# US 11,907,618 B2 · Systems and methods for utilizing information of a 3D modeling application to facilitate operation of fabrication machines > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,907,618 B2 - Document ID: US11907618B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/319,474 - Filed: 2023-05-17 - Published: 2023-11-23 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-05-17 - Assignees: Allied BIM, LLC - Applicants: Allied BIM, LLC - Inventors: Brian D. Nickel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11907618B2 ## CPC - G06F 30/12: characterised by design entry means specially adapted for CAD, e.g. graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for CAD - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A method facilitating operation of a fabrication machine (FM) includes receiving, by a fabrication center application (FCA) running on a computing device (CD), via a fabrication center connector websocket (FCCW), and from a fabrication tools application associated with a 3D modeling application running on another CD, 3D model data of a to-be-fabricated part or assembly (TBF-P/A). The method includes generating, by the FCA, and based on the 3D model data, data representative of an enhanced cut (or bend or threading) list (E-C/B/T-L) usable by a machine control application (MCA) running on a third CD for the FM to fabricate the TBF-P/A, the third CD also running a fabrication desktop application associated with the MCA. The method includes transmitting, by the FCA, and via the FCCW, the E-C/B/T-L data to the third CD to enable use by the MCA of the E-C/B/T-L data for fabricating the TBF-P/A by the FM. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method executed on at least one computing device to facilitate operation of one or more fabrication machines using digitally stored part or assembly information of a three-dimensional (3D) modeling application, the method comprising: establishing, by a fabrication tools application associated with the 3D modeling application running on a first computing device, and via a fabrication center connector websocket, data communication with a fabrication center application running on a second computing device; receiving, by the fabrication center application and from the fabrication tools application, and 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; generating, by 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; establishing, by the fabrication center application, and via the fabrication center connector websocket, data communication with a fabrication desktop application associated with the machine control application running on at least a third computing device and configured to control operation of the one or more fabrication machines, 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 transmitting, by the fabrication center application, and 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 by the one or more fabrication machines. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 further comprising causing, by the fabrication center application, the fabrication tools application to be installed as a plug-in for the 3D modeling application. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 further comprising causing, by the fabrication center application, the fabrication desktop application to be installed as a plug-in for the machine control application. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein establishing data communication with the fabrication center application via the fabrication center connector websocket comprises causing, at least in part by the fabrication tools application or the fabrication center application, a network communication connection between respective communication interfaces of the first and second computing devices to be established further via the Internet to enable transmission and receipt of signals encoding data generated for use in the method by the fabrication tools application and the fabrication center application. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 further comprising enabling, at least in part by the fabrication desktop application, utilizing, by a user of the at least a third computing device, features of at least a portion of the 3D model of the to-be-fabricated part or assembly in the absence of the 3D modeling application being installed or running on the at least a third computing device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5 further comprising transmitting, by at least one of the fabrication tools application and the fabrication center application, and via the fabrication center connector websocket, at least some of the information of the 3D model of the to-be-fabricated part or assembly to a database, wherein the enabling comprises receiving, by at least one of the fabrication desktop application and the fabrication center application, and via the fabrication center connector websocket, the at least some of the information of the 3D model from the database to facilitate the utilizing by the user. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the at least some of the information of the 3D model includes a state of the 3D model. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 further comprising causing, at least in part by the fabrication desktop application, a table representation of the at least one enhanced cut (or bend or threading) list to be displayed, via a graphical user interface of or associated with the machine control application, on an electronic display device of or associated with the at least a third computing device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 further comprising computing, by the fabrication center application, and based at least in part on the data representative of the at least one enhanced cut (or bend or threading) list, a required number of unit operations for the one or more fabrication machines to complete a fabrication process involving the to-be-fabricated part or assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein generating the data representative of the at least one enhanced cut (or bend or threading) list comprises generating data representative of the at least one enhanced cut (or bend or threading) list that is directly usable by the machine control application for the one or more fabrication machines to fabricate the to-be-fabricated part or assembly. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the 3D model of the to-be-fabricated part or assembly is a building information model (BIM)-coordinated 3D model, and wherein generating the data representative of the at least one enhanced cut (or bend or threading) list comprises generating the data representative of the at least one enhanced cut (or bend or threading) list based on data representative of the BIM-coordinated 3D model. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the second computing device is positioned remotely with respect to the first computing device. ### Claim 13 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. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to generate, at least in part using the fabrication desktop application, data representative of a progression of a fabrication process involving the one or more fabrication machines and the to-be-fabricated part or assembly. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system according to claim 14, wherein to generate the data representative of the progression of the fabrication process, the at least one processor is further configured to generate data representative of the progression of the fabrication process including at least one of: a start time of the process, an estimated completion time of the process, an identifier of a fabrication machine involved in the process, an identifier of the part or assembly, an identifier of an order or invoice of the process, an identifier of a customer to receive the part or assembly upon completion of the process, an identifier of an originator of an order for the process, an identifier of a fabrication shop carrying out the process, and an indication of an availability of the one or more fabrication machines for the process or for a different fabrication process involving another part or assembly. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system according to claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to direct the communications interface of the at least a third computing device to transmit, via the fabrication center connector websocket, the data representative of a progression of a fabrication process to the fabrication center application for use thereby. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system according to claim 16, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: direct the communications interface of the at least a third computing device to receive a signal encoding data representative of a request of a fabrication process stakeholder for a report of information pertaining to the fabrication process; and in response to the request being received: generate, using at least in part the fabrication center application, data representative of the report; and direct the communications interface of the server computing device to transmit the data representative of the report to a computing device operable by the stakeholder to facilitate viewing of the report by the stakeholder. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system according to claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to direct the communications interface of the server computing device to establish data communication with the computing device operable by the stakeholder to enable the data representative of the report to be transmitted to, and received by, the computing device operable by the stakeholder. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system according to claim 18, wherein to direct the communications interface of the server computing device to establish data communication with the computing device operable by the stakeholder, the at least one processor is further configured to cause, at least in part using the fabrication center application, a network communication connection between respective communication interfaces of the server computing device and the computing device operable by the stakeholder to be established via the fabrication center connector websocket to enable transmission and receipt of signals encoding data generated for use by at least one of: a stakeholder application running on the computing device operable by the stakeholder, the fabrication desktop application, and the fabrication center application. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The system according to claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: convert the data representative of the report into a human readable file format; and direct the communications interface of the server computing device to transmit the data representative of the report in the human readable format to at least one of: the first computing device, the at least a third computing device, and the computing device operable by the stakeholder. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The system according to claim 17, wherein the computing device operable by the stakeholder is positioned remotely with respect to at least one of: the first computing device, the server computing device, and the at least a third computing device. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13 further comprising the one or more fabrication machines. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: generate, at least in part using the fabrication center application, and based at least in part on the data representative of the at least one enhanced cut (or bend or threading) list, data representative of a procurement order for materials necessary for the one or more fabrication machines to complete a fabrication process involving the to-be-fabricated part or assembly; and direct the communication interface of the server computing device to transmit data representative of the procurement order to a supplier to initiate an order for the materials to be delivered to a location of the one or more fabrication machines. ### Claim 24 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13, wherein the one or more fabrication machines include a cutting, bending or threading machine. ### Claim 25 (depends on 13) The system according to claim 13 further comprising the machine control application. ### Claim 26 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.