Announcing RoboForge: CAD-to-URDF for agile robot engineering

[harmanpa]

We would like to announce the availability of RoboForge, a tool embedded in the Onshape cloud CAD environment for converting CAD models to models in URDF and other formats for simulation and controls development.

Engineers have told us this is a key issue in robotics engineering. We’ve developed an approach to cover a broader range of CAD models than existing tools,
we would love to hear what challenges do you face when creating URDF models and what tools work for you?

The software is free for use on public models with a paid plan for private use.

Find out more here: https://robofor.ge

[Y.Shibata]

And I would like to remind everyone that ROS official platform Turtlebot3 has public CAD data on OnShape.

OnShape - Turtlebot3 Burger

Onshape

[Jim_Phelan]

I signed up for a free RoboForge account which was accepted.
I tried using it on my cc of OnShape/Open Source Rover:
https://cad.onshape.com/documents/8f8189d761f726bcf69980f5/w/ec57fc1702d5177d685a86c9/e/ccf42f743a831a145aea7c8a
At first I couldn’t find it in any of the places that the RoboForge animation indicated. However, a colleague pointed it out as an icon in the lower right.
Clicking on it, “RoboForge” pulsated on a right side panel for about a minute, then disappeared. No download or other indication of a urdf product.
Colleague then suggested I try it with a simpler V2 of the OSR:
https://cad.onshape.com/documents/45499fe601515ceb24893af5/w/db2314ba01459c87ff0c63e9/e/ebb001659d98a6045eaea17a
Again, RoboForge flashed, this time briefly, but no apparent output.
What am I missing?
JHP

[harmanpa]

Hi Jim,
Thank you for trying the software and I am very sorry that it did not behave as intended. We have had some teething issues that we are resolving, thank you for your patience.
Pete