type of toolpath are you using?

Post the sprutcam file and we can review it.

Frederic

[mrquacker]

That's all on the mill computer, and I am not near it right now.

I make the text in the "model" tab using the text feature, and place it on part imported from Alibre. Then go to the machining tab, select the text, and do an "Engraving" toolpath on it, set to 0.010" deep, using a 1/4" 2FL 90° Engraving bit. Under the parameters 3D machining is turned on, as is toolpath projection. I tried turning either/both of those off, but then sprutcam does not create any toolpaths.

[beanbag]

U have that option turned on where it tries to lift the engraving tool to make a sharper corner. It also tends to lift in the middle of a letter if it thinks there is a sharp kink in the profile line. U can either turn it off, or I think there is a option somewhere to do some kind of smoothing so that it does it less often.

I can't tell you where these options are because Sprut Cam's on the mill computer, and I am not near it right now.

[David Bord]

In the engraving operation on the strategy tab, uncheck allow 3D tool path on the upper right hand corner.

David

[mrquacker]

In the engraving operation on the strategy tab, uncheck allow 3D tool path on the upper right hand corner.

David

Every time I tried that it would not produce any toolpaths for the text. It's why I asked here for suggestions.