- Make a label in inkscape or any other SVG exporting program
- Export the label as paths only (no fonts)
- Import into FreeCAD
- Turn the label into objects that can be placed on an objects surface to mark a label
We can do this in the GUI:
- File->import filename.svg
- Open SVG as geometry
- Turn each path into a sketch
- Make a new body for each sketch
- Extrude each sketch
- Group into a part
If we are doing a label this is a great deal of duplicated effort.
- Turn all strokes and fonts to paths
- Split all separate paths (such as lowercase i)
- Join intersecting paths using combine
- The inkscape label to paths is describe here
- Cycle through all parts, find the ones that are completely within another and XOR them
- For non-intersecting paths use the draft->upgrade tool
- Make each into their own body and extrude
- Join the objects using a boolean XOR. This will keep the positively extruded parts and subtract the negative extrusion.
- Use OpenSCAD to define the outline of the label
- Export to SVG and open with inkscape
- Design Label
- Run make file which exports the different versions (source here)
- Fix intersection in paths (select intersecting parts -> union) and seperate paths like is (ctrl-a + "split paths" works)
- Select strokes and turn them into paths (ctrl+a + "stroke to path")
- Run freecad transformation script
- Open the freecad document and export the part group to a step file. If the paths are connected in a single step body the cut fails; they must be grouped as parts.
- Export the parts to a step file
- Embed or cut into object
| Inkscape Label Design |
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| Extruded label as FreeCAD Parts |
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| Extruded Part on Target (bottom label also shown) |
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| Final label on target with cutout section. |
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- Some letters aren't closed when they're generated (like m). For these go into the sketch and add coincident constraints.
- Currently intersecting parts are only found using the name exported from inkscape. This is beyond awful and is fragile. If there are many parts this will break. If there are many sections this will break. If inkscape changes path names this will break.