week 2

Computer Aided Design

ASSIGNMENTS:

  • Model experimental object / part of a possible final project in 2D and 3D software.
  • Describing the process in words / images / screenshot.
  • Include the original files.

selection of

3D CAD software

weekly work

final project

As I was proficient in Rhinoceros & Grasshopper, I was asked by the local Gurus to try some other software. Based on my final project, I decided to use Autodesk Fusion 360 ; a CAD software much similar to SolidWorks. Fusion 360 is capable of CAD modeling , mechanical simulation and generating toolpath for both additive & subtractive digital fabrication system.

 

It is free for students, hobbyist for 3 years with an Autodesk ID. Once can get it from

this link.

contact

modeling setup  &

process documentation

As Fusion 360 is cloud storage based application, it is easier to connect the files with a single ID and access from any where. So the first thing I did was to create a  Project. Named it Fab Academy 01 and another folder under the project for this week.

  Project Structure

  Folder Under Project

Next, I figured that Fusion also contains a version control system like Git and allows to comment on each save and retrieve each step later.

  Version Control system in Fusion 360

Now, I have created my file and started working on the 2D Curves which is classified in Fusion 360 as 'Sketch'.

2D Drafting in Fusion 360.

 NOTE : In Fusion 360 all the components are parametric and stored in a timeline which helps to go back at any stage; change and other related parameters with the change will be affected accordingly.

This feature is similar to Rhino's Explicit History but in much organized manner.

2D Drafting in Fusion 360.

Based on the functionality fusion offers I started to model my part of Robotic arm in the software and thought about to incorporate the joints as they will behave in the real arm.

  3D Modeling in Fusion 360. | Basic Extrusion.

  3D Modeling in Fusion 360. | Boolean Operation

  3D Modeling in Fusion 360. | Changing Appearance, Using Fillet.

  3D Modeling in Fusion 360. | Making 'Component' from 'Bodies'

  3D Modeling in Fusion 360. | Applying joints and Rotation parameter

Roatational Motion Animation

  3D Modeling in Fusion 360. | Constraining Rotational Motion as Robot

  3D Modeling in Fusion 360. | Using Parametric Timeline ; Changing the Fillet

The project could be accessed from here.

selection of

2d CAD software

From the given list of the softwares I chose to work with Illustrator, but with a little twist. To achieve parametric ability in such a software I had to consider a few things. One, to use a older version of Illustrator and two, using Java based plugin Scriptographer. CS5 is the last version that supports Scriptographer. Further they developed a stand-alone tool called paper.js.

 

I had a old version of Adobe Illustrator which I am using for this purpose and Scriptographer can be found here. The tutorials are good for a beginner to start with the plugin.

 

In the same site, the installation and initiation of the tool is describe which I followed. One can find it here.

For the coding purpose I have use Notepad ++.

File unit was saved in Points and started experiments with coding. It is necessary to save them in*.js format.

var topLeft = new Point (50, 50);

var rectSize = new Size (100, 150);

var myRect = new Path.Rectangle(topLeft, rectSize);

var topLeft = new Point (50, 100);

var rectSize = new Size (200, 400);

var myRect = new Path.Rectangle(topLeft, rectSize);

var myPath = new Path();

myPath.add(new Point(0, 0));

myPath.add(new Point(100, 100));

myPath.add(new Point(100, 500));

myPath.add(new Point(220, 400));

var myPath = new Path();

myPath.add(new Point(0, 0));

myPath.add(new Point(100, 100));

myPath.add(new Point(100, 500));

myPath.add(new Point(220, 400));

 

myPath.strokeColor = '#FED402'; // yellow used in the website

myPath.strokeWidth = 5; // make the stroke thicken

var myPath = new Path();

myPath.add(new Point(40, 90));

myPath.add(new Point(90, 40));

myPath.add(new Point(140, 90));

myPath.add(new Point(190, 40));

var myPath = new Path();

myPath.add(new Point(40, 90));

myPath.add(new Point(90, 40));

myPath.add(new Point(140, 90));

myPath.add(new Point(190, 40));

 

myPath.smooth(); // smoothen the line segment to a curve

Further experiments will be tried to do in the next few weeks based on the final project and subsequently added here attaining more complextity.

Meanwhile the codes can be accessed in this zip package.

 go to WEEK 3 >>

Avishek Das   |   2017   |   FabLab CEPT