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Vcarve Level 1 Step by Step

This document provides instructions for using VCarve Pro software to design projects for CNC routing. It covers how to set up a new file with the correct size and material thickness, add text and images, rotate and modify objects, create toolpaths for VCarving and profiling, and save the file to a USB drive to cut projects out on a CNC router. The 15 parts cover starting the program, setting up the work area, adding and editing graphics and text, toolpath creation, and outputting the file for cutting.

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263 views17 pages

Vcarve Level 1 Step by Step

This document provides instructions for using VCarve Pro software to design projects for CNC routing. It covers how to set up a new file with the correct size and material thickness, add text and images, rotate and modify objects, create toolpaths for VCarving and profiling, and save the file to a USB drive to cut projects out on a CNC router. The 15 parts cover starting the program, setting up the work area, adding and editing graphics and text, toolpath creation, and outputting the file for cutting.

Uploaded by

api-523771557
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Level 1 V carve pro

PART 1 Starting the Vcarve pro 10.5 program


PART 2 Setting up a new project, origin, size, thickness
PART 3 Adding text
PART 4 Adding and tracing a picture or photo image
PART 5 Rotate, mirror or modify text or a picture
PART 6 Center and move (pictures, text items, or shapes)
PART 7 Group, ungroup and regroup items
PART 8 Toolpaths, Cuts = V carve, profile, drilling
PART 12 Saving your file on the computer and on a flash drive USB or memory
stick
PART 13 Turning on the CNC router
PART 14 Choosing bits, setting height
PART 15 Choosing file from computer on laser
PART 1 Starting the Vcarve pro 10.5 program
Step 1 Select and turn on a shop laptop computer
If you have a newer computer:
The screen may just open or it will say (Shop sign in) just click (sign in)
If you are using a newer computer then you will need to log in using your student
number and date of birth, follow the little white stickers on the top right and left
of the computer.

Once you have the computer on.

Screen (Desktop)
Step 2 Double click on the V-Carve pro on the desktop or on the bottom of
the screen in the tool bar.

Screen (Vcarve)
Step 3 Top left, click ‘create a new file’ or ‘open existing file if you have it
saved on a memory stick on the shop computer’s desktop.
PART 2 Setting up a new project, origin, size, thickness

Step 4 The first screen you see is this one.


Job type = Select single sided
Step 5
Job Size = Select inches, (mm will not work)
YOU NEED TO INPUT YOUR PROJECT SIZE PRECISELY!
USING A RULER!
Measure then input the width of your piece of material in decimals ½” = 0.5”
(make it perfect)
Measure and input the height of your piece of material
(make it perfect)
Measure and input the thickness of your piece of material (make it a little less
than real thickness) if material is 3/4” or 0.75” then input 0.5”
(make it perfect)
Step 8 Z Zero position = material surface
Step 9XY datum is top left (like the picture)
Leave everything else as it is and click ‘OK’
PART 3 Adding text
Under ‘CREATE VECTORS’,

Click on the T icon without the text box. DO NOT CLICK ON THE ONE WITH THE
TEXT BOX!

Type in your text, it will show up on the screen to the right.


Change the size so it fits, select and change the font, when you are happy select
‘close’.
If you go back in to change your font, be sure to select the letters you wish to
change so they are PINK, only then can modify them.
PART 4 Adding and tracing a picture or photo image
Step 1 Go find an image on your chrome book using google, be sure to
select ‘Large Images’ to get the highest quality image.
If you want a dog image, then search for ‘dog vector’ or ‘dog line drawing’, ‘dog
silhouette’, ‘dog cartoon’, ‘dog black and white drawing’ use your imagination.
You want the image to be black and white.

Step 2 Right click on the picture and save it to your chrome book as a JPEG,
BITMAP, PNG, ETC…
DO NOT save it if it is a WEBP file, it will not work.
Step 3 On your chrome book, right click on the picture, select ‘save image
as’ or ‘copy image as’
Step 4 Rename the image your name ‘dog’ to easily find the picture later.
Step 5 Go to get a memory stick from the computer lab shelf, insert it into
your chromebook.
Step 6 Open your ‘Downloaded files’ when you see your file, click on it and
drag it into the USB or memory stick icon on the right side of your computer.
Step 7 Remove the USB or memory stick from your chrome book and put it
into the shop computer.
Step 8 In Vcarve, under ‘File Operations’

click ‘IMPORT BITMAP’


Step 9 then select your image and open it.
Step 10 When it shows up on your v-carve screen, click on it until there
is an outline of it in pink.

Step 11 Under create vectors,

click on the little bird looking icon, ‘TRACE BITMAP’

Step 12 Scroll to the bottom of the screen and click ‘PREVIEW’ then
‘APPLY’ then ‘CLOSE’

Step 13 Click on the outside edge of the image once for the pink
outline again, then click ‘DELETE’ key on your keyboard
The vector of your design will remain. If it does not look good, find another image
online and repeat the process.
PART 5 Rotate, mirror or modify text or a picture
DO NOT GRAB THE CORNER AND ROTATE THE ITEM!
Step 1
Select the object or text you wish to rotate, after you select it, it will be pink,
when it is pink. (Hold the ‘SHIFT’ key if you want to select multiple objects)
Step 2 Under ‘TRANSFORM OBJECTS’

Click ‘ROTATE OBJECT’ icon.

(Screen) File operations


Step 3 In the ‘ANGLE’ box, type in the angle in degrees,

Step 4 Then click ‘APPLY’ or ‘ENTER’ on your keyboard to rotate it.


Click ‘CLOSE’ when you are happy with the rotation.
PART 6 Center, Align and move (pictures, text items, or
shapes)
Step 1 Select the object you wish to align, when you select it, it will turn
pink
Step 2 In the ‘TRANSFORM OBJECT’ area,

click the ‘ALIGN SELECTED OBJECT’ object icon.

Then select ‘ALIGN TO MATERIAL’ or ‘ALIGN TO OBJECT’ then ‘CLOSE’.


To align to other items hold the ‘SHIFT’ key to select multiple objects.
PART 7 Group, ungroup and regroup items
Step 1 Select your object, it could be text, but you want to remove the ‘o’ in
‘dog’. When you select it, it will be pink.

Step 2 If it is a picture, right click and select ‘UNGROUP OBJECTS’


If it is text, right click and select ‘ACTIVATE LAYER’
Step 3 Once you have activated layer, or ungrouped objects, you can then
delete or move parts of the item when it is pink with dotted lines.

Step 4 When you have finished making changes, select all the items you
wish to regroup then right click and choose ‘GROUP OBJECTS’
HINT: You can group and ungroup as many items as possible.
PART 8 Toolpaths, Cuts = V carve, profile, drilling
MR SPIERS WILL DO THIS PART FOR YOU TO ENSURE YOU DID EVERYTHING
PROPERLY.

IF MR SPIERS SAYS YOU CAN DO THIS YOURSELF THEN FOLLOW THESE


DIRECTIONS.
Up until now you have been working in ‘2D VIEW’

Step 1 Select the items you wish to make a toolpath for. Each toolpath is a
usually a different cutting tool.

Above I have chosen the dog picture to be carved with a 60 degree v bit, the
words will be in a 90 degree v bit, so I will need to make 2 toolpath files.
Hint: Words are generally Vcarved with a V bit
Outlines or cut outs are often done with a flute bit
Step 2 Top left of the screen, click ‘TOOLPATHS’

Step 3 In the toolpaths screen,


Step 4 Select ‘VCARVE’ icon

Step 5 Select the start depth 0.0, select the flat depth, no more than the
thickness of your material. Then select the correct bit. Scroll down to the bottom
and click ‘CALCULATE’.

Step 6 If you get a warning, check with Mr. Spiers.


Step 7 View the cut path of the tool

Step 8 Click on ‘TOOLPATHS’ again.


Step 9 Select ‘PREVIEW ALL TOOLPATHS” to view your cut project.

Step 10 Click ‘CLOSE’ then select the vcarve files for your cut.
Step 11 Click on the ‘SAVE TOOLPATH’

Step 12 Insert a USB memory stick to save your file to the memory stick.

Step 13 Choose the right ‘POST PROCESSOR’ it MUST be the following!


Then select ‘SAVE TOOTHPATH’ the close.
Step 14 Before closing Vcarve, save a copy of your project onto the desktop
of the shop computer, and onto your memory stick. With the memory stick save
a copy to your chrome book as well.
Step 15 Bring your memory stick with your file to the CNC cutter, confirm
with Mr. Spiers before running your file for cutting.

Coming soon!
PART 12 Saving your file on the computer and on a flash
drive USB or memory stick
PART 13 Turning on the CNC router
PART 14 Choosing bits, setting height
PART 15 Choosing file from computer on laser

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