Deleting the Original in Version 5
One error that may occur from time to time, but especially when you are just beginning to become more acquainted with the Torchmate CAD/CAM, is the problem of disposing of the original image.
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A sample walkthrough of designing a shape, sending it through the tool path process and the preparing the image for export might go like this;
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Using Shape Tool draw a two inch square.
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Using the shape tool draw a one inch circle.
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By selecting the circle with your Select Tool, or cursor, use your arrow keys on your keyboard to position the circle inside the square. When you are satisfied with your placement, click outside the square to deselect the images.
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With your Select Tool, Left click and drag open a blue box and surround the square and circle shape. When you release the left mouse button the image will be highlighted, and ready for your next move.
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Your next move will be to go to the Arrange Menu and select Make Path. By making a path on the whole image you have told the computer that the image you drew is one solid object, and thus the inside of the circle will be cut out prior to the outside of the square.
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You are now ready to create a tool path for this image. To do this, Select your image, then go to the Machine Menu + Create Tool Path + Male.
There are three types of tool paths; Male, Female, and Online.
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A male tool Path will cut the inside first and the outside last, but more specifically will cut the interior of the inside shape and the exterior of the outside shape.
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A Female tool path will cut the inside of the image only, thus the interior of the material line cut.
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An Online cut will follow on top of the cut tool path, and will only follow the path that is given.
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After selecting the Male tool path in the example above, a dialogue window will open up which will allow you to set up your lead in and lead outs.
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With your tool path complete, a heavy dark line will be set on top of your original drawing. It is important that you realize this because what we will do next is to delete the original drawing. With your image selected, go to the View Menu and unclick the heading "Show Tool Paths". By un-clicking this, the tool path will temporarily disappear, and will leave behind only the original drawing.
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Select the original image, then push the Delete key on your keyboard. The original is now deleted. Go back to the View menu and click on Show Tool Paths to turn the tool paths back on. Now you should see the heavy black line that is your tool path for the image drawn.
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Select it again, go to File and Export image to a folder or floppy disc for importation to the Torchmate Driver software.
By utilizing this method to delete the original image, your days of double line cutting should be history.