Dear John Smith,

This DeskProto newsletter email updates you about the latest tutorial videos and tells about our plans for the next DeskProto version. The newsletter ends (as always) with a great user project. Five paragraphs in total: simply scroll down to read them all. We hope that you will enjoy reading!

Our rotary videos are popular The DeskProto CAM software has grown to be the market leader for rotary CNC by hobbyist users. This is illustrated by the very high number of views for all tutorial videos on rotary machining, as you can see on our YouTube channel. The latest video teaches about CNC machining a cabriole table leg: how to create toolpaths below the rotation axis. The DeskProto settings are shown, the machining process and the result. The video also explains the strange 'butterfly wing' toolpaths that may result, and explains why in this case the zero point needs to be set very accurately.

DeskProto for 3D laser engraving DeskProto V8 supports laser engraving. Not only on flat surfaces (like most laser software), DeskProto can also engrave on a 3D freeform surface. As promised in the previous Newsletter we have created a few tutorial videos about laser engraving: Laser engraving a flat vector image Laser engraving a 2D vector image on a 3D part Laser engraving a map on a 3D terrain model Though the videos were made using the laser module of a SainSmart machine, the instructions are valid for any milling machine with a laser module.

Bugs fixed in Version 8.0 Software is never completely bug-free, in spite of all testing. A number of small bugs has been reported by DeskProto users, and we have also found some details that needed improvement. Since the previous Newsletter we have released two free 'bugfix builds' (service releases). You can find a list of all fixes on page www.deskproto.com/support/buildhistory.php#dpv80

Working on the next DeskProto version The video about machining a cabriole leg (mentioned above) contains a snippet in which a preview of DeskProto Version 8.1 is shown. It shows a new feature in the Animation: a checkbox 'Show true orientation' (see the green arrow in the image above). With this option checked the animation of a rotary toolpath will be realistic: the cutter remains in a vertical position, while the part rotates. More new features are planned, for instance a wizard to create an inlay, making it a very easy job to machine the base and the plug for an inlay. The release will be some time next year, it will be a FREE upgrade for users of V 8.0 Please do not ask for a release date: we do not work with fixed release dates, as software development cannot be exactly planned. We will let you know once it is ready.

Gallery: thermoforming molds The latest gallery project is about a nice educational project: a course called Product and Engineering, at the University of Antwerp (Belgium). The students design a product that can be produced using thermoforming. The university workshop uses DeskProto to CNC machine molds for these designs (shown in the image above); a thermoforming machine is present to produce the final products. A very effective way to educate students about design and manufacturing. The Gallery page tells about this project in more detail. When you want to see more projects by DeskProto users: follow us on Facebook and/or Instagram.

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