Whether I import an AI file or an svg file into Carbide Create, I seem to get an open path in one of my vector drawings (the vertical rectangular bit)
I’m missing something… just don’t know what it is…
Also, the width of the ‘groove’ - the rectangular bit running vertically down the pentagon, has changed from 2mm to 2.1mm. Why is this?
In addition, I’m trying to figure out the ‘correct’ way to make a groove in an object. If you look at the pentagon there is a 2mm groove running vertically. I extended the rectangle past the object so that the tool path works but is this the ‘proper’ way to do it?
SVG’s are typically meant for other applications. Not sure off the top of my head but can CC upload dxf files? DXF is a better format for this stuff.
When I have to use svg files, in illustrator I make sure all the lines are connected and joined. hit ctrl+y to see the outline mode and i select 2 adjacent lines and right click to see if the “join” option is available. I poorly explained, but you can tell this is a annoying process. I just stick to dxf’s now.
Make sure when you export you have the proper ruler set. so if you’re working in mm or in, set the ruler to that and when you export make the scaling 1:1. This is my usually work flow.
Thanks Chris, I tried importing dxf in CC but I don’t think that works. Looking through some threads, it looks like ‘overlapping geometries’ might be a problem importing svg into CC. Not sure really?
ok, if dxf’s don’t work then it’s the painful process of checking the lines in illustrator to make sure there aren’t doubles and that all the lines are connected.
What you’re missing is that Adobe Illustrator masquerades as user friendly by facilitating the internal usage of wrongly drawn elements and doesn’t afford sensible tools to fix this sort of thing.
That’s the problem. Adobe Illustrator allows one to have a path which is actually open, which it will treat as closed, but which will turn out to be open when the file is moved into an application which actually handles paths as they actually are.
Do you want the groove to be lower than the surrounding? The file above should work.
Thanks Will, it’s really odd that the rectangle was open. Thank you for the attached file. I’m also having issues with automatic resizing in CC after importing the svg from AI. So after reading through various threads, I gather it may be best to use Inkscape for my design work. Apparently the svg file in Inkscape imported into CC has no dimension changes. Is this a correct assumption?
No, it’s not odd. It’s typical of Illustrator — they’ve been running roughshod over the sensibilities of folks who work with PostScript since a bit after v3.2 (things went off the rails after they delivered v3.2 for NeXTstep and began developing “Bravo”, now known as Adobe Graphics Manager, freeing them from the constraints of PostScript). I really miss Display PostScript, and will never forgive Adobe for reneging on the promise of providing a license for Blue Box in Rhapsody.
SVGs from Inkscape will import at two different sizes depending on how they were made and in which version. The best thing to do is to always include a rectangle of known size around everything and check it after import. The default case of a current version creating a new file works correctly for size last I checked.
Ok got it, thanks Will. In general, for 2.5D cnc’ing, do you think Inkscape is a good choice for design? I’m trying to figure out whether I should to learn Fusion 360 or Inkscape or any other software for that matter.
I’ve been using MOI3D for my 3D printing which I find excellent but it can’t save files in SVG. Hence the need for me to export to AI and then save as svg.
You should be able to export from it to Inkscape, no need for Illustrator though — it may be that the problem is in MOI and you’ll still need to fix the files somehow.
I use Affinity Designer (AD) for creating svg graphics. It also has issues with sizing the svgs. I did as Will suggested for awhile, placing temporary boxes around the graphics. But then you must rely on somewhat of an approximation to scale your graphic to the desired size within CC. More importantly, when scaling up small imports, you risk loosing significant detail. That is, curves which look smooth become chunky when enlarged. It’s as if the machining parameters become fixed at the smaller size and it’s those that are being scaled up instead of the vector svg.
My solution is to cut the vector from AD and paste it into Graphic (App Store, $30), then export the svg from Graphic for use in CC. Graphic isn’t robust enough for my original design work but it exports the svgs exactly to scale.
Please send files in to support@carbide3d.com — I’m trying to get them to improve the SVG import in Carbide Create to accept files from Affinity Designer, and proving that I’m not the only person in the world using it may help.
@WillAdams I’ve done that once, think I should do it again at risk of being labeled pest? I’d assumed, since some apps output proper scale, that the issue was in the other source apps versus CC. I’ve posted this issue on the Affinity site where I did, in nice terms anyway, become a pest by stating the issue had not been addressed in a beta.
