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Python Modeling Using CadQuery

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1. Why

Goal: 3D modeling something in my mind, and 3D print the object

Tried: I tried

  • Solidworks (standard software for 3D modeling, but too expensive and not portable)
  • Pure Python, generate point manually, then use Meshlab to reconstruct the face/mesh again, this method is free but the result is harsh and hard to modify.

This time, I would try to use a Python library called CadQuery, it based on OpenCascade, an open-source 3D modeling engine.

2. Design Principle

Intuitive Construction

  • the language should just like human language

Capture Design Intent

  • Should follow some unclaimed assumption
  • Understand the constrain between different part

CAD file as cource code

3. Concept

  • Topology

  • Boundary Representation, objects are defined by their enclosing surfaces

  • vertex to edge to wire to face to shell to solid to compound

  • Workplane, represent a plane that features are located

  • Usually start with “XY” plane

  • Work in 2D, but generate the 3D thing

  • 2D Construction: circle, lines, arcs, mirror

  • 3D Construction: boxes, wedges

  • Selector, select the vertices, edges, faces, solids and wire using selectors (like the hand and mouse in GUI CAD software)

  • Assumption: working on a SINGLE solid object

4. Try

4.1. Install

Need x86_64 env in M1 Mac, MiniForge can do the job

Ref

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CONDA_SUBDIR=osx-64 conda create -n rosetta python   # create a new environment called rosetta with intel packages.
conda activate rosetta
python -c "import platform;print(platform.machine())"
conda config --env --set subdir osx-64  # make sure that conda commands in this environment use intel packages

5. Result

image-20230114232840060

6. Takeaway

  1. The extra for hole don’t need to be so generous