Art Cam Pro material preview

[phil_o]

I can't get the material preview to perform very well. I can't get wood to look like wood. Most settings look alike. They all look like metal. How can I get the wood preview to look like wood.
I downloaded the preview of V-carve Wizard. Their previews are great. Can ArtCam Pro do material previews like that?

[gene_marshall]

in the "lights and material" section of the "model" menu.
there is a puldown menu for the model.
there should be settings for wood.

some of the older versions let you use a .jpg for the woodgrain.

I liked that way better... You could even match stains on wood.

[ken_r]

Gene, Could you please tell me if there is a way to place a different shaped stock into Artcam other than the usual block shape? For instance if I wanted to cut a curved dome out of already curved dome material can you place the dimensions of the stock as the relief and the cut it out of that, so that you are not waisting time with a lot of air cuts.

[gene_marshall]

Well...
you CAN make the material into a shape and save that as a .rlf. that will allow you to start with that shape.
The material will always be a block.
In the toolpath menu, there is a checkbox for "selected vector"
If you draw a vector around the portion you wish to cut that selection will allow a toolpath to be created only on that area.

Take my "morris" sign for instance http://www.marshallsmillwork.com/MVC-053F.JPG
the lettering was V carved, the tree was rastered and the edge was machined along the vector.

artcam will cut anything that you can program along the surface. so if your unusually shaped stock is something you can program, then the rest should be simple.

Cheers
Gene

[ken_r]

Thanks for your answers Gene, I will look further into buying artcam now, I had played with the demo but was'nt sure if it could do what I just asked. That sign looked great, I am hoping to produce similar items.
Thanks again
Ken

[gene_marshall]

No problem ken,
The initial shock of the price is long forgotten when you start TRULY using the program.
I can say, with 100% confidence, that ARTCAM has paid for itself. The ease of programming by which we can design makes a world of difference.

BTW...have you seen the artcam forum site.
http://forum.artcam.com/

[phil_o]

I've tried the wood setting in "Lights and Material". It doesn't look like wood.

[Brady Watson]

Phil,
Are you using full OpenGL shading and a good video card that supports it...or Software shading? This will not show up as wood unless you use OpenGL.

-Brady

[gene_marshall]

Phil also try the tiling feature.
depending on the size and resolution, you can get the thing to look real good.
gene

[phil_o]

Brady,
what is Open GL? I can't find any reference to it?

[paco]

Google (http://www.google.ca/search?hl=fr&q=OpenGL&spell=1)!

[Brady Watson]

Why...It's the industry standard for performance graphics!!!


-B

[phil_o]

OK, I appreciate the effort but I have no idea how this relates to my origonal question. Can't I just select something in Artcam Pro and get a preview that looks like wood?

[Brady Watson]

Phil...Go to the 3D options in ArtCAM. This is on the main menu bar like every other Windows program. Select the 3D view options and choose OpenGL support...If you are not able to run FULL OpenGL support on your computer because you don't have a good graphics card, THEN you will not be able to SEE the wood or any other texture or shading. Are you running a card that supports FULL OpenGL??? What brand card are you running?

This is mentioned in the ArtCAM manual that came with your copy of ArtCAM and the ArtCAM forum. Check either of those 2 places for more clarification.

-Brady

[phil_o]

I've looked in the manual, I've gone to Artcam's help file, I've looked on the toolbar. There is no 3D options on my tool bar. I am running version 7. I feel so stupid like I've never used a computer before.

[garyb]

Phil, when you first open Artcam on the left hand main menu scoll down to bottom of page under other features where the face wizard is and whats new you will find the 3D view options.

[Brady Watson]

Phil,
Under the Window menu...


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...and in the toolbox area after you select it...


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-Brady

[phil_o]

Thank you all.