# Unexpected results

**URL:** <https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062>\
**Category:** Projects\
**Created:** [October 20, 2017, 5:20pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062 "2017-10-20T17:20:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AnnaW](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/annaw/32/67375_2.png) [@AnnaW](https://community.inventables.com/u/AnnaW)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2017, 5:20pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062/1 "2017-10-20T17:20:03Z")

</div>

I am working on a carve that I thought should be fairly straight forward, but for some reason am not getting quite what I expected. Here’s a picture of the model, using MeshCam to generate the toolpath to import into Easel. And also a picture of what was carved. Ultimately it will result in the correct final product, but seems like it is working harder than it needs to. It makes two rings in the hole, one is the outer that will be the correct final product. I’m confused by the inner ring though. It seems like this is making a nicely finished inner piece, but it’s actually just scrap. Is there maybe a setting that can get rid of that? Or an explanation as to why it happens? Seems like the overall carve should not take as long if it’s not making that inner ring. Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!  
 ![03 PM](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/images/transparent.png) ![IMG_3492](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/images/transparent.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Fds](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/fds/32/73802_2.png) [@Fds](https://community.inventables.com/u/Fds)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062/2 "2017-10-20T18:00:16Z")

</div>

so I am curious are you trying to pocket out the square hole or just cut the inside profile and take out the piece?

I think something might be getting lost in translation when you are transferring it to easel can you share your easel file so we can take a look?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AnnaW](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/annaw/32/67375_2.png) [@AnnaW](https://community.inventables.com/u/AnnaW)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2017, 6:32pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062/3 "2017-10-20T18:32:38Z")

</div>

I am just trying to cut out the inside profile. Here’s a picture of one we ran to test the concept. It gets the right result, but takes longer than I think it should, doing more work than necessary. The original picture I posted was only after a few passes. If those two rings are necessary from the machining perspective, I would love to understand why. If it’s not necessary, I would love for it to not happen.

![IMG_3495](https://community.inventables.com/images/transparent.png)

> **[mustang charging svg](https://easel.inventables.com/projects/sTlH9hJ-xs8DJ8Lb_rEy3Q)**
>
> by Anna W

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RobertBeattie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a587f6/32.png) [@RobertBeattie](https://community.inventables.com/u/RobertBeattie)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2017, 6:43pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062/4 "2017-10-20T18:43:42Z")

</div>

They’re not necessary, it is something in your design. What software are you using to create the initial design?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AnnaW](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/annaw/32/67375_2.png) [@AnnaW](https://community.inventables.com/u/AnnaW)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2017, 6:47pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062/5 "2017-10-20T18:47:09Z")

</div>

It started as a Vectorworks file, exported as stl to MeshCam, which generated the g-code. It seems like there might be a setting in MeshCam? I’m not very familiar with the terminology yet. Or would it go back to the vectorworks file?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RobertBeattie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a587f6/32.png) [@RobertBeattie](https://community.inventables.com/u/RobertBeattie)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2017, 6:48pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062/6 "2017-10-20T18:48:32Z")

</div>

Possibly, can you export the Vectorworks file as an SVG? If so, zip and upload it here, I’ll take a look.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Fds](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/fds/32/73802_2.png) [@Fds](https://community.inventables.com/u/Fds)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2017, 7:07pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062/7 "2017-10-20T19:07:20Z")

</div>

yeah defiantly a problem with the software is creating tool paths I think that I would just export the svg and then import the svg into easel and let easel handle the toolpath generation it will do a fine job of doing that for that job

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AnnaW](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/annaw/32/67375_2.png) [@AnnaW](https://community.inventables.com/u/AnnaW)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2017, 7:09pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062/8 "2017-10-20T19:09:54Z")

</div>

I don’t see a way to export as svg from vectorworks, so here is the original file and the stl.

[charging station.vwx](https://cdck-file-uploads-canada1.s3.dualstack.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/flex009/uploads/inventables/original/3X/5/5/55be32063e71ff8d0fcb3f506e9fa5a64cf2489c.vwx) (222.6 KB)  
[charging station.stl](https://cdck-file-uploads-canada1.s3.dualstack.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/flex009/uploads/inventables/original/3X/1/1/1147811b009fe84ba703f2f7a5670638b879fbbe.stl) (118.9 KB)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Fds](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/fds/32/73802_2.png) [@Fds](https://community.inventables.com/u/Fds)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2017, 7:15pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062/9 "2017-10-20T19:15:18Z")

</div>

Hi Anna

So i would if your open to it learn how to use a program call Fusion 360 you can do many things in it and its free for small business and hobbyist

> **[Fusion 360 | 3D CAD, CAM, CAE, & PCB Cloud-Based Software | Autodesk](https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/overview)**
>
> Fusion 360 is a platform for 3D CAD, modeling, manufacturing, industrial design, electronics, and mechanical engineering. Subscribe or download for free.

imo stl files are not the best formats to use when just cnc routing 2d shapes

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RobertBeattie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a587f6/32.png) [@RobertBeattie](https://community.inventables.com/u/RobertBeattie)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2017, 7:30pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062/10 "2017-10-20T19:30:41Z")

</div>

For whatever reason, I can’t get the STL to open properly in VCarve.

Are you using 2 different bits to do the cutting? It looks like it thinks it should be cutting a roughing pass on the inner line with a larger bit and a detail pass with the smaller. I think you may be over complicating it a little bit as the profile cuts could easily be made in Easel. That being said, I’m pretty sure that Inventables only has 2 postprocessors for use, neither of which are for vectorworks, so that may be giving you trouble as well.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AnnaW](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/annaw/32/67375_2.png) [@AnnaW](https://community.inventables.com/u/AnnaW)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2017, 7:34pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062/11 "2017-10-20T19:34:00Z")

</div>

I actually have Fusion 360 installed and it seemed like a good route to go, but I was struggling to figure out how to generate the toolpaths. Most of my difficulties are coming from not being familiar with the vocab of this industry. Things that we will be carving will usually already be drafted in Vectorworks, so it was super easy to extrude and export stl.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Fds](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/fds/32/73802_2.png) [@Fds](https://community.inventables.com/u/Fds)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2017, 7:35pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062/12 "2017-10-20T19:35:07Z")

</div>

@AnnaW

here is your svg file converted into a svg you might need to scale it down

or if you give me the length and width dimension I can scale it for you

but just import this directly into Easel and create your toolpath

![hi](https://cdck-file-uploads-canada1.s3.dualstack.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/flex009/uploads/inventables/original/3X/7/6/76908f6a6a8daf9e0e2f8c2d61ceed661be40618.svg)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AnnaW](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/annaw/32/67375_2.png) [@AnnaW](https://community.inventables.com/u/AnnaW)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2017, 7:37pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062/13 "2017-10-20T19:37:40Z")

</div>

Interesting that you can’t open the stl… It’s all one bit. I went with stl because it was already drafted in vectorworks, so just did a quick extrusion. I’m using MeshCam to read the stl and generate the toolpaths. It didn’t seem like drawing directly in Easel would be as precise, especially if I already have it drafted. But maybe that’s a wrong assumption.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AnnaW](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/annaw/32/67375_2.png) [@AnnaW](https://community.inventables.com/u/AnnaW)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2017, 7:42pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062/14 "2017-10-20T19:42:17Z")

</div>

Thanks, but it won’t let me open or download this file. It’s 3’ x 1’2".

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RobertBeattie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a587f6/32.png) [@RobertBeattie](https://community.inventables.com/u/RobertBeattie)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2017, 7:42pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062/15 "2017-10-20T19:42:49Z")

</div>

What are you able to export as? The easiest is just a 2d format that can be converted and imported into Easel.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RobertBeattie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a587f6/32.png) [@RobertBeattie](https://community.inventables.com/u/RobertBeattie)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2017, 7:43pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062/16 "2017-10-20T19:43:53Z")

</div>

You cannot upload SVGs directly to the forum here, they either need zipped or linked from a cloud drive.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AnnaW](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/annaw/32/67375_2.png) [@AnnaW](https://community.inventables.com/u/AnnaW)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2017, 7:46pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062/17 "2017-10-20T19:46:23Z")

</div>

![51 PM](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/uploads/inventables/original/3X/b/8/b89625663b538ddd897ce6a1a59af614451593b3.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RobertBeattie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a587f6/32.png) [@RobertBeattie](https://community.inventables.com/u/RobertBeattie)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2017, 7:47pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062/18 "2017-10-20T19:47:00Z")

</div>

How about a DXF

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WorkinWoods](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/workinwoods/32/44400_2.png) [@WorkinWoods](https://community.inventables.com/u/WorkinWoods)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2017, 7:54pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062/20 "2017-10-20T19:54:49Z")

</div>

@AnnaW

here is that file for you it should import into easel just fine

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AnnaW](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/annaw/32/67375_2.png) [@AnnaW](https://community.inventables.com/u/AnnaW)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2017, 8:05pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062/21 "2017-10-20T20:05:01Z")

</div>

Thank you! That svg worked and seems to solve the short term problem. I will try to carve this as soon as I can. I will still need to learn how to get to that point on my own as well. Thanks again to all of you.

[Next page](https://community.inventables.com/t/unexpected-results/44062.md?page=2)
