WELCOME!


It is hard to believe that it was only seven years ago I witnessed a CNC router in action for the very first time. I was fascinated and simply had to have one! Although I had been in the creative end of the three dimensional sign business for most of my life I didn't really know what I would do with one - but I just knew it could do fantastic stuff.

Through extensive research I quickly found out that with the relative simplicity of EnRoute, CNC routers were capable of just about anything imaginable. This journal will chronicle that journey to date and continue each week with two or three entries as we continue to explore just what is possible with this wonderful software... -dan

Thursday, January 12, 2012

What if?

Today was a day of WHAT IFS! Sean Kirsch and Craig Sior had worked out all the hickups on the MultiCam fourth axis machine and now it was time to start figuring out the things that were now possible. We started with a basic barrel shape. A raised and bevelled letter A was added for good measure.

While this file was proved on the machine someone asked for a bent branch with textured bark. It took some figuring out how to achieve it but using a mesh created in EnRoute and then merging it to the relief and then adding healthy texture from the TEXTURE MAGIC collection we were able to achieve it. Each time a file was sent to the router everyone would rush from my office to see the MAGIC happen first time on the machine. As the file was slowly revealed by the router a high five would be the celebration and a new idea - even wilder than the last was immediately brought forward to raise the bar once more.

Then Mark Hurt asked the question whether we could fabricate a column with Rapid Texture wrapped around it... matching perfectly on the join line and on each end so they could be stacked. It ooh a little head scratching but within a short time the file was ready to test on the MultiCam. Huge grins and high fives were again the order of the day as this test was successful.




With the setting up and numerous tests now complete our minds race to the future. Each step fuels wonderful ideas of the next step and the step after that. A whole new world of possibilities suddenly opens up. What is possible?

Anything we can imagine!

-dan