Systems and methods for utilizing information of a 3D modeling application to facilitate operation of fabrication machines

A system for facilitating operation of one or more fabrication machines using digitally stored part or assembly information of a three-dimensional (3D) modeling application, the system comprising a server computing device including at least one processor operably coupled to:

• a communications interface, and a memory storage device storing a fabrication center application, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
• direct a communications interface of a first computing device running a fabrication tools application associated with the 3D modeling application to establish, via a fabrication center connector websocket of the system, data communication with the fabrication center application running on the server computing device;
• direct a communications interface of the server computing device to receive, via the fabrication center connector websocket, data representative of a 3D model of a to-be-fabricated part or assembly modeled in the 3D modeling application from the first computing device running the fabrication tools application;
• generate, using the fabrication center application, and based at least in part on the data representative of the 3D model of the to-be-fabricated part or assembly, data representative of at least one enhanced cut (or bend or threading) list usable by a machine control application for the one or more fabrication machines to fabricate the to-be-fabricated part or assembly;
• direct a communications interface of at least a third computing device, and under control of a fabrication desktop application associated with the machine control application running on the at least a third computing device and configured to control operation of the one or more fabrication machines, to establish, via the fabrication center connector websocket, data communication with the fabrication desktop application, wherein the fabrication desktop application enables synchronization of cut (or bend or threading) lists and assignment of fabrication work for one or more parts or assemblies to workstations for an efficient design-to-fabrication process;
• and
• direct the communications interface of the server computing device to transmit, via the fabrication center connector websocket, the data representative of the at least one enhanced cut (or bend or threading) list to the at least a third computing device to enable use by the machine control application of the at least one enhanced cut (or bend or threading) list for fabrication of the to-be-fabricated part or assembly using the one or more fabrication machines.

One or more non-transitory computer readable media having stored thereon program instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a system to facilitate operation of one or more fabrication machines using digitally stored part or assembly information of a three-dimensional (3D) modeling application, cause the system to:

• direct a communications interface of a first computing device, and under control of a fabrication tools application associated with the 3D modeling application running on the first computing device, to establish, via a fabrication center connector websocket, data communication with a fabrication center application running on a second computing device;
• direct a communications interface of the second computing device, and under control of the fabrication center application, to receive, via the fabrication center connector websocket, data representative of a 3D model of a to-be-fabricated part or assembly modeled in the 3D modeling application from the first computing device running the fabrication tools application;
• generate, using the fabrication center application, and based at least in part on the data representative of the 3D model of the to-be-fabricated part or assembly, data representative of at least one enhanced cut (or bend or threading) list usable by a machine control application for the one or more fabrication machines to fabricate the to-be-fabricated part or assembly;
• direct a communications interface of at least a third computing device, and under control of a fabrication desktop application associated with the machine control application running on the at least a third computing device and configured to control operation of the one or more fabrication machines, to establish, via the fabrication center connector websocket, data communication with the fabrication desktop application, wherein the fabrication desktop application enables synchronization of cut (or bend or threading) lists and assignment of fabrication work for one or more parts or assemblies to workstations for an efficient design-to-fabrication process;
• and
• direct the communications interface of the second computing device to transmit, via the fabrication center connector websocket, the data representative of the at least one enhanced cut (or bend or threading) list to the at least a third computing device to enable use by the machine control application of the at least one enhanced cut (or bend or threading) list for fabrication of the to-be-fabricated part or assembly using the one or more fabrication machines.