I'm using matplotlib to preview the carving path for my CNC router.
The path is a series of X, Y, and Z coordinates describing where the router bit moves.
I'm rendering the path as a series of line segments, but this is inaccurate because of the router's circular bit. For example, if your path is a square, the outside of your path is a rounded rectangle.
Is there an easy way to render my path as a continuous series of circles?
Perhaps use solid_capstyle='round':
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import mpl_toolkits.mplot3d.axes3d as axes3d
import numpy as np
x = np.linspace(0, 6, 10)
y = np.sin(x)
z = x
fig = plt.figure()
ax = fig.add_subplot(1, 1, 1, projection='3d')
ax.plot(x, y, z
, linestyle='-'
, linewidth=20
, marker='o'
, markersize=20
, solid_capstyle='round'
)
ax.set_xlim3d(-1, 7)
ax.set_ylim3d(-2, 2)
ax.set_zlim3d(-1, 7)
plt.show()
What I would try to do, and I'm not saying this is the best way but I would make a function that maps a large amount of circles using the radius of your bit sizes as the diameter of the cirle. And the circles are related as an x and y coordinate that follows the route of your bit. You can fill in the circles to make it somewhat a line. Depending on how large or small you make a circle or a line you can approximate it for your CNC machine on python.
http://matplotlib.org/api/path_api.html?highlight=circle#matplotlib.path.Path.circle
classmethod circle(center=(0.0, 0.0), radius=1.0, readonly=False)
shapely, see this answer