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Keyboard Builders' Digest / Tips & Tricks

Keyboard layout STL generator

This piece of code by anduril_tfotw generates 3D-printable STL files from a keyboard-layout-editor layout.

KBD.news
Published February 14, 2022
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This piece of Python code is meant to generate a SCAD and/or STL file from a keyboard-layout-editor layout file. Additionally, the model can be automatically segmented so that the parts will fit within the build area of your 3D printer.

The program takes a keyboard-layout-editor json file as one of the inputs along with an optional parameter json file to customize other parts of the resulting model.

The program can then generate a number of different items. The entire case can be generated as a single model or the case can be broken up so that parts will fit within the build size of your 3D printer. The build size is one of the values that can be places in the optional parameters file.

The program generates code for OpenSCAD – the script-based CAD program. You can choose to just generate the scad script file or have OpenSCAD render the file into an STL to be used on a 3D printer.

Python, SolidPython and OpenSCAD are required to run this script.

GitHub repo: https://github.com/jeffminton/keyboard_stl_generator

I may look into hosting something online if there is enough interest to justify it similar to the way the swillkb case builder works – Jeff Minton.

As a note about printing, the author suggests printing the top or plate upside down so the top of the case/plate is resting on the build plate. This will give the best results and the best accuracy for the switch holes.

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Published on Mon 14th Feb 2022. Featured in KBD #65 (source).

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