Relief-Start

Contents: Creation of milling data in Relief-Start. Navigator. Relief AutoCorr. Work specification Relief - milling data from photo.

Creation of milling data in Relief-Start. Relief-Start is a comfortable solution for photo - relief engraving and relief milling. Gray scale pictures are converted in 3D - relief data and high-quality milling data for 3- or 4-axis milling machines are created with a few mouse clicks. The complete handling happens via navigator.
| Navigator. The navigator leads You through the process. The functions are in the right order. The working off takes place from top down. You can select the function marked in black. If a function is not to be selected, then switch to the next operation using Forward. Using the function Back you switch to the previous function. A help to the functions You receive by using the key <F9>.
open (Import Photo): |
| Import a picture or a relief. Import a gray level picture and adopt the dimension. A photo should be processed into a photostyler (e.g. Corel PHOTO-PAINT) before the milling path calculation and saved as grey shade image (8Bit/pixel - not in colour, exception .JPG). Images in .JPG format can also be saved as colour images (24Bit). These are converted into grey shade images on import.
The program imports Bitmap data in the following formats:
BMP | Windows Bitmap with 256 gray shades.
GIF | CompuServ Bitmap with 256 gray shades. The GIF -format contains no information on size or resolution. The image dimensions must be adjusted manually after import.
PCX | Paintbrush Bitmap with 256 gray shades.
JPG, JPEG | JPEG Bitmap with 256 gray shades, 8Bit colours and 24Bit colours. JPG images with 24Bit colours are converted into a gray shade image on import.
TIF, TIFF | The TIFF - import is qualified for 8bit (1 byte/pixel) and 16bit (2byte/pixel) unpacked grayscale pictures. With 16bit TIF, reliefs with higher resolution can be saved or opened. Optional is a fee required TIF - import/export extension obtainable for more picture formats and packed formats.
HRL | Unpacked AHSoft relief file format.
HRP | Packed AHSoft relief file format.
RLF | Older LANG relief file format.
Heights-breadths-ratio (only photos - input in mm). Import a picture and adopt the dimension. If You want to change one value only (e.g. the z - amount), then switch proportional Y/N to No before the input.
Proportional: | With the setting YES all axes are also adjusted proportionately at the same time. The height - width - depth ratio remains the same. With the setting No the axes X/Y/Z can be determined individually.
Dimension XY/Z: | Relief dimensions in the axes X/Y/Z.
filter: | Adjust relief if needed. Correct or smooth the photo. Useful filters are e.g. approximate (strong). These optional functions are needed only in special cases (e.g. rastered / patchy picture). You can rework the relief and achieve flatter surfaces and/or filter out irregularities using the filter functions. Filters are mostly required for import data, e.g. import of dot clouds: Digitalising imperfections must be removed (error pixs, outliers, approximate).
Error pixels: | Individual dots are filtered. This has an impact only locally within a radius of one image dot, i.e. no appreciable change of quality though smoothing of the surface. Max imperfection (0.01..10mm): The image dot (pixel), whose value deviates from its neighbouring dots by more than the specified max imperfection, is approximated (adjusted). An image edge of 1 pixel is not processed.
Outliers: | The function outlier is the special surfaces filter for the removal of individual intensely different image dots (outliers) independent of their value. This filter has an impact only locally within a radius of one image dot, i.e. no appreciable change of quality though smoothing of the surface.
Approximate (strongly): | The image contours or shapes are smoothed through approximate and approxim ate strongly . Approximate can, depending on requirement, be carried out several times.
Smooth: | The relief resolution is doubled and, at the same time, the relief slightly smoothed. This filter produces significantly higher data quantities and should therefore be used for coarse images only. Reliefs with too high a resolution can be reduced again using s cale . reduce (e.g.: [%] = 50).
Radius filter: | Smooth the relief, all edges are rounded off.
Correction filter1: | Smooth the relief, all edges are rounded one-sided.
Correction filter2: | This filter fills gaps (e.g. following STL import).
mirror+ rotate: | Adjust relief if needed. Mirror the complete relief in X, Y, Z or rotate by +90 degrees / -90 degrees.
Mirror X/Y/Z: | The relief is mirrored about the selected axis.
Counterblock XZ: | Concurrent mirroring for a counterblock in X and Z direction.
Rotate +90°/-90°: | The relief is rotated by +90°/-90°.
Relief AutoCorr: |
| Calculate mill data. Milling data are calculated. A help for AutoCorr You receive after function activation by using <F9>. The relief z zero position is placed on the highest relief point. The relief deep is depend on the form or the picture. The zero position X/Y lays on the left - below side. The milling dimension is determined with the import using scaling.
Milling data export: |
| Save mill data. You can export the calculated milling data in various formats.
End: | Stops Relief-Start.
Relief AutoCorr. Using the function the complete tracks are calculated according to several selectable processes for the milling of a relief. The relief boundary is used as milling limit. Settings for milling path calculation.
Tool #: | Number from the tool library [0..199]. The tool input can be opened using <F2> or through a click on the tool graphic. Typical tool for 'foto - relief engraving'.
Clearance process: | Surface milling processes see selection.
Clearance direction: |
Inwards: | The milling tracks run from inside outwards.
Outwards: | The milling tracks run from outside inwards.
Clearance track separation [%]: | Separation of the milling tracks dependent on the cutter radius f(CuT+CuC). With 100% track separation it is worked with an offset of CuT+CuC.
Layer separation Z (1st track): | Milling depth setting for the 1st track. With clearance direction outwards a border is milled in layers around the relief (free-mill relief). The setting always takes place relative to the cutter used (CuT + CuC), i.e. with the setting 100% the cutter dips into the material per track with a max. depth, which corresponds with the cutter radius. Typical settings are 10% .. 150%. For easy to mill materials also 151% .. 998%. The setting 999% switches the precalculation of the 1st track OFF. In most practical cases, the calculation of the 1st track is necessary for the first tool only. For all other tools this calculation can then be switched OFF. Only in special cases, e.g. the first tool in narrow areas does not achieve the necessary depth, is the switching ON of the 1st track necessary for a further tool.
Clearance layer number (1..99): | Number of the desired layer levels from upper edge of relief down to relief base.
The parameters of the relief AutoCorr.
Incision angle: | Angle for the incision (dip) movements into the material. In order to spare the tool engagement should be as inclined as possible. Input range = 5° .. 90°(vertical). Typical value: 30°.
Finish offset: | The roughing tool (roughing coarse + fine) allows a minimum material thickness to remain. Input range = 0 .. 10mm. Typical value: 0.1mm.
Spiral resolution: | Vector resolution for circular spirals. Spirals are vectorised for 3D processing. With circular resolution = 0.1° a variable circular resolution is created (dependent on the momentary radius). Circular spirals are fundamentally rounded off outwards.
Smooth finish [Y/N]: |
YES: | Following milling correction the relief is refined for a better surface quality. This setting somewhat improves the surface quality. If extremely steep edges are to remain unchanged in the relief. then this parameter is to be set to zero.
No: | The relief remains unchanged.
Fin Tool. Level 0 lift [Y/N]: |
YES: | With milling the tool leaves out plane surfaces at the uppermost level (depth 0). This is only sensible with a relief with large plane surfaces which are not to be milled..
No: | The complete relief is milled (coin relief, without tool interruption).
Accelerate roughing calc.: | The calculation for the roughing tool is considerably accelerated with YES. If steep areas, for example, are already finished-milled using the roughing tool because the finishing tool with larger flank angle can no longer reach this position, then this parameter must be set to zero.
Projections tol. (0..0.1)[mm]: | Reproduction accuracy for the generation of milling data. Sensible values for high quality milling are tolerances <=0.002mm. For simple tasks one can also work with a tolerance <0.05mm. For woodworking for example a tolerance 0.05 .. 020 suffices. With the setting 0 the relief with the highest accuracy (best quality) is reproduced. Here, however, you obtain a very high data density which simple machines cannot process without problem.

Work specification Relief - milling data from photo. For this you require an Internet connection!
| Mill a relief from photo (portrait). Create a relief from a grayscale picture and procedure milling data for a 3D - milling machine with simple steps.
| Mill a relief from photo (rise onto level 0). If for a deepen relief from a photo the margin area should not be milled, then this can be solved with rise the tool on relief depth 0.
| Mill a relief from photo (constructed picture from CorelDRAW). Create a relief from a grayscale picture and procedure milling data for a 3D - milling machine with simple steps. Example for a picture created with CorelDRAW.