Machsupport Forum
Third party software and hardware support forums. => Promote and discuss your product => Topic started by: Tony Mac on January 28, 2006, 12:37:19 PM
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Hi everyone,
Vectric have just launched - PhotoVCarve (http://www.vectric.com) - a totally new software product for carving or engraving permanent photographs or images.
This is NOT the typical grayscale to height map method that typically takes hours to cut using ball nosed cutters, and often produces low quality results because the photo has the wrong lighting and shading required.
PhotoVCarve machines grooves across the photograph to reproduce the photograph in the base material. This means a design can usually be carved in minutes and the reults are very good.
(http://www.vectric.com/WebSite/Vectric/pvc/images/Puppies_large.jpg)
It's really to use, instantly calculates the toolpaths and previews the results so yo ucan see what the job will look like when nachined.
Trial version that will cut your own pictures is available from the web site.
Hope this might be of interest to the community,
Regards,
Tony McKenzie
( tonym@vectric.com )
(http://www.vectric.com/WebSite/Vectric/pvc/images/JD_large.jpg) (http://www.vectric.com/WebSite/Vectric/pvc/images/Thomas_large.jpg)
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Looks Good Tony.
The deep grooves look very dark, it that stained or just from cutting ? They almost look burnt.
I wonder if it was possible to engrave with a soldering iron attached to the machine ?
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Hi,
Spot on Benny!
The PhotoVCarve process is based on machining varying width grooves that are stained, painted enamled or acid blacked for brass, aluminium and steel. This creates contrast between the material surface and the lines and the photograph comes to life.
The image below steps through the process, showing how a pencil sketch can be CNC machined very quickly and easily. Aart from Laser marking, I'm not aware of another way that photographs and sketches can be CNC machined?
Tony
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Golden_Cat.gif)
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Looks good Tony. I have looked at ArtCAM many times but it is just way too expensive.
Is there a special price for registered members of this forum?
Tom
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Hi Tom,
A little background info - we are the original Development, Sales, Marketing & Tech Support Managers for ACP and between we have 30+ years at Delcam. We decided to go on our own early in 2005 and we've had a very busy year! ACP is excellent software for 3D relief modeling and machining. but a little pricey.
We don't offer discounts as they are impossible to control / police and we really do believe the products are very good value for money.
Regards,
Tony
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The link below runs a short video tutorial showing how regions of a photograph or image can be made transparent using image editing software such as Corel Photo-Paint, Paintshop Pro and PhotoShop etc. to paint over unwanted areas.
Transparent regions are not machined, reducing cutting times and sometimes helping to make the subject of the photograph stand out.
Video Tutorial (http://www.vectric.com/vcarve-download/photovcarve/Cute_puppies_no_background.html)
Hope this is interesting,
Tony
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The Keep Sake below has been engraved into brass for a friend and the results look much better than the photograph shows.
The face was cut using a conventional 60 degree included angle D-Bit 0.1mm tip diameter engraving cutter.
The material is 75mm high x 50mm wide and 3mm thick the Max Carving Depth = 0.3mm with 110% line spacing and it took just over 12 minutes to engrave.
It's amazing how the initial result after machining looks like the process hasn't worked, then when the black paint is applied it suddenly comes to life. The excess was wiped off the surface using thinners, then polished.
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Portrait_2.jpg)
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Portrait_1.jpg)
Tony
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We tested the PhotoVCarve process using a piece of translucent Plexiglass (Perspex) and the results were very impressive. Interestingly we also found that the process of carving grooves into this material very quickly creates an effect that is very similar to Lithophanes!
The piece shown below is 140mm high x 110mm wide, Carving max depth of 0.75mm and was cut using a 60 degree engraving cutter running at 20mm / sec and took around 10 minutes to engrave.
Leaving the Plexiglass unfinished works very well as Lithophane when lit from behind.
Painting the grooves black and wiping the excess off the surface makes the picture more visible without having to change the lighting. However, I did find it tricky to leave the paint in the grooves as it tended to wipe off. Maybe, using a flexible scraper to apply the paint will also scrape the surface clean.
Finishing this type of material needs more investigation and any ideas would be welcome?
I must add that as always, the actual piece looks much better than the photographs.
Tony
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Plexi_1.jpg)
Results straight off the machine do not look promising, but..
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Plexi_4.jpg)
Holding to the light reveals the Lithophane magic!
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Plexi_6.jpg)
Painting with black paint produces the finished result.
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Although we have been promoting the new vcarving method of machining permanent pictures with PhotoVCarve. This software can also be used to machne Lithophanes - Photographs machined into Translucent materials such as Corian, Avenite, Plexiglass, Perspex that create photo-realistic images when lit from behind.
This short video shows the lithophane effect
Video clip (http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Lithophane/MM_2.html)
The Trial version of PhotoVCarve (http://www.vectric.com/) lets you machine your own test pieces.
The User Guide Manual can be downloaded from,
User Guide (http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Lithophane/Machining_Lithophanes.pdf)
Some pictures
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Lithophane/Lithophane_4.jpg)
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Lithophane/Lithophane_3.jpg)
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Lithophane/Lithophane_1.jpg)
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Lithophane/Lithophane_2.jpg)
Tony
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The picture below is a mix of PhotoVCarve and VCarve Wizard.
This piece was machined by Dimensional Design in the UK and was their 1st commission using the software.
The owner Warren Smith commented,
"My customer wanted a wall hanging picture of her daughter and granddaughter. After photovcarving the picture I thought it needed something extra, so I then added a frame and a little detail with VCarve. Just a few calculations and that was it."
"Nothing really special but the customer really loved it. (Shed a few tears)"
The picture is 800mm (31") wide and cut into 19mm (3/4") laminated MDF
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Photo.jpg)
The corner decoration and rectangle have been added using VCarve Wizard.
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Many people are cutting fantastic lithophanes using PhotoVCarve that look stunning when held to the light, but then struggle to find a suitable method of back-lighting them.
(http://vectric.com/vectric/images/cnczone/litho.jpg)
PhotoVCarve customer Jeff E. has been researching this subject and came up with an excellent low cost way of back-lighting using Cold Cathode Lights. These are basically very small fluorescent tubes that have been used by computer nerds to light the inside of computer cases. They are small - less than 1/2" in diameter, come in various lengths (4 - 12 inches) and are inexpensive -- about 8 dollars for a pair of them which includes the inverter needed to drive them and generate almost no heat. Below are a couple of picture showing the tube and a litho that is back lit back by 2 12" tubes. Do an Internet search for cold cathode - you will find many suppliers.
(http://vectric.com/vectric/images/cnczone/litho_cold_cathode_lights.jpg)
Jeff has also written an excellent tutorial explaining how to build low cost and low energy / heat light boxes and this PDF can be downloaded from the Vectric Forum.
How to Build Litho Cold Cathode Lighting, (http://vectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6102#6102")
Very useful information - Thanks Jeff.
Tony
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Looks good.
Thanks for sharing the idea.