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Interesting...
The HPGL software I've used uses the Z axis and the 'wedding cake' approach to imitate 3D.
If you need a Mac user to test out your program, I'd be happy to try beta-test.
Yes, that is what VS3D does - the HPGL vectors are each assigned a color, and each color corresponds to a Z depth. That yields a maximum of 256 different Z levels possible.Originally Posted by Jkirk3279
I will post an announcement here when version 2.0 is available, probably this summer sometime. If we do go ahead with a Mac version, you can test it then.
Daniel Carr - President,
Designs Computed, LLC
Hi Danniel I am another mac user. G5 and just bought a macbook pro with parallels and xp pro. I am using a roland mdx15 for milling. (with a dell 8400) Would like to know more about VS and especially mac cad/cam. Mac Beta tester.
Thanks Marty
Hello Marty,
VS3D is supported on all versions of Windows after '98. If you can run the Windows XP emulator on your Mac, then you can run VS3D.
The G-Code output by VS3D is compatible with Roland.
VS3D can also import digitized (point cloud) files from Roland scanners and triangulate them into contiuous relief surfaces.
For more information, the home web page for VS3D can be viewed at:
http://www.designscomputed.com/vs3d/
Daniel Carr - President,
Designs Computed, LLC
Daniel, am I correct in thinking that the sculpting part of vs3d architecture is built on 8bit greyscale? Also can you link me to a page with list of functions or user manual. Also I am under the impression that my roland works better using its own tool paths as they don't have some of the extra stuff in Gcode like spindle speed etc. How would one export from vs3d? .DXF
Thanks Marty
Marty,
While VS3D can import 8-bit (gray scale) or 24-bit (color) images and convert the image brightness into surface height, all surface calculations and tool path calculations in VS3D are done using floating-point numbers. With 8-bit gray scale data, you only have 256 different distinct Z levels. But once imported, VS3D operates on surfaces in floating point, allowing an infinite number of different Z levels.
In addition, VS3D does a lot of calculations under the hood that are not readily apparent to the user. These special calculations are sophisticated anti-aliasing algorithms. Anti-aliasing is a technique to reduce "stair-stepping" artifacts. VS3D's tool path calculations also fully utilize the 3D shape of the specified cutting bit and sculpted surface, employing optimal interpolation between grid points. So the result is that tool paths from VS3D will provide a better finished result.
G-Code from VS3D will work on your Roland, although some commands (like spindle speed) are ignored. But the bulk of the G-Code in the files is G00 and G01 moves, so a few ancillary commands at the beginning of the file won't make much difference to your Roland.
The main file export capabilities of VS3D/VScad3 are G-Code (and other machine file types), DXF, and STL. VS3D/VScad3 can also import DXF, STL, digital images, ASCII point clouds, etc.
Here is the overview of VS3D/VScad3 showing the basic capabilities:
http://www.designscomputed.com/vs3d/overview/index.html
And here is a link to the user documentation - the Guided Tutorial and the User's Reference Guide:
http://www.designscomputed.com/vs3d/docs/index.html
And lastly, here is a separate tutorial on importing a digitial image and generating tool paths from it:
http://www.designscomputed.com/vs3d/...mg_emboss.html
Daniel Carr - President,
Designs Computed, LLC
Daniel thanks for the response, I am especially interested in using a modeling program, like rhino and then exporting to a file format like .dxf and then adding greyscale textures to that object. How would you do that in vs3d and can you give some idea of the detail capacity of the file format. For example from my rough estimates a 20mb greyscale ends turns out to be a 100mb .dxf, this really limits the memory, pixel, end-mill diameter ratios. Rhino seems to crash on even the hint of texture. I up graded my PC to 3 gigabytes, can't afford to crash while my mill is running.
Thanks marty
There are two basic parts to the software. VScad3 is a traditional polygon mesh (DXF-type) modeler. VS3D is a grid-based relief surface modeler. Both are included in the "VS3D" software package. You can export from one to the other on the fly. Here is a tutorial showing how to import a 3D DXF model (the Eiffel Tower) and manipulate it to machine it as a relief surface:
http://www.designscomputed.com/vs3d/...el_relief.html
You could do something similar with any STL or DXF model. Except that once you get it into VS3D, you can import a gray-scale image and add that relief to the relief surface from the DXF. VS3D has three overlapping "layers". Each layer has relief surface data. The final sculpted surface in VS3D is the summation of all the heights on all three layers. So if you have a relief generated via DXF on one layer, and you import a relief from a gray-scale onto another layer, the gray-scale texture naturally follows the basic contours of the DXF surface. In a similar way, you can digitize an existing non-planar surface, perform differential sculpting on that surface, and then output the tool paths to engrave on the existing surface. For example, you could use this technique to engrave letters on the side of an existing goblet.
Traditional CAD formats (like DXF) are good at basic geometric shapes. But they are not efficient when it comes to complex (textured) relief surfaces. A DXF file can only handle a limited number of polygon mesh vertices. So I usually don't export to DXF from VS3D since the native VS3D file format is much more suited to this type of data. Years ago, I had a very detailed "point cloud" data file of a surface that I wanted machined. I took it to every machine shop within 100 miles. In every case, the shop's CAD/CAM software choked on my data. So that is when I began developing VS3D. The approach that VS3D takes is not unlike a "paint" program. In a paint program, you have a grid of dots and each dot has a brightness value (a digital image). In VS3D, you have a grid of XY points and each point has a Z height. So the act of sculpting in VS3D involves pushing and pulling Z values up and down (or sideways). The important aspect of this is that once your grid of XY points is set up, the amount of memory required to manipulate the surface will NOT change, no matter how complicated or detailed the sculpted surface becomes. This allows very fine textures to be sculpted with no degredation of performance.
The level of resolution is limited only by the amount of memory on your computer. In VS3D, you can specify how many grid points you want to use to represent your surface. More grid points require more memory and processing time, but will yield greater detail and resolution. Once the grid size is determined, you specify what phyical size that grid spans. For example, you could have a 500x600 grid which spans a physical (machined) area of 5"x6". This would equate to 100dpi ("dots per inch").
When I am sculpting a coinage die requiring very fine detail, I will typically set up my sculpture grid to be about 1500x1500 grid points. And that grid is typically mapped to a physical area about 1.5" square. So that ends up being the equivalent of 1000dpi in the final machining, which is just about at the limit of accuracy for many machines (1/1000th of an inch between grid points).
For example, a 1536x1536 relief surface I just saved to a ".vs3" file is about 9.2mb. The same thing saved as a binary STL file is 230mb. A DXF file would be similar in size to the STL file, if it could haven handle that much data.
I have no problem doing dynamic sculpting in VS3D on a 1536x1536 grid on my desktop computer (which is an HP Pavilion, 2.52Ghz processor, 512mb RAM).
Daniel Carr - President,
Designs Computed, LLC
Daniel,
Another Mac user here. I would also be interested in a version that runs natively on the Mac.
Alan
I plan to research the feasibility of a Mac version in the coming months.
Daniel Carr - President,
Designs Computed, LLC
Daniel there is currently no milling software that runs off the mac so if you make one then you will be the first. You might also look at how the new intel macs would work running parallels. i bought a ibook with parallels for my father in law and so far it works great, and all the anoying windows OS problems are not present. I personally would prefer to work from a mac but would accept a parrallels based g code interface. Thanks M
Hello dcarr
I'm lived in korea treated cnc operating.
impresed your prg so i'm question for you.
only 1 copy licensed key ?
if hardware problem.... what about re-install?
---------------<----------->--------------
for more bright future for you~^^
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