Software - Creating Cutting Files

[Vinícius Juliani Pereira]

Hi, I would like to know which software can we use to create the cutting files for the CNC? How can i create this sort of files with Google SketchUp?

Thank you very much! I'm form Brazil and it will help me in an academic research!

[Torbjørn Engel]

Hi, I have the same question. I have found the WikiHouse plugin for Sketchup to work, but I find it hard to work in scale with the .svg files it makes (using Inkscape). I also don't know what criteria the plugin uses for selecting faces, as in one model the components get divided into constituent parts.

Have you found a solution? 

[Vinícius Juliani Pereira]

Hey

Sorry for the delay in answering you. I actually opened the .svg files in Adobe Illustrator, then I exported it into .dwg; after that, I edited and scaled the drawing in AutoCAD to generate laser cutting files. 

In the CNC case, I opened the drawing in Rhinoceros and I had used a CAM plugin called RhinoCAM.

I was doing a research about Digital Fabrication in Architecture, not only as a mean to create ornaments or facade, but to really assembly things from the digital. My research group have a Tumblr blog where you can see some pics of our work with the WikiHouse system! 

Here is it: http://tpedfaumack.tumblr.com/

Best regards

Vinícius Juliani

--

VINÍCIUS JULIANI PEREIRA

Graduando na Faculdade de Arquitetura e Urbanismo
da Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie 

[Torbjørn Engel]

Yes, I have found out a few things. The plugin chooses faces of grouping level-1, where the part is 18 mm (adjustable through settings). If you try to group two grouped objects or components it won't work, the plugin only process whole faces on level-1 groups or components. If you make it an component, you can name it and the plugin prints the name within the part on the layout.

I've gotten around to start to like working  with Inkscape. It was an relief to find out that I could work in mm instead of px, through document settings, in the menu.