Author Topic: Vectorization Example  (Read 34521 times)

Offline pixelmaker

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Re: Vectorization Example
« Reply #30 on: June 09, 2016, 08:20:16 am »
This is a cambam forum, not your marketplace.
I hope that David delete your post and also block your access to the forum.

ralf

Offline 10bulls

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Re: Vectorization Example
« Reply #31 on: June 09, 2016, 13:13:08 pm »
I too don't want to see the forum used as a market place.

However, although pushing things a bit, I think this post does have some relevancy to the topic.

Vectorization can be a real mine-field for people and has been the source of many support emails.
So it can be useful to hear about alternative methods and products.

I am going to leave this post as is, but in the interest of balance, here are a couple of other commercial products I have used with success...

Vextractor (cheap, reliable, does center line vectorisation)...
http://www.vextrasoft.com/vextractor.htm

Vector magic (clever, but didn't do center lines last time I looked)...
http://vectormagic.com/home

I have no commercial link to either of these.

I will also mention that the new CamBam development version now has some bitmap vectorisation support inbuilt.  (Trying to get a public release ready!)

Andy

Offline EddyCurrent

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Re: Vectorization Example
« Reply #32 on: June 09, 2016, 13:16:13 pm »
I've noticed with most of the vectorization software that example files are 'best case' for that type of conversion.

Edit: Will the new version of CamBam vectorize truetype fonts to single line fonts ? not easy I know.
« Last Edit: June 09, 2016, 13:25:57 pm by EddyCurrent »
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Offline dh42

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Re: Vectorization Example
« Reply #33 on: June 09, 2016, 15:18:35 pm »
Hello,

Quote
Edit: Will the new version of CamBam vectorize truetype fonts to single line fonts ? not easy I know.

A work around that I find to do that (not perfect) is to use the V-Engrave plugin to do the toolpath, then I convert the toolpath to geometries, explode them, switch to XZ plane to be able to select only the bottom lines (without the segments that climb in the edges), then joint.

It's not perfect and need some cleaning job, but it is usable on small jobs.

++
David

Offline pixelmaker

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Re: Vectorization Example
« Reply #34 on: June 09, 2016, 15:57:58 pm »
One of my tutorials show vectorization with cambam
Look at the video.
This is the cheapest way for every CB User.
I do it with Illustrator but Adobe CC is expensive. A free software that can do vectorization is Inkscape (tutorial).

Quote
Trying to get a public release ready!
Andy, please, please, please, repair the mold function (bug #36 and #38 in Davids Buglist). It is not possible to cut a mold since version P.

ralf
« Last Edit: June 09, 2016, 16:08:04 pm by pixelmaker »

Offline EddyCurrent

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Re: Vectorization Example
« Reply #35 on: June 10, 2016, 07:39:02 am »
Also Bob La Londe did a video based on that method; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkM5h6gQ7oA
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Offline 10bulls

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Re: Vectorization Example
« Reply #36 on: June 10, 2016, 08:56:58 am »
Edit: Will the new version of CamBam vectorize truetype fonts to single line fonts ? not easy I know.

Not yet... that would require center line vectorisation (I have only written boundary detection so far).

TTF text is vectorised already so all we need is to remove the duplicate segments.

Scripts to the rescue!! (again!)  :)

Code: [Select]
# dedupe.py
tolerance = 0.001

shapes = ShapeList()
shapes.ApplyTransformations = 1
shapes.AddSelectedEntities(view)

exploded = shapes.Explode()

deduped = exploded.RemoveDuplicates(tolerance)

joined = deduped.Join(tolerance)

doc.Add(joined.ToEntities())

This one *should* take in all select shapes (text, polylines, regions etc), explode to individual lines and arcs, remove duplicated segments, then join whats left back together again.

By increasing the tolerance this also might be a useful way to clean up some of the messier vectorising results some programs kick out.

Maybe this would be a good option to add to the Engraving machine operation ?:-
Remove Duplicates : Yes/No
Duplicate Tolerance : ?

I hope this helps!

Offline EddyCurrent

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Re: Vectorization Example
« Reply #37 on: June 10, 2016, 09:35:35 am »
Yes, it helps me see how far away I am from writing concise code  :D

I agree it would make a good addition for engraving, thanks for the script, very nice !
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Offline 10bulls

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Re: Vectorization Example
« Reply #38 on: June 10, 2016, 09:49:40 am »
Andy, please, please, please, repair the mold function (bug #36 and #38 in Davids Buglist). It is not possible to cut a mold since version P.
I am very sorry about that ralf.  I am working my way through the buglist and will make sure that is sorted in the new version.

Offline pixelmaker

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Re: Vectorization Example
« Reply #39 on: June 10, 2016, 13:12:19 pm »
@ Andy: I will answer your mail at the weekend. I am also currently in the final steps of a 2 year project. My DIY flatbed printer with 8 colors and 2800dpi resolution has printet first time yesterday ;D
It works with water-based pigment-inks on every hard material, like pmma, glas metal and so on without any primer;D ;D


ralf

Offline lloydsp

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Re: Vectorization Example
« Reply #40 on: June 10, 2016, 16:06:57 pm »
Wow!  2800dpi with particulate pigments, water-based? 

Usually one thinks of that sort of resolution as being only for dye-based (and generally very high vapor-pressure solvent-based) inks!

I would love to see that in action and know what it costs (both to buy/build and to 'feed').

LLoyd
"Pyro for Fun and Profit for More Than Fifty Years"

Offline dh42

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Re: Vectorization Example
« Reply #41 on: June 11, 2016, 01:54:33 am »
Hello,

Quote
Yes, it helps me see how far away I am from writing concise code

+1

We have a lot to learn !!!

++
David

Offline pixelmaker

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Re: Vectorization Example
« Reply #42 on: June 11, 2016, 11:35:21 am »
hello lloyd,
this is very OT here.

You can buy a printer like this. But it can print only in 1440dpi. The inks are also for printing without coating, but they are soluble with alcohol. This alcohol will damage the printhead and this costs ~590 Euro each.

I use also a epson stylus pro 4880 as base. The problem is to reduce the ink quantity. Because the epson are designed to print on coatings only they use to much ink. This is one the main problems when you convert the printer. 
Quote
what it costs (both to buy/build
If 1440dpi is enough you can buy a printer from AZON, they starts with 14700 Euro without VAT. I never see one on the second hand market.
If you need a higher resolution you need a RIP Software for ~4000 Euro and a colorspectrometer for making the print profiles. I use the I1 from Xrite.

What you see is that first need is money. This is why I need so long time for the conversion. In the building time I crashed 3 printheads.
The simplest way to convert such a printer is to buy a epson stylus pro, take a power grinder and cut out the drive rollers. Remove the drive rollers but never the servos. The epson donĀ“t work if you remove one of the original drive motors. I use a stepper motor for the table that works parallel to the original drive motor and use a arduino as controller.

ralf

Offline lloydsp

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Re: Vectorization Example
« Reply #43 on: June 11, 2016, 12:12:50 pm »
Yeah... it's OT.  But thanks for explaining.

Man!  It must take a lot of "testicular fortitude" to start hacking-up a $4000USD printer.  Those things cost over $400USD just for a set of INK cartridges!  Holey-Moley!

Lloyd
"Pyro for Fun and Profit for More Than Fifty Years"