Photo to 3D Relief for ArtCAM, Aspire, Carveco and Fusion 360

Naqshu is an AI relief generator: it turns a photo into a 3D relief STL for CNC wood carving. You also get a 16-bit greyscale heightmap. This page shows how to open a Naqshu relief in ArtCAM, Carveco, Vectric Aspire, SolidWorks and Fusion 360. We opened real Naqshu reliefs ourselves in ArtCAM 2018, Aspire 9.5 and 10.5, and SolidWorks 2013.

Make a relief from your photo

1. Make the relief

  1. Open the Naqshu Studio and upload a sharp photo, taken straight on.
  2. Crop it and type the width in mm. Use the same width as your panel.
  3. After a few minutes, turn the relief in the 3D preview. Change the depth, reverse it or add a base if you need to.
  4. Download STL Light (about 1000 px, for quick work) or STL Full (the full 2048 px detail, a large file).

The STL keeps its size in mm, so it comes into your software at the width you typed.

2. ArtCAM and Carveco: photo to relief

  1. Create a new model the size of your panel, in mm.
  2. Choose Relief › Import › Import 3D Model and pick the Naqshu STL.
  3. The Paste 3D Model dialog opens. Check the size, click Centre, then Paste.
  4. Click Close. The relief is now on your relief layer. Open the 3D view to check it, then make your toolpaths as usual.

We tested ArtCAM 2018. Carveco grew out of ArtCAM and its help shows the same menu and the same Paste 3D Model dialog.

3. Vectric Aspire: photo to 3D relief

The easiest way is our free Aspire gadget: pick a photo inside Aspire and the relief is added to your job. Tested on Aspire 9.5 and 10.5.

You can also import the STL you downloaded:

  1. Open or create a job the size of your panel, with units in mm.
  2. On the Modeling tab, choose Import a Component or 3D Model and pick the Naqshu STL.
  3. The Orientate 3D Model form opens. Check that the size matches the width you typed on Naqshu.
  4. Click Bottom to move the zero plane to the bottom, so the whole relief is kept.
  5. Click OK. The relief becomes a component in your job.

STL files carry no units. If the relief looks 25 times too big or too small, your job is in inches: use Scale mm/inches on the same form.

4. SolidWorks

  1. Choose File › Open and set Files of type to STL (*.stl).
  2. Click Options and choose Graphics body. It opens large files quickly.
  3. Pick the Naqshu STL and click Open.

We tested SolidWorks 2013: the relief opens as a graphics body (STL Graphics), good for viewing it and placing it in your design. For carving, open the STL in your CAM software.

5. Fusion 360

  1. In the Design workspace, choose Insert › Insert Mesh and pick the Naqshu STL.
  2. Set the unit to Millimeter, then click OK.

Using the heightmap instead

The 16-bit PNG and 8-bit BMP hold the full detail but no size. When you load one as a relief, set the width, length and Z height that the studio shows under Download.

Other CAD/CAM software

A Naqshu STL is a standard binary STL with closed sides and a flat bottom. Almost every CAD and CAM program imports this kind of file, including PowerMill, Rhino and the others above.

STL Full has millions of triangles and can be slow in some programs. If that happens, start with STL Light. If your software has trouble, write to naqshu.app@gmail.com and we will help.

Good to know