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Author Topic: Converting this to gcode  (Read 4865 times)

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Converting this to gcode
« on: November 30, 2009, 11:35:00 AM »
hey i need help doing a step by step to turn a hand drawn picture into a vector with no chain gaps.  I take my pictures and use the one touch vectorization by wintopo freeware and transfer the vector into bobcad v21.  it keeps telling me something about chain gaps.  I just want to be able to make my pictures into gcode for engraving into some of my projects.  here is an example of a picture i would like to convert http://www.allaboutdrawings.com/image-files/cartoon-whale-drawing.jpg
Re: Converting this to gcode
« Reply #1 on: November 30, 2009, 03:09:52 PM »
That's a tough one to answer. Often I end up redrawing in my cad system using the converted image as a guide. There are some things you can try.

1. Scan in black and white, not grey scale.
2. Scale your scanned image up and then reduce it in your cad program. Some of the broken chains will be reduced enough to be OK.
3. After your image is scanned take a close look to see if you can fill in the blank areas before you convert to vector.
4. Try to draw with dark even width lines and avoid thick or filled in areas.

No matter what you do, you will most likely have some clean up work to do on a raster conversion. A simple circle may convert to hundreds of lines, arcs, or splines.
Your whale looks really good. I would redraw over top of the conversion in a different color and then delete the original. You could use mostly 3 point arcs and you may want to recreate arcs to make them tangent. With practice that could be redrawn in minutes to give you an acceptable cad file.

Do a Google search for raster to vector tutorial and you will find several more suggestions.

Good luck and have fun

Offline RICH

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Re: Converting this to gcode
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2009, 03:24:43 PM »
Why not convert something simple like that directly to a Gcode file.
Try taking a look at CopyCat which allows you to trace the pattern using a webcam.
There is a manual for CopyCat in the Members Docs. It's an option.  ;)
RICH
Re: Converting this to gcode
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2009, 06:49:26 AM »
krymis, you might try putting your image into Irfanview (or equivalent) and blurring it somewhat (in Irfanview if you go to blur through Effects Browser you get a slider to control the blur) and then lower the gamma (in Color Corrections) to darken the midtones.  That might make the outline more solid before you vectorize it.  Or possibly just lowering the gamma might help too.

Randy
« Last Edit: December 01, 2009, 06:51:12 AM by zephyr9900 »
Re: Converting this to gcode
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2009, 09:14:09 AM »
guys thanks for the info