MKCad - 2020 Season Updates

Technical Onshape
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#1

The 2020 FRC Season is right around the corner and the MKCad team is hard at work making sure everything is up to date and new COTS products are included.

Trello
MKCad has become quite popular as Onshape use increased, so we’ve decided to get a little more formal with the way the library is managed. We’ve created a public Trello board so you can keep track of the work we’re doing on the library. If you have any suggestions for improvements, missing parts, or additional features, please check the Trello board and then post in this thread if your suggestion isn’t already there.

Updates / Improvements
Configurable Parts - We’ve added configurable gears, pulleys, sprockets, and motors to the library, allowing you to change the part in your assembly without having to re-do the mates. For example, you can design a gearbox and then change the gear ratio with just a few clicks of the mouse.

COTS Updates - We’re in the process of adding missing COTS items from AndyMark, VEXPro, West Coast Products, REV Robotics, ThriftyBot, 221 Robotic Systems, and others. If you notice a part you want to use is missing, and it’s not on the Trello board, please let us know in this thread.

MKCad Copies
MKCad is an open library, which means that anyone can make and modify copies as they see fit. We estimate that there are over 450 copies of MKCad Onshape documents out there. This is fine, but we ask that you rename your copies to not include “MKCad” in the name. This will make the official libraries easier to find for those that wish to use them. If you have a copy, and don’t want to delete it and use the official MKCad documents instead, please rename your document ASAP.

Onshape Tags
Onshape allows you to mark documents with tags. We suggest you tag all official MKCad documents with “MKCad” to make them easier to find. Here’s how:

  • Go to the list of Onshape’s public documents (https://cad.onshape.com/documents?nodeId=3&resourceType=filter) and search for “MKCad”.
  • Select all documents that do not contain the word copy (there are currently 20 official MKCad Documents)
  • Right click, and choose “Labels…”
  • Add a label called “MKCad”

Now, when inserting parts in an assembly or part studio, simply click on the MKCad label, and you’ll see all the documents listed!

Again, if you have any suggestions or questions for the MKCad team, please post them here.

42 Likes
#2

It would be nice to see configurable assemblies similar to some of the stuff 2220 has homegrown in there-- ones that come to mind are:

You have my full permission and support in ripping those directly into MKCAD or making any necessary adjustments to make them suitable for the library.

Thanks for all the continued work-- MKCAD is a huge part of what makes Onshape a great place to do CAD for FRC.

6 Likes
#3

Very glad to see the continued evolution of the MKCAD platform! I’ve mostly taken a backseat role at this point, and am incredibly appreciative of Ty, Ricky, Evan, and Tom’s hard work to maintain MKCAD and the Onshape community for its continued use, support, and feedback!

Thanks everyone

5 Likes
#4

What’s different with OnShape that many CAD users may not have experienced with other sharing solutions like GrabCAD - to USE MKCad, you don’t need to make a copy! Just insert MKCad parts into an assembly by searching for it!

This info is in a blurb of the OnShape tutorials, but if you’re like me you skipped them and dove right into doodling*.

image
image1135×640 97.1 KB

*Mistakes were made…

9 Likes
#5

Thanks Marcus! You started it all.

Or, even easier, by using the tagging tip in the OP!

1 Like
#7

Glad to see development continue! MKCad has had a lot of great things going for it, and it sounds like you’re making great efforts to fill in its biggest blind spots.

Some products I noticed that are missing and didn’t see on Trello:

  • AndyMark 57/CIM/Falcon/Two-Motor/Dynamo Sport
    • Bonus points for configurability, now that there are so many options for input blocks and output shafts.
  • AndyMark Sport Flange Mounts
  • AndyMark DuraOmni and 2" Omniwheels
  • Thrifty Bot 2" Vectored Intake Wheels
  • AndyMark 8" MK, 6" SR, and 4" HD Mecanum Wheels
  • AndyMark 6" SmoothGrip Wheels
    • A HiGrip is close enough that I probably wouldn’t pause to throw it in a model, but let’s be thorough right?
  • AndyMark Hex HD Split Collar Clamp
  • AndyMark 1" Gussets
  • AndyMark Plate Sprockets (only the 17T double is on there)
  • AndyMark HTD pulleys (the 42T’s omission feels especially egregious)
  • AndyMark Peanut/Walnut/Churro/Churro Lite (configurable pls?)
  • AndyMark 2.25" HD and 3" Compliant Wheels
  • AndyMark Snow Blower Motor with Hex Output (if there’s gonna be one of these low-power motors in there…)
  • REV UltraHex
  • REV Through Bore Encoder
  • REV NEO 550
  • REV Gussets
  • REV 1" Extrusion (not something we use personally, but I do notice it’s missing)
  • REV SPARK (the OG one)
    • Lower priority, but Talon SR and Victor SP would be nice too.
  • REV Pressure Sensor

Last Christmas, I was working with a few others (especially Nick Aarested) to upload a bunch of AndyMark’s back catalog to Onshape public documents. If you see something with my fingerprints on it, by all means steal it. I can also add you to the Onshape team that was working on that if you’d like to get a leg up, just send me a PM. :slight_smile:

4 Likes
#8

MKcad has been a huge deal for my team and I love the continued support!

3 Likes
#9

Oh, and one more: The new VEX mag encoder housing. never mind read on

#10

Check out MKCad - Sensors. Currently only the housing, but the full ctre encoder is there as well.

There is probably some stuff that is in MKCad - Electronics that should be in Sensors, like the Limelight.

1 Like
#11

Ahh, true indeed. Thank you!

#12

Can you guys include Automation Direct series of regulators, gauges, indicators, and release valves? Many teams in PCH use them since they are local and they pass out samples at our events, but they are lighter, smaller, and easier to mount than many of the other ones. They have the CAD for each of their parts. I put the links below.
Gauge
Regulator
Indicator
3 Way release Valve
Mounting Hardware
Thank You guys in advance.
~Charlie M.

6 Likes
#13

@Ty_Tremblay you guys are doing god’s work right here. Thank you.

6 Likes
#14

added to the list

#15

@Ty_Tremblay

Special request - configurable model for a ‘popped’ rivet.

Question: I’m using the chain feature-script and attempting to make #35 chain. I can’t figure out how to adjust the width. What do you suggest?

5 Likes
#16

Just wanted to comment here that I’ve been looking at all the stuff you guys have been doing the past few weeks and am super happy to see so much getting added. You all are awesome.

3 Likes
#17

James,

If you’re using the FS I’m thinking of and made a few years back, change the pitch from .25 to .375 and it should do the trick.

It’s possible those dimensions will be off as the tool was designed primarily around 25 chain.

Feel free to disregard if you are referring to a different tool

#18

While a little off topic, but I just wanted to mention this nice feature script.


(featurescript link) https://cad.onshape.com/documents/67e94d9f28bea28acfe4cd2f/w/148839604556a1f380541be8/e/6390c076d48caa89151017d9
the featurescript property explorer allows you to change the name of a part based on variables, which may be helpful for naming some of the configurable parts of MKCAD.
below is a link to some configurable parts I made for my team that use property explorer:
https://cad.onshape.com/documents/669be88f527c96166d58b7b4/w/28065c3e2977e5ca32912cd7/e/c6042c2a595193f3e77d056f
these examples are pretty simple, but it can probably be expanded to do a lot of other things.

2 Likes
#19

I don’t know…

I’ve tried both listed in MKCAD. The ‘Chain Path Generator’ doesn’t resolve. The ‘Chain Path Generator (In Place)’ does not give the right #35 chain dimensions when the pitch is adjusted.

#20

I added a configurable rivet to MKCAD - Fasteners. Let me know if it’s missing any features.

3 Likes
#21

The original “Chain Path Generator” from the MkCad - Featurescript studio seems to be broken. The in-place generator is one of mine. I’ve fixed the dimensions on my versions of both. I’ve also just added a simplified chain path generator as well because I found even my optimized realistic generator anemic.
shameless plug

2 Likes