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Simple VCAD Object Example

DOI: 10.1016/j.addma.2023.103912

OpenVCAD is volumetric multi-material modeling language and compiler developed by the Matter Assembly Computation Lab at the University of Colorado Boulder. OpenVCAD is an automatable volumetric design framework that can fully leverage multi-material fabrication. OpenVCAD provides a scriptable suite of constructive solid geometry and functional design methods that enable the representation of complex objects with hundreds of materials. OpenVCAD allows for full spatial control over the material composition of an object. Additionally, it provides functional grading and convolutional blending techniques to generate parts with dynamic mechanical characteristics. This research tool is intended to be used for the design and development of new meta-materials, digital allows, and compliant mechanisms.

Installing OpenVCAD

OpenVCAD can be either installed from precompiled binaries for your system, or built from source.

Pre-compiled OpenVCAD binaries

Pre-compiled binaries of the OpenVCAD compiler can be found in releases. These include two versions:

  1. IDE-like program with UI and OpenGL-based rendering preview
  2. Standalone command-line application that compiles .VCAD scripts into PNG stacks, OpenVDB grids, or binary voxel files.

Building from Source

See Contributing to OpenVCAD

Getting Started

  1. Conceptual Overview
  2. GUI Application Documentation
  3. Material Definition Files
  4. OpenVCAD Modeling Language Documentation

Gallery and Results

See gallery and results page for examples of OpenVCAD scripts and runtime results.

Reporting Bugs

Please report bugs to the Issues tab on this repository.

Advanced Topics

  1. OpenVCAD Command Line Application
  2. Lattice Structures
  3. Contributing to OpenVCAD

Licensing

The compiled version of OpenVCAD on this repository strictly prohibits commercial use. If you are interested in using OpenVCAD commercially, please contact Robert MacCurdy and Charles Wade at: [email protected] and [email protected] to discuss licensing options.

Contact

Any other issues or inquires can be directed to Charles Wade: [email protected]