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Additional functionality in VCarve Pro

VCarve Pro includes many more powerful and flexible toolpath features and also adds design functionality that makes the software significantly more capable and flexible than Cut2D.

 

VCarve Pro adds the following functionality.

3D VCarving and Engraving toolpaths for automatically carving decorative designs without needing to calculate what size cutter to use. With the option of engraving / VCarving to a specific z depth and to use an end mill to remove stock material and machine the detailed regions using a v-bt or engraving cutter.

 
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True Shape Nesting

VCarve Pro 5 now includes True Shape Nesting that automatically arranges and fits vector shapes into a material size or user definable area, to get optimal material usage and minimum wastage.

Part Nesting is perfect for Sign and Cabinet makers who need minimize material wastage and cut as many parts – letters & cabinet doors / panels – as possible from sheet materials.

Reduce Material Costs = Increased Profits

The nesting routine places vector shapes / parts as close to each other as possible, but ensuring a sufficient gap to allow the parts to be cut out.

For more information about True Shape Nesting click here >

 

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VCarve Pro includes 3D Raised Prism Machining

The Raised Prism machining strategy is prefect for cutting high quality raised signs for restaurants, hotels and pubs 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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Profile Machining with 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 beveled edges and corners

Two Tool Pocketing

Faster and more efficient Two Tool Pocket Machining allows a large cutter to remove the majority of the stock material, followed by a smaller cutter that only machines where material has been left by the first larger cutter.

  • Rapid material removal using 2 cutters, a large cutter to remove the majority of the stock followed by a second smaller cutter that only machines the small regions.
  • Raster or Offset cutting strategies
  • Automatic clean-up pass ensures clean and precise edges

Fluting Toolpaths

Fluting is a special toolpath type for cutting tapered grooves often known as ‘Flutes’ by ramping the cutter into and out of the material

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 results

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.
  • Ideal toolpath option for sign makers, woodworkers, plastic and solid surface fabricators who need to cut parts that fit together.
 

Multi Color Toolpath Preview for more realistic toolpath simulation previews. Individual toolpaths can each be assigned a different preview fill color that can be used to simulate how the physical job will look when machined and painted.

The multi-color preview is perfect for presenting realistic images of jobs in quotations and estimates for customers. Or for creating images for marketing purposes such as web site and brochure content.

Unique 3D Texturing toolpaths that quickly machine randomly textured surfaces. Texture selected regions or a complete panel. Random texturing using selected vectors as drive curves.

Production Plate Engraving that merges text lists into templates for badges and industrial plates. Setup and merge CSV and text based lists using variables that can automatically scale to fit a design

Quick Engrave for Diamond dragging and marking engraved products such as gifts, awards, plaques, badges, pens, trophies etc.
Additional toolpath options include

Custom Form cutters such as Ogee and Round-overs can be added to the Tool Database and used to calculate and preview toolpaths.

Solid Fill Toolpath preview in the 2D view instantly shows where the cutter will remove material, showing corner details and regions where material might be left on the job.

Estimate Machining Times for job costing and machine loading

Recalculate all Toolpaths automatically if the design or material size / position changes

Postprocessor Support for Automatic Tool Changers allows multiple toolpaths with different cutters to be saved into a single file to run on the CNC machine.

 
 


VCarve Pro includes additional drawing and layout tools that make it much easier to create complete designs directly in the software and not simply import projects from other packages.


The additional design tools in VCarve Pro include:

Advanced Text Tools with additional Single Stroke / Stick Engraving Fonts and automatic sizing and layout options. Plus options for Fitting Text to a Curve and interactive Text Arcing.

Layer Management that allows complex designs to be simplified by assigning different parts of the design to be placed on different layers and drawn in different colours. Each layer can be made visible / invisible when required, making it easy to see and select vectors in the 2D view.

Image Tracing also known as Vectorization allows photo’s and bitmap designs to be converted to vector outlines that can then be machined.

Bone Filleting corner filleting options are available that help ensure parts cut from sheet materials will slot together after cutting.

The 'Dog-Bone' and 'T-Bone' fillets allow toolpaths to ‘notch’ the inside corners of slots and grooves, allowing mating parts to fit flush against the true base of the pocket. This technique allows the radius of the cutter to be removed from the bottom of slots.

These filleting tools are perfect for designing and machining furniture, cabinets and model aircraft components etc. where precision fit is needed.


Curve & Arc Fitting for reducing the number of nodes on vectors to create smooth geometry within a user definable tolerance.

  • Converting bezier curves to arcs for machining
  • Converting arcs to bezier curves for easier manual editing
  • Converting bezier curves to polylines

2D Pocketing and Profile Toolpaths calculated from vectors that have been converted to arcs will include G2 / G3 circular arc moves. These toolpaths result in smoother and faster cutting on many CNC machines plus smaller toolpath file sizes.

Polylines converted to smooth Bezier curves are much easier to work with when designing 2D projects and modeling 3D components.

Rulers, Snap Grid and Guidelines help make designing and drawing projects quick and easy. These options can be switched on / off as required along with Snapping options that automatically detect and snap the cursor to key regions on a design.
The other drawing tools available in VCarve Pro include;

  • Weld shapes to create closed vector boundaries – Merge, Subtract and Intersect
  • Offset Open / Closed vectors either Inwards or Outwards - Left / Right
  • Array block copy and paste – linear or radial positioning
  • Fillet Corners interactively
  • Copy shapes along selected vectors

 
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