Cutlists
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I've never had a slow calculation for the cutlist. Even with the most complex models it has only taken a few seconds. The layout portion can take a little more time. Especially if you have a large number of parts. Is there a bunch of very small parts that perhaps don't need to be included in the layout output?
If you are willing to share your model, I could take a look at it and see if there is something that might be causing the slow down you are seeing. If you don't want to post it publicly send me a PM and I'll give you my e-mail address.
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I experienced the slowest calcultaion time with cut list with the simplest model....
I even shared it with steve racz, he got the same result...
I ended up doing it another way...
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What was it about the model that caused it to take so much time? and was it just on the layout portion or did it take a long time to make the cutlist, too?
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hi dave, glad if you can help, here is the file under SU6:
East Wardrobe
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regards,
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I'll look at it. You know you could have just uploaded it here.
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I can see a number of issues with your model. Cutlist does take a long time to generate the layout because it is doing the work of laying out all those shelves and side panels on solid lumber. It's taking a lot of time to split all those panels up to fit onto narrow boards. I'm guessing you are making them from sheet goods, though. So for those you should have added a sheet materials word to the component names.
Your modeling is rather inefficient which also doesn't help. It would be a big help if you made components from the beginning instead of groups. You have a bunch of components now that all have the same name. How are you going to identify what they are in the cutlist? I also notice that your dimensions aren't very precise. that won't really affect the cutlist but it could affect the finished piece when it is built.
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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 -
Vidy, may I make a few suggestions?
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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.
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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.
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Minimize the amount of nesting of components. Multiple nest layers can just create more work so be discerning about how you make them.
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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.
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thanks a lot dave, you are really kind..
regards,
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You're welcome.
Tell my wife.
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@dave r said:
Tell my wife.
Dear Mrs. Dave,
Dave is really a kind person, so don't yelled at him so much...
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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,
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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.
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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,
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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.
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i see... hmm.. really wish this could come true someday..
alright Dave, thanks for your reply.. hv a good day..
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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?
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