Dear Eddy
I have been trying out your Semitone plugin to create laser-engraved images. Basically the plugin works quite well but I am suggesting that it might be useful to add some additional capabilities.
Your plugin creates a PointList for the sampled points in the image with the Z value being the depth of cut for the Drill MOP. For laser engraving we need to think about "circular pockets" where the diameter of the circle can be computed from the image in much the same way. What I have tried is to take your PointList and with the aid of a small script (attached in the ZIP file) I can create a set of circles of the required diameter at the same locations. Using these circles I can create a Pocket MOP with appropriate"tool diam" (Laser width), step over, etc at a nominal depth of cut (say -0.1mm) (Note: also using a Laser Post Processor script that turns on the laser on at each -ve Z value.)
I have attached an image of the result (not too bad), as well as a closeup image of the circular-pockets (scale is mm). The material used is AlumaMark that is specifically for laser engraving.
What would be very convenient is to provide these capabilities in your plugin- my script tends to be rather slow as there can be lots of circles (24,000 or so in the test image) to create.
This might require:
(1) Adding a Tool Diameter field for the selected tool (a notional one set up to mimic the laser)
(2) Adding the options: "Drill Mode" and "Laser Mode" (Laser mode is not likely to apply to your "Lines" mode option)
(3) The Create MOP button would then:
(a) Create the PointList and Drill MOP (as current), or
(b) Create the set of circles and a Pocket MOP.
There could be some default values inserted in the Pocket MOP (like Clearance Plane = 0.1, Depth increment = 0, Depth of cut= -0.1. These, and other, settings can be updated by the user to suit local needs., as well as setting the required Laser PostProcessor, before creating the GCode file.
If you are able to consider this request that would be excellent. Otherwise, I would be prepared to do it - if you could make your sources available.
regards
Geoff