Question on scaling a pattern

[jpitz31]

Chris, or anyone,

I am creating a pattern using sketchup and converting it to a .png file.

I only select the radius, no edges on the image and export to a .stl file.

I then produce the gray scale file and create a pattern in the designer.

The radius of the circle is 1". In designer I can only specify a depth of .8.

I crop the radius very tightly to remove any edges that may remain.

When I use the radius pattern in the designer. There appears to be a scaling issue and there appears to be some edges that are included in the pattern.

I have set the feather to none. Tried both the black and white background to try to change the carved region.

Any suggestions be we helpful.

Enclosed is an image from the designer with the radius pattern on the surface.

Thanks

Joe

[DocWheeler]

Maybe a very dumb response, but is that what "floor edges" does when importing a pattern?

[mark296]

Maybe a very dumb response, but is that what "floor edges" does when importing a pattern?

That was too easy. I have been using PSP's background remover to do that. Now all I have to do is use the white background and take the check mark out of "floor edges". Guess I have a lot more reading to do.

[ChrisAlb]

Hey Joe,

I'm not following what you're trying to accomplish. Can you zoom in on that picture a bit so I can see it better?

Or, are you trying to create a trough like you cut a 1" dowel out of the board? Also, the CW will only carve .8 deep so even if you get a 1" radius it won't carve it. It used to carve 1" deep but for whatever reason, they changed that.

[jpitz31]

Yes Chris,

I am trying to create a radius, like a dowel. Just as a test.
The problem I am getting is the small slots on either side of the pattern and the straight sides that sit on top of the radius.

I have tried the floor edges and that helps a bit. But the image in the pattern import seems to pick up the edges at the top of the radius.

I have tried to crop it on the first screen of the pattern import. It sometimes works. But there still is a bit of an edge. If I crop too tight I loose the depth of the radius.

I am just trying to get the procedure down on the best way to take a complex shape and produce a clean pattern.

I remember you did a grayscale for Bud that had a nice slope from white to black. How did you get such clean edges?

Any suggestions would be most helpful.

Thanks

Joe

[ChrisAlb]

OK Joe,

Sorry I had to duck out and grab a nap because I get up at 2:00AM to trade the European session of the Forex market.

First, you'll be happy to know that LHR has promised to bring back the STL importer we used to have in an older version. Of course I don't know when and we'll probably have to pay for it...lol

What are you using to get your depth map (gray scale) from your STL export? This may have some impact on the file you're importing.

In the picture (the carve) it would seem you pretty much have it but you may need to increase the height to eliminate the vertical sides. Try a setting of 200, 300, etc. while watching the changes from the view you have here. This will (depending on the import image) raise the sides toward the top of the board. It may however, also raise the bottom up as well distorting the radius again depending on the image.

In the picture (the gradient) it appears the outer most edges are at Zero (black) and the center is at 255 (white). This "may" account for the "edges" you're getting in Designer because the gradient covers the full range of gray scale. I have found that in order to produce smoother results, it's best to stay a step or two away from the extremes. So the outer should be around 1 or 2 and the center around 254 or 253

EDIT: the "Floor Edges" in the import box is useful for producing a consistent bottom (or floor) around the edge of an image so you get a consistent merge height into the bottom of a carved region. It's great when you have an image with jagged edges (varying pixel shades) but has little to no effect on an image that already has a consistent 1 color shade around the edge.

[jpitz31]

Hello Chris,

Yes, that is why I am doing all of the testing with .stl. I have tried both CarvePic and Stereographic Suite for the gray scale map.

I have tried heights from 100 - 999 and the higher the height the more the black slots appear. I will see if I can change the black gradient around the edges.

I will try your suggestions. CarvePic is very nice but bottom justifies the image in the crop window of designer, which does not allow me to crop the lower edge. What I then end up with is one side being very clean and the other side having the lip at the top of the pattern.

When doing a slope, (from 1 -255) How long (or wide) should the slope of gray scale be? Since designer allows you to re-size I was wondering if a smaller width would produce a better gradient.

Other than SolidWorks are there any other 3D design packages that allow you to render the height map when producing the .stl file?

I hope you get a chance to catch up on your sleep after all of that early morning trading ;-)

Thanks

Joe

[jpitz31]

Thanks Chris for the tips.

The tests are coming out nicely now.

These were done in SketchUp, exported to .stl and grayscale mapped using
CarvePic. Then Imported into designer.

Here are the samples.

Thanks

Joe

[ChrisAlb]

Hey Joe,

Sorry I missed your last post. For some reason, I didn't get an email notice that you posted??

Glad it's working out and you're getting the results you're after. You're pretty much doing exactly what did...trial and error to figure it out.

I wish I had advice on the programs you asked about but I really haven't used any of them. All that converting back and forth in the long run took longer than just producing the gradients/drawings in PSP X2 which is what I use for just about everything.

Right now I'm in the middle of designing a LapSteel Guitar in Designer for a customer who owns a CW. Pretty cool stuff and using just the tools in Designer to do it. No patterns of any kind.

[jpitz31]

Chris,

When you are done I would love to see some jpg's of the design and final carving.

Thanks

Joe

[ChrisAlb]

Chris,

When you are done I would love to see some jpg's of the design and final carving.

Thanks

Joe

Joe,

I'll have to get the customers permission as he owns the rights to the design. I won't be carving it but he's a member here and I'd be willing to bet he'll show off his work when he's done (at least I hope so). He does some simply AMAZING work!!