Zomadicam: A SketchUp to Shopbot Partfile Generator

[rob_bell]

I mentioned during my talk at the Jamboree that over the past year I've written a collection of ruby scripts which allow me to generate Shopbot Partfiles directly from within Sketchup.

I am releasing this tool as an FREE Open Source Project.

Zomadicam is being hosted on Google Open Source Project site.

http://code.google.com/p/zomadicam/


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DISCLAIMER: READ THIS NOW
If you are looking for a full featured, release quality, well documented, comprehensive CAM solution then Zomadicam version 1.11 is not for you. Zomadicam is a home grown piece of software which I've written while learning the Ruby scripting language and CNC in general. It has however served me very well and has been and continues to be my CAD/CAM solution for 90% of the work I've do. So if you are a brave soul who already uses SketchUp and would like to create your partfiles straight from the source then this might be the right tool for the right job for you.

If you do chose to participate in the Zomadicam project you should be prepared, at least initially, to download the latest version frequently and be patient as features you've come to take for granted are implemented. I recommend familiarizing yourself with what the tool can do in your spare time and don't even try to pump out a job with it until you've determined that it can do what you want and that you know how to make it do that. The functionality of this version is very limited - it doesn't even do pocketing, so be warned.


On the Zomadicam code site you can find basic instructions on how to install the plugins and generate partfiles from pre-defined models you can download from the Google 3-D Warehouse. You can also generate partfiles based upon simple Sketchup geometry you draw yourself.

One of the Proper Models currently available for download from the 3-D Warehouse is my model of the Jamboree Box contest. You can download this model into Sketchup and generate the requisite partfile yourself from Sketchup. You might also choose to modify the model in some fashion within Sketchup - generate the partfile again and your changes will be represented in the new partfile output.

You can also build original Proper Models in Sketchup yourself which are Zomadicam ready. The basic rule is that every part of a model must be it's own component and the coordinate axes of that part must represent how that part is to orient to the Shopbot table. Once you've built a model you like and you want to share it you can upload it to the 3D Warehouse. Tag the model with zomadicam so other people can find it.

If you are a developer with a familiarity of CNC and the Sketchup Ruby API and you would like to contribute to the development of Zomadicam you may contact me at rob(at)zomadic(dot)com


thank you and enjoy.

--
Rob Bell
Zomadic, LLC

[myxpykalix]

Hi Rob,
a question. A friend wants me to build him a bar and when you try to explain designs in this forum most of us can visualize what someone is describing because we think the same way, but others don't, so do you think using sketch up and your addition would help me to make a better visual representations for people? And can you take parts created as shopbot part files and integrate them into the design? Lets say i carved a spiral column or a carved top for the bar outside of sketchup? thanks

[rob_bell]

Regarding using SketchUp to improve your ability to make a good visual representation : depending on what you are doing now, I'd say probably.

As for your other questions I recommend that only once you are really good at working in SketchUp with Sketchup models should you start thinking about using it to mix partfile sources.