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shaddy
12-26-2006, 03:56 PM
The final result is fine, but watching the inefficiency if the path during the process is excruciating. It took about 10x longer than it should have. If I were to guess, it might have to do with the font and how CW interprets it. So, is there a way to fix it? Maybe by finding/using a single line font like some other engravers use. The problem is probably when the CE creates a centerline from the outline font.

I had to go inside, it was a little hard to watch :wink:

Just wondering what was up, and if anyone here has a single line font to compare and see if that was indeed the issue.

Shaddy

BobHill
12-27-2006, 09:55 AM
Shaddy,
Perhapd it's due to a clogged mind due to the holidays, or you are writing to a continuing thread posted somewhere else, but I don't fully understand your message. What type of text are you carving: outline, center line, or raster? If raster (where the letters will be higher than the base line) then the machine will carve them as it does with all non vector objects. It carves like a inkjet printer prints. The bit travels across the whole piece and carves in 3d like the inkjet dots. The other two types of text are vector and much faster to accomplish and the carving is like a plotter type printer.

Bob

cmorlier
12-27-2006, 11:36 AM
Basically, what happens is that the software does recognize what features are important and which ones are not. Some fonts will work better than others, because some render more smoothly than others.

It is on our list to make further improvements to try to make the software a bit smarter, but there will probably always be cases where it does more work than might appear necessary.

shaddy
12-27-2006, 04:11 PM
Bob, I was referring to my thread title of "Centerline Path is Irregular"... I meant that I was using the Centerline option for text, then using Select Bit to choose route profile (60° V Groove in this case). I would assume that using a rounded bit or whatever would have the same result. And by using the term Path I meant to imply vector.

I routed house numbers, 6010, about 4" x 11" (the dims of the numbers themselves, the sign was larger) and it took over 1/2 an hour if I remember correctly. I was expecting the bit to start at the top of the 6 then carve the length of the number (either to full depth, or partially, then either finish the 6 completely then move on to the 0, or do the entire 6010 at the first depth, then again deeper until final depth is reached). But what actually happened was something way more irregular. (I'm talking about the path, as in vector, and the depth choices, it would cut to full depth right away in some spots, then taper up to very shallow, then go to a different number like a 0, then do 1/8 of a circumference, then skip elsewhere...)

I didn't mean to complain too loudly Chris, I was just surprised is all. What would be nice to have is a list of fonts that are known to work efficiently. I don't have any Single Line engraving fonts, and was wondering if those would be better for the Centerline mode.

Shaddy

cmorlier
12-27-2006, 04:20 PM
Don't worry, I didn't think you were being too loud :)

Seems like there was a thread here on the forum about fonts that worked good...but that was many moons ago. Unfortunately, the only way to find what works is try. Also, it may depend on scaling, as some fonts add more detail as they are made larger.

We could try to start a thread on good fonts for centerlining. Since there are many many sources of fonts, people should probably include where a font came from (if they know).

BobHill
12-27-2006, 05:56 PM
Thanks for the clarification, Shaddy. I've not had that happen, but then I tend to use the more common fonts for vector use ... at least to date (ariel and New Times Roman mostly).

Good idea to start a font thread though Chris, and list good and bad and how fonts were used and approximate size.

Bob