New Routing & Engraving Software

Tony Mac · Aug 11, 2005

Sorry for the blatant advert but I believe this information is of genuine interest for CNC routing / engraving machine users on this forum.

VCarve Wizard is a totally new low cost 3D VCarving / Engraving product from Vectric.

http://www.vectric.com/

A Trial version of the software is available from the web site, that actually allows the sample parts to be toolpathed and cut on your own cnc machine.

Also allows your own vector designs to be loaded, toolpathed, simulated in different materials, images saved - but not save these toolpaths.

Hope this might be of interest to the community?

Regards,

Tony Mac
http://www.vectric.com

hammerhead74000 · Aug 11, 2005

Ya' know... there is a classified section...

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=forum;f=4

dsergison · Aug 11, 2005

cool thanks,

I wouldn't have ever looked in the classifieds.

pi · Aug 12, 2005

how does it differ from delcam's artcam or mastercam art?

Tony Mac · Aug 12, 2005

The D'cam & M'cam products are 'full blown' modelling and machining solutions that have steep learning curves & technical support requirements, not to mention the $X,000's price tags.

VCarve Wizard is a very different software product.

With a very targetted set of tools, VCarve Wizard allows the typical cnc router or engrave owner / hobbyist to move from simple 2D cut-outs and pocketing, into more creative and artistic 3D vcarving / engraving applications, without needing to be a CADCAM professional, and more importantly at an affordable price.

VCarve Wizard does not include any modelling tools. It has been developed as a vry easy to use CAM engine for machining vector designs (dxf, eps, ai) that have been designed in ACad, Corel, Ilustrator etc. and producing realistic colour shaded product images.

Hope this makes sense.

Tony

dsergison · Aug 12, 2005

from what I see it takes your line art and projects a straight walled V to whatever depth varying the angle of the V only?

pi · Aug 12, 2005

both artcam and mc art are quick to learn, but what is the price difference?

Brian M · Aug 13, 2005

dsergison,
The software creates the toolpath for a V shaped cutter which is moved along between the vectors for the artwork, varying the depth to change the width of cut at the material surface.
This v carving strategy is very commonly used in engraving and signmaking as it is far, far quicker to machine than a full 3d model and gives very clean and precise outlines.

Pi,
VCarve Wizard is $495, ArtCAM is I believe usually around $7,500, I don't know the price of Mastercam Art. However, as Tony Mac said above, the other programs have a much wider range of features so they are not directly comparable on either price or features.

smallshop · Aug 13, 2005

VisualMill has the same feature.

Tony Mac · Aug 13, 2005

How much is VisualMILL?

Does it include the same kind of Realistic Job Preview?

smallshop · Aug 13, 2005

$4000 for a 5-axis package. The real issue is that v-carve engraving is only one of the features most of the folks here need, and probably not much of that. Any cam package will run a path on a font and that is usually sufficient for most projects. Your graphics are quite impressive.

pi · Aug 13, 2005

not bad for $500

Tony Mac · Sep 6, 2005

Just for general interest.

Attached are a couple of interesting designs that a VCarve Wizard Customer in GA has created.

Tony Mac
www.vectric.com

fastolds · Sep 6, 2005

I use millwrite 2000 for all of my engraving. It can do the same thing and engrave on angles, a radius or ball both concave/convex and many more. You can also draw shapes using lots of different tools and do 2D machining. Complex 2D shapes can be drawn in AutoCad and imported in to be cut. How does VCarve compare to this software? Your graphics are better is about all I can see. I can get millwrite for $650.

Tony Mac · Sep 7, 2005

Hi,
Thanks for asking about VCarve Wizard vs Millwrite.

Looking at Millwrite and it seems to be targeted at industrial workshops for 2 / 2.5d pocketing and profile machining using End / Ball nose tools (the $450 version only includes Profile along a line – No pocketing and the Millwrite web site does state that it’s not recommended for artistic engraving).

Where as, VCarve Wizard is for the creative and artistic cnc machinist, making very detailed decorative pieces.

The primary difference between the two products is that VCarve Wizard calculates very different toolpath strategies that allow very detailed designs to be carved / engraved using V-bit / conical cutters.

These toolpaths constantly vary the depth of the tool depending upon the width of the font or design, allowing the very tip of the tool to be used to cut into the sharp corners. The pocket and profile machining in Millwrite will leave the radius of the cuter in the corners of pockets or ends of lines.

The images below try to show the difference between 2d pocketing and VCarving a job.

VCarve Wizard also includes import filters to the commonly used graphics packages such as Corel Draw and Adobe Illustrator etc that export vector eps and ai files, plus the standard AutoCAD dxf filter.

The realistic 3D graphics really are wysiwyg (what you see is what you get) and allow you to create detailed images of the job without having to cut anything, and the option to estimate the machining times lets you price jobs more accurately.

Hope this helps and answers your question.

Tony Mac
www.vectric.com

fastolds · Sep 7, 2005

I bring in pictures converted to DXF files and cut them using the optioned V bit cutter all the time. I can cut centerline, outside, inside, pocketing and make raised letters for stamps. I will agree that the millwrite website leaves a bit to be desired but it can do artistic things like the samples listed on there.

Tony Mac · Sep 7, 2005

Millwrite doesn't appear to automatically calculate the centerline for any random font or vector shape. Yes, it can cut on the centreline of a standard single stroke font, but this will not produce the same effect as shown in the diagrams, leaving the radius of the tool in the corners.

The web site implies that cutting around the outside of a font at constant depth to create a raised stamp will create sharp external corners, but will leave fillets on internal corners such as underneath the horizontal portion of a capital letter 'T'.

But, as yo usay the web site is quite vague.

Can you tell me whether Millwrite will automatically calculate engraving toolpaths for the type of carving shown in the image below, by simply selecting all the vector lines and clicking the calculate button?

If yes, what version and what is the price?

Tony Mac
www.vectric.com

Tony Mac · Sep 10, 2005

Another interesting vcarved design.

Is the Ball really flat?

HuFlungDung · Sep 10, 2005

Interesting!
I assume the included angle of the toolpoint matches the slope of any straight cutting areas?

I'd be a little curious to see how a concave pyramidal shape can be machined with such sharpness into the corners of boxes or text. How about pic of a single pyramidal pocket showing a superimposed view of the toolpath backplot?

Tony Mac · Sep 10, 2005

Hello HFD,

The link below will run a short video that shows how a V shaped tool plumges from a corner into the material, then lifts into each corner in turn to form the concave pyramid.

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/tmp/pyramid.avi

Hope this helps.

Tony Mac

New Routing & Engraving Software

Plastic

Stainless

Diamond

Stainless

Plastic

Diamond

Stainless

Plastic

Diamond

Plastic

Diamond

Stainless

Plastic

Hot Rolled

Plastic

Hot Rolled

Plastic

Plastic

Diamond

Plastic

Similar threads