have STL of bas relief with undercuts, which CAM will make 4 or 5 axis toolpaths?

[phucrobusl]

I would like to carve a bas relief art piece that includes undercuts . It is from a scan and in STL format.
Can anyone offer suggestions on CAM software that actually works with such real world objects ?
I know I could eliminate the undercuts in the model , but those results would look inferior, less dimensional.
I'm hoping for a continuous 4 or 5 axis solution.
Thanks!

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[awerby]

Do you have a 5-axis mill or router? If not, the software won't help. If you do, VisualMill Premium from Mecsoft will write the toolpaths for you. 4-axis machines usually have a rotary axis that holds the work parallel to the X (longest) axis. This is better for things that are basically cylindrical, or at least can fit within a cylinder, than for reliefs, though. Try Deskproto for continuous 4-axis toolpaths for parts like that.

But practically speaking, especially if you're on a tight budget, carving the bulk of the relief in 3-axis mode and putting the undercuts in by hand would be the simplest solution.

[MarcusWolschon]

I would like to carve a bas relief art piece that includes undercuts . It is from a scan and in STL format.
Can anyone offer suggestions on CAM software that actually works with such real world objects ?
I know I could eliminate the undercuts in the model , but those results would look inferior, less dimensional.
I'm hoping for a continuous 4 or 5 axis solution.
Thanks!

You could have a look at DESKPROTO. Version 7 just came out. It work great with huge meshes especially for artistic work like reliefs, busts/statues and jewelry and is very affordable. However it does not offer tool patches where the more then 3 Axis move at the same time. There is a free trial version and a hobbyist licence package that includes all the 4/5 axis support.

The old GMAX offers real 5 axis machining but its a very old and difficult to use set of 3D Studio scripts to be used with a free, minimalistic version of 3D Studio that existed back in the days.