The BobART Overview

Introduction

The BobART module provides enhanced tools for creating, modifying, and maintaining embossed models and vectorized geometry. The BobART Tree is used to load images, vector image files, and various BobART files (.bart, .bbas, and component/.stl) that are used to create embossed models.

All BobART features are accessed in the BobART Manager tab of the Manager Pane using the BobART Tree.

The BobART Tree

The following tree items are always visible in the BobART Tree. You right-click these tree items to display a shortcut menu as explained in the following sections of this document.

 

BobART Manager

Images

Emboss Model

The BobART Manager

Loading Images, Vector Files, or BobART (.bart) Files

The BobART Manager item in the BobART tree contains a shortcut menu for loading images, vector files, or BobART (.bart) files. The way you use the files depends on the type you are loading. The workflow for each type is explained next.

 

BobART Manager

Right-click to access the following commands.

    • Load Image - is used to load images into the BobART tree for vectorization. First the Selection Manager displays for you to define where the image is loaded. You can select a SolidWorks plane, a planar face, or an edge, and you can define the origin (lower-left corner of the image) in reference to the origin of the selected location. When you click , the Open dialog displays for you to select and open an image file. The image displays in the graphics area, and an Image-filename (vectorization feature) is added to the BobART tree under Images. The software also creates a SolidWorks sketch containing a sketch picture that displays in the Feature Manager design tree. You can then use the vectorization tools to create sketch geometry from the image, which can be used for machining features, creating emboss models, or SolidWorks features. For more information, view Loading Images for Vectorization.

       

Tip: If an image you want to load is not listed in the Open dialog even though the proper location is selected, click the arrow next to Files of type, and select All files (or the appropriate file type) at the bottom of the list. You can use the Files of Type list to view all the file types that you can load. For a list of these file types, view the Supported File Types.

 

    • Load BobART Pro-X (.bart) File - displays the Open dialog for you to select and open a BobART (.bart) file. The embossed model is displayed in the graphics area, and the features from the previous model are added under Emboss Model. This loads the emboss model using the Front Plane of the WCS origin. (Note that this option is provided for customers that have .bart files from legacy versions of BobCAD-CAM, in which .bart files could be created.)
    • Load Vector Files - is used to load vector files into the graphics area. First the Selection Manager displays for you to select a SolidWorks plane, a planar face, or an edge. When you click , the Open dialog displays for you to open a vector graphics file of the supported file types: .ai, .eps, and .pdf. The vectorized geometry is loaded into the graphics area with the lower-left corner of the geometry placed at the origin of the selected location. The geometry is contained in a SolidWorks sketch feature that BobCAM automatically adds to the Feature Manager design tree. The sketch can be edited, used to create emboss models, machining features, or SolidWorks features. For more information, view Loading Vector Files.

Define the Location and Orientation

 

The first step of loading a vector file is to define where it is loaded. It is important to understand that BobCAM for SolidWorks defines the origin of the vector image (also called the reference point) as the lower-left corner. When you select a location, the reference point is placed at the origin.

 

  1. In the Selection Manager, select a SolidWorks plane, a planar face, or a surface edge to determine the plane on which the vector image is loaded. If you do not make any selection, the Front plane is utilized.

 

Important: Vector files are loaded using the plane you specify, but placed at the SolidWorks origin on that plane. If you do not make a selection, the image is placed at the origin of the SolidWorks Front plane.

 

Location Selection Tips:

  • When selecting a SolidWorks plane, the vector file loads at the origin of the plane.
  • When selecting a planar face, the vector file loads using a projection of the SolidWorks origin to the same plane.
  • When selecting a surface edge, a new SolidWorks plane is automatically created perpendicular to the edge, with the origin placed at the edge.

 

  1. When you click , the Open dialog displays.

    Vector files must use the .ai, .eps, or .pdf file extension.

  2. Navigate to and select an vector image, then click Open.

 

The image displays in the graphics area and is ready for further processing.

 

Understanding the Resulting Feature

 

It should be noted that loading a vector file does not add any features to the BobART tree, but simply loads the vector geometry and displays it in the graphics area using a SolidWorks sketch.

 

  1. A SolidWorks sketch is automatically created in the Feature Manager design tree to contain the vector file geometry.

 

Important: When you select a plane, planar face, or edge, a 2D sketch is created to contain the sketch image. If you do not select a location (or use the default Front plane), a 3D sketch is created to contain the sketch image.

 

  1. You can use SolidWorks features to move or modify the resulting geometry as needed.

 

The vector geometry is ready to use for machining features, emboss models, or other SolidWorks features.

 

 

Note: BobCAM supports the ability to open protected (secured) vector (.pdf) files by allowing you to type the passwords for these files in the user interface. When you select a secured vector file, you are prompted to type the required passwords for the document. There are two password dialogs that display: Edit/Owner Password and Open/User Password. Type only one or both passwords as needed for the original document and click OK.

Vectorizing Images

Vectorizing images is the process of creating wireframe geometry from an image based on the location and color of pixels in the image. After this raster-to-vector conversion, the geometry which is created can be edited and used to create embossed models or milling features. The process includes loading an image and defining the vectorization strategy.

 

Images

Right-click this item to access the following command.

    • Load Image - displays the Open dialog. Select a file type, then select and open an image file. The image is displayed in the graphics area, and an Image (vectorization feature) is added to the BobART tree.

    • Blank/Unblank All- hides or shows all images in the graphics area simultaneously.

 

Image file name

Right-click this item to access the following commands for modifying the image.

    • Edit - opens the Load Image dialog to reposition the image within the graphics area. This may be necessary if there are multiple images that require vectorization, or if you would like the image in a specific location for the vectorization process.
    • Vectorize - opens the Raster to Vector dialog, to define the vectorization parameters.
    • Delete - removes the Image feature from the tree and the image from the graphics area.
    • Blank/Unblank - hides or shows the image in the graphics area.
    • Edit Image Using Paint - select this option to open the image for editing in the Paint program. When you are done editing, Save the changes and Exit the program. The changes are updated in the image.

 

Vectorization

This item is added to the tree (under Image) after an image is vectorized. Right-click Vectorization to access the following command.

    • Edit - opens the Raster to Vector dialog for you to modify the vectorization parameters.

 

Tip: When vectorizing an image more than one time (for more detailed images), you should create a copy of any sketch geometry that you want to keep so that the software doesn't replace it on the next vectorization. For example, you can copy a sketch from the Feature Manager design tree and paste it into a the tree to create a copy. You can use any SolidWorks method to copy the sketches, as long as you don't paste it into the sketch created for the vectorization by BobCAM. Loading the same image into the BobArt Tree is another method which can be utilized. With multiple images loaded, each can utilize a different vectorization technique, and each can be updated using the Raster to Vector dialog.

Creating Emboss Models

The Emboss features create a 3D model in the graphics area. The process includes creating wireframe geometry and BobART canvas to contain the geometry. When you add an Emboss feature, a dialog is displayed for you to define the feature parameters. When add geometry and set the desired parameters you click Apply to update the canvas and Cancel to exit once finished.

 

Emboss Model

Right-click this item to access the following commands for adding Emboss features to the tree. The following links lead to the help topics for the dialog parameters of each feature. Be sure to check the Related Topics section of each document for links to tutorials/examples for each feature type.

 

 

 

To get started creating embossed models in a part file, after reviewing the dialog parameters, view the Pig Art Emboss Tutorial. This tutorial explains the steps for using multiple emboss features together to create a detailed model.

 

To get started creating embossed models in an assembly file, after reviewing the dialog parameters, view the Bowling Sign Tutorial. This tutorial explains the steps for using multiple emboss features together in an assembly to create a detailed model.