03 vecto editing

3 Vector Editing ArtCAM Vector Editing Introduction Vectors can be trimmed, opened and closed to produce the desired effect Other command such as layers and grids assist with the creation and management of vectors Brooch Example • Select Create New Project • Select Flat 3-Axis • Enter the File Name as brooch Enter the width of 45 and height of 45 • Enter a Resolution as 35 Select Accept • Select the Assistant tab To help with the creation of the shape, grids are used • Select 2D view Î Snap Grid settings… • Switch on Draw Snap Grid, switch on Snap to Grid, set the Grid Spacing to and press OK • Select Create Ellipse • Select Start Point as X Y 5, Height 24, Width 38 and Angle • Select Create and Close • Select Node Editing (or press N for shortcut on keyboard) When a single vector is selected, the option Node editing will display the points (nodes) that are used in this vector In this mode the individual points can be moved manually by dragging them to a new position or the curve shape altered by moving one of the control points (shown as empty squares on a dotted line) JewelSmith 3.1 Vector Editing ArtCAM • Select with a box (as shown) just the top and bottom blue node These two nodes will turn red This means they can be moved together by dragging, by using the arrow keys on the keyboard or by pressing X to align with the X-axis or Y to align with the Y-axis • Move the mouse to the lower red node and hold down the left mouse button and drag down slowly about 10 grid spaces • Release the mouse button As the red node points are moved together, this has generated a heart shaped vector To exit out of node mode, then select mode needs to be chosen • Press Select Mode A large grid will now be used to define some polylines which will be trimmed back 3.2 JewelSmith Vector Editing ArtCAM • Select 2D view Î Snap Grid settings… • Set the Grid Spacing to and press OK • Select Create Polyline • Untick draw smooth polylines • Snap to the grid points to produce the lines as shown Hint: press the space bar to finish a polyline and start a new one without closing the command • Select Close To make a new outer shape, the vectors can be trimmed where they intersect each other The trim vectors to intersections command will be used • Select 2D view Î Snap Grid settings… • Untick Draw snap grid and Untick Snap to Grid and press OK • Select Trim vectors to intersections The mouse arrow is replaced by a scissors icon scissors This dynamic icon changes to open when it has found some vectors it can trim back • Move the scissors onto the vector edges and where it opens, click the left mouse button When a vector is trimmed at the intersection, the remaining vectors are just touching To join them all back into one vector, the join command is used JewelSmith 3.3 Vector Editing ArtCAM • Select Close Select all of the outer vectors • Select Join • Select Join and then Close • Select both vectors and the Shape editor • Select a dome shape with an angle of 20 and press Add and then Close • Press F3 The relief has been produced This will be added to master • Select the Assistant tab Select Create Triangle Mesh Set tolerance as 0.002 and Select Open Mesh Select Create Triangles Then select Add To Project Save your file by pressing the save icon 3.4 JewelSmith Vector Editing ArtCAM Enamel-Pin Example • Select Create New Project • Select Flat 3-Axis • Enter the File Name as pin Enter the width of 60 and height of 20 • Enter a Resolution as 35 Select Accept • Select the Assistant tab • Select Create Polyline Untick Draw smooth polylines • Enter X as –25, Y as and press Add • Enter dx as 35 and press Add and then Close Untick Draw smooth polylines • Select Create Polyline • Enter X as –25, Y as –1 and press Add • Enter dx as 35 and press Add Press Close These two vectors can be joined together with either an arc, straight line or by moving the end points • Select both vectors • Select Join vectors with a curve The two vectors have been joined together to make a new vector The open vector can be closed • Select the new vector • Select Close vector with a line The vector has been closed An ellipse will be modified to produce a leaf shape JewelSmith 3.5 Vector Editing ArtCAM • Select Create Ellipse • Enter a Start Point of X -4 Y 4, an Ellipse Height of 3, an Ellipse Width of 12 with an Angle of 340 • Select Create and then Close • Select Node Editing Using N on the keyboard on a selected vector will switch between node mode and select mode The ellipse will be opened up halfway by removing spans using the right mouse button menu • Right mouse click over the top right span of the ellipse The part of the vector between two node points is called a span If a span was removed, the vector will become open In node mode, if you move you mouse over a node point and click the right mouse button a different set of menus appears • Select Remove Span from menu The ellipse vector is opened at the required area The other lower span needs to be deleted • Right mouse click over the left bottom span of the ellipse and select Remove Span from menu 3.6 JewelSmith Vector Editing ArtCAM Only half of the original ellipse remains In Select mode this half ellipse can be closed with a line • Press select mode • With the vector selected, select Close Vector with a Line The vector is now closed A polyline needs to be created to mirror the vector around • Select Create Polyline • Enter X as –10.3, Y as 1.5 and press Add • Enter X as 3.6, Y as 6.6 and press Add and then Close • Select the polyline and the leaf shape and select Mirror Vectors • Tick Copy the Original Vectors and press About Line • Select Close Select the polyline and press Cut The leaf shape has been generated A copy is required over the other side • Select the horizontal locked vector and the leaf shapes and select Mirror Vectors • Tick Copy the Original Vectors and press About Line JewelSmith 3.7 Vector Editing ArtCAM For the other design a circle will be modified • • • • • Select Create Circles Set the Circle Centre as X 10 Y Select Radius and enter 1.5mm Untick Create with arcs and press Create Set the Circle Centre as X 16 Y Select Radius and enter 6mm Press Create and then Close The smaller circle will be subtracted from the larger circle • Select the larger circle and then shift select the smaller circle • Select subtract vectors Select Node mode • Move the mouse over the top marked area and from the right mouse menu select Insert a point • Move the mouse over the bottom marked area and from the right mouse menu select Insert a point 3.8 JewelSmith Vector Editing ArtCAM The addition of these extra node points will allow us to move the node point in between the new points and it will only stretch the vector within that region • Select the middle node • Drag the point along the horizontal vector and release the mouse at a suitable position as shown The design has been changed The two control points can be dragged to produce a more realistic curve • Select each control point and move around as shown The shape is complete For an inner part a polyline can be generated, using the smooth option • • • • Press select vectors Select Create Polyline Tick Draw smooth polylines Click on several points on the model to make the shape as shown Click on the start point to finish off the vector Select Close The last point is not smoothed when it is joined This can be achieved in node mode by smoothing the point JewelSmith 3.9 Vector Editing ArtCAM When you are in node mode a smooth point is shown as blue and a non-smooth point is shown as black All of the vectors can now be offset • Press select vectors • Stretch a box over all of the vectors Select Offset vectors • Select an Offset Distance of Select Outwards • Select Radiused and press Offset and then Close The design has now been finished Closed vectors can be filled in with bitmap colour to give an idea of what the design will look like before the relief is made • Select the new offset vector and select the gold coloured square at the bottom of the 2D view with the left mouse button • Select flood fill vectors The whole inside of the vector is filled with the colour The colour is a bitmap Other vectors can be selected and filled to overwrite the colour • Select the leaf and stalk vectors and select the green coloured square at the bottom of the 2D view • Select flood fill vectors • Select the petal vectors and select the red coloured square at the bottom of the 2D view • Select flood fill vectors 3.10 JewelSmith Vector Editing ArtCAM If the vectors were altered, the colours need to be recreated • Select Save JewelSmith 3.11 [...]...3 Vector Editing ArtCAM If the vectors were altered, the colours need to be recreated • Select Save JewelSmith 3.11