I’m not sure if this is the right section for this topic, in which case you can move/delete my post.
When I try to cut out a sign with stenciled lettering, I get a path error for the inside of the letters (no problem for the outside of the sign).
According to the KrabzCAM manual, the crosses mean that the paths intersect. However, when I zoom in on my source DXF file, I don’t see this kind of problem. The file is clean. On the other hand, when I zoom in on KrabzCAM, I see two distinct lines (one red and one green). Could this be a bug?
You should make sure that your drawings in the CAD program are made with closed curves. There are some CAD programs in which you can select the curve and then select Join.
I had this problem using AutoCAD, Corel, and OnShape. I’m sure there’s a way to fix it, but I didn’t find it easily in them. Now I use Rhinoceros 8 or SketchUp, and I find it easy to extract the DXF drawing with the closed curves. However, when I open the design in Krabzcam, I always select curve by curve, and at the top it tells me if the curve is open or closed.
What CAD program are you using? I’m sure someone can guide you on what to do with your design before exporting it.
If the original design is in 3D, it is possible that the DXF shows some shadow due to the thickness of the typography. In this case, a 2D projection must be made, the curves must be joined, and then exported.
I use Fusion. I create my model in 3D and then create a projection sketch on the relevant face, which gives me a “clean” sketch with only the contours of the parts. Unfortunately, I haven’t found a feature for “simplifying/joining” segments in Fusion. Nor in QCAD…
I thought I had already used software that allowed segments to be joined together as soon as the distance between them was less than X, where X could be configured… But I can’t remember which one!
Maybe Inkscape? But that’s quite heavy too…
I just tested Estlcam. It is much more tolerant of my dwg files and detects almost all of my segments. And for minor bugs, it is easy to redefine the trajectories to be adopted in “semi-automatic” mode (just hover over the segments).
