Getting Started

With

Tutorial
Tracing and Machining Images

VCarve Pro
Disclaimer
All CNC machines (routing, engraving, and milling) are potentially dangerous and because Vectric Ltd has no
control over how the software described in this manual might be used. Vectric Ltd or any associated Resellers
cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage to the work piece, machine or any individual, howsoever
caused by misusing the software. Extreme care should always be taken and the output from the software
thoroughly checked before sending it to a CNC machine.
The information in this manual may be subject to change without any prior notice. The software described in
this manual is supplied under the terms and conditions of the software license agreement and may only be
used in accordance with the terms of this agreement.

Vectric Ltd
Unit 3 Dunstall Court
Astwood Lane
Feckenham
B96 6QH
UK

www.vectric.com
E-mail [email protected]
Phone +44 (0) 1527 460 459
Fax +44 (0) 1527 460 459

Table of Contents
1. Tutorial

Tracing / Vectorizing Images .................................................... 4

Summary of Tracing Images ............................................................. .........................4

1.

Create a New Job and Import the Image File ......................................... 5

2.

Trace the Image ..................................................................................... 7

3.

Setup the Material ................................................................................ 10

4.

Calculate a VCarved Toolpath .............................................................. 11

5.

Calculate a Profile Cut Out Toolpath .................................................... 13

6.

Saving Toolpaths and Estimating the cutting times .............................. 14

1. Tutorial

Tracing / Vectorizing Images

This tutorial explains step-by-step how to design and machine a VCarved Sign starting with a raster image file.

Summary
Many projects start out as an scanned image from a business card or brochure or digital photograph that the
customer wishes to transform into a new company sign. This is often quite a challenge because the scanned
data cannot be CNC machined without first creating vector boundaries.
There are software products like InkScape and Corel Trace that create vectors that can then be exported /
saved in a format that can be imported or opened in VCarve Pro. Alternatively, you can import and trace the
raster image directly into VCarve Pro and this tutorial explains how this is done.

Original Raster Jpeg Image file

3D Preview precise carved sign

Note The Raster image file is available from the /Sample Files folder
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C:\Program Files\VCarve Pro 4.0\Sample Files\Velocette.jpg

1.

Create a New Job and Import the Image File

Create a New job and specify the Material Size = the Sheet size you wish to machine the sign from.
For example you may have 12" x 6" (300mm x 150mm) 1/2" thick sheet of wood.

Enter the
required Material
size

Z Zero is set on
the material
surface

XY Origin is set at
the bottom left
corner

The material size will be shown in the 2D window as you enter the Width and Height.
Note The X0 Y0 Origin is set in the bottom left corner of the material.
Click the OK button and the

From the File Operations menu select the Import Bitmap for Tracing

icon.

File Operations menu

Note

JPG, BMP, TIF, GIF and PNG files can be imported

Navigate to the /Sample Files folder and select the file named - Velocette.jpg
C:\Program Files\VCarve Pro 4.0\Sample Files\Velocette.jpg
The image will be shown slightly washed-out in the 2D window as shown below.

Click Left mouse button on the image to select it and it will be displayed in black and white

With the image selected the size can be specified and this can be done by,
Clicking twice on the image to start the interactive sizing mode and clicking and dragging on
one of the corner handles to modify the size.

Clicking the Scale selected vectors

icon and entering the required size as shown below

Enter Width = 10"

The Height will be
scaled

Click the Apply button and the image will be scaled to the correct size.

2.

Trace the Image

With the image selected click on the Fit Vectors to Bitmap

icon and the form will open.

Select the
Black / White
option
Set Threshold to
be 0.80

loose =
Smooth fit and
fewer nodes
Tight =
Many small lines
and nodes
10 Pixels stops
vectors being
traced around
small blocks of
pixels

1 Pixel traces
every pixel in the
image

Click the Fit Vectors button and the image will automatically be traced to create vectors in the
2D window. Experiment with the Threshold slider, Corner Fit and Noise Filter controls to see the
effects they have on the vectors created.
Click the Close button to close the Form and return to the Drawing Tools Tab.
In the bottom left corner of the screen is the Layer Control Manager

Layer Control
Manager

Turn off the Bitmap Layer and the raster image will disappear from the 2D window.
Then select Layer 1 as this is the layer that any new vectors will then be drawn on.
Click the Hide button to close the Layer Control manager.

Select the Node Editing selection Tool

nodes as shown below.

or press 'N' and click on the vectors to show the

Press Esc twice or click the Right mouse button twice to cancel the Node Editing mode and
return to Selection mode.
Drag and select all the vectors in the design or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl +A. The selected
vectors are drawn as dotted purple lines in the 2D window as shown below.

Selected vectors drawn in dotted purple

Select the Offset vectors

icon and offset the vectors Outwards by 1"

Select the new outer vector and press 'N' to start Node Editing as shown above.
Place the cursor over the node shown above (along the straight region), click the Right mouse
button and select Make Start Point or press P This is where the profile toolpath will start
machining.
The node will turn Green to indicate this is the Start Point for machining.
The design is now ready for machining.

From the View Control section click on the icon to Switch to the Toolpaths Tab
closes the left hand interface and opens the toolpath options on the Right Side of the screen.

that

This automatically closes the Drawing Tab and opens the Toolpath Tab on the Right side of
the screen as shown below.

3.

Setup the Material

Select all the vectors that make up the logo design by clicking and dragging to select the vectors.
Open the Setup Material form and make sure the Thickness and parameters are correct.

Material Setup form

10

4.

Calculate a VCarved / Engraving Toolpath

Click on the Create VCarve / Engraving Toolpath and Select a suitable cutter from the Tool Database
(or setup your own cutter details). In this example we are using a 1/2" diameter 90 Degree V-Bit to
machine the logo design.

Select 90 degree
1/2" Diameter
V-Bit

Click the Calculate button and the toolpath will be drawn in the 3D view as shown below.

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The Preview form is automatically opened and clicking the Preview Toolpath button simulates the
toolpath showing how the job will look when machined.
Experiment with the various Material types and Fill colours

Colour shaded 3D Preview

Twiddle 3D view

Click and drag Left mouse

Zoom In / Out

Click and Push / Pull the Right mouse button - or middle roller
mouse button

Pan

Click and drag Left + Right mouse buttons together

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5.

Calculate a Profile Cut Out Toolpath

The sign is now ready to be cut out of the material and in this example a 1/4" diameter End Mill will
be used to profile around the outside of the sign in multiple Z passes.

Select 1/4"
Diameter End Mill

Select the option

to cut on the
Outside of the
vector

Switch on
Ramping and
specify as shown
below

Switch on Tabs
and click Edit
Tabs to place
around the shape
as shown below

Specify Ramp
moves as shown

Specify Lead In /
Out moves as
shown

Switch on the Tabs, Leads and Ramp moves

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Click Left mouse button to place Tabs around the design

Note The Cutting parameters - speeds and feedrates should be set for the material being machined.
Click the Calculate button and the result will be shown in the 3D window.

Lead In / Out
moves

3D window showing the 3 toolpaths

6.

Saving Toolpaths and Estimating the cutting times

After calculating the toolpaths the final stage is to Save them ready for machining.
Save the Toolpaths by clicking the Save Toolpath

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icon.

Select each Toolpath

and Save the file ready
for engraving

Click the Save Toolpaths button to save the selected Toolpath.

Important

Take extreme care to ensure the material and cutter are setup correctly before running the
toolpaths on the engraving machine.

Notes

Toolpaths that use the same cutter can be output to the machine together by making the
toolpaths Visible and checking the option to Output all visible toolpaths to one file.
Calculated toolpaths can be edited by,

Clicking the Edit Toolpath icon

name in the Toolpath List.

or Double clicking on the name of the Toolpath

If you have any questions or need assistance

E-mail - [email protected]
Visit the Vectric User Forum - www.vectric.com/forum
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