With the function Center in the Curve and Surface panel I've brought the object in the middle of the 3D-coordinate space.

I've done the latter, I've used a text-object (a 'W'), and converted this to a Curve object ( Object-> Convert Object Type.

Create the shape you want to cut out as Curve object, or use a text object and convert this to a curve.

I've left the resolution at 800圆00, but you need to set your desired resolution here. This avoids compression artifacts wich occur with the JPEG format. Bright pixels produce transparency, dark pixels remain opaque. The animated alpha map consists of gray-scale images whose luminance information is used to calculate the mask. When we render the animation the images are than saved in the subdirectory 'AlphaMap' to the current directory.

In the Output panel use '//AlphaMap/' as output directory.

This allows you to specify the total length of the animation.

Set the End value to 150 in the Anim panel of the Render buttons.

Particle caches are also created as subdirectorys. We should save the file right at the beginning, because we will save the animated textures in subdirectorys to the current directory. You need to have basic knowledge of Blender.Ĭreating the Alpha-Map Figure 2a: Setup of curve, emitter and camera in the 3D window. This guide is based on the well-known tutorial Cutting Through Steel, but remade with the current Blender particle system and with constraints.

Smoke is created with a fourth particle system.

Again, this sequence is used as an animated texture.

With a third particle system we simulate the annealing of the weld.

With a second particle system the sparks are simulated.

Then load these pictures and use them as an animated texture on a plane.

The results are rendered as animation and the images stored. A cube follows the path and emits a particle system.

You need an animated alpha mask for the points at which the metal is changed.

The latter method is considerably easier to implement and the result is nevertheless convincing enough. In order to simulate a laser beam which is cutting through a steel plate, we have in Blender (at least) two possibilities: Figure 1: Cutting out a logo, the result of this tutorial

Blender cutout animation