Toolpaths

-- IN DEVELOPMENT -- closed beta release--

Toolpaths is a Grasshopper plugin for generating and simulating G-code. It's goal is to enable new ways of 3D printing and CNC milling while giving novices and experts alike full control of the machines movement.

Toolpaths core features

• Object-Oriented Toolpaths The core data type is the Toolpath, which encapsulates a curve with its associated metadata (speed, extrusion, etc.) into a single object.

  Granularity: Assign parameters per-path or per-segment.

  Compatibility: A Toolpath object remains a standard Grasshopper geometry type, allowing you to use native components for transformations without losing metadata.

• Settings Hierarchy

  Settings are resolved in a three-level hierarchy: Operation (highest), Toolpath , and Global Defaults (lowest). This structure allows you to define a baseline behavior once and only intervene at the toolpath or operation level when specific settings are required.

• Simulation

  The FDM engine simulates material deposition rather than just visualizing a mesh pipe. By calculating volume buildup the solver enables features like automatic flow adjustment.

Features FDM

• Variable layer height and vase mode slicing.
• Automatic extrusion width calculation and volume-based extrusion modes.
• Generator Components for infill and walls
• Modulators: Per-vertex control of extrusion prarmeters like flow, speed, etc
• Masking: Filters to isolate modulator effects to specific sections of a toolpath.
• Path optimization via TSP sorting
• Real-time playback of the simulation
• UV-mapped output meshes for rendering
• Z-hop and retractions
• Gcode upload for Klipper, RepRap, and Octoprint.

Features CNC (currently not publicly available)

• LinuxCNC and Fusion 360 tool library support with tool/holder visualization
• High-performance stock removal simulation
• LinuxCNC-flavor G-code compiler

Installation

For installation and licensing instructions, please refer to the Licensing Documentation.

Beta Testing

TOOLPATHS is currently in closed beta. We are beta testing with a small team of dedicated designers and fabricators. If you want to contribute, ask for a key at toolpaths@juengerkuehn.com.

overview ui

	right click components to reveal parameters.
	Toolpaths objects are geometry. you can transform them with the standart grasshopper components. (move, array, transform ...)
	use Toolpaths Generators to create vasemode prints or infill
	use Toolpaths Modulators to varie different parameters per segment like speed, flow, displacement
	combine Modulators with Masks to restrict the effect to specific regions or along a gradient
	Toolpath Operations allows to group individual toolpath into one element. right click it to set parameters for the whole operation

Changelog

0.2.10-beta10 (unreleased)

• output for robots (requires robots plugin by visose)
• smooth rim modulator

0.2.9-beta9

• non-planar example
• Renamed "Initial Z Height" to Safe Clearance: Max(CurrentZ + Clearance, Clearance) logic
• renaming in fdm defaults: StartG → startG-Code, EndG → endG-Code, EPos → ExtruderMode
• fdm simulator: outputs overall program time in human readable format: HH:mm:ss
• vector field modulator: replaced IDW with Gaussian for smoother displacement
• vector field modulator: introduced per-point "Sigma" radius for individual influence control (removed redundant Falloff)

0.2.1-beta1 to 0.2.8-beta8

• bug fixes
• auto segmentation for curve inputs
• modulated speeds for no extrude moves will be correctly displayed
• gcode output to GH only on request
• faster slicing
• image map example
• variable infill example
• better degen defaults
• issue warnings if extusion is limited by nozzle size
• slicing component now accept mesh input (much faster)
• baked preview mesh is now split to match the sim time
• improved stability
• deconstuct toolpath is now two components: deconstuct CNC and deconstruct FDM
• gha loading sequence fix on mac
• no extrude curves displayed thicker

0.2.0-beta0

• mesh smoothing
• refactored infill and wall generator
• modulators accepts linear curves
• demo files
• volume component to calculate the extrusion area based on width / height
• static mode more performant

0.1.14-alpha15

• fdm machine flattens toolpath input
• uv scaling input for better textures flow along the extrusion
• bugfixes for preview

0.1.13-alpha14

• Infill Generator : robust handling for disjoint regions
• Infill Generator : Start Point is now hidden ; right click to reveal
• smart selector for extrusion mode based on available inputs
• bugfix: static mode now correctly ignores sampled heights
• closed paths are rendered more nicely

0.1.12-alpha13

• toolpaths now has an icon

0.1.11-alpha12

• interpolated vector field modulator
• simulation improvement:
  • heigthfield outlier filtering
  • extrusion smoothing
  • dengenerate extrusion filtering
  • heightfield interpolation
• bugfix: sorting curves off by default
• icons for parameters
• deconstruct toolpath features hidden outputs for clarity
• color component features hidden inputs
• vms now should default to 2 for all modulators

0.1.10-alpha11

• significant perf improvements in fdm program generation and simulation

0.1.9-alpha10

• better icons
• significant perf improvements in fdm preview

0.1.8-alpha9

• icons
• curve divider respects closed/open state
• walls generator reworked to suppress duplicate control points
• introduction of simplify curve component

0.1.7-alpha8

• planar slicer component: generates planar curves for "normal" printing
• bugfix in walls generator: holes are offest correctly

0.1.6-alpha7

• async upload to printer
• refactor of vasemode layerheight
• introduction of layerheight generator: creates a layerheights based on slope
• better default values
• licensing popup when license is expired

0.1.5-alpha6

• option to disable licensing , plugin will not try to load automatically until licensing is enabled
• naming conflict resolved between Rhino host plugin and Grasshopper

0.1.4-alpha5

• licensing popup at first install