Virtual Laser Cutter

The Use:

Generating 3d models of the pieces which will be produced by laser cutting

2d .svg to 3d with graphics Software Blender

in short, a virtual laser cutter

• to control the quality
• to refine the design
• to produce one interactive assembly virtual assisant
• or whatever more ...

Demo:

from .svg

the python script will generate

further virtual assembly can be applied

or something fancier

Utility:

Start Blender, goto "Text Editor", open the script "VirtualLaserCutter_byThatWolfieFeeling.py" (or place it in blender script folder in advanced)

check and set 3 user variables in the heading section:

• filepath: location of the .svg file. you can run as many times as you want in one session, every run you wanna update the filepath and move the done model out of the center to avoid overlapping
• texture path: image texture. a decent wooden image texture is provided (from poliigon)
• thickness: default value 0.004 which is close to 4mm with the scale of 10 in 3 axises

run script.

Watch out:

tidy .svg is expected for decent result, which means

• no redundant path, no redundant nodes
• well grouped, one piece one combine
• path needs to be filled for proper mesh, like this

Additional resource:

new to inkscape? wanna work with laser cutter? this medium post is my simple note, probably can help.

Troubleshooting:

0. script stopped at UV.unwrap()

check your path, your path should be tidy with proper filling and the elements in one piece are grouped together. when extruding it, it should be a concrete piece, but not any filament element.

1. texture doesn't applied properly

Nodes should have no problem. therefore you prabably want to apply uv wrap manually again to make it right in blender, select the object, get in "edit mode", press "a" to "select all", press "u" choose "uv unwrap"

2. my model has saw-looking edge or it is just not right

you path has hidden redundant elements.

Todo:

• make it as an extionsion with menu and panel
• make engraving
• enrich the texture with normal for realism

Help is welcome

Blender vision:

Created with blender 2.79 under Linux

Author

ThatWolfieFeeling 01/June/2018