Cut2D Desktop V10.0 Updates
Node Editing
Node editing can now be performed on multiple vectors selected at the same time. Making it easier to access all the nodes and spans in your job for multiple editing, without having to access each vector individually.
We have also added the ability to transform your vectors directly from the span itself allowing you to drag individual spans and change their shape in the case of arcs and Beziers, or moving the whole span in the case of lines for a much easier, intuitive workflow to get you to the shape you want.
In cases where you have two open vectors, you can select the end points of each vector and join them together whilst remaining in node edit mode using the right click menu, you can then join them with a straight line, a curve or the mid point between the two.
Maintain Object Rotation
When rotating and scaling objects, the original bounds are now maintained. Allowing you to scale rotated objects along their axes more easily and intuitively. When we scale the size of a rotated object we can now scale the part in line with the rotated bounds of a selected object.
To accommodate this enhancement, we’ve also updated various transformation tools to include the rotated bounds when making transformations to a rotated vector, For example;
In the move tool we can now move objects relative to their rotated bounds.
In terms of rotation you can now rotate objects to an absolute value as well as a relative value to the current bounds.
When working with rotated objects in the mirror tool we can check the option to use rotated bounds and all mirroring applications will be relative to the bounds of the rotated object.
When working with the distort tool on a rotated object we can now edit the envelope within the rotated bounds making it much easier to control the shape of the distortion.
Bitmap Improvements
When importing bitmaps you now have the ability to rotate it directly in the software using the rotation handles on the corners of the image.
Font List Favourites
The font list in both the ‘create text’ and ‘create text within a vector box’ form will now save the 5 most recently used fonts at the top of the list to allow quicker selection of frequently used fonts, that way you save time searching for your favourite fonts.
The number of recently used fonts displayed can easily be edited in the program options form to a number you are happy with.
Welding Text
The welding tool includes the welding of text objects all at the click of a button! Which is perfect for overlapping style fonts.
Simply select your text, use the weld option where it will keep all of the internal regions of the text characters.
You also have the option to keep or replace the original text object.
Dynamic Text on a Curve
When text is placed on a curve, its anchor can now be freely moved, rather than being limited to the standard three predefined locations of left right and centre, we can now move the anchor to give us much greater control of the position of the wrapped text.
Another enhancement we have made is that the wrapped text can be detached from the original curve and still be re-worked in the wrap text form, where it remembers the original settings of the wrap if you wanted to make further changes.
Add Side Length to Polygon Tool
We have added an extra option in the draw polygon form where you are now able to create a polygon by specifying the length of a side. For example if you want to create an equilateral triangle where all the sides are 2 inches long you can simply specify this in the form and the software will create it.
Shape Editing Shortcut
We have added a shortcut to quickly get you into a shape form for further editing. If a vector is selected which is able to be modified using one of the shape drawing tools, (circle, ellipse, rectangle, polygon or star) then by simply pressing 'E' on the keyboard the software will now automatically open the correct shape creation tool for the selected shape.
Space Selection Behaviour
The space selection controls in the alignment tools form will now maintain the X or Y ordering of any selected vectors and space them between the top and bottom or left and right items in the selection, regardless of what order we selected the vectors in.
Tool Database
The tool database has been given a significant overhaul. You can now add parameters relevant to different machines or materials.
For example if you use the same tool, but want different speeds and feeds for different materials, you can now adjust the parameters based on the material you're using.
Once your materials are set up and you are ready to machine, you can filter the tools so that you only see the ones that are compatible with the material you're using.
Use the new tool naming mechanism to consistently name your tools. Ensuring that the tool name always matches the tool dimensions. It even supports displaying inch tools correctly.
You can now view the chip load on the tool from within the software.
Online Tool Database
It is now easy to share your tool database across the machines you use. The new tool database can be synced with your online V&Co Account so that changes made to the tool database on one machine are reflected across your other running instances.
Toolpath Groups
Toolpaths can now be grouped within the toolpath tree. Organize your toolpaths into logical groups to make managing complex jobs more straightforward.
Material Importing
New material textures can be easily added to the software. If you have a picture of the material you want to add you can just select ‘add new texture’ from within the appearance drop down menu to use that image for the material texture.
Tab Resizing
The toolpath tab is now resizable. Expand it to fit even the longest of toolpath names.
Default File Dialogs
You can now use different settings for default file locations. Choose to have the software remember specific locations for specific actions, e.g. always open images from my `pictures` directory. Or you could choose to always open the file dialogs in the folder of the current project.
Post Processor List Favourites
When you save out toolpaths we have made it easier to locate your favourite posts where the post processor list will now save the 5 most recently used post processors at the top of the list allowing for quicker selection of frequently used posts!
Integrated Help
Help for all forms can now be found using the integrated help function, which can be found if you click on the question mark icon on the top of each form to get the help for that specific function.
V9.5 is a FREE Upgrade for all V9.0 Customers
Picture Editing & Cropping
With the ability to import bitmaps into the software, you can further edit imported images using the 'Edit Picture' tool, this allows you to adjust the visual properties of a selected bitmap, enabling you to adjust the contrast, brightness and gamma of any selected image.
Borders of different sizes and radii can also be added to bitmaps for aesthetic purposes. Bitmaps can also be made black and white. The software also has the ability to crop images to any given vector allowing you to remove parts of the image you are not interested in.
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.
In-place Text Editing and Transforms
See live feedback of the text that you create and edit. Text maintains formatting, allowing you to easily make edits after the text has been created.
Cut2D Desktop V9.0 Updates
Two-Sided Machining
This adds the ability to create double-sided projects in the same session. It avoids the need to have 2 sessions, one for each side.
Job & Material Setup
In the Job Setup dialog, you can pick whether you want to create a single-sided, double-sided or a rotary job. You can change that, retrospectively.
Define how you want to flip the material for double-sided projects from the Job Setup dialog. This influences the positioning of the vectors and models so that geometry on each side is created in the appropriate positions relative to the opposite side.
Multi-Sided View
You can view the opposite side’s geometry using the keyboard shortcut ‘=’, or through the ‘View’ menu.
In the 2D view, you will see the opposite side’s vectors as if you were looking at them through the material block.
In the 3D view, you will see the entire merged model as if it was simulated.
Importing STL Model
When importing an STL model (with the ‘Import both Sides’ option enabled) into a double-sided project, each side of the model will go onto a side.
You can import the entire model on each side by sliding the slicing plane all the way to the bottom. This is useful when importing models which contain non-convex surfaces, such as, a plate.
Smart Snapping
This allows you to snap to lines and extensions, which don’t necessarily exist as geometry. It reduces the need to create construction geometry, and would be helpful in aligning vectors or nodes.
Quick Keys
This allows you to add more precision to your shape creation and editing process more easily by allowing typed values while creating geometry. This is supported for creation of circles, ellipses, rectangles, polygons, stars, polylines and when in editing nodes or transforming vectors.
For example, while dragging to create a circle, you could type ‘3R’ to create the circle with a radius of 3. Or, also while dragging, you could type ‘3D’ to create one with a diameter of 3.
V8.5 is a FREE Upgrade for all V8.0 Customers
Create Job Sheet
The create set-up job sheet command allows you to create a summary sheet that details all the important information you will need at your CNC machine when you come to run the toolpaths. This can be used as a reference to ensure you have the setup correct, have loaded the correct tool etc. It can also be used to archive with an old job as a quick reference file to see what the job the looked like and the machining that was involved for that project.
You can also edit this to change the logo to an image of your own choice, adjust the header, footer and border colours and even customize which sections of information to include.
Cut2D Desktop V8.0 Updates
Video Tutorials
All of our products have in depth video tutorials and data files you need to work through the examples. These are split into sections beginning with getting started projects to let you see the process to produce a complete part and start to understand the general workflow. Then there are videos to cover each area of use within the program.
The videos are designed to take you step by step through different types of projects to explain the key methods you will use in the software and to demonstrate these on real-world examples. You can just watch and absorb the contents or follow along pausing where necessary to complete a task. In addition to learning how to use the program the videos include tips and tricks for better use of the software. The result of each project (along with the Clip Art) provides a library of parts which can be machined to create sample files to improve your CNC skills or help you to demonstrate your capabilities to potential customers.
V10.5 is a FREE Upgrade for all V10.0 Customers
Drag Snipping
You can interactively snip overlapping vectors by simply dragging your mouse along the intersections you want to remove! This means you no longer have to click on each individual span, making the process much smoother where you will be done trimming in no time!
Improved Polyline Tool
We have improved the way in which the 'draw polyline' tool works, where you now have the added option to draw in bezier spans interactively, allowing the overall drawing process to be done much more efficiently.
Dynamic setting of Rectangle Corner Radii in the 2D View
The way we create radiused internal and external corners has been vastly improved to allow you to dynamically set the radii of the corners in the 2D view, allowing you to visually set the radius of the external or internal corners.
Improvements to Sharp Corner Offsetting
We've made improvements to the way that we handle sharp corners when we offset vectors to give results which are more correct and visually pleasing.
Thread Milling Toolpath
We’ve introduced a brand new toolpath to our selection, this is the thread milling toolpath. This toolpath enables you to machine holes for standard size screws in metals 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!
Multi-Tool Pocketing
The pocket toolpath and the female Inlay pocket toolpath now support multiple clearance tools for more efficient area clearance. Using multiple tools means that you can use a much larger clearance tool for clearing moderately large areas as well as progressively smaller tools to remove smaller areas making this process as efficient as possible.
The largest tool in the list will always display first and will remove as much material as it can and any subsequent tools that follow will only machine areas where the previous tools could not fit.
Using multiple tools with this strategy can help shorten machining times and improve the life of your tools.
Toolpath Group Improvements
We’ve made improvements to the functionality of Toolpath Groups making them much more useful! We’ve made it more convenient to create toolpath groups where you can create them from an empty list to help start the organisation of your toolpaths right from the get go! We’ve also added the ability to create groups from visible toolpaths in the list, which is useful when you want to organise your toolpaths by different materials used, tool types or grouping the toolpaths by part, however you like to organise your toolpaths we’ve made it very easy to do!
Toolpath Tab Auto Placement
10.5 sees some nice enhancements made to automatic tab placement in the profile toolpath. By default tabs will be positioned to avoid corners and curved regions, minimizing the need for manual adjustment.
Toolpath Batch Saving
We’ve made it easier than ever to save out your toolpaths! Now you have the ability to output multiple visible toolpaths to separate files in just one click! Along with the ability to output toolpaths together so that you can save your toolpaths in as few files as possible!
Stopped Repeated Retracts and Plunges in Profile Toolpaths
In the profile toolpath we stopped repeated retracts and plunges when cutting on open vectors to reduce machining times and make the whole process more efficient.
Optimise Link-up Moves Between Open Contours When Cutting Direction Doesn’t Matter
We have optimized the link up moves between open contours when the cutting direction doesn't matter allowing for more efficient machining with reduced machining times.
Ctrl + Drag in Tool Database
For ease of use we have added the ability to copy tools in the tool database by simply selecting to the tool along with the CTRL key and dragging your new tool into position ready for editing.
Calculate All Visible
We have now added in a further right click option to calculate all visible toolpaths allowing you to update only the required toolpaths.
On First Toolpath Save, no post-processor is selected
On first toolpath save, no post-processor is selected, allowing you to select a post processor from the post processor menu.
Job Templates
We have introduced the "job template file" concept allowing you to set-up template files that use common settings you may want to reuse for similar jobs in the future.
