Abstract: One variation of a method for quoting manufacture of a part during construction of a virtual model of the part within a computer-aided drafting engine includes: receiving a quote file specifying a current manufacturing schedule and a pricing structure for a manufacturing facility; at a first time, in response to insertion of a first three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, calculating a manufacturing quote for the part based on the first three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; displaying the manufacturing quote; at a second time succeeding the first time, in response to insertion of a second three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, updating the manufacturing quote based on the second three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; and, at a third time succeeding the second time, submitting a form of the virtual model to the manufacturing facility for manufacture of the part.

Abstract: A method for automated part probing using a physical machine defining a physical working volume, the method including: generating a virtual model based on a virtual part design received from a user account, the virtual model comprising a virtual part model, based on the virtual part design, virtually fixed to a virtual fixture plate arranged within a virtual working volume representative of the physical working volume; generating a probing routine based on the virtual model; sending the probing routine to the machine; receiving probe outputs from the machine; and validating the virtual model based on the probe outputs.

Abstract: The automatic support device generation method includes: receiving a virtual part; determining a retention direction for the virtual part; determining a retention rotation for the virtual part; and constructing a support device based on the part, the retention rotation, and the retention direction.

Abstract: A method for automated manufacturing strategy generation can include: identifying features of a desired part from a virtual model; and determining a tactic strategy based on the identified features. The method can additionally include: determining a toolpath primitive for each tactic; combining the toolpath primitives for the tactics to generate a master toolpath; and translating the master toolpath into machine code.

Abstract: One variation of a method for quoting manufacture of a part during construction of a virtual model of the part within a computer-aided drafting engine includes: receiving a quote file specifying a current manufacturing schedule and a pricing structure for a manufacturing facility; at a first time, in response to insertion of a first three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, calculating a manufacturing quote for the part based on the first three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; displaying the manufacturing quote; at a second time succeeding the first time, in response to insertion of a second three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, updating the manufacturing quote based on the second three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; and, at a third time succeeding the second time, submitting a form of the virtual model to the manufacturing facility for manufacture of the part.

Abstract: The automatic support device generation method includes: receiving a virtual part; determining a retention direction for the virtual part; determining a retention rotation for the virtual part; and constructing a support device based on the part, the retention rotation, and the retention direction.

Abstract: A method for automated part probing using a physical machine defining a physical working volume, the method including: generating a virtual model based on a virtual part design received from a user account, the virtual model comprising a virtual part model, based on the virtual part design, virtually fixed to a virtual fixture plate arranged within a virtual working volume representative of the physical working volume; generating a probing routine based on the virtual model; sending the probing routine to the machine; receiving probe outputs from the machine; and validating the virtual model based on the probe outputs.

Abstract: One variation of a method for implementing design-for-manufacturing checks during construction of a virtual model of a real part includes: in response to insertion of a virtual feature into the virtual model, estimating a minimum stock geometry for the real part based on the virtual feature; selecting a first material stock cross-section from a set of available material stock cross-sections of a material designated for the real part based on the minimum stock geometry; at a first time, prompting a user to adjust a dimension of the virtual feature to enable production of the real part with a second material stock cross-section in the set of material stock cross-sections, less than the first material stock cross-section; at a second time succeeding the first time, submitting, to a manufacturing facility and over a computer network, an order for production of a unit of the real part according to the virtual model.

Abstract: A method for automated manufacturing strategy generation can include: identifying features of a desired part from a virtual model; and determining a tactic strategy based on the identified features. The method can additionally include: determining a toolpath primitive for each tactic; combining the toolpath primitives for the tactics to generate a master toolpath; and translating the master toolpath into machine code.

Abstract: One variation of a method for quoting manufacture of a part during construction of a virtual model of the part within a computer-aided drafting engine includes: receiving a quote file specifying a current manufacturing schedule and a pricing structure for a manufacturing facility; at a first time, in response to insertion of a first three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, calculating a manufacturing quote for the part based on the first three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; displaying the manufacturing quote; at a second time succeeding the first time, in response to insertion of a second three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, updating the manufacturing quote based on the second three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; and, at a third time succeeding the second time, submitting a form of the virtual model to the manufacturing facility for manufacture of the part.

Abstract: The automatic support device generation method includes: receiving a virtual part; determining a retention direction for the virtual part; determining a retention rotation for the virtual part; and constructing a support device based on the part, the retention rotation, and the retention direction.

Abstract: A method for automated part probing using a physical machine defining a physical working volume, the method including: generating a virtual model based on a virtual part design received from a user account, the virtual model comprising a virtual part model, based on the virtual part design, virtually fixed to a virtual fixture plate arranged within a virtual working volume representative of the physical working volume; generating a probing routine based on the virtual model; sending the probing routine to the machine; receiving probe outputs from the machine; and validating the virtual model based on the probe outputs.

Abstract: One variation of a method for implementing design-for-manufacturing checks during construction of a virtual model of a real part includes: in response to insertion of a virtual feature into the virtual model, estimating a minimum stock geometry for the real part based on the virtual feature; selecting a first material stock cross-section from a set of available material stock cross-sections of a material designated for the real part based on the minimum stock geometry; at a first time, prompting a user to adjust a dimension of the virtual feature to enable production of the real part with a second material stock cross-section in the set of material stock cross-sections, less than the first material stock cross-section; at a second time succeeding the first time, submitting, to a manufacturing facility and over a computer network, an order for production of a unit of the real part according to the virtual model.