so i was wondering if there is a price break or upgrade if i bought Torchmate CAD lite, then decided later that i needed Torchmate CAD.

I'm pretty sure this was covered in the monster 2x2 thread in shop and tools but I don't remember the answer.

I asked this question in a pm and e-mail to bill and waiting for the reply. If it's not posted up here before I get a response, I'll be sure to post it up.

Scott

The upgrade cost to Torchmate CAD is the difference in price between the two. So you can buy CAD Lite, and if you want to upgrade to the Full CAD you would simply pay the extra amount that it would have taken you to buy the full version in the first place.

As you guys can see, Mike is much more on the ball posting in here than I am. The other tech's are getting their usernames in order and will begin supporting in here also. I have been all over the place. Sorry to keep anyone waiting on responses. Thanks Mike!!!

Bill

What does the CAD lite do for me??? If I have AutoCAD for drawing up the parts, how will the torchmate CAD or CAD lite help me out?
Thanks

What does the CAD lite do for me??? If I have AutoCAD for drawing up the parts, how will the torchmate CAD or CAD lite help me out?
Thanks

Since you will draw your shapes in AutoCad the Torchmate CADLite will adhere toolpaths to your shapes with lead-in's, lead-out's, kerf compensation and cut priority (meaning cut the inside parts before the outside parts) and cut direction (clockwise versus counterclockwise). Regular Torchmate CAD adds the ability to do full nesting and the scan tools required to scan an image in and turn it into a file to cut. It also adds Hogging toolpaths for routing among other things.

You can get by without either, but your cuts will turn out better if the toolpaths are generated in a version of Torchmate CAD rather than exporting them straight from AutoCAD into the Torchmate Driver program.

Bill

Yeah I think I'm going to have to pony up for one of the the Torchmate CADs... I would like to have more control over cut direction and the lead-ins/outs...Maybe I'll strat off with the lite, I don't neccessarily need nesting and have a raster image to vector scanning program already...

thanks

Yeah I think I'm going to have to pony up for one of the the Torchmate CADs... I would like to have more control over cut direction and the lead-ins/outs...Maybe I'll strat off with the lite, I don't neccessarily need nesting and have a raster image to vector scanning program already...

thanks

Your situation is exactly why we are offering the Torchmate CADLite. I think it will do what you need. Upgrading to the regular version does not cost any more than the difference between the two and only requires a new password.

cool that is something that i was hoping to hear. was dreading the thought of getting lite then decideing that i needed the the full version and droping over a grand in software. i think i can swing the 2XX.XX then later decide to toss in an extra what ever to upgrade.

Again thanks for the info. i might be emailing you to see about shipping the lite version while i'm here in Iraq, someing to play with and pass the time.

Torchmate,

I have a question about the full version of your cad software that I have purchased. If I have a bitmap of a brass knuckle can this be imported into the software and scanned to just have the outline. I have read on the site about importing a scanned image and using the scan tool then deleting the original file so it just leaves the outline. Just wondering if this is the same thing. Hope this makes sense I'm a newbie.

P.S. The brass knuckle in for some custom motorcycle footpegs :)



Gord

The full version of Cad will scan an image to create a line drawing, you must first convert the image to monochrome before using scan tools, I find that the two predefined Trace Setup LOGO's work best either "Complex with Detail" or "Long Lines and Curves" depending on what your image looks like.

Are you currently using the full version of Torchmate CAD?? I know the software will convert a scanned image but is this the same for say finding an image on the internet saving it as a bitmap and importing it to create a line drawing. I realize the image will have to be cleaned up prior to making a tool path.

Gord

Are you currently using the full version of Torchmate CAD?? I know the software will convert a scanned image but is this the same for say finding an image on the internet saving it as a bitmap and importing it to create a line drawing. I realize the image will have to be cleaned up prior to making a tool path.

Gord

Yes, it would be the same. Black and white images work the best, because little to no detail is lost when you convert it to monochrome in the Torchmate CAD Software. The Torchmate CAD simply traces where the image turns from black into white, and produces a vector line there.

To bring a picture from the internet in, I would save it to your computer somewhere, and then import it into the Torchmate CAD software via the import feature. Once the image is on the screen, go to the Image Menu, select Mode, and click on Monochrome. Then, go to the scan tools on the left hand side of the screen, and select AccuScan. This brings a new toolbar the top, and you will click on the Vectorization button (looks like the same glass prizm with a rainbow going through it) one time, and that performs the actual scan.

Once the scan is complete, click close, and then you can seperate the image from the vector lines, and delete it. What your left with is the scanned vector results, that you can manipulate like any other CAD object.

what is the best way to do this in cad lite as far as getting a pic of the net as it does not have the scan and trace thing on it? are there any good free or cheap programs out here that you all are using.

Yes, it would be the same. Black and white images work the best, because little to no detail is lost when you convert it to monochrome in the Torchmate CAD Software. The Torchmate CAD simply traces where the image turns from black into white, and produces a vector line there.

To bring a picture from the internet in, I would save it to your computer somewhere, and then import it into the Torchmate CAD software via the import feature. Once the image is on the screen, go to the Image Menu, select Mode, and click on Monochrome. Then, go to the scan tools on the left hand side of the screen, and select AccuScan. This brings a new toolbar the top, and you will click on the Vectorization button (looks like the same glass prizm with a rainbow going through it) one time, and that performs the actual scan.

Once the scan is complete, click close, and then you can seperate the image from the vector lines, and delete it. What your left with is the scanned vector results, that you can manipulate like any other CAD object.

what is the best way to do this in cad lite as far as getting a pic of the net as it does not have the scan and trace thing on it? are there any good free or cheap programs out here that you all are using.

CAD Lite has this feature disabled as well as the nesting option. I have heard rumors of "tracing" softwares out there for free, but I have yet to actually see one.