OpenScad beginners tutorial

Draft

Introduction

“OpenSCAD is a software for creating solid 3D CAD objects. It is free software and available for Linux/UNIX, MS Windows and Apples OS X. Unlike most free software for creating 3D models (such as the famous application Blender) it does not focus on the artistic aspects of 3D modelling but instead on the CAD aspects. Thus it might be the application you are looking for when you are planning to create 3D models of machine parts but pretty sure is not what you are looking for when you are more interested in creating computer-animated movies. OpenSCAD is not an interactive modeller. Instead it is something like a 3D-compiler that reads in a script file that describes the object and renders the 3D model from this script file (see examples below). This gives you (the designer) full control over the modelling process and enables you to easily change any step in the modelling process or make designes that are defined by configurable parameters.” (http://openscad.org/, retrieved 22:58, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

Compiling code

To compile (see the result)

• menu: Compile
• or menu: Reload and compile. I prefer using an exteranl editor (i.e. emacs to get "real" indentation support and good syntax high-lighting in java mode).

To render for real and to export

• menu: Design-> Compile and render
• menu: Design-> Export as .STL

Example code

This code is a derivative of the parametric lego duplo Domonoky. We also uploaded it to Thingyverse.

//the duplo itself
// parameters are: 
// width: 1 =standard 4x4 duplo with.
// length: 1= standard 4x4 duplo length
// height: 1= minimal duplo height
// nibbles: true or false
 
duplo(1,1,3,true);


module duplo(width,length,height,nibbles) 
{
	//size definitions
	
	ns = 8.4;  //nibble start offset
	no = 6.53; //nibbleoffset
	nbo = 16; // nibble bottom offset
	
	duplowidth = 31.66;
	duplolength=31.66;
	duploheight=9.6;
	duplowall = 1.55;	
	
	
	//the cube
	difference() {
		cube([width*duplowidth,length*duplolength,height*duploheight],true);
		translate([0,0,-duplowall]) 	
			cube([width*duplowidth - 2*duplowall,length*duplolength-2*duplowall,height*duploheight],true);
	}

	//nibbles on top
         if  (nibbles)
     	   {
	    	for(j=[1:length])
		{
			for (i = [1:width])
			{
				translate([i*ns+(i-1)*no,j*ns+(j-1)*no,6.9+(height-1)*duploheight/2]) duplonibble();
				translate([i*-ns+(i-1)*-no,j*ns+(j-1)*no,6.9+(height-1)*duploheight/2]) duplonibble();
				translate([i*ns+(i-1)*no,j*-ns+(j-1)*-no,6.9+(height-1)*duploheight/2]) duplonibble();
				translate([i*-ns+(i-1)*-no,j*-ns+(j-1)*-no,6.9+(height-1)*duploheight/2]) duplonibble();
			}
		}
	        }

	//nibble bottom
	for(j=[1:length])
	{
		for (i = [1:width])
		{
			translate([(i-1)*nbo,(j-1)*nbo,0]) duplobottomnibble(height*duploheight);
			translate([(i-1)*-nbo,(j-1)*-nbo,0]) duplobottomnibble(height*duploheight);
			translate([(i-1)*-nbo,(j-1)*nbo,0]) duplobottomnibble(height*duploheight);
			translate([(i-1)*nbo,(j-1)*-nbo,0]) duplobottomnibble(height*duploheight);
		}
	}
	//little walls inside[http://www.thingiverse.com/Domonoky Domonoky]
	difference() 
	{
		union()
	 	{
			for(j=[1:length])
			{	
				for (i = [1:width])
				{
					translate([0,j*ns+(j-1)*no,0 ]) cube([width*duplowidth,1.35,height*duploheight],true);
					translate([0,j*-ns+(j-1)*-no,0 ]) cube([width*duplowidth,1.35,height*duploheight],true);
					translate([i*ns+(i-1)*no,0,0 ]) cube([1.35,length*duplolength,,height*duploheight],true);
					translate([i*-ns+(i-1)*-no,0,0 ]) cube([1.35,length*duplolength,height*duploheight],true);
				}
			}
		}
		cube([width*duplowidth - 4*duplowall,length*duplolength-4*duplowall,height*duploheight+2],true);
	}
}


module duplonibble()
{
	difference() {
		cylinder(r=4.7,h=4.5,center=true,$fs = 0.01);
		cylinder(r=3.4,h=5.5,center=true,$fs = 0.01);
	}
}

module duplobottomnibble(height)[http://www.thingiverse.com/Domonoky Domonoky]
{
	difference() {
		cylinder(r=6.6,h=height,center=true,$fs = 0.01);
		cylinder(r=5.3,h=height+1,center=true,$fs = 0.01);
	}

}

CSG Modelling

Principle

It is possible to create complex 3D models by combining simple 3D primitive objects, such as cubes, cylinders or spheres.

Merging of objects

The result of union will be "baked", i.e. if you stack up cubes aligned against each other, the result will be one shape (no internal walls). This is ideal behavior for rapman printing. Note however, that juxtaposition of objects can go badly wrong.

union() {
  translate(0,0,x) import_stl("duck.stl");
  duplo(2,2,1.5,false);
}

Difference

Difference substracts the 2nd (and all further) child nodes from the first one.

Example:

difference() {
	// start objects
	cylinder (h = 4, r=1, center = true, $fn=100);
        // first object that will substracted
	rotate ([90,0,0]) cylinder (h = 4, r=0.9, center = true, $fn=100);
        // second object that will be substracted
	rotate ([90,90,0]) cylinder (h = 4, r=0.9, center = true, $fn=100);
}

Modifier characters - help for composing

So-called modifier characters allow you better see what is going on. If you put one of these before a subtree you can better understand what certain design elements do (this is particularly the case for union, intersection and difference operations.

# Debug modifier

• The subtree will be rendered, but it also will be drawn in transparent pink

Example code:

difference() {
	// start objects
	cylinder (h = 4, r=1, center = true, $fn=100);
        // first object that will substracted
	# rotate ([90,0,0]) cylinder (h = 4, r=0.3, center = true, $fn=100);
        // second object that will be substracted
	# rotate ([0,90,0]) cylinder (h = 4, r=0.9, center = true, $fn=100);
}

Debug Modifier example

% Background modifier

• Show a subtree in the background. Objects will be shown in light gray and transformations applied, but the tree will not be rendered.

Example:

difference() {
	// start objects
	cylinder (h = 4, r=1, center = true, $fn=100);
        // first object that will substracted
	% rotate ([90,0,0]) cylinder (h = 4, r=0.3, center = true, $fn=100);
        // second object that will be substracted
	% rotate ([0,90,0]) cylinder (h = 4, r=0.9, center = true, $fn=100);
}

Background modifier example

! Root modifier

Will ignore the rest of the design and use this subtree as design root. Useful to have a look a single element, without having to copy/paste it to a smaller test file. Usage example: ! { ... }

* Disable Modifier

Simply ignores this entire subtree. Same function as commenting out with // Usage example:

{ ... }

Global dynamic variables

The $fa, $fs and $fn special variables control the number of facets used to generate an arc. You can override these in each module (i.e. more precisely they work with dynamic scoping)

• $fa is the angle of the fragments. It sets the minimum angle for a fragment. Even a huge circle does not have more fragments than 360 divided by this number. The default value is 12 (i.e. 30 fragments for a full circle).

• $fs is the size of the fragments and defines the minimum size of a fragment. Because of this variable very small circles have a smaller number of fragments then specified using $fa. The default value is 1.

• $fn is the number of fragments. I is usually 0. When this variable has a value greater than zero, the other two variables are ignored and full cirle is rendered using this number of fragments. The default value is 0.

When $fa and $fs are used to determine the number of fragments for a circle, then OpenSCAD will never use less than 5 fragments.

The shape of the circle can be improved by setting one of the special parameters $fn, $fs, and $fa.

Troubleshooting

Not simple objects

After compile and render GGAL (F6), you may see something like:

<source="text"> Parsing design (AST generation)... Compiling design (CSG Tree generation)... Compilation finished. Rendering Polygon Mesh using CGAL... Number of vertices currently in CGAL cache: 600 Number of objects currently in CGAL cache: 3

  Top level object is a 3D object:
  Simple:        no
  Valid:         yes
  Vertices:      200

Then when you try to export to .STL you get a message like:

<source="text">
Object isn't a valid 2-manifold! Modify your design..
<source>

In a valid 2-manifold each edge must connect extactly two facets.
Here is a little example taken from the [http://rocklinux.net/pipermail/openscad/2009-December/000018.html OpenSCAD] Forum (retrieved ~~~~~):
<source lang="java">
	module example1() {
		cube([20, 20, 20]);
		translate([-20, -20, 0]) cube([20, 20, 20]);
		cube([50, 50, 5], center = true);
	}
	module example2() {
		cube([20.1, 20.1, 20]);
		translate([-20, -20, 0]) cube([20.1, 20.1, 20]);
		cube([50, 50, 5], center = true);
	}

The example1 module is not a valid 2-manifold because both cubes are charing one edge. They touch each other but do not intersect. Example2 is a valid 2-manifold because there is an intersection. Now the each edge must connect exactly two facets constraints of 2-manifolds is is met.

Links

• http://openscad.org/
• http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/OpenSCAD_User_Manual

Tutorials

• Front page of OpenScad has some good tips on constructive solid geometry (aka CSG)

• posts with label OpenSCAD on I Love Robotics]. The OpenSCAD Tip: Linear and Rotational Extrusions is a must read for beginners.

• Hack a Day: How To: Make a Printable CES Badge

• Make: Projects - Simple 3D models with OpenSCAD. Explains how to create a "2D" 12 solid pentomino puzzle

Other stuff

• Mashups (discussion on the BFB education forum)
• Parametric Duplo (mod by DKS on Thingyverse)

Credits and copyright modification

• Parts of this article were taken from OpenSCAD User Manual