Basic CAD training

Clip Art project

This is the clip art project that is taught at our Reno, Nevada headquarters during our 2-day CAD Training Seminar. This is a great project to start learning the basics of our CAD program.

Quick keys will be referenced throughout the tutorial to expedite your drawing process.

Let’s start with bringing in our clip art file.

1. Go to FILE/IMPORT

2. Locate your Clip art file. In this example we will use “mountain.dxf.”

3. Once the clip art is selected then the cursor changes to an upside down “L”. This signifies the top left corner of the clip art. You will left click inside the black square that represents your material size.

4. Once you left click you will get the IMPORT OPTIONS screen. In this screen you can do a few things but we want to make sure that you have Close Shapes and Remove Duplicates checked. Then press OK.

5. The clip art will show up. If you don’t see it solid then go to VIEW/SHOW FILL (alt + S).

6. We will size the selected clip art to 12” wide. Make sure that the LOCK icon, located under the HELP menu. This will lock the size proportions horizontal and vertical.

7. Now we are going to add our text to the clip art. Select the TEXT TOOL and left click on the bottom right hand area of the design.

8. Select your FONT DETECTIVE and select a good FONT to go with. In this demo I’ve chose AgencyBold.

Press SELECT next to your font and start typing.

Once done with typing and editing you will have your text selected and go to ARRANGE/TEXT TO GRAPHICS (alt + b).

9. Now we need to create a shape that we can add to the clip art so the text can drop out. To make things easier UNCHECK SHOW FILL (alt + S).

Select the ARC EDIT TOOL.

The ARC EDIT TOOL is a little tricky to work with, but here is the sequence.

Click on the top left hand corner of the text to start the ARC EDIT TOOL.

As you click to draw lines around your text, you may activate the arc feature by clicking and holding down the left mouse button. While holding down the left mouse button, drag the mouse in whatever direction you wish to apply your arc.

Then click hold the next point and repeat until you create the shape you want.

You have to end where you generated the first start point to successfully create the shape.

To verify this you will do a SHOW FILL (alt + S).

Then you will press APPLY at the top of the screen to complete the shape.

10. So we want that shape to get WELDED to the rest of the design. Hold down the SHIFT key and select the clip art. This will have the clip art outlined in RED along with the shape that is created.

11. Now select the basic weld tool to weld the shape to the clip art.

12. Now you will select all (ctrl + a) and do an ARRANGE/MAKE PATH (ctrl + h). Then go to VIEW/SHOW FILL (alt + s) to confirm that the text has dropped out of your design.

13. We will need to generate the bridge to attach the inside of the letters to the rest of the design. In this instance it will be the “O” in WELCOME.

Select a shape to function as the bridge. I will use just a rectangle.

Draw out a .2 wide by .75 tall rectangle and place into position.

14. Once the bridge is put into place, use SELECT ALL (ctrl + a) followed by the basic weld tool to weld the bridge into place.

15. Now it is time to generate a tool path. Go to MACHINE/CREATE TOOL PATH/MALE. We will skip the TEMPLATE TAB and move to BASIC CUT TAB.

Assign your tool to PLASMA.

Assign your FEED RATE to 100 in/min.

Now press the LEAD IN/OUT tab.

Select ARC and enter .1 into the radius.

Press OK.

You will get this error pop up.

What this error is saying is that there is a small area that cannot either generate the lead in or the kerf correction overlaps and will drop out the tool path. To determine the cause of this issue, press OK. Then to check the the tool path created go to VIEW/SHOW TOOL PATHS ONLY

If we observe the drawing we notice a few areas that have caused this error.

We can compare the difference between the drawings and the areas that have issues.

Area A: This is the area that gives the tree a little detail. The line overlaps so the tool path drops out and it only creates two small areas

Area B/C: The areas are too small so it closed those tools paths into smaller shapes. Since they are too small, there will be no lead in. The way these will cut is that the head will come down and pierce on the line versus having a lead in.

Non precision part projects (ie. signage/yard art) might require less precision than projects that need to meet specific dimensions. In this example, “A” would be vital to the design, whereas areas “B” and “C” wouldn’t be 100% necessary. So to correct and include the detail we are going to generate an ONLINE tool path to the “A” and going to leave the “B/C” to cut without the lead-in.

16. We will do a UNDO (ctrl + z) this will eliminate your tool path that you created.

17. Go to VIEW/SHOW TOOL PATHS to see your design again.

18. Select All (ctrl + a) and then we need to ARRANGE/BREAK PATH (ctrl + J). This will break all of your design into individual items.

19. Take off SHOW FILL (alt + s) to see the lines and not the fill.

20. Hold the SHIFT key down and deselect the “detail” of the tree.

21. Since everything is selected but the tree detail we will ARRANGE/MAKE PATH (ctrl + h).

22. Now select just the detail of the tree and go to MACHINE/CREATE TOOL PATH/ONLINE.

Go to the BASIC CUT TAB.

Select CLIMBING.

Enter 100 into the FEED RATE.

Press OK.

23. Now select the rest of the design by clicking on a line in the mountain and go to MACHINE/CREATE TOOL PATH/MALE.

Assign your tool to PLASMA.

Assign your FEED RATE to 100.

Now press the LEAD IN/OUT tab.

Select ARC and enter .1 into the radius.

Press OK.

You will get the error but press ok.

24. Go to VIEW/SHOW TOOL PATHS ONLY.

Being that we have two separate tool paths we will need to sequence them correctly. We want the ONLINE cut-to-cut first and the rest of the design cut after.

25. Select All (ctrl + a) and go to LAYOUT/SEQUENCE/START SEQUENCE BY LIST

In this dialog it shows the tool path and the original path. Press TOOL PATHS ONLY. Then select the TREE DETAIL TOOL PATH and press TO FRONT. This will make that ONLINE tool path cut first then the rest will follow correctly. Press OK.

26. Once the tool path and sequence is applied, we will then do a Select All (ctrl + a) and put the design in the X-0, Y-0 coordinates (bottom left corner of the workspace).

27. Now we need to generate the G-CODE file for the VMD (Visual Machine Designer). Select all (ctrl + a) then go to MACHINE/OUTPUT.

28. Press the CALCULATOR in the CUT TOOLBAR to generate the G-CODE.

29. Once the G-Code is created, save the file to the location of your choice. Press the scissors on the end of the CUT TOOL bar. This will bring up a SAVE dialog box. Save your file as mountains.GM

30. Close the OUTPUT CONTROL tool bar.

31. Go to FILE/SAVE AS, and save your file as mountains.CDL. This format will allow you to alter the CAD drawing if you need to change something in the future.

This completes the mountains project.

Hot Keys Used.

MAKE PATH (ctrl + H)

BREAK PATH (ctrl + J)

TEXT TO GRAPHICS (alt + B)

SHOW FILL (alt + S)

DUPLICATE (ctrl + D)

UNDO (ctrl + Z)