An Introduction to using ArtCAM Insignia


Thank you for choosing to evaluate ArtCAM Insignia. To ensure that you gain maximum benefit from your evaluation we have produced this very brief guide to introduce the layout of the program including an introduction to Insignia’s unique
in-line help support.

ArtCAM Insignia Layout

The ArtCAM Insignia screen layout has been designed to let you work effectively and efficiently. The hub of ArtCAM Insignia is the innovative Assistant window. When you have a file open, the Assistant page displays a collection of tools to help you create, edit and machine your design. Many of these buttons take you to a new page where you can enter the parameters for the command you have chosen e.g. the radius of a circle, the number of points in a star, the tool etc. to use for a profile toolpath

In-Line Help

All of the dialog pages in the program incorporate Insignia’s unique in-line help to show what each field does right next to the field. While you are learning the program this can be a great aid, however Insignia has been designed to make both new and experienced users as productive as possible, so if you no longer need the in-line help visible, one click on the ‘Show Help / Hide Help’ bar at the top of every page will toggle on and off the display of in-line help throughout the whole program – what could be easier. You can also toggle on and off text descriptions of the icons on the assistant and toolpath manager page to help you quickly become familiar with what each icon does.
Help Summary

Click on the ‘Show Help and ‘Hide Help’ text on any page to show or hide the In-Line Help shown within Insignia.
Click on the [X] icon in the top-right corner of any page to quickly return to the Assistant’s Home page.
Click on the Toggle Display icon on the Assistant page to show or hide text labels explaining each of the icons.
Click on the arrows to ‘fold up’ sections of the Assistant page you do not want to see at any particular time.
  In the Toolpath Manager tab the arrows on the divider bar will toggle the display of text prompts for each group of commands.

Design Windows

This is the central area of the screen. ArtCAM Insignia uses two types of view. The 2D View window displays the vector artwork in your model and previews of any calculated toolpaths, while the 3D View window displays a three-dimensional representation of the machined model and any toolpaths.

Layers

This tab displays the Layers page in the Assistant window. You can use this page to organise the vector artwork in your model into layers. Each layer you create can be given its own name and colour. You can also toggle the visibility, snapping and locking for the vector artwork on each layer.

Toolpaths

This tab displays the Toolpaths Home page in the Assistant window. You can use this page to create machining toolpaths, drill holes, add bridging and lead moves, manage the machining order, produce a toolpath summary, create toolpath panels and manage the tools database. You can also use this page to simulate toolpaths, save toolpaths, edit toolpaths, load or save a toolpath template, and edit the machining parameters relating to a tool.

Adjusting the Window View
When you create or open a model in ArtCAM Insignia, the 2D View and 3D View design windows are automatically displayed. You use the 2D View window to create the vector artwork you need to produce a 2/2.5D model. And view and simulate your toolpaths in the 3D View window.

2D / 3D Views

When you create or open a model in ArtCAM Insignia, the 2D View and 3D View design windows are automatically displayed. You use the 2D View window to create the vector artwork you need to produce a 2/2.5D model. The 3D view is used to simulate your toolpaths and view them in 3D. The 2D / 3D checkboxes in the toolpath manager tab control the drawing of the calculated toolpaths.

To control the appearance of the 2D View and 3D View windows in ArtCAM Insignia:

From the Window menu on the main menu bar you can adjust the view of the design windows, with options for tiling and cascading the views.

You can toggle between 2D View and 3D view by pressing the F2 and F3 keys on your keyboard or the 2D / 3D button in the top left corner of the window

Thank you for taking the time to read this brief introduction. Please work through the Saw Mill tutorial to see how simple it is to create efficient toolpaths using ArtCAM Insignia.

List of common keyboard shortcuts

N
 Node Editing Mode
T
 Transform Vector Mode
ESC
 Return to Selection Mode
E
 Edit Shape
F9
 Centre Selection in Page
F2 / F3
 Switch to 2D / 3D view
CTRL+ Dragging Mouse
 Copy Selected Vector
CTRL+ G
 Group selected vectors
CTRL+ U
Ungroup selected vector group
S
 Smooth node (in node editing mode)
X
 Align Selected Nodes in X (in node editing mode)
Y
 Align Selected Nodes in Y (in node editing mode)