Model-to-machine-based systems and methods for operating fabrication machines for cutting and bending material

A method executed on at least one computing device to facilitate operation of two 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 center application running on a cloud computing device, and via a fabrication center connector websocket, data communication with a fabrication desktop application associated with a cutting machine control application running on a cutting machine workstation computing device and configured to control operation of a cutting machine;
• generating, by the fabrication center application, and based at least in part on data representative of a 3D model of a to-be-fabricated part or assembly, data representative of:
• an enhanced cut list usable by the cutting machine control application to direct the cutting machine to cut a work piece of the to-be-fabricated part or assembly into at least two pieces;
• and
• an enhanced bend list including data representative of x,y,z positional information for bending, using a bending machine, at least one piece of the at least two pieces at least once;
• and
• at least one of:
• a first etching routine to cause an etcher device operably coupled to, or otherwise associated with, the cutting machine to etch human-readable bend instructions including the x,y,z positional information on the work piece or on the at least one piece;
• and
• a second etching routine to cause the etching device to etch computer-readable bend instructions including the x,y,z positional information on the work piece or on the at least one piece;
• and
• transmitting, by the fabrication center application, and via the fabrication center connector websocket:
• the data representative of the enhanced cut list to the fabrication desktop application to enable use of the data representative of the enhanced cut list by the cutting machine control application to direct the cutting machine to cut the work piece;
• and
• the data representative of the at least one of the first etching routine and the second etching routine to at least one of the fabrication desktop application and the etcher to enable use by the at least one of the fabrication desktop application and the etcher device to direct the etcher device to etch the at least one of the human-readable bend instructions and the computer-readable bend instructions on one or more locations on the work piece or on the at least one piece.

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 two or more fabrication machines using digitally stored part or assembly information of a three-dimensional (3D) modeling application, cause the system to:

• direct, using a fabrication center application stored in memory of or associated with a cloud computing device, a communications interface of or associated with the cloud computing device to establish, via a fabrication center connector websocket, data communication with a fabrication desktop application associated with a cutting machine control application running on a cutting machine workstation computing device and configured to control operation of a cutting machine;
• generate, using the fabrication center application, and based at least in part on data representative of a 3D model of a to-be fabricated part or assembly, data representative of:
• an enhanced cut list usable by the cutting machine control application to direct the cutting machine to cut a strut work piece of the to-be-fabricated part or assembly into at least two pieces;
• and
• an etching routine to cause an etcher device operably coupled to, or otherwise associated with, the cutting machine to etch human-readable assembly instructions on the strut work piece or on at least one piece of the at least two pieces of the strut work piece, wherein the human-readable assembly instructions include markings or graphics indicating one or more positions on the at least one piece for installing at least one rod;
• and
• direct, using the fabrication center application, the communications interface to transmit, via the fabrication center connector websocket:
• the data representative of the enhanced cut list to the fabrication desktop application to enable use of the data representative of the enhanced cut list by the cutting machine control application to direct the cutting machine to cut the strut work piece;
• and
• the data representative of the etching routine to at least one of the fabrication desktop application and the etcher device to enable use by the at least one of the fabrication desktop application and the etcher device to direct the etcher device to etch the at least one of the human-readable assembly instructions on the strut work piece or on the at least one piece.