This document will give a general overview of the graining settings and options available in Microvellum’s Foundation Library. Within Microvellum, graining settings can be applied on a library or project level using one’s global variables, or else adjusted manually by editing the design data within the spreadsheet.
Global Variables
Graining settings for products can be adjusted or modified on either a library or project-specific level using global variables. If altered on a library level, the settings will apply to every product with graining applied, across multiple projects so long as one is using the same library of products or database. If altered on a project level, the settings will only apply to the products within the specific project that is currently open.
Under the Toolbox Setup menu, click the Library Specification Groups or Project Specification Group settings (depending on which level you wish to alter graining in). From there, open your Global file. Graining variables are found in the first tab, General Settings.
The two major global variables affecting graining are options to alter one’s grain direction and the application of perfect graining. Global variables controlling how graining will function with specific machines one is using (such as an Ardis or Cutrite toolfile) will also be listed here.
Grain Direction
Within the Grain Directions variables, one has 5 variables to control, all of which only affect parts on material that has graining:
Drawer Front Grain Direction - Controls the grain direction of slab drawer fronts and false fronts, able to be set to run with the length (vertical) or width (horizontal) of the product.
Door Grain Direction - Controls the grain direction of slab doors, able to be set to run with the length (vertical) or width (horizontal) of the product.
Side Grain Direction - Controls the grain direction of cabinet carcass sides, such as finished ends, open finish interiors, etc. Can be set to orient the grain to length (vertical) or width (horizontal).
Back Grain Direction - Controls the grain direction of cabinet carcass backs, applied backs, etc. Can be set to orient the grain to length (vertical) or width (horizontal).
Add 3D Grain Indicator - Add a 3D grain indicator to finished faces.
Perfect Graining
Perfect grain variables control the degree of application that perfect graining has on your products.
Perfect Grain – Enable this option to add perfect graining to your products with graining. Perfect graining groups materials according to each product and optimizes them together to provide matching grain direction on doors and drawers per product. For more information on perfect graining, visit this article.
Perfect Grain Char – This option is used to determine perfect grain matching with Ardis devices. By default, it is left blank. If it is desired to use Ardis Split Figure perfect grain matching, then enter a period into the values space. Only use this option if using an Ardis tool file.
Cutrite Template Patterns – Enable this option if you want doors and drawer fronts to be grouped to each product and optimized together with vertical grain direction results on doors and drawers. This option only works if one is using a CutRite Saw Optimizer.
Split Drawers from Doors – Enable this option if you would like doors and drawers to be grouped according to each product and optimized together.
Split Double Width Cabinets – Enable to split double width cabinets such as 2 Door Cabinets or 2 Door 2 Drawer Base Cabinets.
Allow Grain Matching Across Multiple Products – Enable to allow a grain matching identifier prompt to grain match between products.
Show Perfect Grain ID on Elevation – Enable to show perfect grain identifier numbers on 2D elevation drawings.
Product Prompts
Within the Microvellum product prompts, several options are available for manual override or modification of grain options, allowing you to alter the grain settings of specific products on an individual basis. To access the grain settings, you can either select the appropriate prompts in the product’s spreadsheet or enable the “Material Options” tab in the product prompts interface.
Within this tab, you can alter the Door, Side, and Back Grain Direction of the product, as well as manage the materials assigned to it. Additionally, you can manually alter the Grain Matching Identifier for the product (by default, the item number).
Grain Matching Identifier
In Microvellum, it is possible to group multiple products manually to use the same perfect grain container by changing the Grain Matching Identifier (the Product Number) to a value of over 100.
For example, if one has 3 different products that are intended to be using the same perfect grain container, renumbering the items as 101.1, 101.2, and 101.3 respectively would achieve that result. This can only be achieved if the global variable “Allow Grain Matching Across Multiple Products” is enabled.