VS3D Version 1.4 released.

[dcarr]

Version 1.4 of VS3D has just been released. It can be downloaded from the VS3D web site. VS3D Version 1.4 download page

This verson inclued upgrades to the Contour ("waterline") tool paths and controls for the toolpath directions ("climb" vs. "descend" mode), etc.

Daniel Carr
Designs Computed

[Rgolde]

Can VS3D cut a helix with an indexer as a y or a axis? If it can I'll buy it. I've uploaded a picture to show you what I am looking to do. I'm impressed with the carving abilities of VS3D but I need to be able to do this also.
RG

[dcarr]

Can VS3D cut a helix with an indexer as a y or a axis? If it can I'll buy it. I've uploaded a picture to show you what I am looking to do. I'm impressed with the carving abilities of VS3D but I need to be able to do this also.
RG

RG,

I believe that it can be done, but I have not done it myself. You would have to think in terms of sculpting a "flat" relief surface and then wrapping it onto a cylinder when cut (by replacing the Y axis with a rotational axis).

Can you run a probe with your indexer to digitize such a surface as if it were unwrapped from a cylinder ? If so, you could use the probed data in VS3D to "reverse engineer" the part.

[Rgolde]

I could probe it but I would need a finished piece to probe. I wrote a simple piece of code to cut the double helix but rounding out the strands is tough. The unwrapped surface might look like two rods running parallel and at an angle along the y axis, or 2 half circles since it's 2.5d. Or it might be one half circle or simply something that looks like a Y.
RG