Whilst embossing text onto a curved surface such as a cylinder is straight forward, can anyone please explain how one can emboss or engrave text onto a sphere i.e. a surface curved in 2 dimensions and not just one?Thanks.

I believe the answer to your question resides within this thread...http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?63875-Emboss-with-wrap-to-sphere&highlight=EMBOSS

Thank you but the solution only seems to be a compromise and I am
concerned that when I come to write the tool-paths for
engraving/milling, I will run into inconsistent depth problems. I have
found some software called Zsurf which has enabled me to create an igs
file of my text, is there anyway I can wrap the igs surface onto my
sphere?



As an alternative I have used text geometry to create a 2D sketch of my
text and tried to project it to my sphere surface using the 3D Sketch
command  'Project to Surface.' However when I try to select my 2D text
geometry using the 'Curves' option it does not allow me to select my 2D geometry.



Although I thought this option should enable one to project geometry to a curved surface?

I am most grateful for your help


cjjatpuresilica2012-07-31 16:04:57

Did you read the whole thread or just skim it?Here's another option:http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?49055-3D-Text-on-a-model&highlight=embossJohn Connor2012-07-31 17:30:43

Thank you, for having struggled with this for over a day I re-attempted
the procedure as per JD Mather's kind but previously mis-understood advice and succeeded. In the end
it was so simple I am astonished that it is not a standard Inventor
feature with a distance setting for the inner offset surface that is
required to extrude-cut to.


For those that might struggle ahead of me, I created a surface offset
inwards of 0.5mm of my sphere, i.e. the depth of my required cut. I then
made my solid sphere invisible and used extrude-cut to the surface,
selecting my 2D text sketch as the profile. When I revealed my solid
sphere again the text had been arrayed around and cut into the surface of my sphere
the required depth and perpendicular to the surface.Anyone who does not understand the latter explanation may willing contact me as per my profile email address, on this subject.
cjjatpuresilica2012-08-01 17:45:13

Yep, sometimes you have to step away, think, go back, and re-read.  Then it all makes sense.

I thought I had resolved it but sadly only in part. If I try a simple
rectangular sketch profile of greater length than my desired text, it has
no problem wrapping around my sphere and cutting to my inner offset surface. However if I try a Text
sketch, albeit shorter I repeatedly receive the following warning:


"The attempted operation did not find any intersection between the
Toolbody and the selected 'To' termination face/plane. Change the
termination definition or the feature (profile) position."



If I delete say half of the text, it has no problem. I have even tried
sneeking up on it by modifying the sketch after it has successfully
extrude-cut. But sadly it still fails. It is as if Inventor cannot cope
with the complexity of the text.



I have even tried extruding the text in 2 bites but once again, I
receive the same error warning when I try to extrude-cut the second
half.



Does anyone have a possible solution please?



Thank you.




cjjatpuresilica2012-08-01 20:08:47

Thank you, for having struggled with this for over a day I re-attempted
the procedure as per JD Mather's kind but previously mis-understood advice and succeeded.

Please see my final solution at:http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?71510-Text-wrap-around-sphere-in-Inventor-2013