How Tolerance Settings Affect Toolpath Accuracy in Carveco

Overview

In Carveco, tolerance defines how closely a toolpath follows the original design vectors. Setting this value incorrectly can lead to toolpaths that look distorted or don't represent your artwork accurately. This tutorial explains how tolerance works, what the default values mean, and when (or if) you should change them.

Understanding Toolpath Tolerance

Tolerance is the allowable deviation between the vector and the resulting toolpath. A higher tolerance means more deviation (less accuracy), and a lower tolerance means tighter adherence to the vector (more accuracy, but longer computation).

Simulating the Problem

1. Create a design and apply toolpaths (e.g., V-bit carving or profiling).
2. Simulate all toolpaths and observe any jagged, distorted results.
3. Enable vectors and compare them with the red toolpath lines — if the paths don’t match the design, the tolerance setting is likely incorrect.

Adjusting Tolerance

1. Edit the problematic toolpath (e.g., V-bit Carving or Profile).
2. Find the Tolerance field — if it's too high (e.g. 0.1" or 0.5"), reduce it.
3. Enter the default value for your units:
   • Imperial: 0.001" (one thou)
   • Metric: 0.025mm
4. Recalculate the toolpath.

After doing so, simulate the toolpath again — the result should now follow the vector accurately.

Example: V-bit Toolpath

A V-bit toolpath with a tolerance set to 0.1" may ignore finer details in the text. Reset it to 0.001" and recalculate — you'll see the toolpath now matches the letter forms as expected.

Example: Profile Toolpath

If the outer cut profile is erratic or rough, it may be using a tolerance like 0.5". Return it to 0.001" and simulate again to see the corrected path.

Summary