Lovely Box and Tray Generator

Package design is one of those things that people can really specialize in and it’s tough for the average person to get started without a kickstart, like the generators, without a ton of iterating and prototyping (which are still required but hopefully to a less significant degree).

If I understand what you’re saying with (non)continuous walls, it seems like something that could be modified fairly easily in a vector drawing program (Illustrator/Inkscape/Corel). The generator kinda gives you a ladder from the low diving board to the high board.

4 Likes

Yes, I suppose for someone with a little more patience that is true. After playing around with a couple of box generators similar to this, I found it to be quicker to draws sketches from scratch in Fusion 360 for anything that requires non-continuous features. That way I could leverage the various parametric features of F360 very easily. It seemed to be more work to apply parametric features to a generated sketch. I’m not disparaging this tool at all; it works great for the majority of box cases.

3 Likes

It is open source, chances are if you need that functionality and can get into some python, you could get the functionality you need :smiley:

Here is the github for it:

3 Likes

Already on my list of programming projects to look at in my very limited spare time. :grinning: I think I already cloned the github repository.

1 Like

I’ve been using that generator, and it makes pretty clean SVG files. So when I’ve need to modify the outlines for a special purpose it’s been pretty easy. Also, it puts the holes in a different color, so you can play with the settings for them separately if you want. Haven’t looked at the code yet.

1 Like

fusion 360 has an amazing box making feature and there is a great tutorial on it.

now that is for sheet metal and folded boxes, out of cardboard etc.

3 Likes

I second that fusion 360 is an awesome tool. I’ve been producing a number of designs on it these last few days from when I received ‘the email’.

I also really love tools like this, anything to save 10 minutes!

1 Like

It has taken some work and those great tutorials by lars. to gather a clue on Fusion. It is flat out amazing.
the power of that package is stunning.

3 Likes

Nice find!

I’ve moved this post to Tips & Tricks. The Free Design category is reserved for new, original designs that folks are contributing to the community. Hope you don’t mind.

6 Likes

This is one the the best sites. I have downloaded the source and have a local server doing it but the online site is just fine.

Here’s a link to a previous topic with it.

4 Likes

Thanks, this is really interesting!

Yep, that one’s my favorite as well.

This is a great generator, thank you for the link. Has anyone figured out how to install this as an inkscape extension?

LOL! I had this open in another window when your post popped up…

http://florianfesti.github.io/boxes/html/install.html#inkscape

Looks like its automagic on *nix systems as part of the setup.py, but needs a little extra help on Windows.

2 Likes

Umm, I am not sure how to set it up for that.

Honestly, I have trouble getting inksacpe to work much at all because I have python 3.6 on my system and inkscape either breaks the other python projects I have going or inkscape extensions do not work

how do I use the image for my glowforge? I’m new and confused =\

1 Like

Fusion360 is an amazing CAD/CAM app. But it’s surprisingly complex to generate interleaving fingers. Boxes.py is amazing for generating boxes (and things like boxes, like drawer inserts) with fingers, kerf, etc., all worked out. I’m surprised that there’s not a tool in F360 to do the same.

1 Like

If you mean, how do you use the image that the box generator gives you then:

  1. Choose your type of box and click the name
  2. Adjust the settings and click Generate
  3. Right click on the image generated and save it as an .svg (you can’t use IE or Edge as those don’t allow that).
  4. The .svg can then be uploaded to the GFUI (Glowforge User Interface)

Does that help?

2 Likes

You can also open the saved image in Inkscape or whatever and edit it to add engraving or extra holes or change the shapes of edges or a bunch of other things.

“RoundedBox”, with a lattice added.

6 Likes