Hello everyone, I work on technical projects where the transition from design to manufacturing is crucial. I’ve been using SolidWorks for a long time, and I’ve found that Rhino is missing some tools. I started creating them myself using Python scripts, but I quickly switched to C#, which provides greater access to the RhinoCommon API.
I currently have commands to identify panels, including their dimensions, thickness, and weight; automatic part renaming; automatic BOM generation; and documentation tools to create callouts and labels from layouts that retrieve object information, eliminating the need for manual typing.
I’m also developing commands for creating metal structures from profile sections and curves, similar to how they’re created in software like SW. All of this is geared toward creating drawings with automatic BOMs.
I have many more projects in the works, primarily for my own work.
I’d like to know if anyone else has these or similar needs.
Is there a plugin that already does similar things?
If anyone wants to see how it works or learn more about all this, I’d be happy to read your comments. Thanks!!
I would love to have something similar to weldments or structural members but the rhino flavour.
So I could work with surfaces and curves but have them turn easily into workshop drawings. Without having to mess manually with thickness and volume to get weight information.
Hi @coteo76 ,
important subject. I have used VisualARQ for several years now to do similar tasks that what you are describing here. Especially VisualARQ beam objects. I am using it in ways that the developers have not originally intended, but however the software caters to that segment reasonably well as well.
It is missing some tools, or some are underdeveloped in the fabrication sense. And as VisualARQ’s main focus in in design, I am sceptical that that will change. But I’ll link @fsalla here just in case. They have done tremendous job so far, and have a wider audience to cater, so this is not a critique to them - just an observation.
VA objects contain info about their profile and lengths. Volume is calculated automatically, so weight could be easily added per material. Automatic part naming is not present. VA has Table objects that can be used to create some-what-of a BOM, but their usage is a bit tricky, so in larger setups I have a script that generates crv-txt tables (Grasshopper Fabrication Drawing Creation - #11 by Toni_Osterlund). VA has Tag objects that can be used to display object information, but they are not like leader, so actual leaders are more useful. I have a script for automatic leader positioning (Automatic component labelling with leaders - #3 by Toni_Osterlund).
Not familliar with SW, but this is VA methodology.
I have set up automatic 2d-drawing generation from the model, including automated callouts and BOMs. Currently utilising Gh’s Make2d in projections and sections, as it’s most versatile compared to VA sections. Waiting to see what happens with the development of the WIP’s Dynamic section, if it becomes usable one day.
I feel this is an important subject to discuss, but you should definitely look into existing VisualARQ functionalities. If you have single, simple tools that extend those, they would be highly valuable. But to create a completely new everything, might be too ambitious project with limited impact and overlapping or conflicting functionalities.
I used VisualARQ for a while; it’s more for design, architecture, and BIM. It’s probably better for complex facade projects, but it has a lot of features I don’t need.
I focuses more on furniture manufacturing, industrial design, and smaller-scale structures.
My goal is simpler than VA’s: to integrate all the tools I need to create structures using standard, special, or custom-made profiles. Being able to edit them, trim them, make angled cuts, change profiles, perform non-destructive drilling, automatically rename them based on profile type or material, identify identical profiles… and with all this, automate manufacturing documentation as much as possible—cut lists, exploded views, export to Excel, etc.—using both detailed views of the 3D model and geometry generated with Make2D.
And something similar for board pieces made of different materials.
Everything I’ve been missing in MCAD software but with the freedom, flexibility, and speed of Rhino.
I’m finishing up the commands for splicing and angle cuts, once I have them ready, I’ll post some images or a video explaining the workflow and the result.
