SDFusion is an add-on for Fusion 360 that can automatically generate an SDF description of the model as well as export meshes or additional markers. Examples can be found here.
git clone https://github.com/Roboy/SDFusion.git
Scripts and Add-Ins
dialog in Fusion 360 by pressing Shift+S
Add-Ins
tab and press the green plus icon on the topScripts and Add-Ins
dialog now:EXPORT_link_name
. For example, select all components that belong to base
link, create a rigid group called EXPORT_base
.EXPORT_joint_name
. Select child as Component1
and parent as Component2
. Child and parent component must belong to two different rigid groups, e.g. links. Supported joint types are: fixed, revolute, prismatic and ball. Other joints that are defined in the design, but are not used for export are known to cause issues, so it's recommended to remove from the design all other joints without EXPORT_
in their name.Now the model is ready to be exported.
SDFusion requires all the links to be defined as rigid groups in Fusion 360. The script will automatically:
model.sdf
file with all rigid groups as linksRigid group names have to follow the naming convetion: EXPORT_link_name
. The rigid group has to contain all components (including children) that consitute the link.
In order to export a joint, it has to be
EXPORT_joint_name
When creating a joint in Fusion 360, make sure you select the child first and then the parent. Currently, fixed, prismatic, revolute joint types are supported. A ball-and-socket joint can be emulated as a gimbal joint - a series of three 1-DoF revolute joints nested in each other.
SDFusion allows to export cable-driven robot models with multiple attachment points (via-points).
The naming scheme defined for the viapoints is the following: VP_motornumber_EXPORT_linkname_viapointnumber
(e.g. VP_motor0_EXPORT_base_0
). You can either add them manually as construction points in Fusion 360 or use ViaPoints
tab from the plugin.
Here, you have to specify the motor number and the link name. Press Select
and the viapont number will increment automatically as you click on circular edges in your design. The newly created attachement points are listed under the Construction
in the Fusion 360 browser.
Refer to CARDSflow to learn about possible options to control your cable robot.
Configuration | Explanation |
---|---|
updateRigidGroups | by default the script will cache your rigid groups, as each of them is copied to a new component. This is done to save time for the subsequent exports, since this step is time consuming. If you add or remove components from a rigid group, check this box to update it. |
exportMeshes | creates a folder with stl meshes for each rigid group |
sdf | model.sdf is created |
viapoints | model.sdf will include descriptions of viapoints |
caspr | only valid when viapoints are defined and checked; generates CASPR files with definitions of bodies and cables, that are required for controlling the robot |
opensim | generates a separate muscles.osim file with muscle descriptions in OpenSim format |
darkroom | exports visual markers defined on the robot |
remove parts smaller 1g | deletes all components in the design with mass less than 1g |
self_collide | <self_collide>false</self_collide> tag in model.sdf |
dummy_inertia | ignores real inertia values calculated from your design |