Render a depth map image?

[marmilicious]

I'm wondering if there is a way to render out a grey scale depth map image?  A height map from a specific perspective, an orthographic view from the top of a model for example.

My end goal is to generate a grey scale depth map that I can give to someone for laser etching. 

[innovatenate]

Could you help me to understand what the input is and what the output should be? I'm not sure I follow the question entirely. Pictures might be really helpful. 

If you're doing laser etching, you're probably looking for a DXF file. Which means you would need to create some sketch geometry in Fusion. If you can create 3D geometry, you can use the sketch Project or Intersect command to quickly create some sketches. 

Perhaps this add-in might help to create 3D geometry?

https://github.com/hanskellner/Fusion360Image2Surface

You could also just trace over an attached canvas with the sketch tools manually. 

I hope that helps!

[marmilicious]

[Apologies for my delayed reply, things got "lost in the mail" so to speak.]

Instead of a DXF (or some sort of vector or line based image), the laser is being fed a gray scale image.  The etching is more of a raster process then cutting based on lines.  The power level of the laser is based on the gray scale brightness, so white is laser power level 0, and black is full power for example (I might have that reversed).

The output I'm looking for would be a gray scale 2D image, but I was hoping to be able to model 3D geometry in Fusion 360 that is then used to generate a 2D image by rendering with a depth map shader.  I've seen a number of examples of how to generate 3D terrain from a 2D gray scale image (height map), but I'm looking to do the reverse.

Here are two examples of modeled geometry and the corresponding generated depth map image (based on an orthographic top view of the model).

Thanks

-Marc

[PhilProcarioJr]

@marmilicious

Fusion doesn't render out depth maps. You would need to export your model as a .stl and open it in an app like Blender to get the results your after. 

[PhilProcarioJr]

@innovatenate

Depth maps are the best way to do 3d laser engraving. Honestly this is a great example for the ideastation.....

[marmilicious]

Ok, thank you for the response Phil.

Here's to hoping that a depth map render option can be added to Fusion some day.  Simplifying the tool chain is always nice.  🙂

[Anonymous]

I know this is a few years old, but here is a article that covers using blender to take a 3d model, to create a depth map. This is then helpful for my problem where I want to create a relief.

http://amosdudley.com/weblog/Casting-Glass-from-3D-Printed-Molds

[asherFTSTR]

So why does Fusion lack does a rudimentary feature?

[TrippyLighting]

@asherFTSTR It isn't a rudimentary feature. 

[asherFTSTR]

You do nothing but defend the rationality of everything Fusion lacks.

In any case, "rudimentary" is exactly the right descriptor for recording already-existing distance-from-camera information. 

[marmilicious]

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@TrippyLighting wrote: It isn't a rudimentary feature. 

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Doesn't F360 have fairly decent rendering capabilities? The camera Z depth information should be readily available!

It's disappointing that 6 years later it sounds like this still isn't implemented. 

[TrippyLighting]

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@marmilicious wrote:

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@TrippyLighting wrote: It isn't a rudimentary feature. 

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Doesn't F360 have fairly decent rendering capabilities?

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Compared with other and even freely available render engines it has rudimentary abilities.

Depth maps certainly can be useful, but are not rudimentary features. I have been on this forum since late 2014 and this is not a commonly requested feature.

GPU support, for example is much more requested, but I don't see that happening either.

The procedural solid wood textures on the other hand are truly a standout feature!