tony_mac
05-08-2007, 04:04 PM
Just a quick note to let you know that Brian and I will be showing VCarve Pro version 4.0 at the Jamboree next week.
Version 4 will be a Free Upgrade for customers who have had VCarve Pro for under 1 year.
The upgrade price for customers who have owned the software for longer than 1 year will be US$130 and Trial version of V4 will be available for people to assess whether they wish to upgrade.
Version 4 will be released later this month and a summary of the new features and functionality is listed below.
************************************************** ***************************
What’s New in Version 4
The new machining and layout functionality developed for this release lifts VCarve Pro from being a decorative toolpath engine, to an industrial strength product that has the tools and flexibility demanded by commercial shops and users.
New Toolpath features
Profile Machining
With Lead In / Out and options for linear or circular leads and an over cut distance.
This enhancement is ideal for machining high quality edges onto components.
With Ramp moves that reduce the load on the tooling and router spindle, making it much easier to plunge machine into hard materials. Options for smooth, zig-zag and spiral ramps into the material.
Ramp moves can also be limited to the lead in region of the toolpath, helping to ensure the best possible edge finish can be produced.
Pocket Machining
Now includes the option to use a Raster cutting strategy with a final pass machining allowance to ensure the internal edge of the pocket is precisely machined.
Ramp moves can also be applied to pocketing toolpaths and this helps reduce the load on the cutter and spindle and minimizes heat build-up and tooling wear.
Quick Engrave
This is a new machining strategy specifically for Diamond marking and light engraving with rotating / stationery cutters and floating nose cones. The options include outline and fill patterns - offset and hatch / cross hatch plus pressure loading when marking with a spring loaded attachment.
Additional Cutter Types
The Tool Database has been enhanced and now supports Radiused End Mill, Radiused Engraving and Diamond Drag tools.
Recalculate All Toolpaths
This functionality is perfect for automatically updating all calculated toolpaths when a design change is made such as the actual job size.
Toolpath Sequencing
The algorithm for linking toolpath moves when vcarving or engraving has been updated to make the process much more efficient and logical, which results in significantly reduced cutting times
The Toolpath List interface is now much easier to use with the option to drag the list around and resize it to suit the number of toolpaths listed. No more scrolling up and down trying to find a toolpath. Toolpaths can now be easily renamed without having to open and recalculate.
The Estimated Machining Times can now be copy and pasted from the form. Making it much easier to transfer the times into a document such as a customer quote or setup sheet.
************************************************** ***************************
Design and Layout Tools
Image Tracing or Vectorization
Import colour and black & white image files - jpg, bmp, tif, gif, png and create high quality vector boundaries ready for machining.
With options for colour / threshold reduction, controlling corner definition and a noise filter to prevent small unwanted vectors being created.
No need to use products like InkScape or Corel Trace for image conversion!
Layer control
The new layer control makes working with complex designs is now much easier. Different elements of a design can be placed on different layers that can be drawn in different colours, made visible or invisible or locked / unlocked. Vectors can also be moved onto different layers.
Wrap Text on a curve
Align text on, above or below any curve with options to control the text size, spacing, alignment and distance from the drive curve. Text can also be aligned vertically or normal to the curve.
Plate Production
This functionality allows text from a database file to be merged into a template to make large numbers of badges, plates, plaques etc. A master badge template is easily drawn and text variables added. The template is used to layout multiple copies of the design and the associated toolpaths automatically calculated.
For example, badges for 300 conference delegates can automatically be setup ready for engraving by merging their names from a CSV file into a template drawn in VCarve Pro. The software calculates how many badges can be cut from the sheet size being used and creates the associated designs on multiple layers and toolpaths when multiple sheets of material are required.
Block Copy
This tool is perfect for making multiple copies of a design and laying them out by specifying an offset distance or a simple gap between each design. Also includes options for circular copy and paste with control over the angle and whether the copies are aligned relative to the circle.
Engraving Fonts
Single line / stick fonts that are perfect for marking / engraving badges, gifts, awards industrial plates etc.
Break Text
Multiple lines of text can be broken into separate lines that can each then be edited to include different fonts and font sizes.
Arc Text
Lines of text can now be interactively arced through 360 degrees (previously + or - 180 degrees) to create circular text.
Draw rectangles
Includes options to fillet the corners either externally or internally to instantly create interesting sign and plate shapes.
Node Editing
The exact coordinates for a selected node / point can now be specified making it easier to draw more precisely.
Additional keyboard shortcuts have been added that make 'fixing' designs much easier and quicker.
Measuring Tool
The size of a design can instantly be checked using the new Measuring Tool. This tool can be used to measure true, horizontal and vertical distances plus the angle and cursor position. The measuring tool can also be used to show the properties of an object - Area, Perimeter and number of spans.
The 3D Graphics view has been updated making 3D previews much easier to manipulate and view. Switching off the colour shaded also removes the perspective, making it easier to review toolpaths.
************************************************** ***************************
More details to follow.
The Vectric Team
Version 4 will be a Free Upgrade for customers who have had VCarve Pro for under 1 year.
The upgrade price for customers who have owned the software for longer than 1 year will be US$130 and Trial version of V4 will be available for people to assess whether they wish to upgrade.
Version 4 will be released later this month and a summary of the new features and functionality is listed below.
************************************************** ***************************
What’s New in Version 4
The new machining and layout functionality developed for this release lifts VCarve Pro from being a decorative toolpath engine, to an industrial strength product that has the tools and flexibility demanded by commercial shops and users.
New Toolpath features
Profile Machining
With Lead In / Out and options for linear or circular leads and an over cut distance.
This enhancement is ideal for machining high quality edges onto components.
With Ramp moves that reduce the load on the tooling and router spindle, making it much easier to plunge machine into hard materials. Options for smooth, zig-zag and spiral ramps into the material.
Ramp moves can also be limited to the lead in region of the toolpath, helping to ensure the best possible edge finish can be produced.
Pocket Machining
Now includes the option to use a Raster cutting strategy with a final pass machining allowance to ensure the internal edge of the pocket is precisely machined.
Ramp moves can also be applied to pocketing toolpaths and this helps reduce the load on the cutter and spindle and minimizes heat build-up and tooling wear.
Quick Engrave
This is a new machining strategy specifically for Diamond marking and light engraving with rotating / stationery cutters and floating nose cones. The options include outline and fill patterns - offset and hatch / cross hatch plus pressure loading when marking with a spring loaded attachment.
Additional Cutter Types
The Tool Database has been enhanced and now supports Radiused End Mill, Radiused Engraving and Diamond Drag tools.
Recalculate All Toolpaths
This functionality is perfect for automatically updating all calculated toolpaths when a design change is made such as the actual job size.
Toolpath Sequencing
The algorithm for linking toolpath moves when vcarving or engraving has been updated to make the process much more efficient and logical, which results in significantly reduced cutting times
The Toolpath List interface is now much easier to use with the option to drag the list around and resize it to suit the number of toolpaths listed. No more scrolling up and down trying to find a toolpath. Toolpaths can now be easily renamed without having to open and recalculate.
The Estimated Machining Times can now be copy and pasted from the form. Making it much easier to transfer the times into a document such as a customer quote or setup sheet.
************************************************** ***************************
Design and Layout Tools
Image Tracing or Vectorization
Import colour and black & white image files - jpg, bmp, tif, gif, png and create high quality vector boundaries ready for machining.
With options for colour / threshold reduction, controlling corner definition and a noise filter to prevent small unwanted vectors being created.
No need to use products like InkScape or Corel Trace for image conversion!
Layer control
The new layer control makes working with complex designs is now much easier. Different elements of a design can be placed on different layers that can be drawn in different colours, made visible or invisible or locked / unlocked. Vectors can also be moved onto different layers.
Wrap Text on a curve
Align text on, above or below any curve with options to control the text size, spacing, alignment and distance from the drive curve. Text can also be aligned vertically or normal to the curve.
Plate Production
This functionality allows text from a database file to be merged into a template to make large numbers of badges, plates, plaques etc. A master badge template is easily drawn and text variables added. The template is used to layout multiple copies of the design and the associated toolpaths automatically calculated.
For example, badges for 300 conference delegates can automatically be setup ready for engraving by merging their names from a CSV file into a template drawn in VCarve Pro. The software calculates how many badges can be cut from the sheet size being used and creates the associated designs on multiple layers and toolpaths when multiple sheets of material are required.
Block Copy
This tool is perfect for making multiple copies of a design and laying them out by specifying an offset distance or a simple gap between each design. Also includes options for circular copy and paste with control over the angle and whether the copies are aligned relative to the circle.
Engraving Fonts
Single line / stick fonts that are perfect for marking / engraving badges, gifts, awards industrial plates etc.
Break Text
Multiple lines of text can be broken into separate lines that can each then be edited to include different fonts and font sizes.
Arc Text
Lines of text can now be interactively arced through 360 degrees (previously + or - 180 degrees) to create circular text.
Draw rectangles
Includes options to fillet the corners either externally or internally to instantly create interesting sign and plate shapes.
Node Editing
The exact coordinates for a selected node / point can now be specified making it easier to draw more precisely.
Additional keyboard shortcuts have been added that make 'fixing' designs much easier and quicker.
Measuring Tool
The size of a design can instantly be checked using the new Measuring Tool. This tool can be used to measure true, horizontal and vertical distances plus the angle and cursor position. The measuring tool can also be used to show the properties of an object - Area, Perimeter and number of spans.
The 3D Graphics view has been updated making 3D previews much easier to manipulate and view. Switching off the colour shaded also removes the perspective, making it easier to review toolpaths.
************************************************** ***************************
More details to follow.
The Vectric Team