8. Extrude, Spin and Turn
ArtCAM
8. Extrude, Spin and Turn
Overview
Extrude, Spin and Turn are commands that create reliefs from vectors.
These command are presented in wizard format.
Extrude Relief
An extruded relief is produced using 2 or more vectors. The relief is produced by
sweeping the start profile vector along the drive curve vector. If an end profile
vector is used the relief will change shape from one end to the other.
Open Drive Curve Extrude Example
 Create a New Model with size of 25mm by 25mm of resolution 1078 x
1078 with the origin in the centre.
The vectors for this command need to be made first. The drive curve vector is made from
creating a circle and removing some nodes. The dive curve vector has to be a single vector,
joined together (not Grouped).
 Create a circle of radius 7 at X 0 Y 0.
 Select N (Node mode) and remove the lower spans.
The drive curve determines the location of the relief.
The start and end profile now need to be generated.
They are like sections through the relief, and have to
be single vectors, joined together (not Grouped).
 Create a rectangle of width 4, height 2, corner radii 0 at X-8 Y-4.
 Select N (Node mode) and remove the lower span.
This rectangle will be the start profile (section).
The vector is the exact size that is required and can
be located anywhere on the 2D view.
The start profile vector has to be a single vector,
joined together (not Grouped).
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We now have the minimum of vectors to generate an extrude relief.
 Click the Extrude button on the Relief Toolbar.
The Extrude Wizard appears and can be
moved around the screen, if desired.
The Extrude Wizard is a series of pages
leading the user through the stages needed to
create the shape. Each page has instructions
and the Next > button takes it to the next
page. At any time the < Back button can be
used to go back to a previous page.
This first page is for selecting the Drive
Curve.
 Select the Drive Curve vector with the left mouse button.
 On the Extrude Wizard press Select.
The vector is highlighted.
The Green Square indicates the Start of the Curve,
where the Start Profile will be located.
The ‘ticks’ on the curve indicates which side of the
vector the profiles will be extruded along.
 Leave all options on the Wizard unticked and press Next >.
This page is for selecting the Start Profile.
 Select the rectangle vector with the left mouse button
 On the Extrude Wizard press Select.
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The vector is highlighted.
The Green Square indicates the Start of the section.
The ‘ticks’ on the curve indicates whether the relief would
be positive (ticks inside) or negative (ticks outside)
In this case, this vector is not correct, but it can be changed by using the options on the
Wizard page.
 Tick move anchor point to other end and Invert Curve in Z.
The vector is updated immediately with the start point on the
left hand side and the ticks facing inwards.
 Press Next >.
This page is for selecting the End Profile.
By default the End Profile is the Same as the
Start Profile box is ticked. If an End Profile is
required, this option must be unticked to allow
a vector to be selected.
 Press Next >.
This page allows is for selecting an optional Z
modulation Vector.
This is a vector that varies the Z Height of
the extrusion along the length of the drive
curve vector.
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 Press Next >.
This page allows you to select the combination
method to be used to combine with the existing
relief.
 With Add selected, click the Extrude button. Close the Wizard.
 Switch on the greyscale view from the top of the 2D window.
The relief has been generated inside the arc as
selected.
 Press the F3 key to select the 3D View.
The relief is generated.
This relief will be reset and a new end profile
vector generated. The other vectors will be reused to make a new relief.
 From the relief toolbar, select Reset Relief.
 Press F2.
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 Create a circle of radius 2 at X 0 Y0.
 Select N (Node mode) and remove the lower spans.
This smaller semi circle will be the end profile vector.
 Click the Extrude button on the Relief Toolbar.
The Extrude Wizard appears on the first page for selecting the Drive Curve.
 Select the Drive Curve vector with the left mouse button.
 On the Extrude Wizard press Select
The vector is highlighted as before
 Select Use as Centreline on the Wizard.
The ticks are now displayed both sides, which
means that the created relief will be created in
the middle.
 Press Next >.
The Start Profile page appears on the Wizard.
 Select the rectangle vector with the left mouse button.
 On the Extrude Wizard press Select.
The vector is highlighted as before.
 Press Next >.
The End Profile page appears.
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 Untick End profile is the same as the start profile.
 Select the small semi-circle vector with the left mouse button.
 On the Extrude Wizard press Select.
The start point is on the bottom left and the ticks are inside,
which match the rectangle vector. This means that the
extrude will flow between each profile without twisting or
turning upside down half way through.
 Press Next >.
The Z modulation vector page appears on the Wizard.
 Press Next >.
The combine relief page appears on the Wizard.
 With Add selected, click the Extrude button. Close the Wizard.
The relief has been generated either side of the
drive curve vector.
 Press the F3 key to select the 3D View.
The relief is generated.
This relief will be reset and a new Z modulation
vector generated. The other vectors will be reused to make the new relief.
 From the relief toolbar, select Reset Relief.
 Press F2.
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The Z modulation vector will override any heights associated with the start or end vectors.
This vector proportionally changes the relief in Z along the whole length of the drive curve. Z
modulation vectors are also used with Spin and 2 Rail Sweep.
 From the 2D view menu, select Snap Grid Settings and enter a grid size
of 1mm with the Snap to grid selected.
 Use polyline to create a modulation vector by snapping to the grid points.
This vector will be used as the modulation vector.
 Click the Extrude button on the Relief Toolbar.
The Extrude Wizard appears on the first page for selecting the Drive Curve.
 Select the Drive Curve vector with the left mouse button.
 On the Extrude Wizard press Select
 Select Use as Centreline on the Wizard.
The drive curve vector is correct.
 Press Next >.
The Start Profile page appears on the Wizard.
 Select the rectangle vector with the left mouse button.
 On the Extrude Wizard press Select.
The vector is correct
 Press Next >.
The End Profile page appears.
 Untick End profile is the same as the start profile.
 Select the small semi-circle vector with the left mouse button.
 On the Extrude Wizard press Select.
The vector is correct.
 Press Next >.
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The Z modulation vector page appears on the Wizard.
 Tick Use a z modulation vector.
 Select the new snapped vector with the left mouse button.
 On the Extrude Wizard press Select.
The modulation vector is selected. The start point is on
the left hand side and the ticks are inside, indicating a
positive relief.
 Press Next >.
The combine relief page appears on the Wizard.
 With Add selected, click the Extrude button. Close the Wizard.
The relief has been generated either side of the
drive curve vector and looks similar to the
previous relief.
 Press the F3 key to select the 3D View.
The relief is generated and the effect of the Z
modulation vector can now be seen.
This relief will be reset and the Z modulation
vector will be used a start profile. All other
vectors will be deleted and a new drive curve
vector generated.
 From the relief toolbar, select Reset Relief.
 Press F2.
 From the 2D view menu, select Snap Grid Settings and untick Draw to
Grid and Snap to grid.
 Delete all vectors apart from the z modulation vector.
 Create a polygon of 5 sides of radius 4.5 at X 0 Y -1.
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The pentagon will be used as the drive curve with
the relief being generated outside. With a sharp
drive curve like this, the option create square
corners on the drive curve keeps the relief sharp,
otherwise it will round off the shape.
 Click the Extrude button on the Relief Toolbar.
The Extrude Wizard appears on the first page for selecting the Drive Curve.
 Select the Drive Curve pentagon vector with the left mouse button.
 On the Extrude Wizard press Select
 Select Create Square corners on the Wizard.
Make sure the ticks are outside.
 Press Next >.
The Start Profile page appears on the Wizard.
 Select the other snapped vector with the left mouse button.
 On the Extrude Wizard press Select.
 Press Next >.
The End Profile page appears.
 Press Next >.
The Z modulation vector page appears on the Wizard.
 Press Next >.
The combine relief page appears on the Wizard.
 With Add selected, click the Extrude button. Close
the Wizard.
The relief has been generated outside of the drive curve vector.
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 Press the F3 key to select the 3D View.
The relief is generated with the inside the pentagon
shape.
 From the File menu, select Save and save in C:\temp as trainingextrude.
Spin Relief
A Spin relief can be produced, by spinning a single vector around it’s own start
point, by using the Spin Wizard.
Spin Example
To generate a spin relief a vector needs to be generated first.
 Create a New Model with size of 25mm by 25mm of resolution 1078 x
1078 with the origin in the centre.
 From the 2D view menu, select Snap Grid Settings and enter a grid size
of 1mm with the Snap to grid selected.
 Use polyline to create a vector by snapping to the grid points.
The polyline will be spun around it’s own start
point (shown as a green square) to generate a
relief. It is important where the polyline is on the
ArtCAM model, so in this case the start point is
near the centre of the model. The polyline or
start profile determines the actual size of the
model and has to be one joined item.
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 Select the Spin button on the Relief toolbar.
The Spin Wizard appears:
The Spin Wizard guides through the process
of using your vector as a profile for generating
a 3D shape.
 Select the snapped vector with the left mouse button.
 On the Extrude Wizard press Select.
The vector is selected. The start point (green
square is on the left hand side and the ticks
are inside, indicating a positive relief.
 Press Next >.
The next page is for the optional selection of an
End Profile if required.
This model will use the same profile (section)
throughout so an end profile is not needed.
 Press Next >.
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This page allows you to define the angle that
the profile will be spun through. By default, the
option Sweep through 360 degrees is ticked.
If the angle required is less than 360 degrees,
the option can be switched off, and values filled
in for the Start Angle and End Angle.
These values are absolute values, with 0 at the top of the 2D View and 90
degrees to the right-hand side as shown in the diagram on the Wizard.
This example has an angle of 360 degrees
 Press Next >.
The next page is the Z modulation page.
A z modulation vector is not required for this
exercise.
 Press Next >.
The combine relief page is shown, with Add
selected by default.
 Click the Spin button to generate the shape. Close the Wizard.
 Switch on the greyscale view from the top of the 2D window.
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You can clearly see that the section has been spun around the
model.
 Press F3.
The 3D view shows the full relief. The next relief will
be spun around a partial angle.

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

From the relief toolbar, select Reset Relief.
Press F2.
Delete the old polyline.
Use polyline to create a vector by snapping to the grid points.
This vector has a large flat area on the left. When this is spun, it will create a hole in the
middle.
 Select the Spin button on the Relief toolbar.
The Spin Wizard appears with the Select Start Profile page open.
 Select the snapped vector with the left mouse button.
 On the Extrude Wizard press Select.
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The vector is selected. The start point (green square) is on the left hand side and the ticks are
inside, indicating a positive relief.
 Press Next >.
The End Profile page appears.
 Press Next >.
The Select Angles page appears.
 Enter a start angle of 60 and Untick Sweep through 360 degrees.
 Select Clockwise and a finish angle of 120.
 Press Next >.
The Z modulation page appears. A z modulation vector is not required for this exercise.
 Press Next >.
The combine relief page is shown, with Add selected by default.
 Click the Spin button to generate the shape. Close the Wizard.
From the greyscale view you can see that there is no relief
produced where the line is on the zero height for the section.
Also by extending the line out a bigger radius can be used.
 Press F3.
The relief is created using the start and finish
angles to limit the size of the relief.
 From the File menu, select Save and save in C:\temp as training-spin.
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Turn Relief
The Turn command takes a vector and turns it over itself to generate a relief. The axis
it turns over is defined as a line between the start and end points of the vector.
Turn Example
To generate a turn relief a vector needs to be generated first.
 Create a New Model with size of 25mm by 25mm of resolution 1078 x
1078 with the origin in the centre.
 From the 2D view menu, select Snap Grid Settings and enter a grid size
of 1mm with the Snap to grid selected.
 Use polyline to create a vector by snapping to the grid points.
This single vector will be turned out of the 2D page in Z.
The centre for the model to be turned around shown as a
thick centre-line) is automatically taken as a straight line
between the start and end node of the vector.
 Select the Turn button on the Relief Toolbar.
This Wizard only has two pages. The first
page allows you to select the vector, and
enter a scale factor for the Z Height. The
second page allows you to select the relief
creation method.
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 Select the snapped vector with the left mouse button.
 On the Extrude Wizard press Select.
The vector is selected and the ticks appear. There are no options to change
the ticks, so if they are inside or outside it does not matter.
If Add is used you will get a positive relief and with subtract a negative
relief.
 Press Next >.
The combine relief page appears, with Add
selected.
 With Add selected, click on Turn and then Close.
 Switch on the greyscale view from the top of the 2D window.
The relief is turned out of the page.
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 Press F3.
The relief has been turned with the heights to
match the full width of the section (selected
vector) in Z.
To make a flatter shape, the scaling factor can
be reduced from 1.
The relief will be reset and the same vector
used again.
 From the relief toolbar, select Reset Relief.
 Press F2.
 Select the Turn button on the Relief Toolbar.
The select profile page appears on the Wizard.
 Select the snapped vector with the left mouse button.
 On the Extrude Wizard press Select.
 On the Extrude Wizard enter the scaling factor as 0.5.
 Press Next >.
The combine relief page appears.
 With Add selected, click on Turn and then Close.
The relief is turned out of the page and looks exactly the same in the
X and Y.
 Press F3.
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The relief is flatter in Z giving
an oval appearance.
 From the File menu, select Save and save in C:\temp as training-turn.
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