Create text along a curve

You can use the ARCTEXT Express Tool to align text along an ARC object. (It won't work with splines or circles, however.)

1. At the Command prompt, enter ARCTEXT or select Arc Aligned on the Express Tools tab, Text panel.
2. Select an existing arc.
3. Enter the text in the ArcAlignedText Workshop – Create dialog box.
   This creates a special ARCALIGNEDTEXT object.
   
    

 

4. You can EXPLODE these ARCALIGNEDTEXT objects to get individual letters and then run TXTEXP (another Express Tool to replace the letters you select with a polyline outline). The polyline can be used to create a tool path or extruded into 3D.

Note: If you plan to use curved text for something like CNC engraving, you will want higher quality text with more curves in each letter and with better spacing (kerning). In this case, consider using a commercial font created for this purpose.

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