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LeoCAD – A CAD program for creating virtual Lego models

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Re: LeoCAD – A CAD program for creating virtual Lego models

#31

Post by Nullabillity »

cyphar wrote: post #20
jve wrote: post #16

I'm wondering about the legal side of this. Is it OK from LEGO side to have stuff like this and other similar tools? And what if when you start printing stuff like that?

I believe the tolerances on Lego for it to be "just right" are fairly narrow, and most 3D printers aren't precise enough (but I could be mistaken). It is likely that Lego has patents on parts of their brick design, so you could be in a fairly bad legal minefield if Lego decides to sue you. Also I'm not sure that describing your project as "a tool for designing Lego" is a good idea.

> I believe the tolerances on Lego for it to be "just right" are fairly narrow, and most 3D printers aren't precise enough (but I could be mistaken).

Yup, the Lego tolerances are ridiculously tight, even for injection molding. 3D printing will generally give you results far worse than even the sloppiest injection molding process.

> It is likely that Lego has patents on parts of their brick design, so you could be in a fairly bad legal minefield if Lego decides to sue you. Also I'm not sure that describing your project as "a tool for designing Lego" is a good idea.

Lego's patents expired in 1989, that's why we now have stuff like MegaBloks. Lego did try to trademark their studded bricks, but that was shut down by the ECJ and others.

Re: LeoCAD – A CAD program for creating virtual Lego models

#32

Post by w0utert »

Very cool, I've actally thought at making something like this using the OpenCASCADE CAD kernel at some point (I'm familiar with that because we are using it at work).

Does LeoCAD itself have built-in capabilities to create the Lego's, using a CAD kernel? Or are they pre-modeled in an external tool? Typical Lego bricks are simple enough to build using basic Boolean geometric operations, so with just a few simple rules the application could define a vast library of bricks to use for building.

I tried to figure this out by looking at the source code, but couldn't find it, so maybe one of the authors can comment on this? Where is the brick data coming from?

Re: LeoCAD – A CAD program for creating virtual Lego models

#34

Post by narrowtux »

Impossible wrote: post #10

If I had side project time I'd really like to make a good VR lego CAD program. I have seen a couple of demos and prototypes and lego has a daydream app, but all of it seems limited and unpolished compared to LDD, LeoCAD etc.

I just got a VR and I'd pay for this!

Re: LeoCAD – A CAD program for creating virtual Lego models

#35

Post by bonzini »

app4soft wrote: post #4
bhouston wrote: post #3

How does this compare to Mecabricks online? https://www.mecabricks.com/ And the new tool from Stud.io from Bricklink? https://studio.bricklink.com/v2/build/studio.page

LeoCAD is fully free & open-source crossplatformed standalone software that could run on older PC too. Now availiable for Linux/Mac/iOS/Windows; port for Android also in plans: https://github.com/leozide/leocad/issues/65 Mecabricks is cloud-based online, so it require Internet connection and, I think, modern PC with WebGL support. License is EULA-like(?) and its track user (users are kids). Not good for security reas…

Stud.io and LDD both run well under Wine. However it's good to have an alternative tool that is open source. Stud.io uses the LDraw part database, the same as LeoCAD.

There's also blueprint, a tool to design LEGO instructions. It's not open source due to the author's legal concerns about publishing an open source library to read LEGO's own part database. It's a pity because it is a great tool, with a very good UI. LDraw files (.ldr) support instructions, but the user interface is a bit harder to use compared to the more specialized one in blueprint.

Re: LeoCAD – A CAD program for creating virtual Lego models

#36

Post by Genesis88 »

app4soft wrote: post #25
StavrosK wrote: post #24

This is fantastic, I remember using Ldraw to create a 3D model from the LEGO blueprint when I was younger. It's great for testing out designs if you don't have the parts, and I remember that the software could print whole step-by-step blueprint books for you.

> and I remember that the software could print whole step-by-step blueprint books for you. Here it is - LDPub3D (fork of LDPub) https://github.com/trevorsandy/lpub3d Some libs and binaries https://github.com/trevorsandy/lpub3d_linux_3rdparty https://github.com/trevorsandy/lpub3d_macos_3rdparty https://github.com/trevorsandy/lpub3d_windows_3rdparty Also here is upcoming new release https://github.com/trevorsandy/lpub3…

just as Alexander replied I am in shock that anybody able to get paid $8538 in 4 weeks on the > computer . read review............. http://bit.do/dnRs5

Re: LeoCAD – A CAD program for creating virtual Lego models

#38

Post by cr1895 »

cyphar wrote: post #20
jve wrote: post #16

I'm wondering about the legal side of this. Is it OK from LEGO side to have stuff like this and other similar tools? And what if when you start printing stuff like that?

I believe the tolerances on Lego for it to be "just right" are fairly narrow, and most 3D printers aren't precise enough (but I could be mistaken). It is likely that Lego has patents on parts of their brick design, so you could be in a fairly bad legal minefield if Lego decides to sue you. Also I'm not sure that describing your project as "a tool for designing Lego" is a good idea.

>believe the tolerances on Lego for it to be "just right" are fairly narrow

As far as I'm aware this is quite an understatement. The tolerances and consistency of lego pieces is impressive, to say the least.

Re: LeoCAD – A CAD program for creating virtual Lego models

#39

Post by Camille77 »

bonzini wrote: post #35
app4soft wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

LeoCAD is fully free & open-source crossplatformed standalone software that could run on older PC too. Now availiable for Linux/Mac/iOS/Windows; port for Android also in plans: https://github.com/leozide/leocad/issues/65 Mecabricks is cloud-based online, so it require Internet connection and, I think, modern PC with WebGL support. License is EULA-like(?) and its track user (users are kids). Not good for security reas…

Stud.io and LDD both run well under Wine. However it's good to have an alternative tool that is open source. Stud.io uses the LDraw part database, the same as LeoCAD. There's also blueprint, a tool to design LEGO instructions. It's not open source due to the author's legal concerns about publishing an open source library to read LEGO's own part database. It's a pity because it is a great tool, with a very good UI. LD…

I basically get paid in the range of $9000-$11000 a month from working online at home. Anyone prepared to work basic freelance jobs for few h a day from your living room and earn decent paycheck for doing it...

------------>http://ow.ly/P0wk30aVXfN

Re: LeoCAD – A CAD program for creating virtual Lego models

#40

Post by amelius »

kuschku wrote: post #19
jve wrote: post #16

I'm wondering about the legal side of this. Is it OK from LEGO side to have stuff like this and other similar tools? And what if when you start printing stuff like that?

LEGO’s patents expired a while ago, and competitors such as KREO have replicated the shapes and some of the models already. That said, no one is going to print LEGO – actual LEGO is a lot more robust and stable than anything you could print yourself.

Don't they have design-patents on the newer bricks?
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