SketchUp 3D to GCode plugin

Since the CNC build is very slow due to the lack of time to do any real iron working I've turned into an old quest that was still pending.

A year or so ago I started experimenting with the SketchUp API to have some fun and learn something new.
I've never programmed with Ruby before but my C and C# experience made it pretty easy to learn it in no time.
Then I came to an idea. Make a plugin to convert a SketchUp model directly to GCode.
I debated for a couple of months on the API classes to try to see how I would pull this off. Other things came and I put this project aside.
Early this week I decided to pick this up again. After some intense brainstorming to my self I came with an idea that seemed to work. And it did but the process do scan the model involved boolean operations on SketchUp solids (a hole bunch of them actually) and that is a performance killer.
When I increased resolution SketchUp would stall.

NOOOOO... I found a solution and it was too slow. But then the math concepts I learn in high school came to my head and BAZINGA...

Yeah baby...
What I'm showing here are the results of my SketchUp to GCode converter plugin.

This is in a pre-alpha stage right now, so I'm not going to go in to much detail about this, but I can tell you that it works... :-D

Here are a couple of examples (SketchUp model vs NCPlot- this displays the GCode)

SketchUp model	GCode plot
Example 1	Generated GCode - Dual pass mode
Example 2	Generated GCode - Single pass mode

With some small adaptations this can be used to produce plastic printing GCode too.
I'm developing some more features on this.

Stay tuned...

Building a CNC - The start - Conceptual design

I've been cooking this idea for quite a while now.
A brand new CNC.

With Crappy CNC still in the "hospital", I've started to plan a new CNC trying to improve all the previous faults of Crappy.

Better rigidity.
Cheaper materials.
Less axis alignment issues.
Build with accessible tools.

I'm leaning towards a Momus CNC similar design with some dramatic changes.
Here is a partial sketch of Crappy 2. Has you can see the main difference between the Momus and this one is the crossed mount free double arm.

The concept is to keep the counter force that causes frame distortions closer to the milling point.

I'm in the building phase right now. but it's being painfully slow.
More updates coming.

3D preview of a PCB- EagleUP

I just found out about this plugin today. And man is it good.

It's the eagleUP plugin. It allows you to create a 3D view of your PCB design in Google's Sketch Up (my all time favorite 3D tool and the winner award for the most easy and comprehensive 3D software ever).

Sketch Up is designed for even a 3D noob like me to do wonders.

The wonderful thing about this plugin is that the model library is virtually endless. You can practically use any model from Google's warehouse (and there are plenty of them). Many users contribute for this library so it's always expanding.

This blog new background was done with it.

It's worth checking out. ;-)