skeinforge_application.skeinforge_plugins.craft_plugins.carve ($Date: 2008/02/05 $)
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Carve is the most important plugin to define for your printer.

It carves a shape into svg slice layers. It also sets the layer thickness and perimeter width for the rest of the tool chain.

The carve manual page is at:
http://fabmetheus.crsndoo.com/wiki/index.php/Skeinforge_Carve

On the Arcol Blog a method of deriving the layer thickness is posted. That article "Machine Calibrating" is at:
http://blog.arcol.hu/?p=157


Settings
  Add Layer Template to SVG
  Extra Decimal Places
  Import Coarseness
  Layer Thickness
  Layers
    Layers From
    Layers To
  Mesh Type
    Correct Mesh
    Unproven Mesh
  Perimeter Width over Thickness
  SVG Viewer
Examples

Settings


Add Layer Template to SVG

Default is on.

When selected, the layer template will be added to the svg output, which adds javascript control boxes. So 'Add Layer Template to SVG' should be selected when the svg will be viewed in a browser.

When off, no controls will be added, the svg output will only include the fabrication paths. So 'Add Layer Template to SVG' should be deselected when the svg will be used by other software, like Inkscape.

Extra Decimal Places

Default is two.

Defines the number of extra decimal places export will output compared to the number of decimal places in the layer thickness. The higher the 'Extra Decimal Places', the more significant figures the output numbers will have.

Import Coarseness

Default is one.

When a triangle mesh has holes in it, the triangle mesh slicer switches over to a slow algorithm that spans gaps in the mesh. The higher the 'Import Coarseness' setting, the wider the gaps in the mesh it will span. An import coarseness of one means it will span gaps of the perimeter width.

Layer Thickness

Default is 0.4 mm.

Defines the the thickness of the layers skeinforge will cut your object into, in the z direction. This is the most important carve setting, many values in the toolchain are derived from the layer thickness.

For a 0.5 mm nozzle usable values are 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm. Note; if you are using thinner layers make sure to adjust the extrusion speed as well.

Layers

Carve slices from bottom to top. To get a single layer, set the "Layers From" to zero and the "Layers To" to one. The 'Layers From' until 'Layers To' range is a python slice.

Layers From

Default is zero.

Defines the index of the bottom layer that will be carved. If the 'Layers From' is the default zero, the carving will start from the lowest layer. If the 'Layers From' index is negative, then the carving will start from the 'Layers From' index below the top layer.

For example if your object is 5 mm tall and your layer thicknes is 1 mm if you set layers from to 3 you will ignore the first 3 mm and start from 3 mm.

Layers To

Default is a huge number, which will be limited to the highest index layer.

Defines the index of the top layer that will be carved. If the 'Layers To' index is a huge number like the default, the carving will go to the top of the model. If the 'Layers To' index is negative, then the carving will go to the 'Layers To' index below the top layer.

This is the same as layers from, only it defines when to end the generation of gcode.

Mesh Type

Default is 'Correct Mesh'.

Correct Mesh

When selected, the mesh will be accurately carved, and if a hole is found, carve will switch over to the algorithm that spans gaps.

Unproven Mesh

When selected, carve will use the gap spanning algorithm from the start. The problem with the gap spanning algothm is that it will span gaps, even if there is not actually a gap in the model.

Perimeter Width over Thickness

Default is 1.8.

Defines the ratio of the extrusion perimeter width to the layer thickness. This parameter tells skeinforge how wide the perimeter wall is expected to be in relation to the layer thickness. Default value of 1.8 for the default layer thickness of 0.4 states that a single filament perimeter wall should be 0.4 mm * 1.8 = 0.72 mm wide. The higher the value the more the perimeter will be inset. A ratio of one means the extrusion is a circle, the default ratio of 1.8 means the extrusion is a wide oval.

This is an important value because if you are calibrating your machine you need to ensure that the speed of the head and the extrusion rate in combination produce a wall that is 'Layer Thickness' * 'Perimeter Width over Thickness' wide. To start with 'Perimeter Width over Thickness' is probably best left at the default of 1.8 and the extrusion rate adjusted to give the correct calculated wall thickness.

Adjustment is in the 'Speed' section with 'Feed Rate' controlling speed of the head in X & Y and 'Flow Rate' controlling the extrusion rate. Initially it is probably easier to start adjusting the flow rate only a little at a time until you get a single filament of the correct width. If you change too many parameters at once you can get in a right mess.

SVG Viewer

Default is webbrowser.

If the 'SVG Viewer' is set to the default 'webbrowser', the scalable vector graphics file will be sent to the default browser to be opened. If the 'SVG Viewer' is set to a program name, the scalable vector graphics file will be sent to that program to be opened.

Examples


The following examples carve the file Screw Holder Bottom.stl. The examples are run in a terminal in the folder which contains Screw Holder Bottom.stl and carve.py.

> python carve.py
This brings up the carve dialog.

> python carve.py Screw Holder Bottom.stl
The carve tool is parsing the file:
Screw Holder Bottom.stl
..
The carve tool has created the file:
.. Screw Holder Bottom_carve.svg


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Modules
       
__init__
fabmetheus_utilities.archive
fabmetheus_utilities.euclidean
fabmetheus_utilities.fabmetheus_tools.fabmetheus_interpret
fabmetheus_utilities.gcodec
math
os
fabmetheus_utilities.settings
skeinforge_application.skeinforge_utilities.skeinforge_polyfile
skeinforge_application.skeinforge_utilities.skeinforge_profile
fabmetheus_utilities.svg_writer
sys
time

 
Classes
       
CarveRepository
CarveSkein

 
class CarveRepository
    A class to handle the carve settings.
 
  Methods defined here:
__init__(self)
Set the default settings, execute title & settings fileName.
execute(self)
Carve button has been clicked.

 
class CarveSkein
    A class to carve a carving.
 
  Methods defined here:
getCarvedSVG(self, carving, fileName, repository)
Parse gnu triangulated surface text and store the carved gcode.

 
Functions
       
getCraftedText(fileName, gcodeText='', repository=None)
Get carved text.
getNewRepository()
Get new repository.
main()
Display the carve dialog.
writeOutput(fileName, shouldAnalyze=True)
Carve a GNU Triangulated Surface file.

 
Data
        __author__ = 'Enrique Perez (perez_enrique@yahoo.com)'
__date__ = '$Date: 2008/02/05 $'
__license__ = 'GNU Affero General Public License http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html'
absolute_import = _Feature((2, 5, 0, 'alpha', 1), (2, 7, 0, 'alpha', 0), 16384)

 
Author
        Enrique Perez (perez_enrique@yahoo.com)