Modelling Embossed\Router details

[ravexl]

My questions actually more 2 part, although similiar in nature.

 

Recently one of my clients has been asking us to "prototype" various custom medallions / logos that will eventually be turned into STL parts. The details of these items, obviously, will include embossed/debossed text and other design details. raised/engraved onto a surface.

 

My question is, how, in Max or Rhino, can you model soft "pillow" emboss/deboss text (or any other type of spline) on an object? I can't meshsmooth anything booleaned because of the strange tessilation. I don't want to displace because it's not accurate enough for the text objects

 

The scecond question is, on say a box object, how can I model router patterns onto the surface?

 

Any help is greatly appreciated!

[William Alexander]

ravexl,

 

You can create splines for the basic reliefs, line type drawing. Use that for a base and a sub-d surface modeling technique, using edges to furthr define and refine a mesh.

 

Another option is to create a grey scale displacement map and displace a very dense mesh. Probably with further smoothing and divisions for STL. I can post an example if you'd be interested

 

Where abouts in WI you from?

 

 

 

WDA

[ravexl]

WDA,

 

I don't quite see how I can make the splines become router patterns on the surface of a poly... take for example this image I acheived with displacement:

 

 

Or, for instance, if the router details were actually text that I wanted to sink into the panel, but with rounded corners, not sharp extruded edges...

 

I'm Delafield, and yourself?

[William Alexander]

Depending upon the complexity of the splines... you can chamfer and move them to resemble the profile of a router bit, not an easy task, you really need to do some very careful modeling. Face modeling the mesh is really the way to go unless you can do it in AutoCad.

 

 

Using a displacement map is the easiest way to do it. You do however need to create the displacment map in PS, See attachment, and a pretty dense mesh.

 

I'm in Waukesha

 

WDA

[derijones]

Do you know anyone with or have access to a solid modelling package like Solidworks - You can take in you splines and use them as paths for a cut command (basically the same as you would if you were actually machining the part) - and have control over the amount of radius on the bottom of the cut and the lip of the cut, without two much problems. This can then be exported as STL back in to your 3D package.

 

On the pillow embossing - this can also probably be done in Solidworks, but I'm not quite sure how! If you post it at comp.cad.solidworks you'll get a pretty quick reply as to whether it is feasible and how to do it - a lot of the people on there are in the US, so might be better placed to help you out.

Best of luck

Deri