Cutlists

vidy · 20 Jan 2011, 05:41

thanks for a fast reply, as always dave

yes, i know this furniture i made before we know the cutlist plugin, it is made to fit naming on the calculation sheet at my office, and yes it is not precise, since my boss are always want our piece of cut was including the waste on the jointing process..

Hence i know, and will starting to rebuild it all over from beginning again, i think your previous post asking my old question about tips on using cutlist plugins.

thanks again dave.. cheers.

regards,
vidy

Dave R · 20 Jan 2011, 13:43

Vidy, may I make a few suggestions?

Set Precision to at least two places right of the decimal. You may not actually build to that precision but it makes it easier to identify dimension errors in the model. You can use the cut list to help identify components that may not be drawn correctly. If you know that you didn't intentionally draw something, say 50.03mm wide but the cutlist reports it as 50.03mm you can go back to the model and check to see why the dimension is not 50mm. At that point you can decide whether or not to fix the dimension or ignore it. If you don't know the dimension is not accurate, you won't have the opportunity to correct it and may get an unpleasant surprise during construction.
As you draw the parts make them components, not groups. Give them names such that they can be easily identified. Make copies of the components as you go and flip (mirror) them as appropriate. Reuse the same components as much as you can to avoid having to redraw them. this will improve your efficiency and make your boss happy.
Minimize the amount of nesting of components. Multiple nest layers can just create more work so be discerning about how you make them.
Build the model closer to the origin. I would start on the origin and work back behind the solid red and to the right of the solid green. By staying close to the origin you have easy access to the axis lines for reference.

Keep at it. You're doing a good job.

vidy · 21 Jan 2011, 00:59

thanks a lot dave, you are really kind..

regards,

Dave R · 21 Jan 2011, 01:15

You're welcome.

Tell my wife.

vidy · 21 Jan 2011, 06:08

@dave r said:

Tell my wife.

Dear Mrs. Dave,
Dave is really a kind person, so don't yelled at him so much...

vidy · 24 Jan 2011, 03:51

hi Dave, just wondering if there is any possibility that Cutlist Plugin could link the part name into the model itself, so we can have an automated text to the model just like "Stray Lines by Chris Fullmer" did? i think if its possible, it will make an easier way to understanding of the drawing between the draftsman to the worker..

regards,

Dave R · 24 Jan 2011, 11:05

Hi Vidy,

Do you mean something like this?

This can be done already without any plugin. Use the Leader Text tool and click on a component. By default the text will be the Component Definition Name or, if you've given the component a Name, that will be displayed instead.

When you make a component,you are given the opportunity to enter the Definition Name. You can select the component and, in the Entity Info box, give it a Name as well.

Keep in mind that all the cut list is doing is reading the list of component definitions and reporting a collection of their properties and then doing some calculations based on the dimensions of the bounding box.

vidy · 25 Jan 2011, 01:21

well, it is kind of it, but im thinking what if the note is changed by the parts name that produced by cutlist plugins, so we will see C-001, C-002, instead of we making it manually on our object, don't you think it will be easier to find the component on the drawing that way dave?

regards,

Dave R · 25 Jan 2011, 01:34

Yes, it would be easier to find the parts but the names in the cut list are just collected from the component definition names you assigned when you created the component or when you edited the definition name/name in the entity info box. The Cutlist plugin isn't doing anything to the SketchUp model. It is only reading the file.

Unfortunately leader text in SketchUp is not currently dynamic. Inother words, if you edit the component's definition name or its name in the Entity Info box, that change will not carry through to the text. I don't know whether it would be possible to make dynamic leader text or not. I guess that would be a question for the Ruby gurus.

As far as the Cutlist plugin goes, again, remember it only reads your model. It has no capability to do anything to the model. You'll need a different plugin for that.

vidy · 25 Jan 2011, 01:47

i see... hmm.. really wish this could come true someday..

alright Dave, thanks for your reply.. hv a good day..

Bertier · 9 Feb 2011, 21:11

attached is the freezing file...

that file freeze with cutlist...

Dave R · 9 Feb 2011, 21:31

Bertier,

Is it freezing when you ask it to create the layout images? It doesn't surprise me if that's the case. That's a lot of groups for the plugin to calculate through to figure out how to lay them out on a bunch of narrow boards. It may be that you've exceeded the number of boards the plugin is capable of calculating, too.

Since you haven't added one of the "Sheet Material" words to the group name, the plugin is trying to do the layout based on the groups being made from solid wood. Is that what you are intending? Or should they be made of sheet goods?