How does the Vector Unwrapper tool turn a cross-section into a flat vector for rotary modeling?

The Vector Unwrapper takes a 2D contour, the silhouette or cross-section of the round part you want, and converts it into an unwrapped vector laid out flat, ready to drive a Two Rail Sweep that generates the rotational model. It is the bridge between "I drew the shape of my table leg" and an actual 3D rotary model. The tool is only available inside a rotary project (see the rotary job setup entry for creating one, and the rotary machining and wrapping entries for how flat toolpaths wrap onto the cylinder). Vector Unwrapper and Two Rail Sweep are Aspire tools; the VCarve Pro 12.5 documentation has no working section for either.

Workflow

1. In your rotary project, select the single vector contour you want to unwrap, typically the profile of the finished part.
2. Open the Vector Unwrapper (Drawing tab) and set the center of rotation. Three options:

• Use center of contour: rotation axis through the center of the selected contour's bounding box, the usual choice for a symmetric profile.
• Use center of workspace: axis at the workspace center.
• Use custom point: place the axis anywhere, then fine-tune by dragging the slide handle in the 2D view.

3. Optionally tick Refine unwrapped vectors. The unwrapped contour normally has a large number of nodes; this option gives a contour with far fewer.
4. Click Apply. The tool outputs an unwrapped contour.
5. Use that contour with the Two Rail Sweep tool to build the rotary model from your cross-section.

The center of rotation you choose changes the unwrapping so that, when the resulting contour is used to create a rotary model, the model's center of rotation is the chosen point.

Pro tips

• Where you put the rotation center is the design decision: it defines the part's axis, so an off-center axis gives an asymmetric turning.
• Drew only half the profile? Mirror and join it into one closed contour first so you can select a single contour.
• If the swept model looks faceted, rerun with Refine unwrapped vectors ticked rather than hand-editing nodes.