Hello:

I need to prepare a SVG file,based on a jpg drawing.  I want this drawing filled with a grid or vertical or horizontal lines to fill it.  These lines have to be included as vectors in order to be engraved by  a laser.

I'm able to vectorize this jpg to engrave the border ( silhouette) but not the internal filling lines.  What can I do ?

I have the same problem with Text, i can engrave the silouhette of a word but not the internal grid of each letter

Thanks

Are your shape and letter silhouettes closed shapes? Can make them into individual closed shapes? If so, you could use the Fill and Stroke dialog [shift+ctrl+f] to apply a grid pattern fill.

Are these pattern fills recognisable as paths by a laser? Just asking. I believe there are extensions to fill shapes with Path based pattern. Look for hatch fill for instance.

Thanks Paddy_CAD but these patterns fills are not recognisable as paths by the laser software ( as explained also by Polygon.)

The only way I have just found is this one:   For a closed shape with a complete black filling, export it as PNG ( bitmap), then import with the Laser software ( in my case LaserGrbl), and  use the parameters of LaserGrbl ( lines/mm ) to

have filling lines recognisable by laser.

This method allows that the laser fills any close shape ( coming from a jpg, for example )

Thanks for your help

hi

Why go through a png file rather than an svg file directly in laserGrbl?

I expected to find an extension to convert pattern fills to paths, but apparently it doesn't exist (yet?). Meanwhile, here's a workflow for a rough approximation. It might be good enough if you don't need perfect hatch lines.

There´s an "Fill Area" option in the Extensions->Gcodetools: Area:

Or Hatch fill as already mentioned:

The method I use is this for a pure SVG end result.

1) I create my designs in whatever software will export a DXF file (Inkscape does this, for raster graphics like PNG, JPG, BMP, etc you will want to convert to Vector with Trace-Bitmap in Inkscape to get outlines)

2) Open you DXF in QCAD (Freeware)

3) Select the outline and use the hatch tool in the left side toolbar (Icon looks like a tag with punchout. Click it then click the new single icon that looks the same, you'll see what I mean). Create whatever hatch when the dialog comes up and set line spacing values in the dialog box.

4) Select the hatch (not the outline) and go to menu item Modify and down to Explode. Now the hatch is actual lines. (Sorry but Inkscape's hatch methods are not so great yet)

5) Save as same DXF file.

6) Open in Inkscape and save as SVG.

7) Bring into your laser software and it will be hatched/filled.