How to divide a vector image into sections

[WillAdams (William Adams (Carbide 3D))]

This one came in over the transom at projects@carbide3d.com as a support request.

If one has an image such as:

which one wishes to cut into parts which may then be cut on the machine, this is easily done by adding some rectangles and using the Trim Vector tool.

[WillAdams (William Adams (Carbide 3D))]

The first thing which must be addressed though, is the open geometry and how the face of the penguin on the left will be drawn.

This could be done in one of two ways:

• reconstruction by offsetting
• redrawing using the Curve tool

We will do the latter.

[WillAdams (William Adams (Carbide 3D))]

Zoom in on the area in question:

click on the Create Curve tool:

Click and drag to create a rough approximation of the geometry which will be needed:

Go into Node Edit mode:

and drag things around until one has the desired geometry.

See:

Let's Make a B (for anyone)

Ages ago, there was an elegant little pamphlet entitled “Let’s Make a B for Bennet” which Warren Chappell wrote and illustrated. Here’s a discussion of how to use Carbide Create’s new curve feature to draw a B. We start with an image of a “B”: https://www.flickr.com/photos/letterformarchive/38372487832/in/album-72157687338823192/ [38372487832_6b4562b0a5_o]

and

Carbide Create re-drawing

If one only has a pixel image: [image003] then one has three options: auto-tracing — EDIT: Carbide Create has since gained this feature: Carbide Create - Image Tracing using the pixel image using a tool such as MeshCAM or Carbide Create Pro’s texture feature re-drawing — this is a tutorial on this: Begin by going to Job Setup and setting the Stock Size and importing the image onto the background: [image]

[WillAdams (William Adams (Carbide 3D))]

After a bit of work, one arrives at:

[WillAdams (William Adams (Carbide 3D))]

Drawing in the rectangles is simple if one sets the grid to define them:

Then just click on the grid intersection at the center:

and at one of the corners:

Repeat for the other four:

[WillAdams (William Adams (Carbide 3D))]

To actually do the division, select an object which crosses the line and a rectangle:

copy and paste them into place:

Then use the Trim Vectors tool:

to remove what isn’t wanted:

OK

Then use the Join Vectors command to join the two open vectors:

Repeat for the other side:

(no need to paste)

OK
OK

Join Vectors

Repeat for all other shapes which cross the dividing lines.

[WillAdams (William Adams (Carbide 3D))]

Eventually one will arrive at:

Attached as a v7 file:

Penguin_divided_v7.c2d (200 KB)