The Relief program

Using the Relief module you generate and process free-form surfaces, coin reliefs and shapes for engraving / milling applications. Here gridded relief data is processed in the relief format as ordered scatter plot. Relief data are built up similarly to the gridded printed design data such as PCX, BMP, TIFF  … The  Relief image consists of individual dots arranged in columns and lines, the pixels. Each pixel has a height value  (Z information) assigned to it. In the various graphical representations this height information is drawn as colours, grey shades or curves. With this, a pixel is the smallest presentable element in the Relief. If intermediate points are required for projections, conversions or for milling, then these are interpolated The reliefs can be edited, scaled, filtered mirrored and converted into optimum milling tracks via various milling correction processes or employed as projection basis for the representation of 2D or 3D paths.

The Relief module supports, as extremely  effective program, the areas:

• processing of reliefs, digitalised data, surface formats, photos (Relief).
• generation of reliefs from graphic elements  (ReliefVTR).
• generation of milling data from relief (CAM) (Relief AutoCorr).

Point of emphasis for the relief format are artistic workpieces with many fine details and relatively flat characteristics (coin relief). Here lies the particular advantage of a simple and compact representation. Technical shaped parts have, on the other hand, rather uniform, in part, also very steep surfaces with few structures. For this surface descriptions (solids) are rather more suitable. 

Some advantages and disadvantages of the processes:

Exchange of vector data (paths) between relief and CAD.

If vector data (paths, contours, stretches, points) are required in the Relief module, then these are to be generated and marked in the CAD and are to be adopted in the relief module. In the relief module the paths marked in the CAD are shown in the colour greenish-blue. On the other hand paths, which have been generated in the relief module, after leaving the relief module, are adopted marked in the ActLayer. In the CAD, paths can be very easily drawn on the relief in the background after the option Relief has bee activated in the aid Graphic Background.

Aids in Relief.

	Graphic ZOOM +: enlarge image. Frame a section of the image using a rectangle and present enlarged. After clicking-on using , depending on the module, you obtain a zoom selection.
	Graphic  ZOOM -: reduce image. Redraw the image at half size. After clicking-on using , depending on the module, you obtain  a zoom selection.
	Graphic image NORM: image at set limits. After clicking-on using you obtain a selection for graphic adjustment: Standard grey image: Adjust standard grey shades (colour) relief image. The colour table can be modified under  Colours. The graphic indicator is activated by clicking-on  Standard grey imaged and  Adopt..  Contrast dz-graphic: Relief plan view with accentuation of finer details. The contrast levels can be set in the range 1..5. Render: Display rendered the relief graphic with firmly fixed illumination source.  Standard setting. Relief Object: Indication of the object limits (vector data). The display is switched ON and OFF by clicking-on. Clipboard: Display of the vector data of the clipboard (,marked paths). The display is switched ON and OFF by clicking-on. Colour: Adjustment of the colour table for the relief image presentation. Various standard palettes are available  (Grey stairs .. chocolate) and a free adjustment using variable colours.
	New graphic image:  Redraw image with current settings.
	All graphics:  Show ail graphic components (also outside the limits).
	Input parameters (Program settings). Current information can be found in the program help .
	Help: If you have questions on the operation, then please first use the integratedHelp.You can access Help also with already activated function using  or using the aid ? Help and clock-on the function.
	Selection ActLayer:  All operations are actioned using a layer of the ActLayer (current or active layer). The selected layer is selected here.

Relief file menu.

Load and save relief data formats, images and CAD or digitiliser data in this menu. The functions in this menu always load only one complete relief and, with this, delete the previous relief content.

Open relief.

Packed (.HRP) or unpacked relief data (.HRL) are loaded from a file in the working storage. For the differentiation of the data formats see Save Relief.

Save Relief.

Save the relief data in a file. To save you can select the two data types HRP and HRL.

Import Relief .

Foreign formats can be converted into a relief using Relief Import.

Import STL.

STL is a stereo lithography format from the firm 3D-Systems. ASCII-  and binary files are accepted for import. The measurement is always  understood to be in mm. Advantage of STL is the clear definition and with this hardly any problems are to be expected with import. For good surface qualities you should pay attention that the surface is as highly resolved as possible and saved with small tolerances. The STL data  should as far as possible be available in the processing position. If this is not the case, then you can rotate the STL surfaces before generation of the relief.

STL position:

The shape can be rotated about the X, Y and Z axes in the range -180°..+180°. Rotation takes place in 5° steps by clicking-on the buttons left and right alongside the angle indicators. Alternatively, the respective last rotated axis can also be rotated using the mouse thumb wheel. More accurate inputs are possible in the numeral field through manual input.

Following confirmation of the position the relief data is displayed/edited. As a rule the proposed values can be adopted unmodified. A modification of the data is recommended in individual cases only.

Note: Depending on the quality of the surface generation, STL data can contain gaps (imperfections). These imperfections are mainly caused by the type of design (e.g. through the joining together of surface boundaries using arcs and segmented lines (polygons)). Small imperfections in the area of a relief point around a STL segment are closed automatically by the program. Larger imperfections. after an import, must be removed by filters or manually. A suitable filter for closing STL gaps is Correction Filter 2.

Import DXF-3DFace.

Read-in of DXF data with 3DFACE surfaces. These data are, for example, generated using the Roland Picza digitalising machine. 

Attention: Here only files with 3DFACE surfaces are read-in correctly-. Standard 2D or 3D DXF data are not suitable for this import and you obtain no result! In cases of doubt please check your data using a suitable editor or CAD.

Import Photo.

Import a grey shade and adjust the dimension ( measurement). The program imports Bitmap data (256 grey shades = 8Bit grey shades = 1Byte/pixel) in the following formats:

A photo should be processed into a photostyler (e.g. Corel PHOTO-PAINT) before the milling path calculation and saved as grey shade image (8Bit/pixel – not in colour, exception .jpg). Images in .jpg format can also be saved as colour images (24Bit). These are converted into grey shade images on import.

Gridded photos (e.g. from journals/magazines) posses a very rough surface and should as far as possible be avoided or reworked into a suitable photostyler beforehand. Gridded images can also be improved using  approximate finely/strongly.

The formats BMP, PCX, jpg and JPEG are imported already with the correct image dimensions. You can adjust the measurements in the following input. gif images have no resolution or image dimensions- These images must always be adjusted correctly. The relief Status is also displayed as check for the input of the relief dimensions .

Export relief.

Convert and save the current relief in various foreign formats.

STL (incorporated):
STL is  a stereo lithography surface format of the firm 3D-Systems. For export  STL binary files are created. Export processes with increased surface number. The surface is formed through adjoining triangular surfaces and is closed free of gaps. The max. permissible deviation to the relief is determined through the input tolerance. A large tolerance results in compact data with few STL surfaces, but large deviations to the relief. A small tolerance results in extensive data with many STL surfaces but also no deviations to the relief. The tolerance should not be selected too fine, because the therewith resultant surface number exceeds the potential of many target systems (CAD/ CAD). Tolerances < 0.01 mm should not be selected. For large relief enlargements the tolerance should lie significantly above this (0.05 .. 0.5 mm).

DXF-3DFace:
Export of the current relief into a DXF file using 3DFACE surfaces. This file can, for example, be read-in using AutoCAD. The surface is formed through adjoining rectangular surfaces. The max. permissible deviation to the relief is determined through the input tolerance. A large tolerance results in compact data with few STL surfaces, but large deviations to the relief. A small tolerance results in extensive data with many STL surfaces but also no deviations to the relief. The tolerance should not be selected too fine, because the therewith resultant surface number exceeds the potential of many target systems. Tolerances < 0.01 mm should not be selected. For large relief enlargements the tolerance should lie significantly above this (0.05 .. 0.5 mm).

BMP image:
Save the relief as grey shade image (256 shades) in BMP format.

Status.

Indicate characteristics and dimensions of the relief file. The  Z coordinates process positively upwards (opposite direction to LG1 format).

Export of relief extracts.

The functions in this menu always load only one complete relief and, with this, overwrite the previous content of the working storage. If a relief or part of a relief is to be imported to an existing relief, then  this can take place using ReliefVTR . Input relief. In many cases the relief to be imported must be prepared for this purpose. For example, if the r is to be with any desired contour and not limited to rectangular. Using  Input relief fundamentally all unpacked reliefs (.HRL) can be imported. The relief may not be packed for input. Extracts from reliefs are generated using the following functions Export extract and Export frame.

Export extract.

Generate a rectangular or ellipse shaped extract from the current relief. The extract can be exported in a file or adopted as current relief. The relief extract is first limited by the two values, zero position and end position. The extract can be further limited in the following selection.

Export frame.

An extract from a relief, which lies within one or more frame contours, is exported. The parts of the relief which lie outside the frame contour, are faded out (do not overwrite the existing relief on importing). The frame is to be designed and marked in the CAD beforehand.

Procedure for export frame.

Modify frame.

Edit the relief limits (clip or expand relief).

Scale.

Ein Relief in Größe und Auflösung anpassen.

Adjust limits.

Match the relief to the working limits or working limits to the relief.

Norm projection.

The relief can be displayed in 3D in several  versions.

• The  type of presentation (gratings, vectors, dots or surfaces) is selected with the topmost buttons.
• The viewing direction is displayed schematically by means of a cuboid. You can adjust the direction by clicking-on the direction arrow in steps of 10 degrees using the cursor.
• Using PosnA adjust the line depiction colour. With PosnA without colour the perspective display takes place with adjustable height level marking.
• Following  the graphic is drawn,  aborts the input.

Zoom projection.

For display of a section (Zoom) select  Zoom projection. The selected section is defined, using the cursor, through the two extreme positions of a rectangle (zero position and end position). One after the other both positions are input using the cursor. A position is confirmed with the key . If the key  is operated, then the function is aborted and the image remains in its original condition. Following confirmation of the end position the image is deleted and the projection drawn anew enlarged. Before Zoom projection the image must have been adjusted using Norm projection.

Edit Relief menu.

Layer edge.

Scan of boundary lines for a selected Z level relief. The lines are determined as vector data. Following the selection ABSOLUTE/relative, a point is selected in the relief at the desired height.

Adjust layer edge	Absolute height representation	Relative height representation.

The level at which the boundary lines are scanned, must be selected beforehand using the cursor. The coordinates in X/Y/Z for this are displayed in the  input line. In the following editing the level can be corrected or adjusted upwards or downwards.

Adjustment for layer edge.	Relief section at level height.	Relief using the traced contour.

Filter.

You can rework the  relief and achieve flatter surfaces and/or filter out irregularities using the filter functions. Filters are mostly required for import data, e.g. import of dot clouds: Digitalising imperfections must be removed (error pixs, outliers, approximate). Or following import of STL data: gaps must be frequently be evened out (correction filter 2). The filters can also be called up several times for a stronger effect.

Mirror+ rotate.

Mirror the complete relief in X, Y, Z or rotate by +90 degrees / -90 degrees.

The program supports various milling data calculation from Relief: the fully automatic Relief Auto correction and the Z constant roughing.

Complete milling data for up to three tools using a series of milling strategies can be generated very easily using  Relief AutoCorr. For this set the tools, calculation process and milling strategy and start the calculation. 

 Relief AutoCorr can be employed for the calculation of milling paths for the complete relief or for milling paths within closed contours. If the calculation for a part of a relief take place within contours in CAD, mark these and change into the relief module. The marked paths are now displayed in the colour greenish blue. If  Relief AutoCorr is started with marked paths there are other milling strategies available. For milling path calculation the relief is always placed with the highest point at Z = 0, independent of whether milling paths lie at this point or not. 

The finished milling data should always be checked using  Norm/ZOOM projection and can then be output directly using  Export PLayer. Alternatively you can copy the milling data into a graphic layer using  PLayer > Target layer. This is then sensible if this milling data is to be combined with other milling paths.

As a matter of principle reliefs are employed for several milling processes:

• uncorrected relief as projection basis for engraving data. The relief is provided in the following menus: Relief File, Edit Relief  and ReliefVTR in order, thereafter, to project 2D or 3D milling paths on to the relief using projections.
• Automatic generation of complex milling data for several tools via the Relief Auto correction as well as some special milling processes for the processing of layers (see below).

Relief AutoCorr.

Using the function the complete roughing and finishing tracks are calculated according to several selectable processes for up to three tools for the milling of a relief. If contours have been marked previously in CAD then these are employed, otherwise the relief boundary is used as milling limit. The inputs take place in columns: left (coarse roughing), middle (fine roughing), right (finish). For the track calculation the tools can be combined. The input fine roughing is only possible together with coarse roughing and finish.

Tool selection.

Settings for milling path calculation.

 The parameters of the relief AutoCorr.

Z constant roughing.

Relief roughing calculation in layers.

 The parameters for Z constant roughing.

Norm projection.

Perspective representation of a 3D milling data set. The milling data is displayed in perspective. The perspective angle can be adjusted using the 8 direction buttons. With the setting in plan view (all angles = 0) the 3D paths are displayed in grey (colour) shades.

Zoom Projection.

Enlarged 3D  view of the projected cutter centre tracks (Zoom). This function is used following  Norm Projection.

PLayer > Target layer:

The calculated milling paths are adopted in one layer. For this a target layer is to be input. With the aid of this function 2D and 3D milling data can be combined in the layers and output using  File . direct mill into a project. To save in one layer select the target layer using layer selection.

If there is already data in the selected target layer, then milling data can also be loaded into the target layer or the existing data can be overwritten.

Export PLayer:

The milling tracks calculated using Relief AutoCorr are exported. For this  goto  Export selection. with the aid of this direct export milling data can be issued very productively without detours to the machine.