Flattening and nesting components

Danwhite · 18 Jun 2015, 08:41

Hi Sketchup users

I have an upholstery company that id like to introduce cnc frames into without the big ticket that usually comes with it. I can draw the frames and show them how to do this,I a can also find local cnc router companies to cut out the 18mm ply, what I cannot do is flatten the components with a plugin or perhaps export the profiles as either separate dxf files or perhaps even nested.

At some point they will need to control there own workflow from the frame drawing to emailing
router-ble data so the steps need to be clean for both the upholstery company and the cnc company.

Is this possible with Sketchup?

I have attached a file for anyone to look and see what I'm proposing.

Thanks Skusers your font of knowledge is humbling...

Its also in the warehouse
https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=uf1db0d18-000f-47a1-9a0a-30a48fae99fc

Danny...

PS if there is anyone around the south of England already achieving this id love to hookup..

CNC chair.skp

Danwhite · 18 Jun 2015, 08:50

For got to mention there are two hardwood parts in the model that are shown in a wood texture , these would not be cnc cut..
Danny

ely862me · 18 Jun 2015, 09:08

I do it manually. For toys though, and much complicated shapes.
After I lay them flat and keep only the contours my client is regenerating the contours in Coreldraw to have closed vectors and from there you just have to run the files trough a code generator.
I wish there should be a plugin that do this automatically !
One thing that could help you a bit is Component onto faces plugin. This will lay a component flat onto a face, accordingly to its axis. It helps me when I have components rotated in all directions like the surface of this ship.

Danwhite · 18 Jun 2015, 10:01

"Component onto faces plugin" thanks ill look for that , thanks for the help..ely..!
Id love to have a plugin that flattens and leaves you with dxfs bit like the last steps of slicer..

ely862me · 18 Jun 2015, 10:49

@danwhite said:

Id love to have a plugin that flattens and leaves you with dxfs bit like the last steps of slicer..

That is the easiest part.Having them laid flat and arranged is the hardest.
After you have exploded all the arranged components/groups, go to parallel view then choose the Side view, then pick the selection tool and select the lower part of your geometry(select from right to left) then press "Delete".
Then go to Styles/Edit/Faces settings and choose the wireframe mode. Now select all the edges you see and make a group out of them. Now move that group away and bring back the "shaded with textures" mode and delete the rest of the geometry remained. This should be it. If you have different lines for engraving you should place them on a different layer.

PS The nasty thing about Component onto faces is that it does that only with one component at a time. Imagine running the plugin for over 50-100 times...

swarfer · 12 Jan 2016, 08:27

For generating the Gcode you could use SketchUcam from http://www.phlatforum.com
This allows you to place cutlines around your existing flat shapes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXlvPy7rB44