The extrusion of a custom font fails.

[frankstardelux]

I have created a custom font which contains my company's logo. When I attempt to extrude this, it fails. Error message appears:

Create extruded feature failed

         The attempted operation did not produce a meaningful result. Try with different inputs.

In an attempt to find the issue, I split the logo into 3 parts. To my amazement, each of these will extrude fine. I've spent a huge amount of time on this and I'm convinced that Inventor has a bug. Reading around this subject, it is clear that a bad path or loop somewhere in the logo could cause Inventor to fail the extrusion but if the 3 parts will successfully extrude on their own, then I don't understand why it fails together. Nevertheless, I've been through the loops with a fine tooth comb.

The logo is saved as a svg file and I've create 3 more svg's for the 3 areas of the logo. This was done using the free software: Inkscape. Each of these is a "letter" within a font (see below). The font is assembled using https://glyphter.com/ which allows you to download the font ready for installing. The svg's and font install files are all attached in a zip. Inkscape also has a function to Simplify a shape without changing it too much. I've used this too without success.

A - Complete Logo after using Simplified tool

B - Just the roundel

C - Text: "Laser Quantum"

D - Text: "A Novanta Company"

E - Complete logo

To replicate what I'm seeing, download and unzip the files and install the font by R-clicking on Glyphter.tff and choosing Install. Then create a sketch and add some text. Type the letter B, C or D and change the font to Glyphter. Then extrude. This should be successful. Then edit the sketch and change the letter to A or E. This should then fail. To clarify, B, C and D and sub components of E. That is B + C + D = E. Whereas A is the simplified version of E.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! I have trouble installing the font on my machine. I am getting some weird text. Regardless, I have see font-specific profile issue. This is about the ability to "convert" text to sketch geometry as a profile. Inventor generally supports true-type fonts but the profiles may not be properly converted.

Are you trying to extrude the text in this font as a solid body?

Many thanks!

[frankstardelux]

Hi Johnson,

Below is the image you should see when you type the letter A (must be capital) and the font selected is Glyphter.

I just don't understand how Inventor can successfully extrude the 3 parts individually but fails when they're together. When I exported the SVG files, I deliberately didn't change anything so I could test which part contained the error and non of them do as shown by the image below.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! I guess the profile conversion algorithm does not like the font with multiple rows of text. I could be wrong but I have never seen a font like this. I will work with project team to understand the behavior better.

Many thanks!

[doug.johnston]

Have you tried the emboss feature to see if the same issue occurs ???

I have found that "some" custom / downloaded fonts do not extrude.  Most of the time I just "trace" the fonts in a sketch and extrude from that sketch.  It takes longer, but sometimes it's the only way I can reproduce that fonts.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Doug,

The process of recognizing profiles in Extrude is the same as the one in Emboss or other sketch-based features. I don't think it will work for Emboss either.

Many thanks!