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Parametric Box Generator

by clifford, published

Parametric Box Generator by clifford Jan 7, 2010
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Description

I wrote a script to generate lasercut boxes. The script reads a config file with the box dimensions and generates a DXF file and an OpenSCAD model. We use the script for all types of cases here at metalab. The example file attached is the case of our electronic door lock system.

The script can be found here:
svn.clifford.at/handicraft/2009/boxgen/

You might need to install SPL (the scripting language I've used for the script) before you can use the script:
clifford.at/spl/

Recent Comments

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Hi,
In the Scad file the door parameter is not working... it is possible?

Why does the box generator give measurements in "fingers"? How big is a finger?

Hallo / hello boxmakers!

Not all people like to install software...

So you can try this online boxcreator to create different boxes:

http://www.frag-den-spatz.de/s...

!You need a modern Webbrowser (Firefox, Chrome, Opera...) !

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Tags

box, lasercut, openscad, script, Useful script

License

Public Domain
Parametric Box Generator by clifford is licensed under the Public Domain license.

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Instructions

Create A *.box file with the box dimensionps:

w = 180
l = 180
h = 100
t = 5
door = 1

E.g. this file is called "mycase.box". Call "boxgen.spl" with "mycase" as argument:

splrun boxgen.spl mycase

This script then generates a "mycase.dxf" and "mycase.scad" file. Use a dxf editor (such as "qcad") to modify the box to fit your needs. Usually you want to add holes for cables, user interface elements and such.

Open "mycase.scad" in OpenSCAD to preview the box. You might want to use the "Thrown together" rendering mode (F12) to speed up things and avoid rendering glitches with the OpenCSG at the highly concave edges of the boxes.
Public Domain
Parametric Box Generator by clifford is licensed under the Public Domain license.
By downloading this thing, you agree to abide by the license: Public Domain
Download All Files (9 kb zip file)

File Name

Downloads

Size

metalockbox.dxf
Last updated: 10-01-07
Downloads: 709
Size: 115kb
709 115kb
metalockbox.scad
Last updated: 10-01-16
Downloads: 624
Size: 1kb
624 1kb

Comments

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aeracoop on Jul 23, 2013 said:

Hi,
In the Scad file the door parameter is not working... it is possible?

FdS on Feb 4, 2011 said:

Hallo / hello boxmakers!

Not all people like to install software...

So you can try this online boxcreator to create different boxes:

http://www.frag-den-spatz.de/s...

!You need a modern Webbrowser (Firefox, Chrome, Opera...) !

mojotexas on Sep 8, 2011 said:

Why does the box generator give measurements in "fingers"? How big is a finger?

bons on Sep 16, 2010 said:

wunderschoen!

i made my first box using the "Parametric Box Generator by clifford"

after SPL setup and file.box creation the output dxf file was ready to be imported and lasercutted!!

many many thanks @ clifford

Anonymous on Jun 2, 2010 said:

Is there a Windows supported version of this I can buy somewhere? I have had mountains of trouble with Cygwin and MinGW!

clifford on Jun 3, 2010 said:

I guess your problems is with building SPL on win32? SPL should build fine with MinGW + MSYS. Unfortunately installing MSYS is a nightmare atm because they don't seam to have a single install package anymore but expect users to install many separate packages..

I haven't looked into that for a while and don't even have a windows installation running that I could use to test it. So maybe the easiest solution would be to boot into a ubuntu linux live cd and install spl into the RAM disk (SPL is available as pre-build package in the ubuntu package repositor
y - so no need to build anything by hand).

wizard23 on Jan 9, 2010 said:

did you forget to upload the scad file?

clifford on Jan 16, 2010 said:

Yup. I've added it now. But only see the uploaded files as an example of what can be done. The script has been heavily improved since I made this box..

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