Not a clue, several objects 18mm thick and of varying sizes?

[Wobblybootie]

Help or advice needed. I have several objects 18mm thick and of varying sizes. The largest being able to fit into a 48 X 48 inch square, the smallest being 12X3. They are 'organic' in shape so do not lend themselves to being transferred to a digital format by straightforward measuring and inputting into a software package (Solidworks). Could I use the 3 Axis machine (replacing the spindle with some sort of probe) to do it. The object of the exercise is to be able to nest the parts and to be able to scale them to reproduce both larger and smaller copies. All advice gratefully accepted.

[Neale]

What sort of accuracy needed? Quick way would be to photograph them and use some kind of tracing software to convert to something that your CAM software can accept. There was a long discussion about a very similar problem for cutting panels to line a van - might be an idea to search for that thread as there were lots of ideas.

[EddyCurrent]

This one.

http://www.mycncuk.com/threads/7823-...ghlight=lining

[Tenson]

Some images of what you are trying to reproduce and nest?

There are methods to make 3D scanners with pretty basic stuff. I don't remember the details but I do remember they exist! There was a youtube presentation by a guy who 3D printed many interesting things like false legs who discussed these methods to capture body shapes etc.. I think I remember one method using multiple web-cams and software to merge the data and determine the 3D shape.. others use a laser line scanning bit by bit.

[Wobblybootie]

No images available at this time but here's a brief description ... imagine a horse, now slice it into 18mm thick pieces running fore and aft or nose to tail. When assembled and finished you end up with a laminated horse. I make Rocking Horses. I normally trace onto Ply then cut out using a Bandsaw and Router. I can and do keep sets as templates but want to store these digitally and machine cut them, saving me space and time. I would also be able to scale them to match the customers requests. If and it's a Massive IF I can afford to build a 5 Axis Machine then I could machine the thing in 2 halves, join and finish as required.

[EddyCurrent]

Have you seen these, http://www.123dapp.com/catch , also check out the other apps such as this, http://www.123dapp.com/make

Watch the videos

I'm thinking you could capture a completed horse to make a 3D model then slice it up using the 'make' software or there's other software to do this too.

[Wobblybootie]

Hadn't thought of that I guess I'd better checking out the options

[EddyCurrent]

To keep Z to something sensible I was thinking maybe a fat central spine that would look like a side view of a horse, then add the cnc'd side blocks to it. That way you could do the neck and head in a similar way.

[njhussey]

You can use Draftsight CAD program (free) to import a jpg as a reference and then on a different layer trace the part. No need to export as a dxf as it's already one so just save...

[Wobblybootie]

Cheers Guys for loads of ideas on solving my problem. Jazz there's a pic on my Build log of the templates and finished Horse ...