Material Setup
Referencing the software to how your CNC will be setup is one of the most important elements of the process. A summary of the material set up is displayed at the top of the toolpath tab allowing you to quickly check the settings before you start calculating toolpaths. Any of these values can be easily adjusted to change the tool reference for its X,Y or Z zero location, move the position of a model in the material, adjust the position where your machine starts from or specify distance to ensure the tool lifts above any clamping that is being used.
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2D Production Profiling
Using the profiling toolpath strategy, objects can be cut out quickly and efficiently. Simply select the vector shapes you wish to profile, select the tool from the tool database and the software will do the rest. The profiling automatically offsets for the tool radius and sorts nested shapes to ensure that inner shapes such as the center of a letter ‘O’ are cut before the outer shape (so parts are not released from the material before they are cut). Full control of cut direction is offered along with either automatic or manual control of tool entry point for each shape. Profile machining includes production cutting options that ensure parts can be held in place and accurately machined with high quality edges and corner detail. 3D tabs for smoother profiling plus advanced options for automatic positioning to hold parts in place when machining Lead in / out and overcut distance to prevent dwell marks appearing on components Advanced ramp options for controlling how the cutter enters the material, reducing heat build-up and cutter wear Profile around the outside / inside of open shapes Sharp internal and external bevelled edges and corners Last pass allowance Cut-outs can be done in multiple passes depending on the maximum cutting depth of the tool used and a positive or negative allowance can be specified to either ‘under cut’ or ‘overcut’ the shape if required. The number of passes on a cut can be edited very precisely to allow very thin final cuts or to individual add or remove particular cut depths. A separate last pass allowance can be specified for the last pass in a profile toolpath. If this allowance is given, then all but the last pass will be over-cut by the specified allowance with the final pass being the only pass which cuts to the actual edge of the part. This can significantly improve the finish on the cut-edge. The ability to specify that square corners are required is another powerful feature. This is often used when profiling with a v-bit tool, where with a conventional toolpath the tool will ‘roll’ round a sharp external corner leaving a radius on the top of the chamfer created by the tool, with the ‘square corners’ option an angular chamfer will be created instead. The profile toolpath is probably the most important toolpath option available. It is used for some of the simplest and also the most complex things you may do with your CNC. The software has been structured to let you customize whether you just want simple options for quick cut-outs or whether you want to access more advanced features to control cutting on particular material. This allows both new and experienced users to decide how much information they need to be presented with when creating this frequently used function.
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Fast and Efficient Pocketing – optimizes use of multiple tools
The pocket toolpath makes machining the material away from inside a vector shape efficient and easy to achieve. Just select all the vectors defining the shapes you want to cut and the program will sort the vectors to identify islands automatically and offset the boundaries for the selected tool radius. The 2D pocketing toolpath has the ability to control pass depths very precisely, either automatically based on the tool settings or where required the user can specify any combination of depths for a particular tool. Either climb or conventional cutting directions can be specified in order to produce the best edge finish for your selection of material and cutter. The tool can also be ramped into the job to reduce cutter stress when entering the material.
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Helical Arc Support
Output helical arcs in a way that your machine understands. Makes for smoother cuts and smaller file sizes. Helical arcs are like regular arcs when viewed in 2D but where the start z and the end z differ. They are typically found in toolpaths where ramping occurs.
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Drilling
Whether you are drilling a single hole or hundreds, just select the vectors representing the holes and the software will drill the center of each vector to the specified depth. The grouping feature makes it easy to associate all vectors for a particular toolpath strategy together so only one needs to be selected. The tool database includes a dedicated drill tool type so that the true tool geometry can be seen in the toolpath previews. As well as a single Z plunge you also have the option to activate peck drilling, which drills to a specified depth, retracts the tool to clear the chips, drills down to the next step, retracts the tool and so on until the required finish depth is reached.
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Thread Milling Toolpath
The thread milling toolpath enables you to machine holes for standard size screws in metals, woods, and acrylics, and is also useful for the creation of decorative wood fasteners. The thread milling toolpath has the option to create both internal and external threads, for example if you wanted to create a cavity to screw something into or if you wanted to create an exterior thread on something like a bolt!
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Auto-inlay Toolpaths
The auto-inlay toolpath options calculate profile cut-out and pocketing toolpaths for parts that need to be assembled to make inlays and inserts. Automatic cutter radius compensation on corner regions to ensure male shapes will fit into female pockets or cavities Allowance option to ensure a sufficient ‘gap’ is created to allow parts to fit together 4 different Inlay options that are designed to make machining inlays very simple and straightforward (straight, stepped, pocket and hole) Ideal toolpath option for sign makers, woodworkers, plastic and solid surface fabricators who need to cut parts that fit closely together
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Quick Engrave for Diamond Drag Tools
Quick Engrave can be used to create toolpaths for Diamond drag tooling. This is typically used for marking engraved products such as gifts, awards, plaques, badges, pens, trophies etc.
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Precision V-Carving
V-Carving uses a constant angled cutter that’s moved at flowing variable depth to create a 3D carved effect on the job, similar to the way a craftsman would work by hand. The software automatically calculates a path defined by the combination of the angle of the tool specified and the width and shape of the vectors being machined. The extremely fast and robust Vectric VCarving engine handles complex designs with ease providing both fast calculation speed and robust handling of imperfect data. As well as simple VCarving, the software supports many advanced VCarving strategies, such as ‘flat bottomed’ VCarving. Or optionally using multiple tools for your engraving jobs, reducing both machining time and tool wear. The option to use vector start points lets you choose the positions the tool will enter the material. For some applications this can help reduce the load and as such potential marking of the finished part, created by tool vibration when plunging into a deep area. Another advanced capability is the support for VCarving areas wider than the tool by making multiple clearance passes to achieve the required depth. This is done automatically by the software when the carved area is deeper than the maximum cutting depth of the tool.
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Fluting Toolpaths – Ramp In/Out
Fluting is a special toolpath type for cutting tapered grooves often known as ‘flutes’ by ramping the cutter into and out of the material. When using this toolpath the software drives the tool along the center of the vector giving you control over the way the tool ramps into the start and end of each selected object. This has many interesting applications outside of just the standard uses you would expect for this type of operation. Perfect for: Woodworking and solid surface machining. Flutes on columns and fireplaces Drainage grooves on kitchen sink and shower units Options for ramping in and out to create unique decorative results
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Efficient Texture Toolpath
Textured panels are often specified by interior designers and architects and textures are also a very useful option for creating backgrounds on dimensional signs. Vectric has a unique approach to generate unique ‘hand carved’ looking textures which still machine extremely efficiently. Once you specify a tool (typically a pointed or round profile) then you have various settings you can set to create the characteristics of your texture toolpath. To give these textures a more natural and less machine made look you can set different levels of randomness. The toolpath will replicate the same type of move that would be made by someone using a chisel to carve overlapping strokes into the material. Creating this as a toolpath move (rather than as a 3D model) will minimize the hand-finishing and also the machining time required to cut this. Textures can also be ‘trimmed’ to a vector boundary allowing the creation of this type of finish in a background area of a job. This is a look very popular with sign makers using Vectric software.
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Raised Prism Machining
The Raised Prism machining strategy is prefect for cutting high quality raised lettering and shapes on signs for restaurants, hotels and bars etc. that look hand-made. Raised Prism carving uses the side angle of V cutters to rapidly form angled sides around the selected shapes. Automatically calculates the material thickness required to create a full prism based on the job size and cutter angle. Calculates multiple Z passes when rough machining is required to remove material from around the prism shape. Typically used when cutting raised lettering on signs.
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Photo VCarving Toolpath Strategy
Use the PhotoVCarving toolpath strategy to convert photographs and images into toolpaths producing stylised engraved designs. The created toolpaths engrave a series of lines at different depths to produce the desired image.
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3D Roughing and Finishing
There are two toolpaths which are typically used to machine the 3D parts of a job. The areas that these toolpaths cut is governed by selecting one of the three machining limit boundary options, model boundary, material boundary or selected vector(s). Model boundary will use the outer silhouette of the composite model (all the 3D components visible in the 3D View) at the time of calculation. This means there is no need to create a vector boundary around them for these operations. Material boundary will create a toolpath that completely fills the entire job area. Selected vector(s) will use any vectors you have selected in the 2D view as the boundary for the toolpath. To remove the majority of unwanted stock as quickly as possible most jobs require a 3D roughing toolpath to be calculated. There are two roughing strategies available z-level and 3D raster each of these has advantages depending on the type of shape being cut. The toolpath also has an option to specify an allowance to leave a skin of protective material on the part for the finish cut to clean up. 3D finish machining cuts the 3D part of the job to the exact size. The tool parameters let you balance the quality of the surface finish with how long the part will take to cut. Depending on the shape of the part there is a choice of raster and offset cutting strategies. Detailed regions can be machined selectively using smaller cutters to ensure the finest of detail on a 3D project is accurately machined.
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Rest Machining
Rest machining is a technique which uses multiple tools to try and efficiently optimize machining time, material removal and tool lifespan. Within the 3D finish toolpath there is the option to use more than one tool, with each tool removing any remaining material that the previous tool was unable to machine. The rest machining technique can be controlled by specifying parameters which determine what areas are worth machining with the smaller tool.
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Project Toolpath onto 3D Model
The conventional 2D / 2.5D toolpath strategies can also be projected onto an underlying 3D model surface. This allows text or other shapes that follow the 3D contours of the part to be efficiently machined onto the 3D component model. VCarve or engrave at constant depth onto a 3D surface Pocket, profile, drill and texture onto the 3D model
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High Quality Toolpath Preview
One of the most important productivity tools available in the software is the realistic 3D toolpath preview support. The results of each individual or the combination of all the toolpaths can be previewed cutting into a 3D preview model. This means that whether your job is a simple toolpath with one tool, or created from a complex combination of tools and strategies at different levels you can be sure that when the job is cut, it is right first time. As well as showing that the toolpaths are correct, the high quality rendering and ability to use real world material textures and fill colors is a very valuable sales tool. Using the simulation you can create customer proofs and evaluate design options without actually having to cut anything!
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Tool Database
The software has a built in tool database to make cutter management quick and easy. Tools can be organized in any way that suits your workflow. There is automatic support for machine management and material management. Tools can be filtered for your current material and machine settings, which makes selecting the right tool for the job simple. The tool database contains a powerful tool naming system. This allows you to have consistent tool names, and for those tool names to match the properties of your cutter. Your tool database can be synced with your online V&Co account so that changes made to the tool database on one machine can be easily transferred to other running instances.
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Online Post Processor and Machine Management
Vectric assists with the management of your CNC machine, its capabilities (for example rotary or laser add-ons), associated post-processors and default tool cutting feeds and speeds for a selection of materials. As always our software is fully customizable for those who want to have full, low-level, control but Vectric’s ‘Kickstarter’ wizard can help you get started with a set of tools with reasonable initial settings using our constantly updated online list of the most common machine brands and models. The ‘Kickstarter’ wizard not only ensures that you have the right post-processors and machine configurations straight-away, but the management system also allows you to optionally stay up to date if relevant newer post-processors for your machine are released in the future all from within the software.
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Estimated Machining Times
To help estimate how long toolpaths will take to cut the software will calculate a time based on the length of the toolpath and the specified feeds and speeds that have been entered for the selected tool. This can be tweaked by the operator by editing the ‘scale factor’ so over time a value can be optimized based on actual machine performance to ensure the estimate is as close as possible to the actual cutting time.
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Toolpath Tiling – Divides toolpaths to fit material or machine limits
Using the Toolpath Tiling options it is possible to machine objects and designs that are many times larger than the available area of your CNC machine bed. This process is also invaluable if the maximum sizes of your material pieces are limited. In both cases, a much larger project can still be machined by breaking the toolpath down into manageable tiles or strips, each of which can fit within the machineable area of your CNC machine, or on the available material blocks. Once cut, the tiles can then be re-assembled to form the finished piece.
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Toolpath Templates
Toolpath templates allow you to improve the efficiency of your production processes by saving the complete toolpath settings for common operations. These settings can then be re-used at any time on different design geometry. Frequently used strategies and tooling can thus be applied to similar jobs, quickly and easily.
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Form Tools – custom shaped cutter profiles
The software allows you to add your own custom tools shapes to the tool library and generate toolpaths and simulate the finished result! Now you can simulate the effects of complex roman ogee cutters, round over bits and any other custom tool shape you desire. Simply draw the tool profile using the vector drawing tools or import the profile from the manufacturer and you can add your custom tool to the list. In the tool database you can specify feed rates, spindle speeds, cutting depths etc. in the same way that you do for any of the standard tool types.
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Wrapped Rotary Axis Toolpaths
Wrapped Rotary Axis Toolpath postprocessing allows all toolpaths created in the software to be saved and run on CNC machines fitted with rotary axis or rotary indexer setups. These setup functions also allow you to specify your rotary part setup and view the wrapped results in the 3D view. This function can be used for designing and cutting projects such as fluted columns and barley twists or engraving text onto round projects. Note: This functionality wraps standard 3 axis toolpaths around a cylindrical axis, substituting one of the linear axis to drive the rotation of the block of material while it is being cut.
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Production Plate Engraving
Production Plate Engraving lets you merge text lists into templates for badges and industrial plates. It can be used to merge CSV and text based lists using variables that can automatically scale to fit a pre-made design layout.
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