SolidRuby

SolidRuby is a framework for programming 2d and 3d OpenSCAD models in Ruby. It is a fork of CrystalScad with the aim to update and improve the codebase.

SolidRuby, like CrystalScad and RubyScad on which it is based, is released under the GPLv3 license.

Installation:

Dependencies:

• Ruby 1.9.3+

Install via gem:

# gem install solidruby

if you have multiple ruby versions, you likely need to use gem1.9.3 instead of gem.

Install via git:

• clone repository
• # rake install

Getting started

SolidRuby comes with a generator that generates project stubs automatically for you. Run this command from a terminal in the directory that you want to create a project:

# solidruby new [my_project_name]

Change [my_project_name] to the name of your project

A project named "my_project" will create those files and directories:

• my_project/my_project.rb - the controller
• my_project/lib/assemblies - for putting together assemblies of individual parts
• my_project/lib/electronics - put electronics here
• my_project/lib/hardware - put hardware parts in here
• my_project/lib/printed - put parts that you want to print in here
• my_project/lib/lasercut - put sheets that need to be cut (by laser or other) in here
• my_project/lib/params.rb - place for global parameters
• my_project/lib/assemblies/my_project_assembly.rb - dummy assembly
• my_project/Guardfile - guard

A Guardfile is created to automatically update the output scad files.

Coding

Nearly all OpenSCAD functions are implemented. You can use the same parameters as in OpenSCAD, although SolidRuby provides some convenient variable names like diameter (d) for cylinders.

Some examples:

CSG Modeling:

res = cylinder(d:10, h:10)
# union
res += cube(x:5, y:20, z:20)
# difference
res -= cylinder(d:5, h:10)
# intersection
res *= cylinder(d:10, h:10)

Chain transformations:

res = cube(1, 2, 3).rotate(x: 90).translate(x: 20, y: 2, z: 1).mirror(z: 1)

Hull:

  res = hull(cylinder(d:10, h:10).cube(20, 10, 10].translate(x: 10)))

Center cubes in X/Y direction only:

  cube(10, 10, 10).center_xy # note: only works on cubes and must be put before any transformations

Also implemented: center_x, center_y, center_z, center

Helpers:

Some helpers have been implemented to ease modelling. Where helpers take face/edge/corner the options are:

  faces: :top, :bottom, :left, :right, :front, :back, :center
  edges: :top, :bottom, :left, :right, :front, :back, :center
  corners: :left, :right, :center

For example:

Triangles - can be either linear_extruded or simply used for calulations triangle(alpha: 90, c: 5, b: 3) #a right triangle on the origin, with Y leg 5 units, X leg 3 units

triangle(alpha: 45, c: 6, b: 9).beta #get calulated angle from triangle

Filleted cubes Filled cubes can be created by using the .fillet helper:

cube(10).fillet(edges: :vertical, r: 2)
cube(10).fillet(top: [:left, :right], front: :bottom, r: 2)

Chamfered cubes Similar to filleted cubes above

cube(10).chamfer(edges: :vertical, h: 2)

Both the fillet() and chamfer() helper can be used in isolation as well:

fillet(h: 10, r: 2)
chamfer(l: 10, h: 2)

Rounded cubes: Due to how fillet is applied, the corners of a cube are not perfect when doing all sides. In this case you can use rounded_cube:

rounded_cube(x: 10, y: 10, z: 10, r: 2) #Actually a hull of 8 spheres

Hollow cylinders: Hollow cylinders can be created by indicating an :id argument (inner diameter)

cylinder(d: 10, id: 8, h: 10) #creates a fully hollow cylinder
cylinder(d: 10, id: 8, h: 10, ih: 8) #inner cutout only partial height

Placing onto: For simple primitives you can use .place to place objects onto their faces:

  c = cube(10)
  res = c + cube(5).place(onto: c, face: :top, edge: :top, corner: :center)

  cy = cylinder(d: 10, h: 50)
  res = cy + sphere(10).place(onto: cy, face: :top) #edge and corner default to center

Long slots:

  # produces a hull of two cylinders, 14mm apart        
  long_slot(d:4.4, h:10, l:14)  

Printed threads: There is a printed thread class for printing threads, i.e. for nuts and bolts:

t1 = PrintedThread.new(diameter: 20, pitch: 2.5, length: 22.5, internal: true)

A few tips:

• Be visual. By running guard you can watch your updates in OpenSCAD

• When porting OpenSCAD code, beware of dividing integers. Example:

cylinder(r=11/2, h=10);

needs to be ported to

cylinder(r:11/2.0, h:10)

or

cylinder(d:11, h:10)

License:

GPLv3