Optimizing Toolpaths Strategies

In this quick tip, we take a look at different methods to optimize toolpath strategies to get the most efficient toolpath cutting times. We focus on optimizing the 2D profile toolpath cut order and cut starting points. This works in Vectric Aspire, VCarve, and Cut2D.

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Video Transcript:

Hello, everyone. One of our members, Michael. He's trying to make this vacuum table, and it looks really good. The issue is having, though. He wants to make the cut lines the most efficient way possible. And you could see if we reset the preview and he actually made vertical and horizontal cut directions. So if you look at one of these, let's look at the vertical lines first.

If we slow down the speed and preview, you could see it's going to start cutting over there. But it's kind of going all random and it's starting from the top every time So every time it cuts down to the bottom, it's going to raise up, move back to the top and start cutting again. So that's not the most efficient way possible.

You're going to be wasting a lot of time doing that. So let's go through this preview because he's going to do that for all of those vertical lines that if we look at the horizontal lines will slow down the speed for that and preview. And this one's going to be going pretty much random as well. And all starting from the left side.

So I'm going to show you some tricks on how you can optimize some of these and get a little bit faster to cut. So let's be that up. Okay. So that's what we're going to end up with, but we're going to try to make that more efficient. So let's close this. Let's first look at our cut time. So we're going to go to the two part summary.

Okay. Right now, total for this side. This is a double sided project. But for this side, it is one hour and 35 minutes. So we're going to see if we save any time by optimizing the two part strategy. So let's close this down. And we're first going to look at the vectors so as you can see, has horizontal vectors.

And then he placed the vertical on a separate layer, which is very nice to keep everything organized. So let's look at the horizontal lines first. So we'll go to the horizontal line to. And this is just a 2D profile to part with a V bit set at a cut depth of one eighth. So in order to optimize the cutting strategy, you want to make sure this option is selected to show advanced toolbar options.

That's going to give you some more options down at the bottom. And what we're going to want to look at is the order. So right now it is set to left to right. So it's going to start at the left side and work its way to the right. And another thing we want to look at is the start at position.

So as you can see, this one is moved to the upper left hand corner. And that's why they're all starting on the left hand side. So you could click the optimized start points that's going to automatically calculate the most optimal starting points to cut the quickest. And then for the order, you can actually select multiple options here to cut the quickest.

So the vector selection order will be whatever order you select the vectors in. If we skip that one, though, and if we select all of the four bottom ones here, this will optimize the quickest two path by cycling through all of these different options. So now we optimize the start position in the order. So now let's click calculate and we're going to do the vertical two part as well.

So let's double click on that one. We're going to change the same things. So we're going to select the orders here. All four at the bottom and we're going to change the start at position to be optimize. Now let's click calculate and let's reset the preview zoom in and we'll see what it does this time. And you see all these red lines are representing the Rapid Z movements.

So there still is some rapid Z movements here which might waste a little bit of time, but let's slow down the speed. Let's look at the vertical lines first. So there you go. It's going a little bit random, but it is now a little bit more optimized where it's starting at the position that's closest to the last one.

So it still is going to skip around a little bit, but we'll see what the cutting time looks like. Let's preview that. Then let's go to the horizontal. Let's slow that one down. In preview. And you can see this is kind of doing the same thing. It's skipping around a little bit, but it is still a little bit more optimized than it was before.

So let's speed that up All right. Let's see if we saved any time. So let's click close. We're going to go to the summary. And it did save some time. We're now down to one hour and 28 minutes So that saved about 8 minutes of cutting time. So let's see if we can optimize that a little bit more. So if we go to the 2D view let's deselect these two paths.

And since we have the horizontal lines showing, let's optimize that one first. So we're going to double click on that And what we're going to do instead is we're going to go to the start up position and we're going to select keep current start points. So when you do that, you could see it's going to show you all the green starting points.

And then we're also going to switch the order to turn all of these off. And we're only going to have the vector selection order turned on. Now, whatever order we select these in will be the exact order that they cut. And then whatever starting position is set will be the exact starting point. So when you have it set like this, you can select exactly how you want it cut, but it does take a little bit longer to select these shapes.

So the first thing we have to do is optimize these starting points. So we're going to switch some of these and we're going to go every other line to be the opposite starting point. So if we click the latter end to go to Node editing, that's going to show all of the current lines with the start and end point.

The start will be green. The end will be black. So what we're going to do is select every other line. So I'm just going to select one and hold my shift key and select every other line. And we're going to go all the way down. And actually, since these all are a mirror image, I can actually just do this one little quadrant here and then I can mirror it for all the other four quadrants.

Okay. And it looks like that bottom line is already switched to the other side. So I'm going to hold shift and deselect that one. So with all of these selected, which is the every other one, I'm going to right click on any one of these and I'm going to click reverse direction. And when I do that, it's going to swap sides.

Now, if I select this top left quadrant, you could see it's going to be black, green, black, green, black, green. It's going to be swapped all the way down. And now if we look at the other quadrants by selecting them all, you can see the other ones are still starting on the same side minus that bottom one. But instead of spending the time to do each one of those since these are mirror image, what we can do is deselect all of these and we can exit the node editing.

We want to select the right side and click delete and select the bottom quadrant and click delete. Now, I'm just going to select this one that we optimize and I'm going to click Control Shift each that's going to mirror it horizontally. Now I'm going to select both of these top quadrants and click Control Shift V and that's the shortcut to mirror vertically.

So now if I select all of these, you could see now every other one is set to start the opposite way. But I can see where the center is here. It's going to start the same one here. So we may want to flip those on the bottom here. So what we could do is select these whole bottom rows.

Click the letter N to go to Node Editing. With all of them selected, I can right click and click reverse direction. And now all of those will be swapped. And now for Exit That and select those again. You can see now it's going to start at the opposite side. Okay. So that should optimize the starting points much better.

And now we have vector selection order and we have keep current start points. So in order to get the vector selection order correct, you can select wherever you want to start. Let's say we wanted to start at the top left so we can select that first hold shift and just go all the way down selecting these in order.

And this will be the order that they cut. So whatever order you want them to cut in, that's going to be the order. You select them in. So as you could see, this could take a little bit of time if you have a lot of parts. I'm just holding shift and clicking on each one. And if you missed one or actually skip one, you have to deselect the ones you skipped and then go back to that last one you missed.

Okay. I'm just going to quickly select all of these And this is only downfall of doing it this way. So it takes a little bit longer to select them, but you will get the exact order that you want I started at the top again on this side. I could have start at the bottom as well.

All right. There we go. Now we have the exact order that we want. Let's click Calculate and for reset, the preview Now you can see there's barely any rapid Z movements. The only big one is going from the bottom row all the way back up to the top. But like I said, we could have started down here in the lower right instead of up at the top.

But let's slow down the speed. And now this should come exactly the way we set it. So let's click preview. You see, it's going to start at the top where we selected, and now it's going every other side for the starting position. So that's going to be the most optimal way to cut this. So let's speed that up.

And you see the cycle through exactly the way we did it. Now let's do that quick for the vertical lines. We're going to have to turn off the horizontal layer, bring in the vertical layer, and we'll do the same thing. Let's first look at the starting points here and go to our vector selection order for the order. And then the keeps current start points So as you can see, these are a little bit mixed up.

So we're going to fix these as well. So let's do it that bottom row. I'll delete this right side And let's optimize this one here. All right. So that bottom one, the one on the left is already done. So I'll skip that one. And then skip every other one after. So holding shift, selecting every other one.

Here we go. And then click the letter end to go to Node Editing. Right click on Align and click Reverse Direction. And now if I select all of those, they should be at every other starting point, which it is there. Now we're going to mirror these. So I'm going to click Control Shift each to mirror horizontally and select all of this and click control, shift V to mirror vertically.

Now let's select all those, and I'm going to swap the starting points right here where they are the same going over. So I'm just going to select the entire right side. Click the letter end to go to Node Editing, right click on these and click reverse direction now exit node editing and check it out. And now it's every other again.

Okay, now we just need to get our selection order so we're going to start in the left side here, work my way across, and this time I'm going to drop down to the next row and stay on the same side So just take a minute to select all of these and if you array copy these lines, you can actually select the entire thing and sometimes it'll keep the correct starting direct order without selecting them individually.

That's another thing you try out. If you created these lines, all Miss Mix matched it may not work out that way. It's always worth a try, though. Now, you see, I skipped one there on accident, so I have to deselect that one that I selected and then go back to the other one. And that way it keeps the correct order.

If you accidentally skip one and kept going, it will cut in whatever order you selected. Those you can think of as every time you click one of these places, a number on it and they will go in sequential order, whatever number is set to that line All right. There we go. And you can see this time I drop down staying on the same side that way doesn't have to travel all the way over here.

All right. Now, let's click calculate and we're going to slow down the speed and click preview. And now it's starting in the top left and it's going to go every other starting point and should work its way across and then go right down it goes to the right and yep. Dropdown and then we're back to the left. All right.

Let's see if that saved any more time. Let's go to the time summary. All right. One hour. 25 minutes. So it's about the same time it was with the optimize automatically. So it did save just a little bit of time there, but not too much from the second option. There did take a little bit longer to select all of those and change the starting points.

But it definitely does look more in the actual pattern that you want to go. So that gives you a little bit more control on how you want to cut it. So hopefully those tips helped you guys out and if you have any questions, just let me know